World Team

	Kenny Arnerich	Jeff Murphy
	Zack Boyd	Doug Murray
	Zack Braband	Jeff Perri
	Trevor Case	Brian Peterson
	Bryan Gerhard	Jordan Pries
	Devin Grigg	Will Sherratt
	Mario Hollands	Todd Surdez
	Zack Kondo	Anthony Woodd
	Ari Levine	Chad Zupfer

Manager: Ken Arnerich
Coaches: Gary Nelson, Jay Lawson
Support: Bill Dal Porto - Director of International Relations
Chas Patterson - General Manager
Batboy - Cameron Braband

Jay, Gary, Zack, Todd, Chad, KJ, Mario, Ken, Anthony, Joe,
Trevor, Jeff, Zack, Devo, Bryan, Brian, Doug,
Will, Jordan, Jeff, Ari, Zack

Though the "World" tournament team is not officially affiliated with Alameda Babe Ruth, there is a close relationship between the two organizations. The Alameda World team and Alameda Babe Ruth share players, coaches, fields and other resources.

Below are the teams that attended this year's tournament and their win/loss records:

Bracket A

Japan (4-1)

Mexico Rojo (3-2)

Korea (3-2)

San Diego County-USA (2-3)

Fresno-USA (1-4)

Bracket B

Alameda-USA (4-1)
San Diego City-USA (4-1)
Chinese Taipei (3-1-1)
Mexico Verde (2-3)
Brazil (0-4-1)
Italy (0-5)

World Tournament - San Diego (@ Mission Valley, El Cajon)
(Alameda Schedule below - for Full Schedule... click here.)

San Diego, CA - The Alameda World Team started the tournament off on the right foot with two big wins: A 12-2 offensive explosion against Team Italy and a 5-4 thriller against a very tough Team Taiwan.

Zack Boyd (Encinal High) started on the mound for Alameda, struggled a little bit getting started, allowing one run in the first inning, but then settled down to throw three strong scoreless innings, with 4 strikeouts. Chad Zupfer (Castro Valley) closed out the contest throwing three strong innings of his own, allowing 1 run on 1 hit with 5 strikeouts.

Offensively, Alameda scored 12 runs on 12 hits. Kenny Arnerich (Alameda High) was the first to score, when he drew a walk, advanced to third on a single by Bryan Gerhard (Castro Valley) and then scored on an overthrown attempt to cut him down at third. Gerhard scored soon after on a sacrifice line drive to left by high school teammate Chad Zupfer. Alameda then had a big 5-run 3rd inning: Zupfer got things rolling with a single to center; Mario Hollands (El Cerrito) then got the fans on their feet with a 2-run line-drive homerun over the 330’ right field fence. Zack Braband (St. Joe’s) reached on an error and then scored on a single up the middle by Jeff Perri (Bishop O’Dowd). Alameda tacked on four more runs in the 4th: Gerhard doubled; Anthony Woodd (Alameda) reached on an error; Zupfer hit a fielder’s choice, scoring Gerhard; Hollands got on board with a fly to right; and then both base runners were knocked in on a hard hit grounder up the middle by Perri. Doug Murray then reached base when the shortstop bobbled his grounder; and finally both base runners scored on a misplayed grounder to short, hit by Jeff Murphy (Alameda). The final two runs were added in the 6th: Trevor Case (St. Mary’s) ripped a single up the middle; Braband then blasted a huge 385’ shot to deep center that almost went out; and finally both runners scored when Murphy looped a single over the left-side infield.

The fun of these International games is interacting with the other teams and cultures. Each team has a distinctive style of play, and many teams, including the Italians, play with a joy and flair that’s often missing in stateside play. For example, all the fans enjoyed it when the Italian pitcher would make a key pitch and his teammates would all shout out, “Bravo, bravo!”

Game number two had a whole different feel, starting from the moment the Taiwanese squad marched in and started doing warm-up calisthenics in formation, military-style. The team was very well disciplined and played with practiced precision.

The game started off ominously enough, with Taiwan breaking things open with a quick 2-run homer. But if you thought that would rattle Alameda starter Jordan Pries (Alameda High) you’d be wrong. Pries came right back in inning number two, striking out the side 1-2-3 and then followed that up with a scoreless 3rd. Leading 2-0, Taiwan’s aura began to fade a bit in the bottom of the inning when they began to make some errors of their own… errors on which Alameda quickly capitalized. Doug Murray (El Cerrito) got the rally started with a single to left; Jeff Murphy (Alameda) then dropped down a beautiful bunt that the catcher misplayed; and Kenny Arnerich (Alameda) surprised the Taiwanese with another bunt to load the bases. Two runners then scored when Bryan Gerhard (Castro Valley) ripped a liner to right; next, Arnerich scored when Anthony Woodd (Alameda) reached on a bobbled ball to 2nd; and finally Woodd scored when Mario Hollands (El Cerrito) hit a ball to center that was misplayed. And just like that, Alameda had a 4-2 lead and Taiwan was looking very mortal.

That didn’t mean Taiwan was finished, however. Pries continued to pitch well into the 4th, but he was dinged for another run when the lead off batter hit a double, and then scored when two successive attempts to pick him off missed their mark allowing the runner to advance. Alameda got that run back in the next inning when Murphy singled, advanced on two successive fielder’s choices, and finally scored from 3rd on a passed ball.

Taiwan continued to battle back, and got within a run when the lead off batter in the 5th, smacked a solo homerun to center.

Mario Hollands (El Cerrito) then took over the pitching duties for the final two innings. The team dodged a bullet in the 6th when the potential tying run was picked off at third for out number 3. Alameda couldn’t get anything going in their next at bat, bringing up the tumultuous final inning.

Down one, Taiwan got their first two batters aboard with walks, but then Hollands buckled down and struck out the next two batters. Finally, with runners on 1st and 2nd, the first base runner was caught off the base. Alameda got him in a rundown but the runner got back safely as the other runner advanced to 3rd. The runner at 3rd then rounded the base too aggressively and HE was caught in a rundown. Alameda tried to run him down, but threw the ball away and the runner was awarded home for what appeared to be the tying run.

But hold everything. As the Taiwan players and fans celebrated, Alameda’s coach Ken Arnerich instructed his pitcher to appeal the score. He felt that in his excitement, the Taiwanese player had failed to touch home plate before rushing to join his teammates. After a few confusing minutes to get the “appeal procedure” implemented correctly, the home plate umpire agreed, upholding the appeal and denying Taiwan’s run. Instead, the runner was called out, for out #3, and the game was over with Alameda coming out on top 5-4.

Alameda continued to battle its way through its World Tournament bracket, defeating Team San Diego City 7-5. Alameda is now 3-0 with two games remaining before the final day’s playoffs and championship game.

Alameda got on the board early and lead 3-0 going into the 4th inning before San Diego started to chip away at Alameda’s lead. Bryan Gerhard (Castro Valley) started things off by reaching first after being hit by a pitch. He moved to 2nd on a passed ball and then scored on an rbi-single to left by fellow Castro Valley High player Chad Zupfer. Alameda added two more runs in the 3rd, and again the rally was started by Gerhard. He singled to left, stole second and then reached 3rd on a passed ball. Zupfer joined him in scoring position by being hit by a pitch and stealing 2nd. With two outs, Kenny Arnerich (Alameda High) hit a clutch rbi-single to left to score both base runners.

San Diego narrowed the gap in the 4th getting two runs across to make the score 3-2. But Alameda came right back in the bottom of the inning. Jeff Murphy (Alameda High) reached base when he grounded to short and the throw to first went wide. Murphy then scored when Jeff Perri (Bishop O’Dowd) bunted and a second San Diego throwing error advanced both runners. Perri then scored when Anthony Woodd (Alameda High) and fresh off the disabled list – smacked a line drive homerun over the left field fence.

San Diego was quick to answer, however. Doug Murray (El Cerrito) had started off on the mound for Alameda and had thrown very well, tossing 3 scoreless innings. But San Diego had chipped away for two runs in the fourth and now drew walks by their first two batters in the 5th. Murray’s El Cerrito teammate, Mario Hollands, was brought in to shut down the threat. It took a little while for Hollands to warm up, however, and single, a wild pitch and a ground out brought home 3 runs before Mario could shut them down. San Diego had quickly charged back to narrow Alameda’s lead to 6-5.

In the bottom of the 5th, Zack Braband (St. Joe’s) and Arnerich reached 3rd and 2nd respectively, with no outs, but Alameda was unable to get either runner home. With San Diego just coming off a big 3-run inning, Alameda’s 1-run lead was looking mighty slim. But two Alameda players stepped up big to protect the lead.

Hollands struck out the side in the 6th to get Alameda back up to the plate, and Woodd then blasted his second homerun of the day to give Alameda some breathing room. It wasn’t needed, however, as Hollands got the first batter in the 7th to fly to left and K’d the final two batters to seal the win.

Tomorrow, Alameda plays one of the tournament favorites Brazil, but right now the team will enjoy its victory and prepare to go watch the tournament’s Homerun Derby this evening at Tony Gwynn Stadium (San Diego State). Each team is allowed two entries. Alameda’s duo is scheduled to be Chad Zupfer and Alameda’s own Anthony Woodd.

Note: In the homerun competition, most entrants hit well,
but only a few could hit the ball out of the stadium.
Woodd hit 1 homerun & Zupfer 2.
(The eventual winner from Taiwan, hit 3 out in round 1.)

Alameda Comes Back in Final Inning to Beat Brazil
Wednesday, August 11, 2004

Alameda qualified for the World Tournament Semi-Final round today by coming from behind to beat Brazil 8-7. At 4-0, Alameda remains the only undefeated team in the tournament.

To say this game was a wild one would be the understatement of the year. It had a little bit of everything: homeruns, key hits, clutch pitching, come-from-behind rallies and international intrigue. Add to that the opponent was Brazil – who like to sing, dance, chant and chatter throughout the game – and you have a very memorable game.

It was very nearly a game-to-forget, however, as Brazil smacked a grand slam and came from 3 down to take a 7-5 lead into the final inning.

The game started off well enough. Alameda took a quick 3-0 lead in the first inning when Bryan Gerhard (Castro Valley High) singled and then scored when Anthony Woodd (Alameda High) hit a grounder to short and the shortstop bobbled the ball and then overthrew 2nd. Chad Zupfer (Castro Valley) then singled and both runners scored when Mario Hollands (El Cerrito) grounded to short and the fielder again threw the ball away.

Brazil scored two in the 3rd, and that’s when an International incident nearly occurred. With a runner on, the second batter smacked a deep fly that got over the outfielder’s head. One run scored and the throw from the outfield was offline, bounced against a fence, then over part of the dugout and back into fair territory. The umpires called “dead ball” and awarded the base runner home. Alameda coach Ken Arnerich protested, arguing that the ball never touched dead ball territory and therefore should have remained a “live” ball. The umpires conferred, conceded that they’d made an improper ruling and asked Brazil to return the runner to 3rd. Brazil refused. The umpires tried to better explain the ruling, but Brazil still refused. Interpreters were called in and the game was delayed nearly a half hour as they tried to sort out the situation. Brazil was adamant that they would not return the run and threatened to walk off the field. The umpire said if they didn’t replace the runner on third immediately he would declare a forfeit and give the win to Alameda. Coach Arnerich finally said “enough”. These are supposed to be friendship games, so he withdrew his protest and let them have their run. That gesture very nearly cost Alameda the game.

With Alameda still leading 3-2 in the 5th, Brazil loaded the bases, and then smacked a grand slam over the right field fence to take a dramatic 6-3 lead.

There was much dancing on one side of the field
(…and second guessing on the other).

Up to that point, Alameda starter Kenny Arnerich (Alameda) had pitched a strong game. He’d pitched 3 scoreless innings, and – excluding the disputed run in the 2nd – had allowed only one earlier unearned run.

Back on offense, Alameda battled back and scored two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning to pull within one. Jeff Perri (Bishop O’Dowd) started things off with a walk. Then Gerhard (who had a career day) whacked a shot deep to center that the fielder dove for and missed and the ball rolled to the fence. Perri scored and Gerhard sprinted around the bases for an electrifying in-the-park home run.

Brazil refused to concede, however, and they tacked on an insurance run in the 6th. Alameda got two runners aboard in the bottom of the inning, but couldn’t bring them home. That brought up the dramatic 7th inning.

Reliever Jordan Pries (Alameda) quickly retired the side, which brought Alameda back to the plate with one last chance to pull out a win.

Lead off man Perri worked a walk. Then Gerhard crushed a 2-run homer over the right field fence, and just like that Alameda was back in the game. After the celebrating died down, Woodd drew another walk, but two quick outs made each new at-bat a do-or-die situation. Pinch hitter Zack Boyd (Encinal) came through with a clutch single to left, which kept the rally alive and brought up Doug Murray (El Cerrito). Murray -- who had so far gone 0-3 on the day -- worked a 2-2 count and then proceeded to rip a deep fly ball over the left fielder’s head for a dramatic walk-off double. As Woodd crossed the plate with the go-ahead run, the Alameda players and coaches streamed from the dugout and buried both Woodd and Murray in a sea of bodies.

Other than the disputed play in the 3rd, it was as exciting and dramatic a game as you’d ever want to see. In the end, Brazil shook off the tough loss and both teams returned to the field, shook hands, patted each other on the back, and congratulated each other on a great game. After a brief hiatus, friendship had returned to the friendship games.

Alameda next plays Mexico Rojo for their final game in “pool play”, but regardless of that outcome, their 4-0 start guarantees them a spot in the semi-finals to be played on Friday.

Alameda Loses Tight One to Mexico While Resting Pitchers
Thursday, August 12, 2004

With a 4-0 record, Alameda had already clinched a #1 seed for the semi-finals, so strategically, it didn’t matter whether they won or lost their final bracket match-up with Mexico-Rojo. Mexico, on the other hand, was playing all-out in a must win game for them.

Alameda World Team Coach Ken Arnerich decided to rest all 5 of his starting pitchers (in anticipation of tomorrow’s semi-final and championship games) and play with a mix of starters and reserves.

The new combination of players stepped up and played well, leading the game up until the 5th inning when Team Mexico finally edged ahead to win the contest 7-6.

Jeff Murphy (Alameda High) started on the mound for Alameda, went 4 innings, and allowed 5 runs, on 7 hits with 3 strikeouts. Will Sherratt (Alameda) came on in relief and pitched 1 inning, allowing 2 runs on 3 hits. And finally birthday boy Devin Grigg (Alameda) came in to close the game and pitched a scoreless 6th, allowing 1 hit, while striking out 1.

At the start of the game, Alameda wasted no time getting things rolling. Lead off man Devin Grigg singled to left, stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball. Grigg then scored when 2nd baseman Todd Surdez (Northgate High) looped another single to left. Mexico answered in the bottom of the inning with a run of their own to tie things up.

Then in a 2-out rally, Alameda pounced on Mexico in the second inning for 4 runs. Ari Levine (Alameda) started things off with a walk. Next, Jeff Perri (Bishop O’Dowd) reached base when the shortstop mishandled his ground ball. Grigg then returned to the plate and laid down a great bunt, placing the ball perfectly between the pitcher and 3rd baseman where no play could be made. With the bases now loaded, Jeff Murphy hit a hard shot to the shortstop that the player had a hard time handling. Levine scored and Grigg was able to slide in safely before the shortstop’s delayed toss reached 2nd. While Mexico was concentrating on the play at 2nd, Perri raced home from 3rd and scored, just barely beating the tag. In the confusion, Grigg and Murphy both advanced. Zack Boyd (Encinal) then came up and ripped a line drive to left-center scoring both base runners.

Mexico came back to add 2 more runs in the 3rd, but Alameda answered with a run of their own in the 4th. Pinch hitter KJ Arnerich (Alameda) reached base on a fielder’s choice, was advanced to 2nd on a grounder by Grigg, and then scored when Murphy hit a pop-up to right that was dropped. Mexico then added two more runs in the 4th to edge within one (6-5 Alameda); they then tacked on 2 more in the 5th to take a 1-run lead.

Now down by one, Alameda still had its chances to pull out the win, getting three men aboard in the 6th and two men on in the 7th, but they just couldn’t find that clutch hit they needed.

Though a disappointing loss, it meant nothing in the standings and may have actually turned out for the best. By winning, Mexico-Rojo knocked highly touted Korea from the playoffs. Alameda now re-plays Mexico-Rojo tomorrow (Fri.) at 10am and tournament favorite Japan plays host team San Diego-City. The two winners will then play in the Championship Game later in the day at 2pm.

After winning their tournament bracket and the #1 playoff seed for the first time in the 23-year history of the World Tournament, Alameda looked poised for a run at the title. Alas, it was not to be.

Alameda was abruptly knocked out of the playoffs on Friday the 13th with a 4-2 loss to Mexico-Rojo. Mexico played well, but Alameda just came out flat. They hit the ball, but it didn’t drop… they caught the ball and it did.

Early in the game, neither team could get much going. Mexico finally worked a player around the bases for a run in the 3rd, but that was it until Alameda tied things up in the 5th. Jeff Perri (Bishop O’Dowd) ripped a shot up the middle for a single. Jeff Murphy (Alameda High) then advanced him to 2nd on a sacrifice bunt. Devin Grigg (Alameda) then moved Perri to 3rd on a grounder past the shortstop, and finally the runner scored when KJ Arnerich (Alameda) hit a sac fly to center.

Alameda starter Mario Hollands (El Cerrito) did well early on, pitching two shutout innings to start off the game, but he began to have some trouble in the middle innings. His fastball was working great and he was able to get that pitch across for strikes consistently, but his breaking ball and off-speed pitches were just missing, which allowed the Mexico hitters to zone in on his fastballs.

Mexico broke through for a big 3-run rally in the bottom of the 5th to take a 4-1 lead. Reliever Jordan Pries (Alameda) entered the game and stopped the rally, and also threw a scoreless 6th inning.

Alameda had one more shot to get back in the game in the final inning. They’d exploded for 4-runs in a 2-out rally the day before against this same team, so the team was fired up. Alameda’s first two batters were quickly retired, but then pinch hitter Todd Surdez (Northgate High) looped a single over the first baseman’s head that landed fair and curved away from the fielders. Surdez alertly noticed that the 2nd baseman was out of position so he raced for 2nd and then continued on to 3rd when the fielders were having trouble getting the ball back in play. Arnerich then came to the plate and hit a line drive to right to drive in Surdez, and all of a sudden Alameda was down just two runs, with a man on, and the heart of the order coming up. Unfortunately, the umpire picked a horrible time to raise his strike zone and a shoulder-high strike three call on the next batter ended the tournament for Team Alameda.

It was a tough and sudden defeat for the Alameda World Team, but they have a lot to be proud of. According to League Officials, it was the first time any Alameda team has gone 4-0 to start off the tournament, the first time they’ve won the #1 playoff seed, the first time they’ve won their bracket, and they equaled the highest finish (4th) that any Alameda team has achieved.

And, remarkably, there’s still more baseball to be played. The Italian team is traveling to Alameda for a series of friendship games this week. The players are being home-stayed with Alameda families and the two teams will be playing games on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings (tentatively at 5:30 pm) out at the College of Alameda.

If you’d like to see a fun brand of baseball,
come on out to the college and catch a game.
Admission is free.