2009 Atlantic Division Champion Mets(18) Season Highlights

By Brian Feduk, Mets(18) Manager September 10, 2009

Bearden Delivers During Atlantic Championship!

Mets(18) pitcher Travis Bearden delivers a pitch during Game One of the Atlantic Championship Series at De Anza College. Bearden threw a complete game giving up four runs on eight hits with twelve strikeouts as the Mets(18) took a 1-0 series lead beating the Reds(18) 6-4. (Photo by José Medina).

Regular Season Summary

2009 Atlantic Division Champion Mets(18) Team Picture

(Front Row) Drew Pleasant, Matt Meier, Django Whittington, Brian Feduk. (Back Row) Nick Doan, Wes Bentley, Randyn Trybom, Jeremy Hernandez, Ryan Doan, Kyle Hartz, Jordan Bergstrom, Steve Monigold. (Not Pictured) Travis Bearden, Tyson Coolman, Jeremy Kirby, Neil Kunkel, Nick Piper, Zak Warren. (Photo by José Medina).

2008 left the Santa Cruz Mets looking for answers as they were handed defeat from the "Fuerte" San José Reds. As the 2009 season began, the Mets seemed to have found them, going 6-0 in the first six games. This led up to a rematch with the defending Champion Reds, also 6-0…this time the loser had the burden of holding on to the "Golden Crapper". Well, things took a turn that day for the worse as the Mets were handed their first loss of the season and had to hold on to the "Crapper".

Injuries throughout the year led to six more losses including being swept by a very tough Blue Jays squad, a team the Mets would face again, first round in playoffs!!!

Playoff Summary

Round One, Game One

Coming in as the second seed, the Blue Jays looked to have it in the bag against the third seed Mets. The Blue Jays scored three in the first off Mets ace Nick Doan that were not answered until the fifth. That's when the Mets woke up! Nick helped himself with a solo shot to start, a single by brother Ryan led to a two-run blast from Jeremy Kirby. Tie game, 3-3.

Nick, again, started the sixth with a single followed by a two-run shot from Ryan. Drew Pleasant and Matt Meier drove in a run each for the final, 7-3 Mets. Nick didn't allow another run after the first. 1-0 Mets in the series.

Round One, Game Two

Again, the Blue Jays came out swinging and scored three in the first. This time, however, the Mets answered back! Nick Doan came up big with a three-run BOMB after Bentley drove in the first run. 4-3 Mets.

The Blue Jays battled and added another in the top of the second to tie only to be answered by another from the Mets in the bottom. 5-4 Mets.

Again, the tenacious BJ's scored, tying it up in the top of the third. This would be the last time, however, as starter Feduk shut the doors.

The Mets ended up with two more in the bottom of the third, four in the fifth, and one in the eighth for a 12-5 victory and advancement to the Championship series: Mets vs. Reds III

Mets(18) DH and third baseman Wes Bentley hits one of his three RBI singles on the day. (Photo by José Medina).

Championship Series, Game One

The Reds scored first off Mets starter Travis Bearden. 1-0 Reds into the fourth, when Wes Bentley scored Matt Meier to tie it up, 1-1. Mets took the lead in the fifth with a solo shot from Steve Monigold followed by a two-run double from "Reds Killer" Randyn Trybom. 3-1 Mets.

The sixth took a turn for the Mets as the Reds took the lead scoring three, keyed by Ryan Becks two-run single. 4-3 Reds.

Trybom smacked a two-run single in the seventh and Bentley added one in the eighth as the Mets took the lead for good. 6-4 Mets was the final.

Bearden ended the day striking out twelve of the Red Machine! 1-0 Mets in the series.

Championship Series, Game Two

Mets ace Nick Doan took the hill for the Championship Game. The Reds did not seem to flinch as Danny Ruberte hit a blast over right to give the Reds a 1-0 lead in the first. The Mets drove in one on Jeremy Hernandez's single to tie in the bottom.

The Mets took the lead in the third as Meier drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. The Reds answered with another in the top of the fourth when "Choco" Rodriguez had a sacrifice of his own. 2-2 tie.

The Mets opened up from there scoring three in the bottom of the fourth and six in the bottom of the sixth. Final score: 11-6, Mets. The Santa Cruz Mets regain the Atlantic division crown and the "Golden Crapper" finds its home in the hands of the San José Reds!

Thank you to all the teams and league officials that have made this THE top league to compete in from the bay area.

Brian Feduk
Manager, Santa Cruz Mets