Threat Wins Preseason Classic

HOBOKEN, NJ -- The Independence Threat, dominant throughout the tournament, defeated Danville in two straight games to claim the Galactic Goat Preseason Classic Championship. The Threat won all six games it played in the Classic, utilizing a powerful lineup and rock-solid pitching corps to dispose of its opponents. Outfielder Magglio Ordonez was named the Classic's Most
Outstanding Player after leading the threat with four homers and 14 RBI in six games.

GAME 1
(6) INDEPENDENCE 7, (8) DANVILLE 2
WP - Randy Johnson
LP - Ismael Valdes
Randy Johnson mowed down 16 Dynomite hitters and Ordonez hit a homer and drove in four runs. The Threat actually led 7-0, until Danville scored twice in the ninth.

GAME 2
(6) INDEPENDENCE 7, (8) DANVILLE 5
WP - Elarton
LP - P. Abbott
S - Mantei
The Threat scored three times in the first inning, then added one in the fourth, one in the fifth and 2 in the sixth to lead 7-1. Danville managed a 4-run rally in the 7th inning, but it was too little, too late. Ordonez and Garciaparra each homered twice for the Threat. Pudge Rodriguez had two homers in a losing effort for the Dynomite.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
MOP: Magglio Ordonez, ITH
C: Pudge Rodriguez, DDD
1B: Rafael Palmeiro, ITH
2B: Pokey Reese, CON
3B: Joe Randa, CON
SS: Nomar Garciaparra, ITH
OF: Roger Cedeno, SGG
OF: Carl Everett, CON
OF: Bernie Williams, ITH
SP: Randy Johnson, ITH
SP: Pedro Martinez, CBA
SP: Scott Elarton, ITH
SP: Dustin Hermanson, ITH
SP: Jon Lieber, TEX
RP: Danny Graves, CON
RP: Carlos Reyes, DDD
RP: Billy Wagner, CBA

Day 4

HOBOKEN, NJ -- If anyone had any interest in my preseason tournament to begin with and maintains that interest now, here is an update of the Final Four. In the winners' bracket, Independence advanced to the championship series with a win over Danville -- in very impressive fashion. In the Losers' bracket, Cleveland eliminated Columbus, then ran into Danville -- who had beaten them
once earlier in the tournament. The Dixie Dynomite came back to win a thriller to advance to the championship. So tomorrow, the best-of-three series will be played between Independence and Danville for the Championship.

SUNDAY'S GAMES
WINNERS' BRACKET
(6) INDEPENDENCE 7, (8) DANVILLE 0
WP - Hermanson
LP - Boehringer
Dustin Hermanson was simply unhittable, pitching a complete game 3-hitter and striking out 8. Meanwhile, the Threat got 4 RBI from Palmeiro and a 3-for-3 effort from Garciaparra.

LOSERS' BRACKET
(4) CLEVELAND 7, (7) COLUMBUS 2
WP - Pedro Martinez
LP - Moyer
Pedro whiffed 16 Convicts in a complete game win. The Baerga offense notched three runs in the forst and 4 in the seventh to give Pedro plenty of run support. Everett and Ausmus homered to provide the only two runs for Columbus.

(8) DANVILLE 5, (4) CLEVELAND 4
WP - C. Reyes
LP - McElroy
S - Rivera
It looked like it would be a battle between the "Heckle Brothers" in the Championship Series, as Cleveland led 3-0 through six innings. But the Baerga bullpen fell apart after that, allowing the Commish's boys to score 5 runs in the last three innings. Tony Womack's two-run homer in the ninth provided the decisive run.

Day 3

HOBOKEN, NJ -- And then there were four . . . After day three of the Galactic Goat Preseason Classic, Danville and Independence remain in the winners' bracket and Cleveland and Columbus remain in the losers' bracket. The Dixie
Dynomite and Threat will battle Sunday for a spot in the Championship Series, while the Baergas and Convicts will battle to stay alive.

SATURDAY'S RESULTS
WINNERS' BRACKET
(8) DANVILLE 7, (4) CLEVELAND (4)
WP - P. Abbott
LP - Astacio
Womack and Pudge each had 4 hits as the Dynomite put on a hitting clinic in their win. Danville recorded 17 hits overall to only 4 for Cleveland. Womack also stole four bases in the game.

(6) INDEPENDENCE 8, (15) JERSEY 1
WP - Dreifort
LP - Parris
the Threat also notched 17 hits and Dreifort tossed a complete game 5-hitter. Palmeiro went 4-for-4 with 3 RBI.

LOSERS' BRACKET
(5) TEXAS 6, (10) STERLING 4
WP - Stottlemyre
LP - Wasdin
Stottlemyre went the distance for a win as the Outlaws scored twice in the 8th on a Walt Weiss base hit. Roger Cedeno stole 4 bases for Sterling. GAS HOUSE GANG IS ELIMINATED.

(7) COLUMBUS 6, (3) GERMAN HUNGARIAN 0
WP - J. Vazquez
LP - Burkett
Vazquez and reliever Dave Veres held the Rebel offense in check while the Cons got all the offense they needed from a 2-run second and a 3-run fourth inning, which included a steal of home by Carl Everett. REBELS ARE ELIMINATED.

(4) CLEVELAND 8, (5) TEXAS 4
WP - Rapp
LP - Oquist
The Baergas avoided elimination thanks to a three-run first inning, keyed by a homer by Fred McGriff. The Outlaws battled back to within one run in the 7th, but Henry Rodriguez put the game out of reach with a homer of his own OUTLAWS ARE ELIMINATED.

(7) COLUMBUS 4, (15) JERSEY 3
WP - Graves
LP - A. Reyes
Jersey's cinderella story came to an end against the red-hot Columbus Convicts. Danny Graves pitched four scoreless innings in relief for the win while Pokey Reese and Carl Everett powered home runs to keep the Cons alive. SHORE IS ELIMINATED.

Day 2

HOBOKEN, NJ -- The Galactic Goat Preseason Classic field has been cut to 8 teams after "elimination Friday," with many of the Cinderella stories reaching unhappy endings. The higher seeds exacted some revenge Friday, although both of last season's GABL Championship participants were eliminated. The one underdog left in the winner's bracket is the Jersey Shore, who joins Danville, Cleveland and Independence as the only teams left with unblemished records.

FRIDAY'S GAMES

WINNERS' BRACKET
(8) DANVILLE 7, (16) BLOOMINGTON 2
WP - Valdes
LP - Meadows
S - T. Miller
Pudge hit a three-run homer and Danville cruised to victory.

(4) CLEVELAND 3, (12) DENVER 2
WP - Rogers
LP - Hitchcock
S - A. Lopez
Eric Davis hit a three-run homer for all the runs the Baergas would need.

(6) INDEPENDENCE 6, (14) FLORIDA 5
WP - Elarton
LP - Gagne
S - Mantei
The Threat got to Gagne for five runs in the third inning, then subdued a late Florida rally. Magglio Ordonez hit a homer and drove in four runs.

(15) JERSEY 3, (10) STERLING 1
WP - Ponson
LP - Daal
S - Rocker
Ponson tossed 6 1/3 shutout innings and Olmedo Saenz hit a 2-run homer.

LOSERS' BRACKET
(1) BRIDGETOWN 2, (9) GARDEN STATE 1
WP - B. Taylor
LP - Simas
The Goats' Andy Benes had a no-hitter through 8 2/3 innings when McGwire tied a 1-0 game with a solo homer. The Parrot Heads then won the game in the bottom of the 10th on a Warren Morris single. GOATS ARE ELIMINATED.

(5) TEXAS 3, (13) NOVA SCOTIA 0
WP - Lieber
LP - Reynolds
Lieber tossed a complete game four-hit strikeout and struck out 7. Brett Boone's 3-run homer accounted for the game's only runs. EXPOS ARE ELIMINATED.

(3) GERMAN HUNGARIAN 4, (11) PHOENIX 3
WP - L. Painter
LP - Suppan
S - Wetteland
The Rebels scored twice in the 7th on a Quivio Veras homer to steal a win from the Firebirds. Reggie Sanders' three-run blast in the sixth had given Phoenix the lead. FIREBIRDS ARE ELIMINATED.

(7) COLUMBUS 5, (2) GRANDVIEW 2
WP - Acevedo
LP - Paniagua
S - Graves
The Cons scored twice in the 7th and twice in the 8th to upset the Griffs. Pinch-hitter Harold Baines gave Columbus the lead with a solo homer. GRIFFS ARE ELIMINATED.

(10) STERLING 7, (1) BRIDGETOWN 6
WP - Finley
LP - Guzman
The Gashouse Gang jumped out to an early lead, then held off the Parrot Heads in the late innings to knock off the number one seed. Jason Kendell went 4-for-4 and drove in three runs. PARROT HEADS ARE ELIMINATED.

(5) TEXAS 9, (14) FLORIDA 3
WP - Mesa
LP - Hudson
Texas scored six runs in the 8th inning to bust open a 3-3 game, thanks to a costly throwing error by Tony Batista. The big blow was Sandy Alomar's three-run home run. ROCKETS ARE ELIMINATED.

(3) GERMAN HUNGARIAN 6, (12) DENVER 0
WP - Pettitte
LP - L. Hernandez
Pettitte and Irabu combined for a 4-hitter and the Rebels scored all six runs in the 7th inning. Mo Vaughn hit a three-run homer and Vlad Guerrero had 2 RBI. SNOW DOGS ARE ELIMINATED.

(7) COLUMBUS 3, (16) BLOOMINGTON 2
WP - Olivares
LP - Brock
S - Graves
Bloomington's surprise run in the Classic came to an abrupt end by the upstart Convicts. A three-run second inning, featuring a 2-run shot by Bordick, was enough for Columbus. RIVER BANDITS ARE ELIMINATED.

Day 1