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8/5/2017-Mojave Desert News
Kane Wickham
California City- The California city Whiptails
first season is now officially over. The now
beloved team played their last two home games
at Rio Tinto Field-Balsitis Park last Wednesday
and Thursday nights. Wednesday they played the
Hollywood Stars for the last time this year and
Thursday brought the Bakersfield Train Robbers
down for a go at the number two seated team in
the Pecos League.
The Hollywood Stars game went as usual with the
Stars grabbing a quick lead right off 4-0, with
the Whiptails playing catchup. After catching
onto the stars pitcher the Whiptails began
catching them. A Grand Slam brought the
Whiptails back into the fray and after catching
the Stars 4-4, they never looked back. Another
Grand Slams and the Whiptails were off and
running, adding three more runs over the course
of the game to end it Whiptails 11 Hollywood
Stars 4 shutting down the last place Pecos team
once last time, the Whiptails celebrated with a
feats fit for Kings after the game as provided
by the Whiptails Booster Club.
The next night had suspense written all over it
as the Bakersfield Train Robbers-the second
place team in the Pecos League, came to town
for the Whiptails last home game. Many thought
they would be watching the Whiptails losing
their last home game and the start of it
suggested that very outcome as the Train
Robbers took a quick and decisive 4-0 lead
right off in the first inning. Again the
Whiptails were challenged to catch them. Never
in the first season has such trash been talked
by an opposing team as with the Bakersfield
bunch. The entire dugout was an echo chamber of
put downs and insults, and the local fans took
notice. That is until a Whiptails Grand Slam
silenced that dugout for good.
With the game tied 4-4 the teams began anew
their struggle for victory. No longer were
there any sounds coming from the Bakersfield
dugout as that team now found itself in a real
fight for the W. As the game progressed the
Whiptails slowly began creeping up over the
Train Robbers, run by run as the Bakersfield
team watched in disbelief and the local crowd
went wild. At one point the score was Whiptails
7 Bakersfield 4! Not to be outshined by the
lower ranked team the Train Robbers mounted a
comeback in the 8th inning coming back to
within one point of tying the game. Now going
into the 9th inning it was Whiptails 7
Bakersfield 6. All eyes were on the Whiptails
as they had to hold off anymore scores by the
Train Robbers. AS if by divine intervention and
just when it was needed most Whiptails #19
Pitcher James Touhey drilled one out and over
the fence to give the Whiptails their victory
over the Train Robbers 8-7 and giving the
Whiptails a monster morale boost in the
process. The entire team ran out onto the field
to celebrate the victory and the local crowd
went absolutely wild. Cheers, whoops and
hollers, laughter and cow bells rang out for
the stunning upset and photo finish ending.
The Whiptails played their last two games
Friday and Saturday nights in Bakersfield where
they lost both games thus ending the first
season of Pecos League play. Now we have to
wait another year for the action to begin again
and by all accounts it will according to
sources within the organization. So lets all
remember the good times had this summer and
look forward to YOUR California City Whiptails
triumphant return next summer! GO WHIPTAILS!
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