Team Hobie outlasts VFW in first contest

It didn’t take long for the drama to unfold in the 2005 Laguna Beach

Little League Majors Division postseason tournament.

In the first playoff game in the division Monday, five lead

changes highlighted a closely contested matchup between Team Hobie

and VFW, a game finally won by Team Hobie, 8-6.

Following a scoreless first inning, the fireworks began in the top

of the second when VFW posted three runs.

Tyler Pierce and Santi Peirini each produced RBI hits during the

three-run rally.

But Hobie evened the game in the bottom of the second, thanks to a

three-run double up the gap off the bat of Chris Barwick.

Neither team could score in the third inning, where strong

pitching and solid defense dominated play.

Pierce, playing at shortstop, turned an unassisted double play for

VFW in the frame.

The score was still knotted at 3-3 heading into the bottom of the

fourth, when Hobie’s Shane Selfridge came to the plate with bases

loaded.

Facing VFW’s hard-throwing Rex Strombotne, Selfridge fouled off

five fastballs before knocking a single into left field, which drove

in the go-ahead run.

After Alex Bekken drew a walk, Hobie’s Kirk Knott smashed a

double, scoring Selfridge and Bekken to up the lead to 6-3.

But as it had demonstrated throughout the regular season, Hobie

couldn’t hold onto the lead.

In the top of the fifth, VFW answered with three runs, scoring on

a combined fielding errors by Hobie and clutch hits by Blake Hester

and Derek Reigel.

In the bottom of the fifth, VFW recorded two outs before Michael

Kimball and Remington Zona drew walks to get on base. Facing a 1-2

count, Hobie catcher Jack Pillsbury ripped a line drive just over the

glove of a diving Larry Stewart in centerfield to score Kimball and

Zona and give Hobie an 8-6 lead.

The two-run lead held as Selfridge, who closed for starter Spencer

Friedenrich in the top of the sixth, got the save. He gave up a hit

to Pierce but then struck out the final two batters he faced.

Hobie will play regular-season champion Sportsworld today at 4:30

p.m. at Riddle Field.