2009 world series passes half-way point

MOSES LAKE — After nearly playing baseball for more than four months, the seasons for the 10 competing teams at the 2009 Babe Ruth World Series are rapidly coming to a close.

For the past four days, eight regional champions, one state champion and the hosting Columbia Basin River Dogs have played through grueling pool play schedules in hopes of qualifying for the single-elimination tournament round of the world series.

With the conclusion of tonight’s pool play contest featuring the Columbia Basin River Dogs and the Pacific Southwest Regional Champions from San Gabriel Valley, Calif., only six of the 10 teams will have an opportunity to claim a world championship.

The 2009 Babe Ruth World Series got off to a fast start Saturday morning when former Mariners reliever Norm Charlton threw out the ceremonial first pitch during the tournament’s opening ceremonies.

After Charlton’s opening pitch, the New England Regional Champions from Cape Cod, Mass., and the Ohio Valley Regional Champions from Hammond, Ind., got the tournament underway with the first match up of the 2009 Babe Ruth World Series.

Cape Cod and Hammond provided excitement and emotion as the first game of the world series went to extra innings to decide a winner.

After playing through a 2-2 tie following eight innings of play, Cape Cod’s Jeffrey Speroni hit the tournament’s first home run to help lift the New England Champs to a 4-2 victory in nine innings.

While the New England and Ohio Valley Champions went to extra innings, the Middle Atlantic Regional Champions from Long Island, N.Y., left little doubt in the second game of the series.

The Long Island Bombers scored five runs in the top of the first inning and starting pitcher Greg Lettini threw a one-hitter as the Middle Atlantic Champions rolled past Midwest Plains Champion Minnetonka, Minn.

The first day of the 2009 Babe Ruth World Series continued to provide drama as the tournament’s third contest ultimately became the second to take extra innings to decide.

Washington State Champion Puget Sound, Wash., capitalized on a five-run 10th inning to knock off Southwest Regional Champion Abbeville, La., 14-9.

The final game of day one of the tournament began more than two hours behind schedule and continued into the early hours of Sunday morning before the hosting Columbia Basin River Dogs knocked off Southeast Regional Champion Baxter, Tenn., 8-4 to start the tournament off with a victory.

With the eight-day tournament at its halfway point, Moses Lake Parks and Recreation Department Parks Superintendant Roland Gonzales said Larson Playfield has proved to be a formidable venue for the world series.

“We have had a few bumps in the road, but nothing serious,” he said of the tournament. “It is nice having everyone here.”

With the final day of pool play at hand, only two teams remain undefeated.

The Columbia Basin River Dogs head into tonight’s game with a 3-0 record after knocking off Long Island 7-5 Monday night in front of more than 2,600 fans — the largest attendance to date at the 2009 Babe Ruth World Series.

The other undefeated team is San Gabriel Valley, Calif. San Gabriel Valley earned a trip to the 2009 Babe Ruth World Series by claiming the Pacific Southwest Regional Championship.

San Gabriel Valley enters tonight’s contest with a 3-0 record after rolling past Long Island 11-4 Tuesday night.

Columbia Basin and San Gabriel Valley will meet tonight at 8 p.m. to decide the American Division’s top seed heading into single-elimination play.

While either the River Dogs or San Gabriel Valley are guaranteed a spot in the tournament semifinals, both teams have at least clinched a trip to the quarterfinals.