For the week of  September 5 - 11, 2001

Familiar foes: 
Cobras, Snappers 
in World Series

Baseball rematch at Founders Field

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There won’t be any secrets when the Coors Light Cobras and Waxroom Snappers meet for the third consecutive year in the Sun Valley Men’s Adult Baseball League World Series.

Coors Light (14-3 this season, 63-17 since 1997) has won three of the last four World Series—the last two years over the Snappers by scores of 17-13, 14-5, 8-4 and 12-7. But the 2001 Cobras have proved more vulnerable after last year’s unprecedented unbeaten season.

The Cobras and Snappers (11-8) face off Saturday, Sept. 8 at high noon at Hailey’s Founders Field, with the next game in the best two-of-three series scheduled for Sunday at 11 a.m.

Last weekend’s SVMABL league playoffs proved to be a two-game sweep for the Cobras—but a real down-to-the-wire test for the Snappers.

The Cobras swept the Twist N’Trout Alley Cats (6-11) by scores of 2-1 and 14-9. Meanwhile, the Snappers won the first game over Lefty’s River Dogs (10-9) by a 21-9 count, then lost to the Dogs 10-6 in 10 innings and beat the Dogs 16-10 in the 10-inning decider Monday.

Here’s a playoff summary:

• Cobras 2-1 over Cats: Christian Nickum outdueled Cats righty Dan Freeman and Jeff Burrell powered a Cobras homer. Nickum tossed an eight-hitter and Freeman’s complete-game effort was nearly as good.
  
  

• Cobras 14-9 over Cats: A six-run Cobras first inning was too much for the Cats to overcome. Cobras’ Bryan Burrell and Dan Gearhart each ripped two-run homers. Danny Turner and Freeman each had three hits and Rod Watson homered.
  
  

• Snappers 21-7 over Dogs: The Snappers scored in bunches, sending runners across in seven of nine frames. John Rathfon (4 runs) socked a pair of solo homers while Tim Mott and Billy Neal each drilled two-run homers. Matt Buxton and Tim Carter added three hits apiece for the Snaps.
  
  

• Dogs 10-6 over the Snappers, in 10 innings: Jimmy Jorgensen tossed the complete-game victory for the Dogs, who scored five big runs in the tenth inning.

Big hits were by Rusty Seaward (3-run double, 3 hits) and Pat Hennigan (HR). Craig Anderson added three hits and Mike Abaid chipped in two hits and three RBI for the Dogs.

Buxton powered two solo homers and Mott and Rathfon (3 hits) also produced Snapper homers. Gunnar Whitehead added two Snapper hits.

• Snappers 16-10 over the Dogs, in 10 innings: Trailing 9-4, the Snappers (17 hits) rallied for six runs with two outs in the eighth and six runs in the tenth to advance to the World Series.

Snappers’ #11 hitter Tim Carter (3 hits) was the big hero with a three-run double in the tenth frame. Another big bat was leadoff hitter Lars Hovey (3 hits). He had a two-run single in the six-run eighth.

Derek Lloyd led the 16-hit Dogs attack with four hits.

The winning pitcher was Neal, but the "Ironman of the Year" must have been Lefty’s pitcher Dave Hausmann, who threw seven strong innings after being out for six weeks with a dislocated shoulder.

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.