May 30, 2008 — The defending champion Seaborne Stealers stormed into the Bob Owens Slow-Pitch Softball League finals at the D.C. Canegata Ball Park Thursday night with a resounding 31-11 shellacking of Claudio Enterprises.
The Stealers finally got the monkey off their backs when they beat Claudio for the first time this season, and what a time to do it. Three times they met in the regular season and each time the defending champs went down in defeat. This time was different, however, as the champs jumped on Claudio early and often. Not even a 40-minute power outage delay could save Claudio from the hyped-up Stealers squad.
The Stealers had 31 runs on 28 hits with two errors, while Claudio had 11 runs on 15 hits with three errors. Samuel Ramos picked up the win on the hill for the Stealers and Wilfredo Carmona got the loss for Claudio. Top hitters for the winners were Enrique Soto, 4 for 4 with two home runs and seven RBIs, and Raymond Cintron and Angel Torres, both 5 for 5 with a home run and four RBIs each. For Claudio, Juan Santana went 2 for 3 with a home run and two RBIs and Luis Moreno went 2 for 3 with a home run and four RBIs.
The Stealers had to play an earlier game on the night to get to the Claudio Enterprises matchup. For most of that game against Speak the Word Ministries, it appeared the defending champs would get sent packing. It took the last-minute heroics of Guido Schjang — who delivered a two-out, three-run walk-off home run — to save the Stealers, 14-12. The Stealers came to the bottom of the seventh inning trailing by four runs, and most of the fans in the stands thought that the defending champions were done for the season. A two-run home run and an RBI single later, the Stealers were down one run at 12-11 with two runners on base and two outs. The stage was now set for Schjang, who hit the second pitch he saw high over the center-field fence for the game winner.
The Stealers finished with 14 runs on 18 hits, while Speak the Word finished with 12 runs on 15 hits with three errors.
Sam Ramos, the Stealers ace, pitched the victory, while Ian Lewis got the loss for Speak the Word. Top hitters for the Stealers were Schjang, 3 for 4 with a home run and five RBIs, and Angel Torres, 2 for 4 with a home run and three RBIs. For Speak the Word, Sylvester McIntosh went 3 for 4 with three home runs and four RBIs, while Carlos Morales went 2 for 4 with a home run and three RBIs.
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