Argus Article - 8/16

By Ken Jackson
SPECIAL TO ANG NEWSPAPERS

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- After sailing along through the Senior League World Series, the Union City Americans hit their first bump in the road, and it cost them the easy path to the championship.

A 11-1 loss to Pinellas Park, Fla. (16-3), on Wednesday night at Osceola County Stadium bumped the USA West representatives into the losers' bracket, but Union City (18-2) can still take the title -- by doing it the hard way.

The first step in this new, rocky road starts today at 1:30 p.m. Pacific time, when the Californians take on the Latin America representatives, Panama City, Panama. Staff ace J.R. Raymond (7-0) will get the start.

A win today pits Union City against the winner of today's 10:30 a.m. game between Des Moines, Iowa and host Winter Park, Fla. of Florida District 3. Union City has already defeated those teams in this tournament.

Friday's winner advances to Saturday's championship and will have to defeat Pinellas Park -- twice. The first game will start at 10:30 a.m. Pacific time.

Union City Manager Steve Orias said Wednesday's loss doesn't break the tournament for his team.

"Sometimes you need a good butt-kicking, and we came down here and got a good Southern one tonight," he said. "We're still here, and the kids know that and they're great about it. We say, Panama, bring it on. I want everybody in Union City to know that everything's fine."

For two innings Wednesday, things were fine. Orias went deeper into his pitching rotation, passing on Raymond for Matt Wetzell, who was coasting until Pinellas Park touched him for four runs in the third on David Reed's two-run single and Matt McGee and Ryan Gonzalez's RBI singles.

In the top of the fourth, Pinellas pitcher Tommy Weaver, who had no-hit Union City for three innings, left the game with a sore shoulder. Union City managed a run against McGee, his replacement, when third baseman Art Boado drove in Jonathan Lockett.

But the Floridians answered with a run in the bottom of the fourth and three in the fifth, when the Californians made three untimely errors.

Up 8-1, Pinellas Park ended the game early when, with two on, Phillip Collier cleared the left field wall for the tournament's first home run, ending the game via the 10-run mercy rule.

"We committed five errors and the bats didn't come around, how are we supposed to win?" Orias said. "Our only loss since Districts was 11-9, and we bounced back with a big win the next day.

Pinellas Park will have the luxury of watching its Saturday opponent for two days, then have two games to beat them for the title. It's a luxury Pinellas Park Manager Alan Perry said he team hasn't had this summer.

"We've lost in the first game of districts and regionals and had to come out of the loser's bracket each time," he said. "I'm not going to know what to do with these guys for two days.

Union City faces a Panama team with momentum today -- pitcher Daniel Perez threw a no-hitter in beating Ramstein, Germany, 6-0 on Wednesday. Orias expects the same kind of effort from them today.

"Mark my word, that is a very good team we'll see," he said.

A loss to Panama would bounce Union City into the placement bracket, ending its chance at first place, and force them into a 4:30 p.m. game tonight against Germany. Union City can still play on Saturday at 7:30 a.m. Pacific time in the third place game with a win over Germany and a win on Friday.

PINELLAS PARK, FLA. 11, UNION CITY 1

Union City000 100 -- 1 5 5

Pinellas Park004 133 -- 11 11 0

Wetzell (L), Amyx (3), Armstrong (5) and A. Berumen; Weaver (W), McGee (4) and Mcgee, Gelwick (4). Hitters: Union City: Oakley 1-3, Raymond 1-2, Amyx 1-3, Lockett 1-3 R, Boado 1-2 RBI; Pinellas Park: Perry 4-4 2 RBI; Reed 1-3 2 RBI, Liwag 1-4 RBI, Collier 3-4 HR 3 R 3 RBI. Records: Union City 18-2, Pinellas Park 16-3.