Jul 5, 2008

Tribe tough in back-to-back games

San Carlos tops North Bay but loses two-run affair to Burlingame

By Julio Lara / Daily News Correspondent

The San Carlos Tribe kicked off their participation in the Burlingame Fourth of July Tournament by playing two games in a five-hour span.


San Carlos 4, North Bay 1

Kyle Stahl got the start for the Tribe in Game 1 and was nothing short of magnificent. He went the distance for San Carlos, surrendering only four hits - just two after the first inning. He struck out five and walked only one, leading his team to a victory over the North Bay Owls.

Maybe the most impressive statistic of the afternoon was how frugal Stahl was in his outing - he needed only 72 pitches to get all 21 of his outs.

While the Tribe wasn't out of this world, they were effective enough to support Stahl in his outing.

They put together a nice two-out rally in the second, when Brett Kilburg walked. Richie Fanti followed with a single and Michael Ching did the damage that matters, doubling home both his teammates for a 2-0 lead.

The Tribe was right back at it in the third. A hit batsman started off their next two-run rally. This time, Nick Misa picked up an RBI with a single and Brad Sentman followed suit with an RBI single of his own. The four-run lead proved to be more than enough for Stahl and his wonder-arm.



Burlingame 10, San Carlos 8

San Carlos faced off against Burlingame in the 4:30 p.m. matchup at Washington Park with both teams trying to capitalize from the momentum from earlier wins.

The teams combined for 27 hits and 18 runs, and at the end, it was Burlingame holding on for the victory.

While San Carlos was responsible for 16 of those hits, its inability to get the crucial, back-breaking hit came back to haunt the Tribe. San Carlos left 12 men on base Friday night, Burlingame left only five.

Things were rather close through three innings. After a bases-loaded single by Ching that brought in two and another RBI knock by David Alonzo, the Tribe found itself up 5-3.

Alonzo had a great game for the Tribe, going 4 for 5 in the contest.

But Burlingame answered back with six runs in the third and fourth frames with Steven Merchant, Steve Riddle and Kevin Hahn collecting RBIs for the host team, and just like that Burlingame was on top 9-5.

San Carlos would do its best to rally back in the top of the seventh, scoring three runs in the frame. They actually got the tying run on base, but such was the story of the evening, the Tribe squandered the opportunity.



San Mateo 11, North Bay 1

San Mateo continued its success in the tournament, making quick work of the North Bay Owls.

James Chamberlin and Matt Hammer combined for five innings of one-run baseball, striking out seven Owls in the process.

Nick Borg got the scoring going for the Sox, his bases-clearing double in the first gave San Mateo the lead early. He finished the night going 2 for 3, adding another RBI later in the game.

Ryan Hamilton also had a pair of RBI for the Sox.

It wasn't all offense for the Sox. Lee Bader made a great diving catch in support of Hammer in the third inning to thwart any thoughts of a comeback by the Owls.

The win is the third in three tries for the Sox, who can all but lock up a spot in Sunday's final by winning one of two games today at Washington Park in Burlingame.