Team Progressive pulls off upset at Windy Classic

      Team Progressive, behind one of Las Vegas' top managers in Freddy Schaller, pulled off a huge upset and stole the show Feb. 28 at Arroyo Grande in the USSSA B-C Windy Classic.
      The tournament featured the top eight softball teams in Southern Nevada. With western division USSSA vice-president Tom Raines on hand, there was electricity in the air. The event was loaded.
      Division B teams included Bones/Charley Rose, the prohibitive favorite, a powerful Marnell Corrao ballclub who has stars at every position and is expected to dominate the B division this season and Kaos-Budweiser, new to the B division this season but will be very competitive.
      The remaining C ballclubs were Las Vegas' top C team in Aardvarks, the always-tough Auto Magic, a savvy and vastly improved Murphy's Gamblers, a new C-team in Strike Zone and the over-achieving Team Progressive.
      Progressive started round-robin play with a victory over Marnell, 19-16. Key hitting came from Jeff Parks, Gian Curry and Steve DeAngelis paved the way. Vic Sanchez, Jerry Moller and Rick Cadwallader all had three hits apiece in a 20-5 romp of the Gamblers in game two.
      In game three, a 19-1 lead against Bud-Kaos was not enough as Kaos forged ahead with a 14-run sixth inning. Trailing 24-20 in the last inning, Jim Laughlin, Kelly Hinds and Jay Wieslander all had RBIs in a seven-run seventh inning and a Progressive 27-25 win.
      In its fourth game, Schaller's club caught an angry Bones team fresh off a stunning loss to Auto Magic. Larry Quaney's Bones team was on their game and smoked Progressive 20-8.
      In game five, Ross Portale rocked two three-run homers and pitcher Phil Platko shut down Auto Magic 16-3. Game six saw Platko completely baffle Strike Zone in a 19-0 win.
      Game seven saw the depth of Team Progressive wear down a weary Kaos team, 22-10.
      In the finals against a very tough Aardvarks team, who scored a come-from-behind 28-27 victory over Bones, the timing was right for a hungry Progressive club. A 17-run explosion in the first inning led to a 30-10 championship-game victory. Curry won the MVP and all-tournament honors went to Portale, Moller, Hinds, Parks and DeAngelis.
      Aardvarks MVP went to Troy Clemens, who hit a tourney-high 10 home runs and had 31 RBIs, and all-tourneys went to Chris Osenbaugh, Dave Williams, John Juliano and Dave Strater.
      The all-tourney team was completed with John Salinas, Bobby Ames, Glen Evans, Dave Bushey, Scot Beckwith, Tim Johnson, Kevin Higgins, Fred Tucker, Mike Thompson, Dewy James, Hondo Berg, Tim Woodrum, Mike Carrasco, Dominique Jenkins, Mark Ballard and Darel Stewart.
      DIAMOND NOTES -- Doug Race is the new coordinator for softball in the city... Spring II session starts April 6... Vegas Rock won the NSA West Pac C tournament and Andy Capz Pub finished second in the D division.
      TOURNEY UPDATE -- ASA Jacket Tournament is set for April 4 and 5 at Shadow Rock with competition in the C, D and E divisions.
      The USSSA Bud B Tournament is slated for April 3-5 as part of Henderson Heritage Days.
     
     Ralph Reuber has more than 25 years of experience as a softball player, sponsor, umpire and manager. He is district commissioner for the ASA in Southern Nevada. He can be reached at 260-7803.