By Dick Sparrer
David Towsen had quite a day--but it took him two days to do it.
The Los Gatos Little Leaguer led the Rangers to an exciting 11-6 win over the Rangers in major division play last weekend with a home run, a triple, four runs scored and four RBIs.
But to say that Towsen had a great day would not be accurate, because it took two days to finish the baseball game.
The clubs played to a 6-6 tie on April 3 before darkness forced the game's suspension. They returned to the diamond last Saturday to finish the game, and the Rangers broke things open with a five-run rally in the sixth.
And through it all, it was Towsen in the middle of the Rangers' rallies.
He blasted a two-run homer in the first to give his club the early lead, but the Marlins came back to go up 6-5 heading into the fifth.
Towsen walked, moved to third on an error and a fielder's choice, and scored on a passed ball to tie things 6-6.
Darkness ended things after five, but the clubs were back at it on Saturday. James Gentry reached on an error, and Josh Miceli walked before Towsen unloaded with a two-run triple to key a five-run rally for the Rangers.
Anthony Burks doubled and tripled for the Rangers, and Tyler Doyle was 2-for-2 with three runs-batted-in. Gentry had two hits.
Jesse Fetke was 3-for-4 in the win, and Matt Hirakawa singled and doubled. Richie Brown doubled.
The Marlins answered back later in the day with a 6-3 win over the Rangers.
Brown tossed five innings to get the pitching win, striking out five and walking just one. Patrick McDonald came on to get the save. Zack Damron led the bat attack with a double.
Towsen singled and doubled for the Rangers, and Burks and Gentry each doubled.
The Rangers came back to beat the Cubs in a real thriller. Burks and the Rangers outdueled Travis Howell to pull out a 1-0 victory in seven innings.
Howell went tossed a one-hitter and struck out 12 through six innings. But he was forced to leave the game after his six innings were complete, and the Rangers picked up a run in the seventh. It turned out to be the only run of the game.
And, that's right, it was Towsen striking again.
Towsen led off the inning with his second double of the game. He took third on a passed ball and scored on a ground out by Doyle to break the scoreless tie.
Doyle and Burks combined to toss a two-hitter for the victory. Howell doubled and Jon Branch singled for the only hits of the game for the Cubs.
The Cubs had beaten the Rangers 6-1 earlier. Howell singled and homered, and Gus Winkleman doubled in the win.
Towsen and Eric Rude each doubled for the Rangers.
The Marlins had beaten the Giants 14-1 a week earlier. Burks was the winning pitcher and Brown, Fetke and Tyler Burke had two hits each. Brown cracked a double and scored three runs.
Brian Stanton had two hits, and Andy Betzina doubled for the Giants.
But the Giants got a little revenge with a 7-1 win over the Marlins last weekend. Alex Rollin went the distance to toss a one-hitter, striking out 14 and walking just one.
Betzina knocked in three runs with a double and two singles, and Stanton and Ben Swartley each doubled.
The Marlins broke up the shutout when Brown walked, moved to second on a passed ball and scored on a single by Fetke--the only hit of the game for the Marlins off of Rollin.
Padres unbeaten
Bryan Schiefelbein pounded a pair of doubles and tossed four strong innings to lead the Padres to a 9-2 win over the Expos. The Pads improved to 6-0 for the year with the victory.
Schiefelbein struck out seven in his four innings on the mound. Carter Wallace fanned four in two innings of work and also ripped a pair of hits.
Adam Crane drove in three runs with two doubles and a single, and Patrick Murphy singled and doubled.
Kyle Schafer cracked two hits for the Expos, and Chris Danser tripled.
The Padres whipped the Expos 21-3 a couple of weeks earlier. Schiefelbein whiffed seven in four innings of pitching work to get the win. He also had two hits and scored five runs in the game.
Crane had a huge day for the Padres, going 4-for-4 with a double and homer to drive in eight runs for the winners. Brett Cavanagh had three hits and scored three runs, Bryan Ceglio had two hits, and Murphy ripped a two-run triple.
Nick Nino hit two for the Expos.
The Padres and Giants locked up in a thriller later that week. The Pads scored a run in the fifth to break up a scoreless tie and held on for the 1-0 victory.
Schiefelbein and Wallace combined for a one-hit shutout. Schiefelbein fanned five in three innings of no-hit pitching, and Wallace struck out seven in three innings of work. A fourth-inning single by Chad Rabello was the only hit for the Giants.
Ceglio walked, moved to third on a couple of wild pitches and scored when Jared Murphy reached on an error for the game's only run.
Rollin and Swartley were outstanding for the Giants, teaming up to toss a four-hitter. Rolling whiffed six in three innings, and Swartly fanned three in two innings.
Wallace doubled for the Padres.
Earlier that week, Schiefelbein and Wallace each struck out eight in three innings in an 11-2 win over the Giants.
Cavanagh singled and doubled, and Darrien Hirotsu and Ceglio added two hits apiece in the win. Cavanagh and Hirotsu scored three runs apiece, and Schiefelbein doubled.
Rollin and Swartley had two hits each for the Giants. Rollin also struck out eight in three innings.
Wallace went five solid innings, fanning seven, to get the win in a 3-1 victory over the Cubs. Crane doubled for the Padres.
Howell was 3-for-3 with a double in the loss. He struck out five in three innings on the hill.
Pirates stay close
The Pirates remained close behind the leaders with wins over the Marlins, Yankees and Cubs. But the Bucs also lost to the Cubs to slip a game back in the loss column.
Eric Brown and Corey Graham combined to pitch the Pirates to an 11-1 win over the Marlins. Brown was 3-for-3 with a double and four runs scored and Graham was 2-for-2 with a double. Drew Bothman had three hits, and Logan Schafer singled and tripled.
Fetke singled and doubled for the Marlins.
Brown went three innings to get the pitching win, striking out eight along the way, in the Pirates' 6-5 victory over the Yankees. Bothman had two hits for the Bucs.
Nik Key went the distance for the Yanks, fanning eight. Brent Kasper singled and doubled, and Steven Whitham had two hits.
J.P. Grist gave up just two hits in three innings of work to lead the Pirates to a 10-0 win over the Cubs.
Bothman singled and doubled and Graham singled and tripled for the Pirates. Grist and Adam Hudson each tripled in the win and Brown and Hans Jorgensen each doubled.
A's win three
Adam Nelson ripped three hits and was the winning pitcher for the A's in a 6-2 victory over the Yankees. Bret Roberts tossed the final three frames, combining with Nelson for a one-hitter. Roberts singled and doubled, and Luke Alioto doubled for the A's.
Matt Rose ripped a two-run double in the fifth off of Nelson for the only hit of the day for the Yanks.
Roberts struck out seven in three innings of work, and Roberts finished up with three innings of hitless relief to lift the A's to an 8-2 win over the Indians. Roberts and Alioto doubled for the A's.
Los Gatos Little League major division standings: Padres 6-0, Pirates 4-1, Rangers 4-2, A's 3-3, Expos 3-3, Indians 3-3, Cubs 2-4, Giants 2-4, Marlins 2-4, Yankees 0-5.
This article appeared in the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, April 16, 1997.
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