California Winter League 2010 Archive

 

Fan Mail

WORST TO FIRST, SNOWBIRDS WIN FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP

Palm Springs, CA, February 26, 2010 – The No.4 seed Coachella Valley Snowbirds won the inaugural California Winter League Championship with a 10-7 win over the No.3 seed Canada A’s Friday afternoon at Palm Springs Stadium.  A four-run ninth inning gave the Snowbirds the League Title.

CV Snowbirds
The Snowbirds jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first on the strength of a two-run single by first baseman Aaron Lilly.  Coachella Valley led 4-1 before Canada scored the next four runs to make it 5-4.  The A’s got RBI singles by third baseman Brandon Horton and second baseman James Decesare to take the lead.
Coachella Valley responded in the seventh with two runs thanks to an RBI single by Nick Porrazzo and an RBI double by Cameron Cimino to retake the lead at 6-5.  The A’s would come back with a run in the eighth to tie the game before the fateful ninth inning.
With runners at first and second and one out, catcher Steven Garcia singled down the leftfield line to score second baseman Kaigo Miyagi and give the Snowbirds the lead for good.  Coachella Valley would add insurance runs on a hit by pitch and another two-run single by Lilly.
The A’s scored a run in the bottom of the ninth and had the tying run on deck when reliever Kirk Sprieter closed the game by getting Brett Flowers to ground out to second.
For the game, Lilly went 2-5 with four RBIs while designated hitter Kyle Cowgill went 2-3 with two RBIs and a run scored.  The A’s were led by Decesare, who went 3-5 with three RBIs and two runs scored.
Sprieter (3-1) got the win by pitching 1 2/3 of relief to close the game while Kyle Minor took the loss for Canada.

SNOWBIRDS AND A’S PULL UPSETS IN CWL SEMIS

Palm Springs, CA, February 25, 2010 – In two of the best games of the winter, the No.4 seed Coachella Valley and No.3 seed Canada A’s pulled upsets on Thursday afternoon in the inaugural California Winter League semifinals at Palm Springs Stadium.

CV Snowbirds
Game one saw the Snowbirds bounce back from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits to knock off the regular-season champion Palm Desert Coyotes 4-3.
The Coyotes led 2-1 in the top of the sixth when the Snowbirds strung together four straight singles to start the inning, with catcher Steven Garcia and leftfielder Yusuke Inoguchi driving in the tying and lead runs respectively with RBI singles.  Inoguchi would add a sac-fly in the eighth to provide a 4-2 lead before the Coyotes made a late rally.
In the bottom of the ninth, with the bases loaded and two outs, a fielding error moved everybody up a base to make the score 4-3.  That’s when designated-hitter Shea Tonkin stepped up and hit a line-drive into leftfield that was caught by Kenshoku Takubo to end the game.
Inoguchi led the way for the Snowbirds by going 2-3 and driving in two runs, while second baseman Kigao Miyagi went 2-3 with two runs scored.
For Palm Desert, Stottlemyre, right-fielder Ryan Ferrell, leftfielder David Holcombe each had two hits with Ferrell and Stottlemyre each driving in runs.  Ferrell and Holcombe also scored a run apiece for the Coyotes.
Getting the win for Coachella Valley was Barron Renzi (5-2) who went eight and 2/3 innings, allowing eight hits, three runs, two earned, two walks and four strikeouts.  Sal Messina (1) got the final out for the save. Jesse Gift (1-4) took the loss for Palm Desert.
Game two was an extra-inning affair that went Canada’s way, 3-1 in 11 innings.  The game was dominated by great pitching from starters Matt Lincoln of the Chill and Matt Rossignol for the A’s.
In the fourth, the Chill drew first blood as a misplayed fly ball led to a triple for second-baseman Brian Ramirez who then scored on a sac-fly by first-baseman Bryan Kepner to make the score 1-0.
Things stayed that way until the top of the eighth where with two outs and a runner at second, shortstop Matt Palko doubled down the right-field line off of reliever Robert Grace to tie the game at one.
Canada would break the tie in the 11th.  With runners at first and second with two outs, centerfielder Billy Krause came through with a double to leftfield to score both runs to make it 3-1.
The Chill got runners to first and third with two out in the bottom-half before reliever Chris Paterson got centerfielder Casey Raisbeck to foul out to the pitcher.  Paterson made a nice running catch while running into the Chill dugout along the third-base line.
The A’s were led by Krause who went 2-6 with two RBIs, while first-baseman Brett Flowers had two hits and scored a run.  Second baseman James Decesare also had two hits for the A’s.
Ramirez was the main offensive star for the Chill going 2-5 with a run scored.
Getting the win for Canada was Rossignol (5-0) who went 10 innings, allowing three hits, one earned run, three walks and two strikeouts.  Chris Paterson (1) pitched a scoreless 11th inning to pick up the save.
Robert Grace (1-2) was saddled with the loss for Palm Springs after allowing two runs in four innings of work.
Lincoln pitched well for the Chill going seven innings, allowing eight hits, one earned run, four walks and seven strikeouts.
The Championship Game is set for tomorrow at 1:00pm as the Snowbirds and A’s will do battle.  Canada as the higher seed, will serve as the home team.  Tickets are $7 for adults and $6 for seniors and children 12 & under.  The game can be heard on CaliforniaWinterLeague.com.
There will be a banquet following the game to honor the first class of the CWL.  Fans are welcomed to attend for $10.

SNOWBIRDS PECK COYOTES, CHILL DOUBLES UP A’S

Palm Springs, CA, February 23, 2010 – The Palm Springs Chill wrapped up the No. 2 seed for the California Winter League Playoffs with an 8-4 win over Canada, while the Coachella Valley Snowbirds picked up a 5-2 win over a laid-back Palm Desert team in the final day of regular season action on Tuesday at Palm Springs Stadium.

Mac Suzuki
Game one saw the Snowbirds score five unanswered runs to erase a 2-0 deficit and knock off the regular-season champion Coyotes.  Leftfielder Kenshoku Takubo went 2-4 with two doubles and one RBI, while first baseman Aaron Lilly went 2-4 with two singles and an RBI.
Kirk Sprieter (2-1) got the win in relief, going three scoreless innings allowing one hit, one walk and no strikeouts.  Phil Mabey (3-1) took the loss for Palm Desert.
Former big leaguer Mac Suzuki started the game for Palm Desert going three shutout innings allowing two hits, no walks and striking out three.  Suzuki has a 0.00 ERA in three CWL appearances.
The Coyotes, who won the regular-season championship on Sunday, used two rarely used relievers upon Suzuki’s exit in preparation for Thursday’s playoffs.
Game two saw the Chill rally from an early 4-0 deficit and score eight unanswered runs to beat the A’s.  Right-fielder Stephen Schneider led the way by going 2-4 with a two-run double. Third baseman Stephen Derrick also went 2-4 with two doubles, a run scored, and an RBI.  Leftfielder Willie Schlick aided the cause by going 2-4 with a run scored and an RBI.
Kyle Minor (2-4) got the win in relief going three shutout innings.  He allowed one hit, and walked two in the process with no strikeouts.  Brandon Horton (1-1) took the loss in relief for Canada.
All four teams will be practicing tomorrow in preparation for the playoffs, which begin on Thursday.  Tomorrow’s practice schedule follows as:

Palm Desert – 9:00am
Palm Springs – 10:00am
Canada – 11:00am
Coachella Valley – 12:00pm

All practices are open to the public free of charge.  The media is also invited to attend to talk to the players.  The athletes will be available for comments and autographs before, during and after their sessions.
The playoffs will begin on Thursday at 10:00am with the No.1 seed Palm Desert Coyotes playing host to the No.4 seed Coachella Valley Snowbirds.  The second semifinal will be at 1:30pm with the No. 2 seed Palm Springs Chill serving host to the No. 3 seed Canada A’s.  Both games will be nine innings long.  Gates open at 9:30am.
Admission is $7 with senior citizens and children 12 and under getting in for $6.  Those with tickets to the first game are invited to stay for the second game free of charge.  Both games can also be heard on CaliforniaWinterLeague.com.

BIRDS BREAK CHILL, COYOTES CLINCH

Palm Springs, CA, February 21, 2010 – The Palm Desert Coyotes clinched the No. 1 seed in next week’s California Winter League Championships after the Coachella Valley Snowbirds nipped the Palm Springs Chill 1-0 on Sunday morning at Palm Springs Stadium.  Afterward, the Canada A’s ambushed the Coyotes 11-2, moving into a second-place tie with the Chill.  The A’s win also assured the Snowbirds of the No. 4 seed in next week’s tournament.

Robert Grace
Game one was a pitcher’s duel between starters Matt Rossignol of Coachella Valley and Robert Grace of Palm Springs.  Each hurler tossed six shutout innings before the Snowbirds broke through in the seventh.  A two-out single by leftfielder Yusuke Inoguchi scored right fielder Kenshoku Takubo from second base to give the Snowbirds the final margin.
The Chill had a chance to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh but had two men thrown out at the plate on separate occasions.  The first one came after a single to center by leftfielder Kevin Santiago that saw Kinouchi Masaki throw out catcher BJ Underkolfer for the inning’s second out.  After an injury to closer Derrick Evans, Kyle Cowgill came on in his first pitching appearance and promptly walked Chill designated hitter Willie Schlick, sending Santiago to second.  That’s when first baseman Stephen Schneider grounded a single to right field.  Santiago tried to score but Takubo came up throwing and gunned down Fitzgerald at the plate to end the game.
Inoguchi had two hits for the Snowbirds with his RBI, while Schneider and Bryan Kepner each had two hits for the Chill.
Rossignol (3-0) got win after allowing only five hits and two walks while striking out three.  Barron Renzi (4-2) took the loss for Palm Springs.  Cowgill’s save was his first of the year.
Grace, a former Cathedral City High School and College of the Desert star, allowed only two hits, two walks, and two strikeouts in his outing for Palm Springs.
Canada shortstop Kigao Miyagi, right fielder Gabe Riley, and catcher Stephen Yoo each had two hits to pace the A’s attack.  Yoo had two doubles and three RBIs, while centerfielder Billy Krause had a two-run single and two runs scored.  Canada put together a six-run sixth to blow open a 5-2 game, en route to the victory.
Palm Desert was led by shortstop Adam Gurule who went 1-3 with a double and sac-fly while driving in both Coyote runs.
Matt Lincoln (3-0) picked up the win for the A’s going five innings allowing four hits, one earned run, one walk, and nine strikeouts. Chris Zuvich (1-1) took the loss for Palm Desert.
With the results, the playoff match-ups have been set for Thursday.  Palm Desert will take on Coachella Valley in game one at 10:00am with Palm Desert serving as the home team.  The other game will be Palm Springs and Canada at 1:30pm with the seeding still to be determined.
All teams will be back in action Tuesday as Palm Desert takes on Coachella Valley at 10:30am with Palm Springs and Canada to follow at 1:30pm.  Tickets are $7 for adults with seniors and children 12 & under getting in for $6.  Both games can be heard on CaliforniaWinterLeague.com.
Tuesday will also be Dollar Beer Tuesday as fans can purchase beer for $1 throughout the doubleheader.

COYOTES NIP BIRDS, A’S SNAP CHILLY STREAK

Palm Springs, CA, February 20, 2010 – The Palm Desert Coyotes re-established control of the California Winter League standings by way of a 6-5 win over Coachella Valley, and a 9-6 Canada win over Palm Springs.

Snowbirds vs. Coyotes

The win puts Palm Desert up by 1.5 games over Palm Springs with two regular season games left.  The magic number for clinching the #1 seed for the Coyotes is down to one.

Game one saw the Coyotes bounce back from an early deficit to pick up the one-run win.  The Snowbirds led 3-2 in the fourth before an RBI single by right fielder  Marcus Quade, and a two-run double by catcher Shea Tonkin gave the Coyotes a 5-3 lead.    The Coyotes would extend their lead to 6-3 in the fifth thanks to asac-fly by shortstop Adam Gurule.

The Snowbirds came back with two runs in the sixth on a RBI single by shortstop Nick Porrazzo and a wild pitch by Coyote starter Kyle Minor.  However, Minor would shut the door after that retiring five of the last six men he faced.  He retired four of them by way of strikeout and he struck out the side in the seventh to preserve the win.

Tonkin led the way for Palm Desert going 2-3 with four RBIs, while the Snowbirds were led by shortstop Nick Porrazzo who went 2-3 with a run scored and two RBIs.  Kigao Miyagi also went 3-3 for Coachella Valley with a double and two runs scored.

Minor’s win was his first of the season (1-4) as he went the distance while allowing eight hits, five runs, all earned, two walks and seven strikeouts.  Matt Kubisky (1-3) took the loss for Coachella Valley.

Game two saw the Canada A’s score five runs in the top of the first without the benefit of a hit, en route to a 9-6 win over Palm Springs.  The A’s were aided by four walks and four hit batsmen to take control of the game.

Catcher Stephen Yoo went 3-4 with a triple, a run scored, and two RBIs, while left fielder Gabe Riley went 2-4 with two runs scored, a double and a RBI.  Right fielder Hayden Moss also contributed by going 1-3 with two runs and an RBI triple.

The Chill were led by designated hitter Kevin Santiago who pick up his first two CWL RBIs by going 3-4 with a run scored, and a double.  Centerfielder Casey Raisbeck also had a good game for Palm Springs going 3-4 with two singles, a triple and three runs scored.

Starter Eddie Baesa (1-0) got the win for the A’s, while Brad Garner (0-3) took the loss for the Chill.  The loss was Palm Springs’ first in their last eight games (7-1-1).

All teams will be back in action Sunday as Palm Springs will take on Coachella Valley at 10:00am, with Palm Desert and Canada playing at 1:30pm.  Canada and Palm Springs will serve as the home teams with the first game going seven innings, and the second going nine for radio.  Both games can be hear on CaliforniaWinterLeague.com and the second game can be hear on NewsTalk 920 KPSI with a pregame show beginning at 1:05.

Tomorrow is also Gorgeous Grandma’s Day as all ladies 55 and over can attend for $5.  There will also be members of the All-American Girls Baseball League in attendance as well.

Between games, there will be a Home-Run Derby between two members of the California Winter League and two professional softball players.  The Winter League players will be Nick Fitzgerald and Shea Tonkin of the Palm Desert Coyotes.  The softball representatives have not been named.

Lastly, there will be a Beer Pong Tournament during the second game in the Bud Light Lime VIP Section down the right-field line.  Admission to the Beer Pong Tournament will be $17, with fans receiving $1 beers and all-you-can-eat popcorn, peanuts and hotdogs throughout the game.

Regular admission is $7 with male seniors and students getting in for $6.

A’S DOWN BIRDS, CHILL RALLIES PAST COYOTES

Palm Springs, CA, February 19, 2010 – Canada used a great pitching performance to beat Coachella Valley 6-2, while Palm Springs came back from deficits of 4-1 and 5-4 to down Palm Desert 6-5.Chris Paterson

In game one, Barron Renzi (4-1) stole the show for the A’s, pitching a complete-game while allowing four hits, two runs, one earned, five walks, and five strikeouts.  The win gives Renzi the league lead in victories.

Offensively, centerfielder Jeff Bercume went 1-3, with an RBI and one run scored.  Second-baseman James Decesare went 1-3 doubling in a run and scoring a run to lead the Canada attack.

Game two saw the Coyotes lead most of the way before the Chill tied and took the lead for good in the bottom-of-the-sixth.

A fourth inning, two run single by catcher Shea Tonkin gave the Coyotes a 4-1 lead before the Chill responded with three runs in the bottom half thanks to two-out RBI singles by catcher Nick Mitidiero and centerfielder Casey Raisbeck, along with a wild-pitch by Coyote starter Sal Messina to tie the game at four.

Palm Desert retook the lead on a throwing error in the sixth before the Chill responded.
With two out and a runner at second, shortstop Pedro Montero came thru with an RBI single to left that scored third baseman Stephen Derrick.  After advancing to second on the throw home, Montero scored on a single by Raisbeck giving the Chill the lead to stay.

For the game, the Chill were led by Mitidiero, Montero, and Raisbeck who each had two hits.  Raisbeck went 2-3 with two RBIs, while Montero and Mitidiero each drove in a run and scored two runs.

Tonkin led the way for Palm Desert going 1-3 with a two-run single.

Phil Mabey (3-0) got the win for the Chill, while Sal Messina (0-3) took the loss for the Coyotes.  Former Major Leaguer, Mac Suzuki (1), got the first save in California Winter League history by pitching a scoreless seventh.

With the win, the Chill have won six of seven (6-0-1) and move to a half-game behind Palm Desert with three regular-season games to go.  The regular season will end next Tuesday before the playoffs start on Thursday.

The teams will be back in action tomorrow as Palm Desert will take on Coachella Valley at 10:30am, with Canada and Palm Springs playing at 1:30pm.  Palm Desert and Palm Springs will serve as the home teams.  Game one will be seven innings, while game two will go nine innings due to radio coverage. Both games can also be heard on CaliforniaWinterLeague.com with game two being simulcast on NewsTalk 920 KPSI.  A pregame show will precede the radio broadcast at 1:05.

Saturday will also be “Bark at the Ballpark” as fans will be allowed to bring their dogs to the game free of charge.  Fans are encouraged to bring water bowls and snacks for their dogs as well.  Admission is $7 for adults with senior citizens and children 12 and under getting in for $6.

Please note that former Cathedral City High School and College of the Desert star Robert Grace will pitch on Sunday morning for the Palm Springs Chill against Coachella Valley.  Grace, who pitched for two seasons in the Giants farm system, is 1-1 with a 1.69 ERA in four appearances this season.

CHILL DOUBLES UP BIRDS, A’S SNAP STREAK OVER COYOTES

Palm Springs, CA, February 17, 2010 – Palm Springs continued its winning ways, while Canada snapped a six-game winless streak on Wednesday at Palm Springs Stadium.

Chris Paterson

Game one saw the Chill pound out 10 hits en route to their fifth win in their last six games.  Shortstop Pedro Montero and centerfielder Casey Raisbeck each drove in two runs to lead Palm Springs, while former Cathedral High School and College of the Desert star Robert Grace (1-0) picked up the win in relief.  For the game, Grace went three innings, allowing one hit, one earned run and a walk while striking out four.
Kirk Spreiter (1-1) took the loss for Coachella Valley who fell into third place with the loss.
Game two was all about A’s right-hander Chris Paterson, who pitched five hitless innings on his way to a complete-game win over Palm Desert.  Paterson carried a no-hitter into the bottom of the sixth before Coyote second-baseman Clint Stottlemyre started the inning with a double.
Paterson (3-0) went seven innings, while allowing four hits, three earned runs, two walks, and two strikeouts to end the A’s slide.
The A’s were spurned offensively with two RBIs apiece from designated hitter Gabe Riley, third baseman Brett Flowers, and right-fielder Billy Krause.  Riley and Krause each had two hits, while Riley also scored two runs to pace the A’s attack.  Riley has been hot over the last three games going 7-10 in the process.
Andrew Stiney (0-2) took the loss for Palm Desert who wasted a two RBI effort by catcher Marcus Quade.
With the loss, the Coyotes now lead the CWL standings by only 1.5 games over the second-place Chill.  The loss was also the first time this season that the Coyotes have lost back-to-back games.
All teams will be back in action Friday as Canada will take on Coachella Valley at 10:30am, with Palm Desert and Palm Springs playing at 1:30pm.  Canada and Palm Springs will serve as the home teams with both games going seven innings.  Admission is $7 with seniors and children 12 and under getting in for $6.  Both games can also be heard on CaliforniaWinterLeague.com.

BIRDS ROLL, CHILL STAYS HOT

Palm Springs, CA, February 16, 2010 – Coachella Valley got back on the winning track, while Palm Springs continued its hot streak on Tuesday afternoon at Palm Springs Stadium.
Game one was all Snowbirds as they used a six-run second and a five-run sixth to dominate Palm Desert 13-1, snapping a six-game winless streak.

Snowbirds vs. Coyotes
The Snowbirds were led offensively by catcher Bubba Garcia, who went 1-3 with a two-run double and three runs scored.  Garcia also drove in a run with a walk in the second inning giving him three RBIs for the game.  First baseman Kyle Cowgill had two hits as well for Coachella Valley while scoring and driving in a run.
The lone run of the game for Palm Desert came in the third inning on an RBI single by third baseman Nick Fitzgerald.  Shortstop Adam Gurule did his part for the Coyotes, going 3-3 with a double.
Starter Chris Zuvich (0-1) pitched his second-straight complete game going seven innings, allowing six hits, one earned run, no walks and three strikeouts.  Kyle Minor (0-4) took the loss for Palm Desert.
Game two was a tighter affair that was decided by a sixth inning three-run double from Palm Springs centerfielder Casey Raisbeck, which erased a 3-1 deficit and gave the Chill a 4-3 win over Canada.  The win gave Palm Springs their fourth win in five games, while Canada extended their winless streak to six games (0-4-2).
Canada starter Matt Kubisky (1-2) took a 3-1 five-hitter into the sixth before two hit-batsmen and a walk set the stage for Raisbeck’s heroics with two out.  For the game, Raisbeck went 2-3 with three RBI along with the double.  Canada was led by centerfielder Jeff Bercume who went 2-3 with a run scored and two RBIs.
Matt Rossignol (2-0) went the distance for Palm Springs scattering five hits, one-earned run, a walk and six strikeouts.
All teams will be back in action tomorrow as Palm Springs will take on Coachella Valley at 10:30am, with Palm Desert and Canada playing at 1:30pm.  Coachella Valley and Palm Desert will serve as the home teams with both games going seven innings.  Admission is $7 with senior citizens and children 12 and under getting in for $6.  Both games can also be heard on CaliforniaWinterLeague.com.

Professional Baseball, Softball Players to Duke it Out at Palm Springs Stadium

Palm Springs, CA—Two California Winter League baseball players will take on a couple of professional softballers in a home run derby Sunday, Feb. 21, prior to the 1:30pm California Winter League game. The first California Winter League game will be moved to a 10:00am start time to allow time for the derby. Game one will showcase the Palm Springs Chill and the Coachella Valley Snowbirds.
All four players will be hitting softballs with aluminum bats, in an attempt to find out which sports’ sluggers are kings of the longball.
For those looking for a little competition to pair with their cool beverages, a bracket-style beer pong tournament will take place in the Bud Light Lime VIP tent following the conclusion of the derby, during the second California Winter League game at 1:30pm. Former Cathedral City High School and College of the Desert baseball star Robert Grace will be taking the mound during game two, which features the Palm Desert Coyotes and the Canada A’s.
To participate, fans must purchase a Bud Light Lime Lounge VIP pass for $17 and sign-up between 12:00pm and 1:30pm. The VIP pass includes $1 Budweiser products, which will be used for the beer pong games, and all-you-can-eat hot dogs, peanuts and popcorn. Contest winners will receive $100 in vouchers to various Coachella Valley businesses.
The California Winter League plays double-headers nearly every day throughout February. For more information, visit californiawinterleague.com or call (760) 778-HITS (4487).

Former Major Leaguer Mac Suzuki Makes CWL Debut

Palm Springs, CA, Februay 14, 2010 – Palm Desert and Palm Springs continued their good play on Sunday at Palm Springs Stadium as the Coyotes bested the Canada A’s 10-7, and the Chill topped the Coachella Valley Snowbirds 8-2.

Mac Suzuki
Canada led 4-2 in game one before the Coyotes scored six unearned runs in the bottom of the fourth to take the lead for good at 8-4.  Shortstop Adam Gurule had a two-run single to highlight the inning, while first-baseman Nick Fitzgerald doubled in a run and scored a run in the frame.  Third baseman Matt Palko and designated hitter Shea Tonkin each had two hits for the Coyotes as well.  Leftfielder Gabe Riley led the way for Canada going 4-4 with two singles, a double, a triple and four runs scored.
Phil Mabey (1-0) got the win for Palm Desert, while Jesse Gift (1-2) took the loss for Canada.  The first-place Coyotes now move to 8-2-2 and own a 3.5 game lead in the CWL standings.
Game two saw the Chill pick up their third win in their last four games.  Designated hitter Nick Mitidiero went 1-5 with a two-run double and two runs scored.  Shortstop Pedro Montero went 3-5 and drove in a run, while second baseman Brian Ramirez drove in two more runs to give him eight RBIs for the weekend and a league-leading 18 for the season.
Matt Lincoln (2-0) got the win in relief for the Chill going six innings, allowing three hits, one earned run, three walks and six strikeouts.  Travis Strong (0-1) took the loss for Coachella Valley.
Former Major Leaguer Mac Suzuki made his CWL debut pitching the first inning for Palm Springs.  In his one inning of work he gave up an unearned run and struck out one.

The teams will be off tomorrow before returning to action on Tuesday as Palm Desert will take on Coachella Valley at 10:30am, followed by Canada and Palm Springs at 1:30pm.  Coachella Valley and Palm Springs will serve as the home teams with both games going seven innings.

Admission is $7 with senior citizens and children 12 and under getting in for $6.  Both games can be heard on CaliforniaWinterLeague.com.  Tuesday is also Dollar Beer Tuesday as all beer will be sold for $1 throughout the day

BIG LEAGUER TO TAKE CWL HILL ON SUNDAY

Palm Springs, CA, February 12, 2010 – Baseball fans will have the opportunity to watch a Major Leaguer in action on Sunday at 1:30pm as Mac Suzuki will take the mound for the Palm Springs Chill against the Coachella Valley Snowbirds.

Mac Suzuki
A seven-year veteran, Suzuki has most recently pitched for the Kansas City Royals, as well as the Brewers, Mariners and Rockies.  The 6’3″, 195 lb. righty started playing professional ball at age 17 and saw his first big-league action with the Mariners at age 21.  He holds the distinction as the first Japanese-born player to pitch in the American League, and the first Japanese native to start his professional career in America instead of Japan.
Primarily used as a starter, Suzuki’s best season came with the Royals in 2000 when he won eight games and struck out 135 batters in 188.2 IP.
Sunday’s doubleheader begins at 10:30am with the Palm Desert Coyotes and Canada A’s squaring off before the Chill and Snowbirds go at it in game two.  Tickets are $7 for adults with seniors and children 12 & under getting in for $6.  Both games can be heard on CaliforniaWinterLeague.com, with the second game also being broadcast on KPSI NewsTalk 920AM.

COYOTES, CHILL RECORD SHUTOUTS

Palm Springs, CA, February 13, 2010 – Palm Desert and Palm Springs each picked up strong pitching performances en route to shutout wins on Saturday at Palm Springs Stadium.

Kyle Fitzgerald
Game one between Palm Desert and Coachella Valley was a pitcher’s duel as both offenses combined for only 11 hits in the 1-0 Coyote win.  The lone run of the game was scored on a sac-fly from Coyote third baseman Nick Fitzgerald, scoring catcher Shea Tonkin.
Stephen Douglas and Eric Billings combined to shut down the Snowbirds on seven hits.  Douglas (1-0) got the win in relief as he went three innings, while allowing two hits and walking one.
Casey Raisbeck (0-1) was the tough-luck loser for Coachella Valley giving up one run in two innings of relief.  Starter Justin Birosek went four innings for the Snowbirds allowing only one hit, two walks, and striking out six.  Palm Desert got the win despite being held to four hits by Coachella Valley pitching.
The Snowbirds left six men on base, including five in scoring position.
Game two was all Palm Springs as the Chill defeated the Canada A’s 9-0.  The Chill were led offensively by second-baseman Brian Ramirez who drove in six runs by going 3-4 with a single, double, triple and scoring a run.  Designated hitter BJ Underkofler added to the cause by going 2-5 with a single, double, two RBIs and a run scored.
From a pitching standpoint, the game belonged to Chill righty Barron Renzi (3-1) who went the distance going nine innings allowing three hits, two walks and eight strikeouts.  Sal Messina (0-3) took the loss for Canada.
The Palm Springs-Canada game went a full nine innings due to the game being carried live on radio.
All four teams will be playing tomorrow as Palm Desert and Canada lead things off at 10:30am, with Palm Springs and Coachella Valley to follow at 1:30pm.  Canada and Coachella Valley will serve as the home teams.  Tickets are $7 for adults with seniors and children 12 & under getting in for $6.  Both games can be heard on CaliforniaWinterLeague.com with the 1:30 contest also being broadcast on KPSI NewsTalk 920 AM.
As a reminder, tomorrow afternoon’s game will feature former Major Leaguer Mac Suzuki making his CWL debut.  Suzuki will be the starting pitcher for the 1:30 game for the Chill.  Suzuki, who is also a CWL pitching instructor, is a seven-year Major League veteran who has pitched for the Royals, Brewers, Rockies, and Mariners.

ALL TIED UP

Palm Springs, CA, February 12, 2010 – Both California Winter League games ended in ties on Friday at Palm Springs Stadium.  Palm Springs and Palm Desert ended in a 5-5 deadlock after eight innings, while Canada and Coachella Valley ended at 7-7 in the nightcap.  The ties were the fifth in the last eight league games and the fourth-straight for Coachella Valley.

Chill Baseball
Game one was a seesaw match-up that saw two last at-bat comebacks by the Coyotes to force the draw.  In the seventh inning, a sac-fly by catcher BJ Underkofler scored second-baseman Pedro Montero to give the Chill a 3-2 lead, before Palm Desert pushed a run across with a two-out, two strike error by Palm Springs.
The Chill would retake the lead in the eighth thanks to an RBI single by designated hitter Nick Mitidiero and an RBI double by centerfielder Casey Raisbeck.  But the resilient Coyotes would answer back with two unearned runs in the bottom-half on an RBI single by shortstop Adam Gurule and a sac-fly by third baseman Matt Palko.  The game ended one batter later when second baseman Clint Stottlemyer popped up to second to end the inning.
Montero led the way for the Chill going 1-3 with two RBIs, while first baseman Brian Kepner went 3-3 with two runs scored.  The Coyotes biggest offensive contributor was Palko who went 3-4 with a double and a run scored.
Former Cathedral City High School and College of the Desert star Robert Grace went five innings for Palm Desert allowing four hits, two runs, two walks and five strikeouts.
Game two saw Coachella Valley come back from 3-0 and 4-1 deficits, while Canada stormed back with two in the seventh to force the tie.  With the game tied at four, the Snowbirds used a sac-fly by centerfielder Kenshoku Takubo, and an RBI single by catcher Gator Caswell to take a 6-4 lead.
The A’s would respond with a solo homer by catcher Scott Clement (1) in the sixth, before the Snowbirds added a run in the bottom half to make the score 7-5.
That set the stage for the A’s in the seventh as with one out left, fielder Gabe Riley drove in a run with a triple to draw the A’s to within one.  Riley would then score on fielder’s choice by shortstop Jeff Bercume to provide the final tally.
The Snowbirds had a chance to win in the bottom-half with a runner at third and one out, before third baseman, Kigao Miyagi, was caught trying to steal home.  It was the first time Miyagi had been caught trying to steal in 13 attempts.
Riley led Canada by going 1-3 and driving in three runs, while Miyagi went 3-4 with three RBIs, a run scored and two stolen bases to lead the Snowbird attack.  Catcher Gator Caswell also had three hits for Coachella Valley while scoring and driving in a run.
All four teams will be playing tomorrow as Palm Desert and Coachella Valley lead things off at 10:30am, with Palm Springs and Canada to follow at 1:30pm.  Tickets are $7 for adults with seniors and children 12 & under getting in for $6.  Both games can be heard on CaliforniaWinterLeague.com with the 1:30 contest also being broadcast on KPSI NewsTalk 920 AM.
Tomorrow will also be Champions Day at Palm Springs Stadium as the California Winter League will honor the Palm Springs High School Football Team, which won the school’s first state-title this past season.
As a reminder, Sunday February 14 will feature former Major Leaguer Mac Suzuki making his CWL debut.  Suzuki will be the starting pitcher for the 1:30 game that day for the Chill.  Suzuki, who is also a CWL pitching instructor, is a seven-year Major League veteran who has pitched for the Royals, Brewers, Rockies, and Mariners.

CHILL ENDS SKID, BIRDS TIE AGAIN

Palm Springs, CA, Februay 11, 2010 – Two games at different ends of the competitive spectrum highlighted events Thursday at Palm Springs Stadium.
In game one, the Palm Springs Chill ended a six-game winless streak by scoring 18 unanswered runs to annihilate Canada 18-1.  The Chill pounded out 16 hits and scored seven runs in both the fourth and fifth innings en route to upping their record to 2-5-1.

Chris Zuvich
Designated hitter Aaron Lilly, rightfielder Stephen Schneider, and second-baseman Pedro Montero each had three hits for the Chill, while shortstop Brian Ramirez drove in four runs to lead the Palm Springs attack.  Eight of the nine hitters in the Palm Springs line-up had at least one RBI with Montero and centerfielder Casey Raisbeck driving in three and two runs respectively.
Canada’s lone run came in the third inning on an RBI double from centerfielder Hayden Moss, which scored right-fielder Billy Krause from first.
Matt Kubisky (1-1) got the win for Palm Springs going six innings, allowing one earned run on five hits, three walks, and one strikeout.  Kyle Minor (0-2) took the loss for the A’s who fell to 3-4 on the year.
In a brisk 1:48, game two saw a tight pitcher’s duel end in a 0-0 nine-inning tie between Coachella Valley (3-3-3) and Palm Desert (6-2-1).  The game was the first extra inning affair in California Winter League history, going past the seven innings that was originally scheduled.  The deadlock was the Snowbirds’ third straight.
Starters Chris Zuvich of Coachella Valley and Matt Rossignol of Palm Desert each went the distance.  Zuvich (0-0) allowed four hits, a walk, and two strikeouts while Rossignol (1-0) allowed seven hits, two walks, and struck out seven.
The Snowbirds had ample opportunities to win the game leaving seven men on base in innings 5-8 and eight for the game.  The best scoring opportunity came in the seventh as the homestanding Snowbirds had runners at first and third with no one out before Rossignol got a shallow fly out, a strikeout, and a line-out to rightfield to get out of the jam.
The Coyotes left only two men on base and had only three runners in scoring position for the game.
Third baseman Kigao Miyagi and shortstop Nick Porrazzo each had two hits for the Snowbirds, while the Coyotes had no one with more than one hit.
Both games were made up on Thursday after rain caused the postponement of each contest on Wednesday.

The teams will be back in action tomorrow as Palm Springs will take on Palm Desert at 10:30am, followed by Canada and Coachella Valley at 1:30pm.  Palm Desert and Coachella Valley will serve as the home teams with both games going seven innings.  Admission is $7 with senior citizens and children 12 and under getting in for $6.  Both games can be heard on CaliforniaWinterLeague.com.

BIRDS – A’S TIE, COYOTES STOMP CHILL

Palm Springs, CA, February 9, 2010 – Coachella Valley (3-3-2) played to its second-straight tie, while Palm Desert (6-2) continued its dominance of the league on Tuesday at Palm Springs Stadium.

Jesse Gift
Game one was a seesaw affair, that saw Coachella Valley come back from two three-run deficits to coax a 9-9 tie out of Canada (3-3-1).  The Snowbirds were led by first-baseman Kyle Cowgill who went 2-3 with three RBIs.  Centerfielder Kenshoku Takubo had three singles while scoring a run and driving in another to aid the Snowbird attack.  Designated hitter Cameron Cimino and second-baseman Nick Porazzo had two hits apiece with Cimino driving in a run as well.
Canada also trailed by scores of 8-6 and 9-8 before coming back to tie each time. The last deadlock came in the bottom of the sixth thanks to an RBI groundout from leftfielder Stephen Yoo.  Yoo went 2-4 with two RBIs for the game.  First baseman Brett Flowers also drove in two runs for Canada, while shortstop Jeff Bercume and catcher Scott Clement each had two hits for the A’s.  Clement drove in a run with a double in the first inning as well.
Game two was a one-sided affair that saw Palm Desert cruise to an 8-1 win over Palm Springs (1-5-1) in a game that was called due to rain after five innings.  Catcher Marcus Quade and third-baseman Nick Fitzgerald each drove in two runs for the Coyotes, while second-baseman Clint Stottlemyer and centerfielder Stephen Douglas each had two hits for Palm Desert.  Douglas also drove in a run to aid the Coyote cause.
Palm Springs was led offensively from right-fielder Stephen Schneider who went 2-2 with an RBI single in the fourth inning.
Barron Renzi (2-1) got the win for Palm Desert allowing three hits and an unearned run while striking out three.  Sal Messina (0-2) took the loss for the Chill.
Due to expected rain in the area, tomorrow’s doubleheader has been pushed back to Thursday beginning at 10:30am.  Game one will feature Canada and Palm Springs with Coachella Valley and Palm Desert to follow at 1:30pm.  Palm Springs and Coachella Valley will serve as the home teams with both games going seven innings.  Tickets are $7 with seniors and children 12 & under getting in for $6.  Both games can be heard on CaliforniaWinterLeague.com.

A’S-CHILL RAINED OUT

Palm Springs, CA, February 6, 2010 – The California Winter League game between the Canada A’s and Palm Springs Chill scheduled for 10:30am on Saturday has been postponed due to rain.  No makeup date has been announced.
As of this writing, the USC Cardinal-Gold Intra-Squad Game is on as scheduled. For updates please visit CaliforniaWinterLeague.com. First pitch is at 1:15pm.  Tickets to the game can be purchased for $5 with children 12 & under receiving free admission.  The game can also be heard on CaliforniaWinterLeague.com and locally on NewsTalk 920AM KPSI, with a pre-game show beginning at 1:05pm

The CWL teams will be off tomorrow and Monday before returning to action on Tuesday, February 9.  Coachella Valley will take on Canada at 10:30am, with Palm Desert and Palm Springs playing at 1:30pm.  Palm Springs and Canada will serve as the home teams with both games going seven innings.  Admission is $7 with seniors and children 12 and under getting in for $6.  Both games can also be heard on CaliforniaWinterLeague.com.

GOLD TRUMPS CARDINAL IN USC SCRIMMAGE

Palm Springs, CA, February 5, 2010 – In a game that was played in a light mist for most of the evening, the home-standing Gold Team defeated the Cardinal Team in the first USC intra-squad scrimmage at Palm Springs Stadium on Friday night 14-4.

USC
It was a tale of two games as the first five-and-a-half innings were dominated by excellent pitching with the Cardinal owning a 4-2 lead.  Cardinal starter Kevin Couture got the visitors off to a good start by going four innings, allowing three hits, two runs, two earned, two walks, and a strikeout.  However, he was matched by Gold hurler Chad Smith, who went five innings, allowing two hits, an earned run, two walks and five strikeouts.
The game, however, changed as the Gold scored 12 runs over their final three at-bats to take control of the game.  The big blow was a six-run fifth inning that saw an RBI double from right-fielder Alex Glenn and an RBI triple from third-baseman Matt Hart.
“It’s a great experience for the kids because it’s sort of a dry run for the season,” said Head Coach Chad Kreuter, “I’m real excited about the guys we have here”.
Since the beginning of practice, Coach Kreuter has seen better communication from his players as they get closer to opening day. “The biggest thing for us is having guys who talk out on the field and help each other out”.
The Trojans will be back at Palm Springs Stadium tomorrow at 1:00pm for another intra-squad game.  The contest will be preceded by a California Winter League game between the Palm Springs Chill and the Canada A’s at 10:00am.
Tickets to the CWL game are $7 with seniors and children 12 & under getting in for $6.  Fans holding tickets to the CWL game can see the USC contest for free.  Fans wanting to just see the USC game can do so for $5 with children 12 & under getting free admission.
The CWL and USC game can both be heard on CaliforniaWinterLeague.com.  The USC game can also be heard locally on NewsTalk 920 AM KPSI, with a pre-game show starting at 1:05pm.

COYOTES OVERTAKE SNOWBIRDS

Palm Springs, CA, February 5, 2010 – It was a thriller in the lone game played on Friday as the Palm Desert Coyotes used a three-run rally in the seventh to beat Coachella Valley 5-4.

Statistics
Palm Desert led the game 2-1 in the top of the sixth when Snowbird catcher Gator Caswell delivered an RBI single to tie things.  Then in the top of the seventh, Coachella Valley second baseman Takashi Mayoshi came through with a two-run single to give the Snowbirds their first lead of the day at 4-2.
But in the bottom of the seventh, all four batters reached base for Palm Desert with third baseman Marcus Quade delivering the game-winning two-run double to give the Coyotes the win.  The inning started with a double by centerfielder Stephen Douglas, followed by a single from right-fielder Ryan Ferrell, driving in Douglas, and a walk to shortstop Jeff Bercume, setting the stage for Quade’s heroics.
For the day, Quade went 2-3 with a run scored to go along with the two run double, while catcher Shea Tonkin continued his good work with two hits of his own.

Mayoshi led the way for Coachella Valley going 2-4 and driving in three RBIs. Chris Paterson (2-0) gutted out the win for the Coyotes going the distance while allowing 10 hits, four runs, three earned, one walk and six strikeouts.  Brett Flowers (0-1) got the loss for Coachella Valley.
Once again there will be only one game tomorrow as Canada and Palm Springs will play at 10:30am, with Canada serving as the home team.  Tickets to the game are $7 for adults with seniors and student getting in for $6.  The game can be heard on CaliforniaWinterLeague.com.
Following the CWL game, the USC Trojan baseball team will take the field at Palm Springs Stadium for the second consecutive day.  The team will hold another Cardinal & Gold Intra-Squad Game at 1:30pm.  Admission for the USC game is $5 with children 12 & under getting in for free.  Fans holding tickets to that morning’s CWL game can stay for the USC scrimmage free of charge.  The game can be heard on CaliforniaWinterLeague.com and will be carried locally on KPSI NewsTalk 920 AM with a pre-game show scheduled for 1:05pm.

A’S MOVE TO .500, SNOWBIRDS AND CHILL TIE

Palm Springs, CA, February 4, 2010 – Canada moved back to .500 with a 3-1 win over Palm Desert, while Coachella Valley and Palm Springs ended in a 6-6 tie, the first tie in California Winter League history.

Snowbirds vs. Chill
Game one was a pitcher’s duel as the A’s Matt Rossignol (1-0) outlasted Coyote hurler and Cathedral City resident Robert Grace (0-1).  Rossignol went the distance allowing six hits, an unearned run, no walks and three strikeouts.  It was also Grace’s, a former Giants farmhand, CWL debut.
The offensive heroes for Canada were catcher Stephen Yoo and designated hitter Scott Clement, who each had RBI singles for the A’s.  Shortstop Jeff Bercume went 2-3 for Canada while scoring a run and stealing three bases.
Shortstop Adam Gurule had a sac-fly for Palm Desert while going 1-3, and centerfielder Ryan Ferrell went 2-2 with a double for the Coyotes.
Game two saw the Palm Springs Chill erase a 6-2 deficit with a four-run fourth to tie Coachella Valley 6-6.
The Chill were led by catcher Nick Mitidiero, who went 2-4 with an RBI double, and centerfielder Casey Raisbeck who highlighted the comeback with a two-run single.
Shortstop Nick Porrazzo went 2-4 with a two-run double and two runs scored to lead the Snowbirds who saw their three-game winning streak come to an end.
Reliever Brandon Horton pitched well for Coachella Valley going three scoreless innings, allowing two hits, a walk, and striking out two.
There will be only one game tomorrow with Coachella Valley and Palm Desert facing off at 10:30am.  Palm Desert will be the home team.  The game can be heard on CaliforniaWinterLeague.com.
Following the morning game, the USC Trojan baseball team will take the field at Palm Springs Stadium for a 4:30pm Cardinal vs. Gold Intra-Squad game.  Following the game, the Trojans will have a BBQ at the stadium featuring a Q&A session with Head Coach Chad Kreuter and an autograph session with the Trojan players.
Tickets to the scrimmage are $5 with children 12 and under getting in for free.  Admission to the post-game BBQ will be $15.  Fans holding tickets to that morning’s CWL game can come to the USC scrimmage free of charge.  Tickets to the CWL game are $7, with senior citizens and students $6.  There will be no broadcast coverage of the USC scrimmage.

SNOWBIRDS RAIN ON A’S, COYOTES KEEP CHILL COLD

Palm Springs, CA, February 3, 2010 – The Coachella Valley Snowbirds continued their good play with a 5-3 win over Canada, while Palm Desert got back on track with a 7-2 win over Palm Springs on Wednesday at Palm Springs Stadium.

Nick Mitidiero
In the first game, Coachella Valley got a complete game effort from Kirk Spreiter to win their third in a row.  Spreiter (1-0) went seven innings allowing 10 hits and three runs while striking out two and walking none.
The Snowbirds rallied from a 3-0 deficit with three runs of their own in the bottom of the second, highlighted by a two-run single from catcher Gator Caswell.  The Birds would then add single runs in the fourth and fifth innings, thanks to RBI singles from first-baseman Kyle Cowgill and third-baseman Kigaw Miyagi, to provide the final margin.
Southpaw Kyle Minor (0-1) took the loss for Canada, while first-baseman Brett Flowers led the A’s offensive attack with a two-run single.  Short-stop Jeff Bercume also had two hits for the A’s
In game two, Palm Desert scored six runs over the last two innings to break open a 1-1 tie and cruise to the five-run victory.  First-baseman Shea Tonkin drove in four runs for the Coyotes with a two-run homer and a two-run double, while second-baseman Clint Stottlemyer and designated hitter Matt Palko had two hits apiece for Palm Desert.  Stottlemyer also had an RBI for the Coyotes.
Coyote starter Barron Renzi (1-1) was dominant in his complete game, going seven innings, allowing four hits, two runs, three walks and 10 strikeouts.  Sal Messina (0-1) suffered the loss for Palm Springs.
Chill short-stop Brian Ramirez and right-fielder Stephen Schneider each had RBI hits for Palm Springs.
Teams will be back in action tomorrow beginning at 10:30am with Palm Desert and Canada, followed by Palm Springs and Coachella Valley at 1:30pm.   Palm Desert and Palm Springs will serve as the home teams with both games going seven innings.  Admission is $7 with senior citizens and children 12 and under getting in for $6.  Both games can also be heard on CaliforniaWinterLeague.com.

BIRDS RALLY OVER CHILL, A’S DOWN COYOTES

Palm Springs, CA, Februay 2, 2010 – Big innings by the winning clubs were the difference in action today as Coachella Valley beat Palm Springs 9-6, while Canada became the first team to beat Palm Desert, 6-2.Hayden Moss
In game one Palm Springs had a commanding 6-1 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth before the Snowbirds put eight runs on the board to get the win.  The big hits in the inning were by left-fielder Gator Caswell, who had a two-run single to pull the Snowbirds within 6-4, while right-fielder Kinouchi Masaki also drove in two runs with a double to tie the game.  Second-baseman Takashi Mayoshi had the go-ahead hit with an RBI triple.  Masaki and third-baseman Kigaw Miyagi each had two hits to aid the Snowbird attack.
The Chill were led by center-fielder Casey Raisbeck who went 2-4 with an RBI single, a triple and a run scored.
Brandon Horton (1-0) got the win for Coachella Valley with two innings of relief, while Brad Garner (0-2) suffered the loss for Palm Springs.
The second game saw the Canada A’s use a five-run fourth inning to overcome a 2-0 deficit and defeat the Palm Desert Coyotes 6-2.  Right-fielder Billy Krause led the way for Canada going 1-2 with a single, two RBIs and a run scored.  First-baseman Brett Flowers also had a good game, going 3-3 with three singles, a stolen base and a run scored.
First-baseman Matt Palko had two hits, including an RBI double, to lead the Coyote attack.
Jesse Gift (1-1) was the well-deserved winner for Canada.  After allowing two first-inning runs to Palm Desert, Gift held the Coyotes to three hits the rest of the way and pitched out of a no outs, bases loaded jam in the sixth to preserve the 6-2 lead.  In all, he went six innings allowing five hits, two runs and three walks while striking out six.  The loss went to Matt Kubisky (0-1) for Palm Desert.
Teams will be back in action tomorrow as Canada will take on Coachella Valley at 10:30am, with Palm Desert and Palm Springs playing at 1:30pm.  Coachella Valley and Palm Springs will serve as the home teams with both games going seven innings.  Admission is $7 with senior citizens and children 12 and under getting in for $6.  Both games can also be heard on CaliforniaWinterLeague.com.

COYOTES WIN THIRD STRAIGHT, SNOWBIRDS GET FIRST WIN

Palm Springs, CA, January 31, 2010 – One streak continued and another ended Sunday at Palm Springs Stadium as Palm Desert moved to 3-0 after beating Palm Springs 7-4, while Coachella Valley ended their two-game losing skid and picked up their first win with a 1-0 win over Canada.

A's vs. Snowbirds
In game one, the Coyotes jumped out to a 7-1 lead after two innings thanks to a six-run second inning.  The big blow was a grand-slam homerun by designated-hitter Shea Tonkin (1).  Right-fielder Ryan Ferrell had an RBI single in the frame, while second-baseman Clint Stottlemyer drove in a run with a walk.  Ferrell, shortstop Adam Gurule, and third-baseman Nick Fitzgerald each had two hits for the Coyotes.
Palm Springs tried to make a game of it by scoring twice in the fourth and once in the fifth, but could get no closer.  Right-fielder BJ Underkolfer continued his good work by going 2-4 and driving in two runs.  Catcher Nick Mitidiero and center-fielder Casey Raisbeck also had two hits to aid the Chill cause.
Reliever Eric Billings (1-0) got the win for Palm Desert allowing one run and no hits over three innings, while starter Andrew Stiney (0-1) suffered the loss for Palm Springs.
Game two saw a pitchers duel between the Snowbirds and A’s.  The lone run of the game came on a fifth inning solo-homerun by catcher Bubba Garcia (2), one of only two hits in the game for Coachella Valley.  Canada had seven hits for the game with two coming from catcher Stephen Yoo.
Brian Baines (1-0) got the win for Coachella Valley pitching four scoreless innings of relief, allowing three hits and walking none.  Reliever Justin Birosak (0-1) was the tough-luck loser going three innings and allowing only one hit while striking out four.  The starters also pitched well as Canada’s Eddie Baez went four scoreless while allowing one hit and walking none.  Coachella Valley’s Travis Strong went three scoreless innings allowing four hits and striking out four.
The teams will be off tomorrow before returning to action on Tuesday. Palm Springs will take on Coachella Valley at 10:30am, with Palm Desert and Canada playing at 1:30pm.  Coachella Valley and Canada will serve as the home teams with both games going seven innings.

Admission is $7 with senior citizens and children 12 and under getting in for $6.  Both games can also be heard on CaliforniaWinterLeague.com.

COYOTES STAY UNDEFEATED, A’S GET FIRST WIN

Palm Springs, CA, January 30, 2010 – It was a tale of two stories at Palm Springs Stadium on Saturday as Palm Desert defeated Coachella Valley in thrilling fashion, 9-6, in game one, while Canada romped to an 18-5 win over Palm Springs in game two.

Chris Pateson
In the morning session, Palm Desert jumped out to a 6-0 lead after 4 ½ innings when Coachella Valley fought back with a five-run fifth inning to pull to within one before a sacrifice-fly in the sixth, by left-fielder Gator Caswell, tied the game at six.
The Coyotes would show some resiliency by scoring three runs in the seventh to retake the lead as center-fielder Ryan Ferrell broke the tie with a two-run double.  Short-stop Adam Gurule would add another run, a couple of hitters later, with an RBI single to provide the final tally.  Ferrell finished 2-4, with a double and three RBIs, while Gurule chipped in with two singles, an RBI and a run scored.  Left-fielder Tomoshi Aoki went 3-3 with three singles, two runs scored and an RBI, while right-fielder Stephen Douglas went 3-3 with two doubles, 2 RBIs and a run scored.  The bottom third of the Coyote order (Aoki, Douglas, and Ferrell) went a combined 8 for 10, driving in six of the teams eight runs.
Coachella Valley was led by right-fielder Kinouchi Masaki, who went 2-4 with an RBI double, while first-baseman Kyle Cowgill went 1-4 with a two-run single.  Left-fielder Gator Caswell and catcher Bubba Garcia each had sacrifice-flies for the Snowbirds.
Chris Paterson (1-0) got the win, allowing four-earned runs while pitching a complete game on eight hits.  Kyle Minor (0-1) took the loss for Coachella Valley.
In game two, Canada used a 21-hit barrage to beat Palm Springs 18-5 in a game that saw the A’s score the game’s first 13 runs.  Everyone in the Canada line-up had at least one hit with seven of the nine starters having multi-hits.  Center-fielder Billy Krause led the way finishing just shy of the cycle. Krause went 3-5 with a homerun (1), triple, double and six RBIs while scoring three runs.  First-baseman Brett Flowers had four singles, scored four runs and drove in a run.  Catcher Stephen Yoo went 3-5 with a double while scoring four runs and picking up two RBIs.
Palm Springs’ biggest offensive contributor was first baseman Brian Kepner who had three RBIs and a double on the day.  Third-baseman Stephen Derrick also had a good day going 2-4 with two doubles and scoring twice while driving in a run.
Matt Lincoln (1-0) got the win for Canada allowing 3 ER on four hits over five innings.  Barron Renzi (0-1) took the loss for Palm Springs.
All four teams will be back in action tomorrow with the Chill and Coyotes getting underway at 10:30am, followed by the A’s and Snowbirds at 1:30pm.  Both games will be seven innings with Palm Desert and Canada serving as the home teams.  Tickets are $7 general admission with senior citizens and children 12 and under getting in for $6.  Both games can be heard on CaliforniaWinterLeague.com.

COYOTES, CHILL ROMP ON OPENING DAY

Palm Springs, CA, January 29, 2010 – Blowouts were the theme on the inaugural day of the California Winter League as the Palm Desert Coyotes defeated the Canada A’s 12-3, while the Palm Springs Chill beat the Coachella Valley Chill BaseballSnowbirds 10-3.
In game one, Canada used a two-run triple by left-fielder Gabriel Riley in the second inning to take a 2-0 lead.  Palm Desert responded with a run in their half on an RBI single by Clint Stottlemeyer.  An error by Coyote third-baseman Nick Fitzgerald in the fifth inning allowed Canada to expand its lead to 3-1 before things came apart.
A’s relievers showed their winter rust allowing 11 ER over the next two innings.  Canada gave up four more runs in the sixth while recording one out, before Kirk Spreiter came on to record the final two outs to end the frame.
The Coyotes were lead offensively by Ryan Ferrell & Clint Stottlemyer who both had two of the team’s eight hits.  Also helping lead the Coyotes to victory with two-run singles were shortstop Adam Gurule, and left-fielder Tomoshi Aoki.
Coyote starter Phil Mabey (1-0) got the win, going five innings allowing two earned runs on three hits while striking out two.  Matt Rossignol followed with two scoreless innings of relief.  Brad Garner (0-1) took the loss for Canada while starter Chris Zuvich pitched well, allowing one run on four hits in four innings of work.
Game two saw the Palm Springs Chill jump out to a 5-0 lead after three innings thanks in part to RBI singles by second-baseman and former Palm Springs POWER player Brian Ramierez and catcher BJ Underkolfer.  Coachella Valley responded in the top of the fourth with a two-run single by center-fielder Kenshoku Takubo and an RBI ground-out by third-baseman Cameron Cimino to draw to within two.
But the Chill would retake command with a five-run bottom half.  The big blow coming on a critical fielding error with the bases loaded that allowed all three base runners to score.
Coachella Valley picked up three runs in the seventh thanks to an RBI groundout by right-fielder Yusuke Inoguchi, an RBI triple by Kyle Cowgill and a solo homerun by catcher Bubba Garcia (1), the first homer in California Winter League history.
Reliever Ryan Paterson (1-0) got the win for Palm Springs going 3 2/3 IP and allowing three earned runs on three hits while striking out two.  Snowbird starter Jesse Gift (0-1) took the loss allowing five-earned runs in three innings of work.
All four teams will be back in action tomorrow as the Coyotes and Snowbirds will play at 10:30am followed by the A’s and Chill at 1:30pm.  The Snowbirds and Chill will serve as the home teams tomorrow.  Game one will be seven innings with game two going nine.  Both games can be heard on CaliforniaWinterLeague.com with the second game being carried on KPSI 920 AM.  Game two will be preceded by a pre-game show beginning at 1:05pm to celebrate The Living Desert Day at the ballpark.  Tickets can be purchased at the gate for $7 with senior citizens and children 12 and under getting in for $6.

USC to Practice and Host Banquet for Fans in Palm Springs
Palm Springs, CA, January 19, 2010—Fans of the new California Winter League will have the opportunity to preview 2010 Pac-10 baseball when the USC baseball team travels to Palm Springs Stadium Feb. 5th and 6th.

The Trojans will conduct a 1:00pm practice each day, followed by an intra-squad Cardinal vs. Gold scrimmage on Saturday.
“We are very excited to bring Coach Chad Kreuter and his baseball team down here to the valley this winter,” said California Winter League President Andrew Starke. “These guys are going to showcase their abilities in front of excited fans who may not usually get the chance to see their team in action.”
The Trojans will also be attending a Coaches’ Banquet on Friday, Feb. 5, at the Holiday Inn Resort in Palm Springs, which is also open to fans. Guests can mingle with USC players and coaches, along with fellow fans while enjoying a meal and the evening’s guest speakers. After dinner entertainment will include a question and answer session with Coach Kreuter, and a special appearance by former MLB star Steve Garvey.
Tickets for the Cardinal vs. Gold games are $5 for adults, with children under 12 receiving free admission. Tickets for the Coaches’ Banquet are $125 for adults, with a special discount price of $75 for students 18 years and younger. Tickets for the games can be purchased at the gates or the stadium office Monday-Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm. For banquet tickets, complete the reservation form at CaliforniaWinterLeague.com. Fax completed forms to (760) 325-7206.
For those fans who will be attending the California Winter League games each day, tickets are $7 and attendees are encouraged to stay in the stands to watch USC take the field.  For more information regarding this special event, please call the California Winter League office at (760) 778- HITS (4487).

California Winter League Formation Officially Announced Thursday

Palm Springs, CA, September 10, 2009- President and Owner Andrew Starke held a press conference today at Palm Springs Stadium announcing the expansion of the Palm Springs CHILL into the California Winter League. The league will be compiled of four teams, the Palm Springs CHILL, Coachella Valley Snowbirds, Palm Desert Coyotes and the Canada A’s, with the possibility of a fifth team, the Oriental Express.

The California Winter League will begin play January 29 and will run through February 26, with a 20-game schedule, including instructional days for the players. Each game day will consist of double-headers beginning at 10:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., all will be played at Palm Springs Stadium.

“I’m very excited we’re able to offer this exciting opportunity not only to highly talented players but also to the residents and snowbirds of the Coachella Valley”, stated POWER President Andrew Starke.

League Commissioner Darrell Evans stated, “This league will not only be highly competitive, but will be a great opportunity for current and future professional players to develop their skills. I’m also very excited to work with several of the talented men that I competed against in the major leagues and coached with over the past 30 years. We will be announcing all the managers, coaches, and guest instructors in future press releases in the coming weeks.”

‘CARAY’ING ON A LEGACY

Josh Caray

Palm Springs, CA –The California Winter League is pleased to announce that minor league broadcaster Josh Caray will be the league’s play-by-play announcer for its inaugural season.  Caray will call all 40 games on CaliforniaWinterLeague.com with select weekend games to be carried on KISP 920AM.
Caray comes from a lineage of baseball broadcasters.  His grandfather, Hall of Famer Harry Caray, was a major-league broadcaster for 53 years with the Cardinals, A’s, White Sox and Cubs.  His father, Skip Caray, was a broadcaster for 33 years with the Atlanta Braves, and his brother, Chip, is currently the lead television play-by-play voice for the Braves on Fox Sports South.
Caray has been a broadcaster for three years having worked ’07-‘08 as the radio play-by-play man for the Rome Braves (Class-A affiliate Atlanta Braves) before serving as the television voice for the Gwinnett Braves (AAA Braves) on Comcast Sport Southeast (CSS) last season.  Two of the Gwinnett games were simulcast nationally on the MLB Network, the first time MLB featured a minor-league baseball game on its new channel.
Josh has also called college baseball, college football, college basketball, and high school football on TV and radio for various teams during his career.  He is a graduate of Oglethorpe University in Atlanta where he threw the shot-put and discus on the track team.
The California Winter League, a division of Palm Springs POWER Baseball, is an instructional league formed to give current and prospective ballplayers the opportunity to hone and showcase their skills in front of major and independent league scouts before and during spring training.  The league kicks off on January 29 with doubleheaders five days a week thru February 26.  Games will begin at 10:30am and 1:30pm.
For more information visit our website at CaliforniaWinterLeague.com or call our offices at (760) 778-HITS (4487).  To contact Josh Caray you can reach him at [email protected].