The tournaments are the same, but the sounds will be different this week.
Two baseball tournaments - the Adam Westcott Memorial Tournament at Casa Grande and the West Sonoma County Tournament at El Molino - will be wood-bat events.
The ping of metal bats will replaced by the crack of wood because both events, which start today, include two teams from the Marin County Athletic League. The administrators from each school in the 10-team MCAL voted unanimously to use wood bats this season after Marin Catholic pitcher Gunnar Sandberg was seriously injured on March 11 when he was hit in the head by a line drive off a metal bat.
Sandberg remains in stable but critical condition at Marin General Hospital, but has shown positive signs in recent days.
MCAL teams Redwood and Drake will play in the eight-team Westcott Tournament. Sonoma, Cardinal Newman, Rancho Cotate, Antioch and Eureka will also play at the tournament. Novato and San Marin will play at the six-team West Sonoma County Tournament, which will include Elsie Allen, Fortuna and Arcata.
Redwood coach Stefan Weaver said he understands his league's stance against metal bats places their non-league opponents in an awkward position.
In the wake of Sandberg's injury, those teams that don't comply and switch to wood bats appear insensitive, Weaver said. Of course, those teams are also at a competitive disadvantage because they haven't been swinging wood bats.
But the response from Casa Grande coach Paul Maytorena and the rest of the Gauchos' staff made the potential uncomfortable situation a non-issue, Weaver said.
"It puts them in a no-win situation," said Weaver. "But they have been nothing but supportive. There was no hesitation. No hemming or hawing. I really admire them for doing that."
Weaver and Drake coach Adam Farb have offered to supply wood bats. Louisville Slugger and the San Francisco Giants have combined to donate nearly 500 bats to the MCAL. In addition, sporting goods stores have donated to the league, which have also received financial donations from parents.
Casa Grande alum and Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jonny Gomes has also donated bats for the Westcott. Each team will receive a bat engraved with the name of the tournament. One of the bats will be given to Sandberg.
"The response has been great," Maytorena said. "Everyone has been really supportive."
At El Molino's tournament, Novato coach Bob Scheppler has offered to supply bats for the event, which will include Elsie Allen, Fortuna and Arcata. In addition to using wood bats, Novato's pitchers, in another safety move, are wearing helmets for the rest of the season.
El Molino coach Rick Tacla plans to pass the hat during the tournament with donations going to a fund to help pay for Sandberg's medical expenses.
Tacla said he doesn't mind making the move to wood bats for the tournament. In fact, he's looking forward to it.
"We've had a couple parctices with wood bats already and it's so nice to hear the sound of wood instead of aluminum," Tacla said. "It's going to be cool. I can't wait to see it."
The two-day, eight-team Al Rabinovitz Baseball Tournament hosted by Montgomery will begin Tuesday at various sites in Santa Rosa.Teams participating include Montgomery, Petaluma, Windsor, Maria Carrillo, Piner, Santa Rosa, Analy and Truckee.
The two-day, eight-team Al Rabinovitz Baseball Tournament hosted by Montgomery will begin Tuesday at various sites in Santa Rosa.
Teams participating include Montgomery, Petaluma, Windsor, Maria Carrillo, Piner, Santa Rosa, Analy and Truckee.
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