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ENLARGE
The Tahoe Twins, shown on their home field at North Tahoe Regional Park, finished 21-1 overall on the season. They went 5-1 in the National Adult Baseball Association World Championship Series in Phoenix this past week.
The Tahoe Twins went 5-0 before losing a heartbreaker, 5-4, to the Hawthorne (Calif.) Cougars in the playoff round of the National Adult Baseball Association World Championship Series in Phoenix on Saturday.
Twins head skipper Bob Habeger of Carnelian Bay said the loss was one of the most upsetting he's suffered in his 30 years of coaching.
Trailing by one run with one out and two runners on base in the bottom of the ninth — with Jesse Hildebrandt on second and Joe Thomas on first — Drew Lipnosky hit a ground ball deep into the hole at shortstop. The Cougars got Thomas at second base before overthrowing the first baseman on the double-play attempt. Hildebrandt rounded third and scored what appeared to be the tying run.
Twins players exploded from the dugout in celebration. But the moment didn't last long, as the field umpired awarded the Cougars two outs — the final two outs of the ball game — because Thomas slid into the bag and the second baseman to break up the double-play. Game over.
Habeger and the Twins obviously were upset about the call, especially after Habeger was told at the managers' meeting to have players avoid contact and slide directly into the bag at second, as Thomas did on the play. Had the double-play not been awarded, the Twins would have had a runner at second with the meat of their lineup coming up.
Nevertheless, Habeger said he was pleased with the Twins' showing, as they won their first five games and gave the Cougars a run for their money in the playoff round — all without ace pitcher J.R. Murphy, who slipped and sprained his ankle before the tournament ever began.
“I am really proud of this team and our pitching staff to come back after the blow of losing J.R. before we even started,” Habeger said. “Now we know what to expect and know we can compete (in the NABA World Championship Series). We are back here next year as a pool winner, and we hope to win it all then.”
The Twins — who are made up of mostly North Tahoe and Truckee high grads — competed in the 18 and over Rookie division, which included 12 teams. The Twins finished 21-1 overall on the season (16-0 in the Western Nevada Chapter of the NABA).
Twins head skipper Bob Habeger of Carnelian Bay said the loss was one of the most upsetting he's suffered in his 30 years of coaching.
Trailing by one run with one out and two runners on base in the bottom of the ninth — with Jesse Hildebrandt on second and Joe Thomas on first — Drew Lipnosky hit a ground ball deep into the hole at shortstop. The Cougars got Thomas at second base before overthrowing the first baseman on the double-play attempt. Hildebrandt rounded third and scored what appeared to be the tying run.
Twins players exploded from the dugout in celebration. But the moment didn't last long, as the field umpired awarded the Cougars two outs — the final two outs of the ball game — because Thomas slid into the bag and the second baseman to break up the double-play. Game over.
Habeger and the Twins obviously were upset about the call, especially after Habeger was told at the managers' meeting to have players avoid contact and slide directly into the bag at second, as Thomas did on the play. Had the double-play not been awarded, the Twins would have had a runner at second with the meat of their lineup coming up.
Nevertheless, Habeger said he was pleased with the Twins' showing, as they won their first five games and gave the Cougars a run for their money in the playoff round — all without ace pitcher J.R. Murphy, who slipped and sprained his ankle before the tournament ever began.
“I am really proud of this team and our pitching staff to come back after the blow of losing J.R. before we even started,” Habeger said. “Now we know what to expect and know we can compete (in the NABA World Championship Series). We are back here next year as a pool winner, and we hope to win it all then.”
The Twins — who are made up of mostly North Tahoe and Truckee high grads — competed in the 18 and over Rookie division, which included 12 teams. The Twins finished 21-1 overall on the season (16-0 in the Western Nevada Chapter of the NABA).
Pool play
The Twins started the tournament with a thrilling 8-7 win against the Rancho Murrieta Vandals last Thursday morning, then followed with an 11-1 rout against the Denver Bulls later that evening and a 13-8 win against Anonymous Talent on Friday morning.Twins leadoff hitter and shortstop Bobby Habeger powered his team past the Vandals — the top seed in the Twins' pool — with the go-ahead home run in the top of the ninth inning. Then in the bottom half of the ninth, with two outs and a Rancho Murrieta runner on second, Thomas fielded a base hit in left field and gunned down the runner at the plate to end the game.
The Twins also defeated So Cal Elite by a score of 12-2 on Saturday morning, and beat the San Diego Bangin Byrds, 9-8, on Friday afternoon.
For more information about the NABA World Championship Series, go to www.dugout.org.
UP NEXT
Coach Habeger said the Twins may play against a California Prison System team at San Quentin (he said not to ask him how his assistant coach has connections there), and will play a couple of Chico teams this fall, as well as a couple of Sacramento teams this winter.
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