Â
Team Lyons from Fresno California got back in the NAFA "AAA" championship for the second time in two years, as they topped the Fargo I.S.Knights 3-0 behind pitcher Doug Sleep.
Sleep pitched 18 innings on the day, going 11 innings in the morning's game against RWP of Minnesota before giving way to Tony Peeples who picked up the win in relief.ÂIn the RWP game, the score remained tied until the bottom of the seventh inning when it appeared might be over on a walk-off home run with two outs by designated batter Brian Elliott. Lyons center fielder Jeff Reich raced back to the same spot that he watched the earlier home run by Scott McCleod leave the yard. Reaching the fence and out of room to run, Reich timed his leap at just the right moment, reaching as high as he could to snare the ball in his outstretched glove hand, doing a back flip, head over heels and landing on the other side of the portable fencing to snatch a walk off win away from RWP of Minnesota.  The Lyons won the game in the 12th inning on a home run by Todd Garcia, and went on to win the NAFA “AAA†World Series that year. RWP had Team USA shortstop Chad Boom and pitcher Rick Lang that year, and many thought it was the best game of the “AAA†World Series.ÂRick Lang went the distance for RWP, Doug Sleep threw the first 11 innings, with relief help from Tony Peeples, with all three pitching very well. It proved to be Lyons' closest game of their championship run..Â
In the winners bracket final, Lyons scored two in the third when Jeff Reich walked, advanced to third on a single by Troy Morrison, and came home to score on a fly out to left. Morrison then came home on an RBI single by catcher Todd Garcia. Lyons added an insurance run in the sixth inning, when Omar Moraga doubled home Jason Porto, who had reached on a single. The ground rule double by Moraga was his second extra base hit of the day, to go along with his home run in Lyons' win over the Kegel Black Knights in the winners bracket semifinal. Sleep struck out 9 on the evening, including five in a row in innings 1-3._________________________________________________ÂÂTeam Lyons of Fresno, CA won the "AAA" NAFA World Series Champions for 2003, defeating the Kegel Black Knights of Fargo N.D. 5-1. Tony Peeples was the Most Valuable Pitcher, Todd Garcia the Most Valuable Player. Peeples was a perfect 4-0 in the tournament, with a microscopic ERA; Garcia hit the dramatic 12th inning home run to win perhaps the tournament's most memorable game, a 3-2 win over RWP of MN, and had other keys hits as well as anchoring the Lyons defense. The "AAA" NAFA World Series ORDER OF FINISH for the "AAA" Division for 2003:
1) Team Lyons, Fresno, CA2) Kegel Black Knights, Fargo, ND3) Imaging Solutions Knights, Fargo, ND4) Quaker Riversharks, PA5) Bucknell Park, Olympia WA6) RWP, MN7) Tie: Durham (Pontiac) Heat, Ontario Canada and Herzog, MO
INDIVIDUAL AWARD WINNERS:Most Valuable Player: Todd Garcia, Team Lyons, Fresno,CA Most Valuable Pitcher: Tony Peeples, Team Lyons, Fresno, CAOutstanding Hitter: Todd Moyer, Quaker Riversharks, PA (.455, 10 for 22)Â
FIRST TEAM ALL WORLD SELECTIONS:1) Team Lyons, Fresno, CA:Tony GabrielOmar MoragaCharlie PenaDoug Sleep, pitcherÂ
2) Kegel Black Knights:Tom MontgomeryNathan GiesbrechtKevin HammBryan Newton, pitcherÂ
3) Imaging Solutions Knights, Fargo ND:Chris DeloritJesse DeloritTim TweitenJames Speral, pitcherÂ
4) Quaker Riversharks, PA:Mike SmithTodd MoyerJason Smith, pitcherÂÂÂÂHappy Holidays,ÂKary Moore Properties Unlimited R/E836 57th Street, Suite 330 Sacramento, CA 95819 916.478.2960 (O)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â