Raise the Roof

June 14, 1978 San Jose City League "CC" Playoff Game

	ab	r	h	rbi	po	a	e
Matsushita, ss	4	2	2	0	4	3	0
J.Koeplin, lf	4	2	3	0	5	0	0
Sukup, cf	3	2	2	5	4	0	0
J.Applegate, 1b-2b-3b	4	1	1	1	3	0	0
M.Applegate, 3b	2	0	1	0	1	1	0
Jackson, 3b	2	2	1	0	2	0	0
J.Sammut, c	4	2	2	1	0	0	0
Barrett, rf	4	1	3	3	0	0	1
S.Applegate, 1b	2	0	0	1	1	0	0
Franklin, 2b	2	1	0	1	0	0	0
P.Koeplin, bs	2	0	0	0	1	0	0
N.Christie, bs	2	1	2	0	0	0	0
Yagi, p	4	1	2	3	0	2	0

Team Total	39	15	19	15	21	6	1

2B- None. 3B- None. HR- Sukup, Yagi, Barrett. K- J.Sammut. BB- Sukup. SF- None. DP-Matsushita to Jackson, Yagi to Matsushuta to Jackson. Game Winning RBI- Sukup.

	ip	h	r	er	bb	so
Yagi (W)	7	11	3	2	0	0

Ochoa Roofing		1	2	0		0	0	0		0	-	3	11	8
AWA		3	0	5		0	5	2		x	-	15	19	1

AWA had broken out of the gate in the spring of 1978 like a wildfire. The team tore through the San Jose "CC" division, posting wins of 16-5 and 12-0 to open the year. After having to come from behind to win their next game 19-18, AWA rolled to wins of 21-6 and 31-3. With one game remaining on the spring schedule, the team sat in first place with a perfect 5-0 record.

Needing only a final win to capture the Spring pennant, AWA faced off against a young, scrappy team called Ochoa Roofing, who was sitting in second place with a 4-1 record. The squad from AWA approached this game with a certain amount of arrogance. We had become accustomed to winning these tests, and the guys honestly felt no fear of this ragged bunch. The AWA Express was on a roll, and there was no stopping us.

Then the train got derailed. The Roofers pulled off a 6-5 upset, turning three double plays in the process. Beaten, and certainly shaken, AWA came back a week later to face the Roofers in the rematch that would determine the first half champion. Would we be ready for this one?

Fortunately, we weren't too shaken. And the guys were still pretty arrogant about what we truly believed was ours. But the team gave away a run in the first when a hit to right was misplayed by Steve Barrett, who allowed the batter to reach second. A following hit got the run home.

Gary Matsushita and John Koeplin opened the home half of the first with singles, and then Tom Sukup slashed a home run to right, putting AWA on top 3-1. The Roofers tied it in the top of the second, but pitcher Earl Yagi slithered out of more trouble when, with runners at the corners and one out, he induced a couple of pop outs to end the inning.

Gary opened the third inning by legging out an infield hit. John then bounced a hit left, sending Gary to third, and taking second himself on the late throw to third. From there, Tom delivered his fourth and fifth RBIs of the game with a single to right, taking second himself when the outfielder bobbled the pickup. Jeff Applegate then scorched a hit to left, scoring Tom, replacing Tom at second when the left fielder mishandled the ball. Mike Applegate then singled to move Jeff to third.

Joe Sammut bounced into a force at second, scoring Jeff, but Steve followed with a hit that moved Joe to third. An infield out got Joe home with the fifth run of the inning. AWA led 8-3 and never looked back.

As Earl kept the Roofer hitters at bay, AWA opened up the lead in the fifth. Dave Jackson reached on the second baseman's error to lead off the inning. Joe and Steve followed with hits good for one run. A force out scored another, and Nei'l following hit sit up the star of the game, Earl, who belted a towering home run to right. It was now 13-3.

The AWA defense was the perfect match for Earl's typically cagey pitching, and double plays in the fifth and sixth innings made short work of the Roofer batters. In the home half of the sixth, Steve rounded out the scoring with a two-run homer to center. AWA had won the first half pennant by a final score of 15-3.

At season's end the team squared off against Guardino Pump & Well for the overall "CC" Championship, which AWA won 9-4 for the team's third league championship in four years. But that's another story.