| | |  News from Around Banderas Bay | July 2009 
Little League Playoffs Continue Saturday After Long Layoff
 Bob Cohen - PVNN
| | With only two teams left in the four team 12 to 14-year-old division, a seven game championship series between the BanderasNews and Los Angeles teams will continue on Saturday at 10:30 am. | |
The Puerto Vallarta Little League finally continued play after a two + month layoff in early July due to circumstances beyond control. First, in late April and early May the sports stadium was closed for two weeks due the International Fireworks Symposium.
Then, sadly, the swine flu scare closed all public facilities in Mexico for the following three weeks. When all appeared ready to go, the City of Puerto Vallarta hosted the 2nd Annual National Fireworks competition, leaving the Little Leaguers without a field once again.
| For donations, sponsorships and further information we urge you to contact:
• Bob Cohen at bob(at)banderasnews.com
• Miguel Vargas at tacos.park(at)hotmail.com
• Oscar Mercado at mercadooscar(at)hotmail.com
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With teams, coaches, parents and players contacted to schedule resuming league play the following Saturday, the news of a few isolated cases of the flu hit Jalisco; none in Puerto Vallarta, but the Governor mandated the closure of all public facilities once again. A few cases did hit the Banderas Bay area, but thankfully with no casualties or sever cases. This produced three more weeks of no Little League play.
As at this point we were in late June, so it would have been easy to terminate the season and crown champions, but League President Miguel Vargas was persistent in concluding the season with a playoff system that allowed teams more action on the baseball diamond.
A big problem was that there was great difficulty contacting teams, many of which came from local public schools. Though games were scheduled, many teams didn't show up, so the teams that were at the stadium played "friendly games" that didn't count in the standings.
Finally, Miguel took the best four teams in the 9-11 division to play in the semifinal round, which was a best of three series. Los Limones had the best record and played the rival PV Yankees who had the fourth best record in one semifinal. The team with the second best record was Sage Hill and played Viejo Vallarta, who had the third best record.
Los Limones, who had a perfect undefeated record of 5-0 spoiled by the Yankees before the long layoff, looked for revenge and got it in two consecutive games, however the victories were hard fought and well earned. Los Limones won 9-5 in the first game and then won an epic battle 17-16 to knock the Yankees out of the championship hunt and to advance to the finals.
Their opponents were Sage Hill, who played Viejo Vallarta twice and won both by the mercy rule. The mercy rule states that when a team is ahead by 10 or more runs the game is considered a victory to avoid hard feelings and embarrassment.
Los Limones, the top seed, will play the #2 seed Sage Hill in a best of five game championship beginning this Saturday, July 25th at 10:30 am. The Yankees and Viejo Vallarta will play for third and fourth place concurrently in a best of five series. The top three teams will receive trophies, the size dictated by the team's finish. The fourth place team will receive a plaque.
On the big field, the championship series for the 12 to 14-year-olds will continue, also at 10:30 am. With only two teams with winning records in the four team division, the league decided to have a best of seven championship series. Los Angeles was the only undefeated team during the regular season at 6-0 and completely dominant in league play. BanderasNews was 4-2; their only two losses coming at the hands of Los Angeles.
In the first playoff game, Los Angeles continued their dominance and defeated BanderasNews by the mercy rule and appeared to be headed to a championship. The following Saturday, BanderasNews handed Los Angeles their first loss of the year 13-6 and tied the series at 1-1 and followed with another thrashing, this time by the mercy rule to take a 2-1 series lead. Last Saturday Los Angeles evened the series at 2-2 with a 12-5 win. This sets up a big fifth game on Saturday that will place the winner in a game for the title.
Trophies will be handed out to the two teams and all team sponsors will also have trophies given to them for their generous support in bringing Little League back to Puerto Vallarta after a 15 year absence. Come out to the Puerto Vallarta sports stadium this Saturday, July 25th at 10:30 am to cheer the kids on in their quest for championships.
Your support provides endless benefits for Banderas Bay area kids, who will develop the qualities of citizenship, discipline, teamwork and physical well-being by participating in Puerto Vallarta Little League Baseball. To learn how you can help, send an email to Bob Cohen at bob(at)banderasnews.com, Miguel Vargas at tacos.park(at)hotmail.com or Oscar Mercado at mercadooscar(at)hotmail.com. For more information about Puerto Vallarta Little League Baseball, click HERE. |
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