FullertonMonkeys

Results From Around The League 1/31/12

2012-02-01T14:10:00.000-08:00

Team Headache 20
B O H I C A 5

Night Stockers 33
In The Skin Tattoo 12

Sick in the Head 34
West Kings 22

January 24, 2012 Game Canceled

2012-01-24T14:31:00.001-08:00

Muddy conditions at Lemon Park have caused Major League Softball to cancel all games tonight. With a bye week next week, the Monkeys will next take the field on February 7 at 9:15pm against In the Skin Tattoo.

January 17: Results from Around the League

2012-01-20T10:28:00.000-08:00

Monkeys 22
Sick in the head 4

Night Stockers 28
West Kings 3

In The Skin Tattoo 33
Team Headache 16

Complete Winter, 2012 Schedule

2012-01-19T11:43:00.000-08:00

Jan. 17
Lemon 6:45 Monkeys vs. Sick in the Head

Jan. 24
Lemon 8:00 Team Headache vs. Monkeys

Jan. 31
BYE

Feb. 7
Lemon 9:15 Monkeys vs In The Skin Tattoo

Feb. 14
No Games

Feb. 21
Lemon 9:15 Night Stockers vs. Monkeys

Feb. 28
Wdcrst 6:45 Monkeys vs. B O H I C A

March 6
Lemon 6:45 West Kings vs. Monkeys

March 13
Lemon 8:00 In The Skin Tattoo vs. Monkeys

March 20
Lemon 8:00 Sick in the Head vs. Monkeys

March 27
PLAYOFFS

Winter Ball Begins January 17, 2012

2012-01-17T16:16:00.000-08:00

Come join the Fullerton Monkeys as they kick off their Winter, 2012 campaign on January 17, 2012 at 6:45pm at Lemon park against Sick in the Head. Attendance is free, through the experience of seeing Monkeys softball live is, of course, priceless. Plan to arrive early for the best seats!

Fall 2011 Season Schedule

2011-09-26T10:32:00.000-07:00

Sept. 20
Woodcrest 6:45 Heroes vs. Monkeys
Sept. 27
Lemon 9:15 Rudedogs vs. Monkeys
Oct. 4
Lemon 8:00 Monkeys vs. The Dirty Dozen
Oct. 11
Lemon 6:45 Monkeys vs. Rudedogs
Oct. 18
Lemon 8:00 Monkeys vs. Heroes
Oct. 25
Lemon 9:15 The Dirty Dozen vs. Monkeys
Nov. 1
Lemon 9:15 Rudedogs vs. Monkeys
Nov. 8
Lemon 6:45 Heroes vs. Monkeys
Nov. 15
Lemon 9:15 Monkeys vs. The Dirty Dozen
Nov. 22
Lemon 6:45 Monkeys vs. Rudedogs
Nov. 29
MAKEUP/PLAYOFF WEEK #1 (IF NECESSARY)

Monkeys Lose Home Opener 10-6

2011-09-21T16:34:00.000-07:00

Fall 2011 Softball Season Begins Tonight!

2011-09-20T12:02:00.000-07:00

The Monkeys will open the Fall, 2011 quest to defend their Major League Softball title tonight at 6:45 at Woodcrest Park, located at 440 W. Orangethorpe Ave. Fullerton, CA. Though their opponent is yet to be announced, expect the Monkeys to bring out the big bats as they challenge Woodcrest's short porch in left field. Plan to arrive early for the best seating!

Monkeys Reach Playoff Round in PSTS Statewide Tournament

2011-09-15T11:37:00.000-07:00

Exceeding all expectations, the Monkeys reached the playoff round for the first time in a PSTS Event over the September 11, 2011 weekend, defeating the Melo Productions and Wazzup! in the first two games on Saturday before dropping a close game to the Goodfellas in game three. With a 2-1 record, the Monkeys advanced to the playoff rounds on Sunday, where they lost to the Goodfellas for a second time. Photos from the event to follow.

Monkeys Win League Championship, Defeat Brown Bombers 12-5

2011-09-07T16:54:00.000-07:00

Champions!

2011-09-07T14:52:00.000-07:00

Summer 2011 League Leaders

2011-09-02T19:01:00.000-07:00

At the end of the Summer, 2011 regular season, the following Monkeys earned spots on the league leader boards:

Pitching (ERA)
Frank Flores- 1st

Fielding Percentage
Daniel Quinones- 4th
Ruben Quinones- 5th
Eric Alvarez- 8th

Batting Average
Eric Alvarez- 3rd
Ruben Quinones- 7th
Matthew Beighley- 10th

Slugging Percentage
Frank Flores- 1st
Michael Barnett- 6th
Matthew Beighley- 8th
Eric Alvarez- 9th

Runs Batted In
Frank Flores- 1st
John Upton- 2nd
Eric Alvarez- 6th
Brian Castaneda- 8th

Home Runs
Frank Flores- 1st (tie)
Matthew Beighley- 2nd (tie)
Michael Barnett- 2nd (tie)

Playoff Schedule Announced

2011-09-01T12:07:00.000-07:00

Sept. 6 PLAYOFFS
Lemon 7:00 #2 Shaggers vs. #3 Brown Bombers
Lemon 8:15 #1 Monkeys vs. WINNER Game 1

Regular Season Final Standings

2011-09-01T11:56:00.000-07:00

Monkeys Clinch Top Playoff Spot in 21-6 Win

2011-09-01T10:47:00.000-07:00

Monkeys, Sons of Pitches Tie 20-20

2011-09-01T10:43:00.000-07:00

Recap, box score, and scoring line coming soon.

Monkeys (6-2)-Sons of Pitches(3-5) Preview

2011-08-23T10:56:00.000-07:00

Date: August 23, 2011
Game time: 9:15 pm
Location: Lemon Park, Fullerton, California
Weather: Mostly clear; game time temperature projected at 71̊
Home Team: Monkeys

Game Preview
The Monkeys will be eager to avenge their loss to Sons of Pitches three weeks ago in a listless performance that saw the league’s offensive leaders plate just eight runs. Since that loss, the Monkeys have won two straight by a combined score of 41-15, and the team appears to be firing on all cylinders once again.

The Sons of Pitches are 3-1 over their past 4 games and have an outside chance of squeaking into the third and final playoff spot. Scoring runs continues to be a problem for them, but they do have some pop in their lineup with Martin Medina (who is tied for the Monkeys’ Frank Flores in the league home run chase) and a quality starting pitcher in Daniel Lopez.

Expect to see some changes in the Monkeys lineup as the face the Sons of Pitches for the second time. Frank Flores is expected to take the mound, Eric Alvarez will move back to shortstop and Matt Beighely will likely play third. Also expect to see more of mid-season call-up Keith Miller, who went five for five and slugged a whopping 2.000 against the Big Stix last week.

Pitching Probables
Monkeys- Frank Flores (5-1)
Sons of Pitches- Daniel Lopez (3-4)

Monkeys In Action

2011-08-22T08:51:00.000-07:00

The Monkeys prepare to take the field

Mike in mid-swing

Matt is ready at shortstop

Daniel scoops up a grounder and throws to first base

Monkeys in Action

2011-08-22T08:48:00.000-07:00

Curtis contemplates his next move from first base

Catcher Darren Valen

Eric lobs a strike

Current Standings

2011-08-19T11:35:00.001-07:00

Results From Around The League: August 16, 2011

2011-08-19T11:24:00.000-07:00

6:45
Sons of Pitches 13
Night Stockers 4

8:00
Brown Bombers 25
Shaggers 10

9:15
Monkeys 25
Big Stix 13

Monkeys Smash Big Stix 25-13

2011-08-18T10:19:00.000-07:00

Recap

Fullerton, California. Frank Flores hit for the cycle, Keith Miller and Michael Barnett went 5 for 5, and the Monkey team pounded out a collective 34 hits in a dominating offensive performance against the Big Stix Tuesday night at Lemon Park.

The Big Stix and the Monkeys have a rivalry dating back several seasons, and while the personnel may be slightly different from year-to-year, the intensify is always there. “The Big Stix games are always exciting for us,” said Monkeys manager John Upton. “The go after it like we do- both teams swing the bats hard and force the defenses to make plays.”

Neither team took a walk during the entire contest, and with a combined 53 hits, the defenses were busy all night. While neither team played flawless defensively, the Monkeys were better in the field, committing just two errors to the Big Stix’s five, and they benefited from stellar glovework from middle infielders Eric Alvarez and Ruben Quinones and first baseman Daniel Quinones. “We made it interesting out there at times with near collisions in the bottom of the third between Eric Alvarez and left fielder Keith Miller in shallow left and Matt Beighley and Mike Barnett in right center field. We were fortunate that no one was hurt.”

Pitcher Frank Flores was sharp, consistently hitting the corners and edges of the plate all night and inducing the aggressive Big Stix into swinging at some very tough pitches.

With the win Tuesday evening, the Monkeys move back into first place and clinched one of just three post-season playoff spots. The Shaggers, despite losing to the Brown Bombers in the 8:00 game, also clinched a post-season berth.

Play-by-Play

Top of First Inning: Monkeys
- M. Beighley singled to left center field
- E. Alvarez singled to right field, M. Beighley advanced to third
- F. Flores doubled to left center field, M. Beighley and E. Alvares scored
- M. Barnett singled to center field, F. Flores scored
- M. Gonzales grounded to third, M. Barnett forced out at second
- K. Miller doubled to left center field, M. Gonzales scored
- B. Castaneda singled to right field, K. Miller scored
- D. Quinones singled, B. Castaneda advanced to second
- R. Quinones grounded into a double play- short to second to first.
5 runs, 6 hits, 0 errors
Monkeys 5, Big Stix 0

Top of Second Inning: Monkeys
- J. Upton lined out to short
- M. Beighley singled to left center field
- E. Alvarez singled to left field, M. Beighley advanced to third
- F. Flores singled to left center field, M. Beighley scored, and E. Alvares advanced to third
- M. Barnett flied out to center field, E. Alvares scored
- M. Gonzales flied out to center
2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors
Monkeys 7, Big Stix 0

Top of Third Inning: Monkeys
- K. Miller tripled to right center field
- B. Castaneda grounded out to short, K. Miller scored
- D. Quinones doubled to right, E. Alvarez substituted as pinch runner
- R. Quinones reached safely on an error, E Alvarez advancing to second
- J. Upton singled to left, E Alvarez scoring.
- M. Beighley singled to right field, J. Upton advanced to second.
- E. Alvarez popped out to second
- F. Flores flew out to right
3 runs, 4 hits, 1 errors
Monkeys 10, Big Stix 6

Top of Fourth Inning: Monkeys
- M. Barnett singled to center field
- M. Gonzales doubled to left, M. Barnett scored
- K. Miller singled to center, M. Gonzales scored
- B. Castaneda reached on a fielding error, K. Miller to third
- D. Quinones singled, K. Miller scored,
- R. Quinones grounded to third base, D Quinones forced to second, K. Miller scored
- J. Upton singled to left center, R. Quinones advanced to third
- M. Beighley flew out to center
- E. Alvarez singled, J. Upton advanced to third
- F. Flores homered to deep center, E. Alvarez and J. Upton scored
- M. Barnett doubled to right center, but was thrown out attempting to advance to third.
8 runs, 8 hits, 1 errors
Monkeys 18, Big Stix 6

Top of Fifth Inning: Monkeys
- M. Gonzales flied out to left field
- K. Miller singled to center,
- B. Castaneda singled to right field, K. Miller advanced to third
- D. Quinones flied out to right, K. Miller scored
- R. Quinones singled
- J. Upton singled, R. Quinones advanced to second
- M. Beighely singled, J. Upton advanced to second, R. Quinones advanced to third
- E. Alvarez grounded out to second
2 runs, 5 hits, 0 errors
Monkeys 20, Big Stix 12

Top of Sixth Inning: Monkeys
- F. Flores grounded out to second
- M. Barnett singled to center field
- M. Gonzales flied out to left center
- K. Miller tripled to right field, M. Barnett scored
- B. Castaneda grounded out to second
5 runs, 5 hits, 0 errors
Monkeys 21, Big Stix 3

Top of Seventh Inning: Monkeys
- D. Quinones flied out to left
- R. Quinones tripled to right
- J. Upton singled to left, R. Quinones scored
- M.Beighley grounded to shortstop, J. Upton forced out at second
- E. Alvarez singled, M Beighely advanced to third
- F. Flores singled, M. Beighley scored, E. Alvarez advanced to third
- M Barnett singled to center, E. Alvarez scored
- M. Gonzales flied out to left field
4 runs, 5 hits, 0 errors
Monkeys 25, Big Stix 12

Final Score
Monkeys 25, Big Stix 13

Box Score

Results From Around The League: August 9, 2011

2011-08-10T15:25:00.000-07:00

6:45
Monkeys 16
Brown Bombers 2

8:00
Shaggers 23
Sons of Pitches 18

9:15
Big Stix 16
Night Stockers 7

Monkeys Down Bombers 16-2

2011-08-10T10:34:00.001-07:00

Recap
Coming Soon

Box Score

Monkeys (4-2)-Brown Bombers(3-3) Preview

2011-08-09T14:42:00.000-07:00

Date: August 9, 2011
Game time: 6:45 pm
Location: Lemon Park, Fullerton, California
Weather: Mostly clear; game time temperature projected at 72°
Home Team: Brown Bombers

Current Standings

2011-08-08T17:02:00.000-07:00

Results From Around The League: August 2, 2011

2011-08-08T16:53:00.000-07:00

6:45
Sons of Pitches 15
Monkeys 8

8:00
Sons of Pitches 26
Big Stix 21

9:15
Brown Bombers 22
Night Stockers 16

Listless Monkeys Lose to Sons of Pitches 15-8

2011-08-08T16:48:00.000-07:00

Recap
Coming Soon

Play by Play
Coming Soon

Box Score

Special Thanks to Official Scorekeeper Nancy Castaneda

Monkeys (4-1)-Sons of Pitches(0-4) Preview

2011-08-02T11:02:00.000-07:00

Date: August 2, 2011
Game time: 6:45 pm
Location: Lemon Park, Fullerton, California
Weather: Mostly clear; game time temperature projected at 83°
Home Team: Sons of Pitches

Game Preview
The Monkeys bounced back from a disappointing loss to the Shaggers with a dominating victory over the Night Stockers last week. The team defense was much improved, and Monkey bats were as potent as ever as they mercied the Stockers in six innings. They are led on offense by Frank Flores, who is among the league leaders in virtually all offensive categories, and no team has figured out a way to contain speedsters Matt Beighley and Eric Alvarez at the top of the lineup. The Monkeys plan to give workhouse pitcher Frank Flores the night off (he will sub in the infield and outfield) and rookie Eric Alvarez will take the mound.

The Sons of Pitches are struggling to score runs this season, and have yet to win a game. They are lead offensively by sluggers Martin Medina (who leads the league in home runs) and Eddie Navarro, but need more contribution from the rest of the lineup to have any hope of competing with the Monkeys.

The Monkeys and the Sons of Pitches met one time last season. The Monkeys prevailed.

Pitching Probables
Monkeys- Eric Alvarez (0-0)
Sons of Pitches- Daniel Lopez (0-4)

Mid- Season League Leaders

2011-07-29T19:19:00.000-07:00

At the half-way point of the Summer season, the Monkeys have a number of players on the league leader boards.

Pitching (ERA)
Frank Flores- 1st

Fielding Percentage
Eric Alvarez- 1st
Daniel Quinones- 4th

Batting Average
Matthew Beighley- 2nd
Eric Alvarez- 4th
Frank Flores- 6th

Slugging Percentage
Frank Flores- 1st
Matthew Beighley- 3rd
Eric Alvarez- 7th

Runs Batted In
Frank Flores- 1st
John Upton- 2nd
Eric Alvarez- 3rd
Mike Barnett- 4th
Matthew Beighley- 9th

Home Runs
Frank Flores- 1st
Michael Barnett and Matthew Beighley- tied 2nd
John Upton and Eric Alvarez- Tied for 3rd

Current Standings

2011-07-28T12:00:00.000-07:00

Monkeys in Action: July 16, 2011 Tournament

2011-07-27T22:25:00.001-07:00

Frank makes solid contact

Monkeys dugout at Fenway (yes, it was very hot)

Matt makes a catch at Crosley

Results From Around The League: July 26, 2011

2011-07-27T17:13:00.000-07:00

6:45
Shaggers 12
Big Stix 9

8:00
Monkeys 21
Night Stockers 5

9:15
Brown Bombers 12
Sons of Pitches 10

Monekys Defeat Night Stockers 21-5

2011-07-27T16:57:00.000-07:00

Recap
Coming Soon

Play by Play

Top of First Inning: Monkeys
- M. Beighley singled to left center field
- E. Alvarez tripled to right field, M. Beighley scored
- F. Flores singled to left center field, E. Alvares scored
- M. Barnett homered to left center field, F. Flores scored
- M. Gonzales hit a ground rule double to left center field
- C. Brown doubled to left center field, M. Gonzales scored
- B. Castaneda singled to center field, C. Brown scored
- R. Quinones singled to center field, B. Castaneda advanced to second
- D. Valen walked, B. Castaneda to third, R. Quinones to second
- J. Upton singled to left field, B. Castaneda and R. Quinones scored
- M. Beighley doubled to center field, J. Upton advanced to third.
- E. Alvarez hit a sacrifice fly to center, J. Upton scoring, M. Beighley advanced to third
- F. Flores walked
- M. Barnett grounded into a fielder’s choice, M. Beighely scored
- M. Gonzales grounded out to second.
11 runs, 11 hits, 0 errors
Monkeys 11, Shaggers 0

Bottom of First Inning: Night Stockers
- A Boutros flied out to left center
- B. Bates popped out to shortstop
- M. Thiele singled to left center field,
- J. Thiele grounded to shortstop, M. Thiele forced out at second
0 runs, 1 hits, 0 errors
Monkeys 11, Night Stockers 0

Top of Second Inning: Monkeys
- C. Brown lined out to the pitcher
- B. Castaneda signed to center field
- R. Quinones grounded out to the pitcher
- D. Valen walked
- J. Upton flied out to left field
0 runs, 1 hits, 0 errors
Monkeys 11, Night Stockers 0

Bottom of Second Inning: Night Stockers
- A Brungardt flied out to left center field
- M. Narvaez singled to center field
- G. Barahas flied out to center field
- A. Smith reached second on 3B M. Beighley throwing error, M. Navaez scored
- B. Smith walked
-C. Jones flied out to right center field
1 runs, 1 hits, 1 error
Monkeys 11, Night Stockers 1

Top of Third Inning: Monkeys
- M. Beighley singled to left center field
- E. Alvarez singled to shortstop, M. Beighley advanced to second
- F. Flores flew out to left field, M. Beighely advanced to third
- M. Barnett singled to center field, M. Beighely scored, E. Alvarez advanced to second.
- M. Gonzales lined out to third, M. Barnett doubled up at first.
1 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors
Monkeys 12, Night Stockers 1

Bottom of Third Inning: Night Stockers
- A. Tsuneta singled to center field
- A. Boutros flied out to right field
- B. Bates flied out to left field
- M. Thiele grounded out to third base
0 runs, 1 hits, 0 errors
Monkeys 12, Night Stockers 1

Top of Fourth Inning: Monkeys
- C. Brown singled to center field
- B. Castaneda signed to center field
- R. Quinones signed to center field
- D. Valen struck out looking
- J. Upton lined out to third base
- M. Beighley doubled to center field, C. Brown and B. Castaneda scored, R. Quinones to third
- E. Alvarez singled to center field, R. Quinones and M. Beighley scored
- F. Flores grounded out to third base
4 runs, 5 hits, 0 errors
Monkeys 16, Night Stockers 1

Bottom of Fourth Inning: Night Stockers
- J Thiele reached first base on error (bobble) by 3B Matt Beighley
- A Brungardt grounded out third base, J. Thiele advanced to second
- M. Narvaez singled to center field, J.Thiele scored
- G. Barahas grounded out to third base, M. Narvaez to second
- A. Smith singled to center field, M. Narvaez scored
- B. Smith flew out to left center
2 runs, 2 hits, 1 error
Monkeys 16, Night Stockers 3

Top of Fifth Inning: Monkeys
- M. Barnett flied out to center field
- M. Gonzales flied out to left field
- C. Brown walked
- B. Castaneda singled to right field, C. Brown advanced to third
- R. Quinones flied out to right field
0 runs, 1 hits, 0 errors
Monkeys 16, Night Stockers 3

Bottom of Fifth Inning: Night Stockers
- A. Tsuneta grounded out to shortstop
- A. Boutros flied out to right field
- B. Bates flied out to right field
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors
Monkeys 16, Night Stockers 3

Top of Sixth Inning: Monkeys
- D. Valen singled to shortstop
- J. Upton flied out to left field
- M. Beighley singled to center field, D. Valen advanced to second
- E. Alvarez singled to right field, D. Valen to third, M. Beighley to second
- F. Flores flied out to center field, D. Valen tagged and scored, M. Beighley advanced to third
- M. Barnett doubled to deep center field, M. Beighely scored, E. Alvarez advanced to third
- M. Gonzales walked
- C. Brown singled to center field, E. Alvarez scored
- B. Castaneda doubled to right center field, M. Barnett and M. Gonzales scored
- B. Castaneda was picked off between second and third base
5 runs, 5 hits, 0 errors
Monkeys 21, Night Stockers 3

Bottom of Sixth Inning: Night Stockers
- M. Thiele singled to center filed,
- J. Thiele singled to left filed
- M. Narvaez singled to center field, M. Thiele scored, J. Thiele to third
- G. Barahas flied out to center field, J. Thiele tagged and scored
- A. Smith singled to center field and was thrown out trying to advance to second
- B. Smith popped out to shortstop
2 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors
Monkeys 21, Night Stockers 5

Game end via invocation of mercy rule

Box Score

Special Thanks to Official Scorekeeper Nancy Castaneda

Monkeys-Night Stockers Preview

2011-07-26T11:39:00.000-07:00

Date: July 26, 2011
Game time: 8:00 pm
Location: Lemon Park, Fullerton, California
Weather: Mostly clear; game time temperature projected at 74̊
Home Team: Night Stockers

Game Preview

The Monkeys are coming off their worst defensive game of the season in last week’s loss to the Shaggers. Look for them to bounce back from that performance with a renewed commitment to team defense. The Monkeys’ batting has been consistent all season with numerous Monkeys perched at or near the top of most of the league’s offensive leader boards. Expect at least 15 runs, and if they really get the bats going, they could plate twice that amount.

The Night Stockers are an improving team. After struggling all of last season, the Stockers are off two a 2-2 start with wins over Big Stix and Sons of Pitches. Joe Thiele leads the league in batting average, and he and his brother, Mike, are among the league leaders in slugging percentage.

The Monkeys and the Night Stockers have met four times over the past two seasons. The Monkeys prevailed in each of those contests.

Pitching Probables
Monkeys- Frank Flores (3-1)
Night Stockers- Austin Brungardt (2-2)

Monkeys in Action: July 16, 2011 Tournament

2011-07-23T09:30:00.001-07:00

Ruben Turns a Double Play

Eric at Bat

OF Curtis and Matt

Current Standings

2011-07-21T10:47:00.000-07:00

Results From Around The League: July 19, 2011

2011-07-20T15:14:00.000-07:00

6:45
Shaggers 18
Night Stockers 13

8:00
Shaggers 20
Monkeys 15

Big Stix 12
Brown Bombers 11

9:15
Big Stix 12
Sons of Pitches 6

Monkeys Lose to Shaggers 20-15, Winning Streak Ends At 3

2011-07-20T11:29:00.000-07:00

Recap

Fullerton. The Monkeys saw their three game winning streak snapped following a sloppily played game at Lemon Park on Tuesday evening. Officially charged with 4 errors, the Monkeys defense could easily have been charged with twice that many as ball after ball was dropped, misplayed, and thrown away. It didn’t help that the defensive lapse came against the Shaggers, who were riding a three game win streak of their own and who were eager to avenge their week one loss to the Monkeys.

“Ultimately, it doesn’t matter who were are playing- if we gave the opposition five or six out per inning, we’re going to have a hard time winning ballgames,” remarked Moneys manager John Upton. “I don’t know if the team was fatigued from the tournament on Saturday or what, but we sure didn’t look like a team that wanted to win tonight.”

The game was close early before the Shaggers begin pulling away in the middle frames courtesy of some timely hitting and multiple Monkeys miscues. The Monkeys batted back gamely and retook the lead with a six run outburst in the top of the fifth inning, but promptly yielded those six runs back to the Shaggers in the bottom of that inning. Despite rallying for 3 runs in the top of the sixth, the Monkeys never seemed to regain any sustained momentum and wound up taking their first loss.

Though never in synch defensively, the Monkeys offense still managed to plate 15 runs. Home run hitters for the Monkeys included Eric Alvarez, Frank Flores, and John Upton, and everyone in the lineup reached base safely at least once.

Pitcher Frank Flores took his first loss of the season.

Play by Play

First Inning
- M. Beighley doubled to right center
- E. Alvarez singled to right, M. Beighley scored
- F. Flores flied out to right, E. Alvares advanced to second
- M. Barnett singled to left center, E. Alvarez scored
- M. Gonzales signed to right, M. Barnett advanced to second
- B. Castaneda grounded into double play second to shortstop to first, M. Gonzales out at second
2 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors
Monkeys 2, Shaggers 0

Second Inning
- D. Quinones singled to center, E Alvarez pinch runs for D. Quinones
- R. Quinones walked, E. Alvarez advanced to second
- D. Valen struck out (foul balls)
- J. Upton homered to left, E. Alvarez and R. Quinones scored
- M. Beighley flied out to center
- E. Alvarez homered to right
- F. Flores grounded out to second
4 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors
Monkeys 6, Shaggers 4

Third Inning
- M. Barnett grounded out to short
- M. Gonzales flied out to center
- B. Castaneda grounded out to second
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors
Monkeys 6, Shaggers 8

Fourth Inning
- D. Quinones flied out to center
- R. Quinones singled to center
- D. Valen grounded out to third
- J. Upton flied out to left
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors
Monkeys 6, Shaggers 10

Fifth Inning
- M. Beighley singled to center
- E. Alvarez doubled to center, M. Beighley scored
- F. Flores tripled to left, E. Alvares scored
- M. Barnett singled to center, F. Flores scored
- M. Gonzales popped out to short
- B. Castaneda singled to right, M. Barnett advanced to third
- D. Quinones singled to center, M. Barnett scored, E Alvarez pinch runs for D. Quinones
- R. Quinones flied out to left
- D. Valen walked
- J. Upton doubled to left, B. Castaneda scored, E Alvarez advanced to third
- M. Beighley grounded out to third
6 runs, 7 hits, 0 errors
Monkeys 12, Shaggers 11

Sixth Inning
- E. Alvarez singled to right
- F. Flores homered to center, E. Alvares scored
- M. Barnett tripled to center
- M. Gonzales flied out to center, M. Barnett scored
- B. Castaneda grounded out to second
- D. Quinones grounded out to second
3 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors
Monkeys 15, Shaggers 17

Seventh Inning
- R. Quinones struck out looking
- D. Valen struck out looking
- J. Upton flied out to deep left center
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors
Final Score: Monkeys 15, Shaggers 20

Monkeys-Shaggers Preview

2011-07-19T10:48:00.000-07:00

Date: July 19, 2011
Game time: 8:00 pm
Location: Lemon Park, Fullerton, California
Weather: Mostly clear; game time temperature projected at 78̊
Home Team: Shaggers

Game Preview

The Monkeys are on a three game win streak and have shown no signs of slowing down. Their offense has score no fewer than 18 runs per game this season, and their defense has been uncharacteristically stingy. The Monkeys will be without utility infielder John Maresca and right-center outfielder Curtis Brown in the lineup tonight, though team manager John Upton may be able to activate a reserve by game time. If not, they will field a lineup of 10 players.

The Shaggers are riding a two game winning streak themselves after being mercied by the Monkeys in the opening game of the season four weeks ago. Led by Eric Cohen and Rob Dumlao, the Shagger offense plated 23 runs in last week’s defeat of the Brown Bombers.

Pitching Probables
Monkeys- Frank Flores (3-0)
Shaggers- Bill Durbin (2-1)

Current Standings

2011-07-18T12:01:00.001-07:00

Results From PSTS Tournament: July 16, 2011

2011-07-17T08:34:00.000-07:00

Game 1
SMAK 19
Monkeys 7

Game 2
Trashin' Up 17
Monkeys 15

Game 3
Melo Productions 27
Monkeys 22
(extra innings)

We'll give it another try in the PSTS Statewide Tournament on September 10, 2011 at the Big League Dreams facility in West Covina, California.

Photos from the Tournament will be posted within the next few days.

Results From Around The League: July 12, 2011

2011-07-15T14:39:00.000-07:00

6:45
Night Stockers 9
Sons of Pitches 5

8:00
Monkeys 19
Big Stix 13

9:15
Shaggers 23
Brown Bombers 3

July 16, 2011 Tournament Schedule Announced

2011-07-15T10:40:00.000-07:00

The Monkeys will be competing in the Players Softball Tournament Series (PSTS) tournament this Saturday at the Chino Hills Big League Dreams sports complex, located at 16333 Fairfield Ranch Rd., Chino Hills, CA 91709. Opening round game times are 9:00 am, 11:00 am, and 1:00 pm with playoffs to follow (hopefully). Come cheer on your favorite team as they compete for their first tournament title!

Monkeys In Action: June 11, 2011 Tournament

2011-07-14T22:55:00.000-07:00

Matt breaks up a double play

John thinking about running to second base

Brian take a big swing

(Photos Courtesy of Official Team Photographer Angela Barnett)

Monkeys Defeat Big Stix 19-13, Remain Undefeated

2011-07-13T14:29:00.000-07:00

Recap

FULLERTON-- The Monkeys continued their winning ways Tuesday evening at Lemon Park in a hard fought victory over a tough Big Stix squad.

After holding the Stix scoreless in the top of the first, the Monkeys plated three runs in their initial at bat and added seven more runs in the bottom of the second. The Stix attempted to fight back, but the Monkeys defense, at times inspired, at times a bit shaky, bent at times but did not break, and when Bix Stix pitcher Mike Crumley popped out to the catcher to end the game, the Monkeys had snapped a losing streak against the Big Stix dating back several seasons.

“That was an exciting game,” remarked manager John Upton. “We saw a few new faces over in the other dugout, and some of those guys could really hit. Fortunately, we were able to make some adjustments in the field after seeing their lineup the first time through, and the boys played some pretty good defense despite rather poor visibility in the twilight skies.” Mike Barnett made a particularly impressive catch in the top of the first while negotiating around the infamous right field light pole.

Once again, the potent Monkeys offense was lead by Matt Beighley, who went 4 for 4 with a walk, and Frank Flores, who drove in five runs. Other contributors included Mike Gonzales (triple), John Upton (double, 4 RBI), Ruben Quinones (3 for 4) and Darren Valen (1 for 1, 3 walks).

Monkeys-Big Stix Preview

2011-07-12T11:09:00.000-07:00

Date: July 12, 2011
Game time: 8:00 pm
Location: Lemon Park, Fullerton, California
Weather: Mostly clear; game time temperature projected at 67̊
Home Team: Big Stix

Game Preview

The Monkeys have been scorching hot of late, having won the first two games of the summer season by a combined score of 39-6. Their defense has been outstanding, and Monkey offense has been plating runs in bunches up and down the line-up. Tonight, they face a Big Stix team that finished just out of the playoffs last season and stand in fourth place with a 0-1 record in Summer League ball after suffering a heartbreaking 18-17 loss to an improving Night Stockers squad. The Big Stix have given the Monkeys match-up problems in the past and swept them in the two-game season series in the Spring. Will the Monkeys continue their winning ways and snap their string of consecutive losses to the Big Stix? Can the Big Stix rebound from a disappointing loss and tame the division-leading Monkeys? Come out to the ballpark and see the all the action live and in person!

Pitching Probables
Monkeys- Frank Flores (2-0)
Brown Bombers- Mike Crumley (0-1)

Tournament Team Photo

2011-07-09T09:37:00.000-07:00

Here are most of the players from the June, 2011 PSTS
Tournament at the Chino Hills Big League Dreams. We plan
to do even better at the July 16, 2011 Tournament.

Monkeys in Action: June 11, 2011 Tournament

2011-07-08T17:16:00.001-07:00

Close Play At Third Base

John Upton Waits For His Pitch

Daniel Hits a Line Drive

(Photos Courtesy of Official Team Photographer Angela Barnett)

Monkeys in Action: June 11, 2011 Tournament

2011-07-08T09:07:00.001-07:00

Brian and Mike share a moment

Frank covers first base

Matt and Ruben prepare to turn a double play

(Photos Courtesy of Official Team Photographer Angela Barnett)

Current Standings

2011-07-07T10:19:00.000-07:00

Results From Around The League: July 5, 2011

2011-07-06T15:25:00.000-07:00

6:45
Monkeys 21
Brown Bombers 3

8:00
Shaggers 18
Sons of Pitches 11

9:15
Night Stockers 18
Big Stix 17

Summer 2011 Schedule

2011-07-06T10:36:00.000-07:00

June 28
Lemon 9:15 Monkeys vs. Shaggers (W 18-3)
July 5
Lemon 6:45 Monkeys vs. Brown Bombers (W 21-3)
July 12
Lemon 8:00 Monkeys vs. Big Stix
July 19
Lemon 8:00 Shaggers vs. Monkeys
July 26
Lemon 8:00 Night Stockers vs. Monkeys
Aug. 2
Lemon 6:45 Sons of Pitches vs. Monkeys
Aug. 9
Lemon 6:45 Brown Bombers vs. Monkeys
Aug. 16
Lemon 9:15 Big Stix vs. Monkeys
Aug. 23
Lemon 9:15 Monkeys vs. Sons of Pitches
Aug. 30
Lemon 8:00 Monkeys vs. Night Stockers
Sept. 6
Playoffs

Monkeys Mercy Brown Bombers 21-3 in 5 Innings

2011-07-06T09:10:00.001-07:00

Recap

July 5, 2011. The Fullerton Monkeys continued their winning ways on Tuesday evening with their second consecutive mercy rule victory. Picking up right where they left off over last week’s triumph over the Shaggers, the Monkeys were confident bunch as they took the field against a playoff-caliber opponent in the Brown Bombers. After giving up 3 runs in the top of the first inning, the Monkeys roared back with 11 runs of their own in the bottom of the first. At one point, twelve consecutive Monkeys reached base safely.

“It was an amazing thing to see,” remarked Monkeys manager John Upton. “Not only did we score all those runs- we did it with two out.” Determined not to let their lead slip away, the Monkeys played a tenacious, near-error-free game in the field, giving the Bombers no chance to get into any type of groove or rally. The Monkeys continued to add to their lead before putting the game away in the top of the fifth by holding the Bombers scoreless for the fourth inning in a row. For a team noted for its occasional lapses into porous defense, this represents a giant step in the right direction.

Frank Flores hurled another gem for the Monkeys, allowing just three runs in five innings and lowering his league-leading era to a minuscule 2.40.

As the box scores were not available after the game, game-specific offensive stats will not be available, but every Monkey reached base safely at least once. Matt Beighley launched his second home run of the season, and Frank Flores, Mike Barnett, Mike Gonzales, Brian Castaneda, Daniel Quinones, Ruben Quinones, Curtis Brown, and John Upton all contributed extra-base hits.

Monkey Notes

The Monkeys welcomed backed Mike Gonzales and John Maresca to the lineup Tuesday, though Maresca will be out on assignment for the next four games.

Next Week: Big Stix, 8pm, Lemon Park.

League Leaders- Spring 2011

2011-07-05T15:14:00.000-07:00

The Statistics from the Spring 2011 regular season are now official, and the Monkeys have a number of Players on the final leader boards.

Pitching (ERA)
Frank Flores- 5th

Fielding Percentage
Ruben Quinones- 5th
Daniel Quinones- 10th

Batting Average
Mike Barnett- 5th
Daniel Quinones- 7th
Matthew Beighley- 8th

Slugging Percentage
Mike Barnett- 4th
Frank Flores- 9th

Runs Batted In
John Upton- 2nd
Mike Barnett- 4th
Frank Flores- 6th
Brian Castaneda- 8th

Home Runs
Michael Barnett- 2nd
Frank Flores and John Upton- Tied for 3rd

Brown Bombers-Monkeys Preview

2011-07-05T08:24:00.000-07:00

Date: July 5, 2011

Game time: 6:45 pm

Location: Lemon Park, Fullerton, California

Weather: Clear and dry; game time temperature 76 degrees

Home Team: Monkeys

The Monkeys and the Brown Bombers appear on paper to be two closely matched teams. The Brown Bombers are relative newcomers to the Tuesday league, having played just one season there after moving from Wednesday night play seeking an appropriate level of competition. The Bombers had won the Wednesday lower league championship in Fall, 2010 before moving up to Wednesday middle division play in Winter, 2011. Having struggled there, the Bombers moved to the Tuesday lower league in the Spring, where they finished fourth. The Bombers won their first game of the Summer season over the Night Stockers 14-8.

The Monkeys finished in third place in Spring, 2011 and are looking to improve from there in the Summer league. They scored a resounding victory over the Shaggers in their season opener after a disappointing playoff run in the Spring. The Monkeys have qualified for post-season play in most of the recent seasons and finished one game shy of the middle-division championship as recently as Fall, 2010. The Monkeys expect to have Michael Gonzales and John Maresca back in the lineup, and have returned Keith Miller to reserve status.

The Monkeys and the Brown Bombers split their division series 1-1 last season.

Pitching Probables:

Monkeys- Frank Flores (1-0)

Brown Bombers- Luis Avila (1-0)

Monkeys Roll Over Shaggers 18-3 in Summer Season Opener

2011-07-04T15:56:00.000-07:00

Recap

June 28, 2011. Matt Beighley, Frank Flores, and Michael Barnett all homered as the Fullerton Monkeys cruised to a convincing victory over the Shaggers at Lemon Park on Tuesday night. The game ended via the mercy rule in the bottom of the fifth inning as Barnett crossed the plate with the team’s 18^th run, capping a near flawless game by the hometown Monkeys.

“I knew when the team was warming up that we were ready to play tonight,” remarked team manager John Upton. “Coming off that disappointing performance against WIT in the playoffs last week, the guys were fired up and ready to make a statement right away.” Their opponents Tuesday night, the Shaggers, had won the lower division in Fall, 2010 and were moving back to Lemon Park after a season of middle-division play. The fans could not have asked for a better season opener than a clash between two of the league’s pre-season favorites.

The Monkeys squad taking the field had a slightly different look than last season’s squad. Gone were 2B John Naslund (on leave for the summer), 1B Michael Gonzales (personal day), and utility infielder John Maresca (scouting trip), and in the lineup were 3B Keith Miller, activated from the reserve squad, and free-agent signing, SS Eric Alvarez. The Quinones brothers, Ruben and Daniel, moved over to 2B and 1B, and Matt Beighley patrolled left-center for the Monkeys.

The defensive alignment seemed to work as the Monkey played flawlessly in the field, holding the Shaggers to just three runs and seven hits over five innings. “I though everyone looked great in the field tonight,” remarked Upton. “Eric and Keith were as solid as can be on the left side of the infield, Danny and (pitcher) Frank Flores combined for some nice put-outs at first, and Mike Barnett made some great catches in right field.”

Offensively, the Monkeys were on their game as well. After each team scored two runs in the top of the first, the Monkeys added to their lead in the second and third innings before blowing the game wide open with a nine-run outburst in the bottom of the fourth. The Shaggers never scored a run past the third inning, and the game ended with Barnett’s blast with two outs in the bottom of the fifth.

Leading the way offensively for the Monkeys were leadoff hitter Matt Beighley (2-3, HR), Frank Flores (3-4, 3B, HR, 3 runs scored), Mike Barnett (2-4, 3B, HR), Brian Castaneda (2-3, 2B), and John Upton (2-3, 3B).

Pitcher Frank Flores picked up his first victory of the season, going five innings and giving up just three earned runs on seven hits.

Monkey Notes

Next game is at 6:45pm at Lemon Park, where the Monkeys will host the Brown Bombers, who defeated the Night Stockers in their opener 14-8. The Monkeys split the series with the Brown Bombers last season.

The Monkeys expect to have Michael Gonzales and John Maresca back in the line-up for the game July 5.

It's Back!

2011-07-04T09:07:00.000-07:00

The official blog of the Fullerton Monkeys returns for the Summer 2011 season. We will be updating the site regularly with game recaps, box scores, special features, and a whole lot more. Set up your bookmarks and check back frequently as we all follow our favorite Tuesday night softball team in their quest to recapture the Major League Softball championship!

Hackers Clobber Monkeys

2010-08-25T21:46:00.001-07:00

Shortstop Cy Garza Injured in 28-3 loss.

By: JMU, Staff Writer

August 24, 2010

Fullerton, California.

I don’t really want to write this one up. Cy injured his finger on a diving catch at shortstop half way through the game and could not continue. We then had to play 9 in the field against a Hackers team that can hit. The result was not pretty. Not pretty at all. Still, no matter how badly we got beat, it only counts as 1 in the loss column. We can bounce back.

Next Week: Bye. Next Game September 7 at 9:15 pm, Lemon Park. Monkeys at Slumpbusters.

Our Esteemed Mascot - Cooper

2010-08-24T20:24:00.001-07:00

Wheelchair Bandits Roll Over Monkeys

2010-08-22T12:52:00.000-07:00

Monkeys Suffer 21-5 Defeat In Listless Performance

By: JMU, Staff Writer

August 17, 2010

Fullerton, California.

The Monkeys came into Tuesday night’s game riding the wave of a four game winning streak, brimming with confidence and eager to avenge their opening day loss to the Wheelchair Bandits. They scored four quick runs in the top of the first inning, took the field in the bottom of the first, and then everything fell apart.

“Against a team like that, we don’t have much of a margin for error,” commented Manager John Upton. “We made a couple of key errors in the bottom of the first which lead to a bunch of unearned runs. When we finally recorded the third out in that inning we were just down by seven runs, but tonight, for whatever reason, we seemed to lack the spirit to bounce back.”

Lack of timely hitting resulted in the Monkeys putting runners on base, but failing to score them in the second, third and fourth innings. At times, they seemed on the verge of starting a rally only to have their hopes dashed by a line drive hit right at a defender or a ground ball into a double play. In all, they stranded 8 baserunners over five innings.

The Monkeys defense tightened up in the middle innings, but their lack of offense put the game out of reach, and by the end of 5, the Wheelchair Bandits plated enough runs to mercy the Monkeys.

“I hate to lose like that, but the way we played tonight, we would have had a hard time beating anyone,” said Upton. “ We got a but unlucky with the bats, but we have no excuses for how we played in the field. We need to get better as a team backing each other up on every play, hustling after every ball, and refusing to concede easy runs. We just didn’t execute well on defense, mentally and physically, and though the box score reads just four errors, I feel as if that was one of our poorer defensive efforts of the season.”

Left center fielder Matt Beighley should be back with the team for next week’s game, which will allow the Moneys outfielders to return to their natural positions and hopefully solidify the team’s outfield defense. They will need a strong effort from everyone as next week’s match-up with the second place Hackers carries major playoff implications.

Monkey Notes:

Shortstop Daniel Quinones’s recovery from his dislocated knee is ahead of schedule. Though he remains doubtful for a return this season, Monkeys management hopes to have him back in uniform for the start of the Fall, 2010 campaign.

Next Game: August 24 2010. 8:00 pm, Lemon Park. Hackers at Monkeys.

Wheelchair Bandits Roll Over Monkeys

2010-08-19T20:07:00.000-07:00

Monkeys Suffer 21-5 Defeat In Listless Performance

By: JMU, Staff Writer

August 17, 2010

Fullerton, California.

The Monkeys came into Tuesday night’s game riding the wave of a four game winning streak, brimming with confidence and eager to avenge their opening day loss to the Wheelchair Bandits. They scored four quick runs in the top of the first inning, took the field in the bottom of the first, and then everything fell apart.

“Against a team like that, we don’t have much of a margin for error,” commented Manager John Upton. “We made a couple of key errors in the bottom of the first which lead to a bunch of unearned runs. When we finally recorded the third out in that inning we were just down by seven runs, but tonight, for whatever reason, we seemed to lack the spirit to bounce back.”

Lack of timely hitting resulted in the Monkeys putting runners on base, but failing to score them in the second, third and fourth innings. At times, they seemed on the verge of starting a rally only to have their hopes dashed by a line drive hit right at a defender or a ground ball into a double play. In all, they stranded 8 baserunners over five innings.

The Monkeys defense tightened up in the middle innings, but their lack of offense put the game out of reach, and by the end of 5, the Wheelchair Bandits plated enough runs to mercy the Monkeys.

“I hate to lose like that, but the way we played tonight, we would have had a hard time beating anyone,” said Upton. “ We got a but unlucky with the bats, but we have no excuses for how we played in the field. We need to get better as a team backing each other up on every play, hustling after every ball, and refusing to concede easy runs. We just didn’t execute well on defense, mentally and physically, and though the box score reads just four errors, I feel as if that was one of our poorer defensive efforts of the season.”

Left center fielder Matt Beighley should be back with the team for next week’s game, which will allow the Moneys outfielders to return to their natural positions and hopefully solidify the team’s outfield defense. They will need a strong effort from everyone as next week’s match-up with the second place Hackers carries major playoff implications.

Monkey Notes:

Shortstop Daniel Quinones’s recovery from his dislocated knee is ahead of schedule. Though he remains doubtful for a return this season, Monkeys management hopes to have him back in uniform for the start of the Fall, 2010 campaign.

Next Game: August 24 2010. 8:00 pm, Lemon Park. Hackers at Monkeys.

Monkeys Pummel That Team, Win Streak at 4

2010-08-11T16:38:00.000-07:00

Flores Hurls 5 Hitter as Monkey Bats Come Alive in 19-3 Victory

By: JMU, Staff Writer

August 10, 2010

Fullerton, California.

The Monkeys came out firing Tuesday Night at Lemon Park, leaving few in attendance in doubt of their playoff intentions, but with many questions as to what their playoff lineup might look like.

In a pattern that developed at the beginning of the season, the Monkeys used their sixth different lineup in as many games. With starter Daniel Quinoes on the injured list and backup Cy Garza out of town, manager John Upton moved left-centerfielder Matt Beighley into the infield vacancy.

“I normally don’t like making moves like that because it I basically have to re-set most of the outfield as well, but by now, with as many roster moves as we’ve made this season, they guys are used to it,” said Upton. With Beighley at shortstop, Upton moved Curtis Brown from right center to left center, started rookie Ryan Dorigan in right center, and utility man Brian Castaneda into right. The re-alignment worked. The Monkeys as a whole looked exceptionally sharp in the filed, with Beighley playing error-free at shortstop and the team committing just two errors all night.

Pitcher Frank Flores kept That Team off balance most of the night, holding them to a mere five singles over seven innings of play. Mixing in a wicked combination of lobs and short balls, Flores surrendered just one earned run, walking none, and striking out one.

Offensively, the Monkeys played an uncharacteristic yet effective game of small ball. Just two of their twenty-one hits went for extra bases (a double and triple by Castaneda), but they managed to plate 19 runs. “I think tonight’s performance at the plate may have surprised a few people,” remarked Upton. “Though we usually rely on the long ball for our runs, tonight we adopted a mostly patient approach at the plate, took our walks, and basically put the ball in play. With speedsters like Ryan Dorigan and Matt Beighley on the base paths all night, we are a tough team to defend against.”

Once again, Frank Flores led the Monkey attack with a 5 for 5 performance. In all, six Monkeys managed multi-hit performance and the team got offensive contributions throughout the lineup.

“If we continue to play like we played tonight, I like our chances against anyone,” said daytime first baseman John Maresca after the game. With league leaders Wheelchair Bandits up next for the Monkeys, the team will face their toughest task of the season.

Monkey Notes:

Shortstop Daniel Quinones’s knee continues to heal on schedule. The Monkeys hope to have him back in uniform for the Fall 2010 campaign.

Next Game: August 17 2010. 6:45 pm, Lemon Park.. Monkeys at Wheelchair Bandits.

** Pictures from the game can be found here. **

Misc Pictures from "That Team" Game 8.10.2010

2010-08-10T20:36:00.000-07:00

Monkeys Flatten Yokohamas, Win 3rd Straight

2010-08-03T19:05:00.000-07:00

Team Yokohama No Match for Monkeys in 18-5 Drubbing

By: JMU, Staff Writer

August 3, 2010

Fullerton, California.

In the end, the only drama in Tuesday’s game between the Monkeys and Team Yokohama was whether or not the Monkeys would mercy them. The Monkeys, using their fifth different lineup in as many games, jumped out to an early 15-1 lead and cruised the rest of the way to an 18-5 win in seven innings.

“We’ve had our share of injuries and personnel issues this season, so when Daniel Quinones injured his knee late last week, we had to dip into the free agent pool yet again,” stated Monkeys manager John Upton. The Monkeys announced before the game that they had signed Cy Garza to fill in at shortstop until Quinones could return. They also signed catcher Merry Arrogante to a one game contract to back up starter Darren Valen. Garza went 3 for 4 with a grand slam in a sparkling Moneys debut, and Arrogante went one for three, scoring two runs.

Pitcher Frank Flores scattered 10 hits over 7 innings, allowing just one earned run and striking out 6.

Defensively, the Monkeys did not appear as sharp as they had in previous games, but John Upton allowed his players to play a variety of different positions and did not appeared concerned about the performance of the team. “Tonight we had some fun out there,” he remarked after the game. “The Yokohamas have good team spirit and are improving, so we were happy that we were able to give them seven innings of competitive softball.”

Brian Castaneda led the way offensively for the Monkeys with a four-for-four performance. Frank Flores contributed three hits and picked up another five rbi’s. Catcher Darren Valen, who has been working hard in the batting cages, broke out his hitting slump with a sharp single up the middle.

Monkey Notes:

The team announced that it placed shortstop Daniel Quinones on the 30 day disabled list effective July 30. Quinones had dislocated his kneecap in a co-ed game. The kneecap was popped back into place the next day and he is expected to make a full recovery.

Pitcher Frank Flores leads the league in fielding and slugging percentage. He is also in the top 10 in batting average, home runs, and rbi’s. The only other Monkey on the leader board is left center fielder Matthew Beighley (10^th in average, 7th in slugging).

Next Game: August 10 2010. 6:45 pm, Lemon Park.. Monkeys at That Team.

Monkeys Tame Sex Panthers

2010-07-27T19:03:00.000-07:00

Short-handed Panthers no match for Monkeys in 5 inning, 19-4 Rout

By: JMU, Staff Writer

July 27, 2010

Fullerton, California.

The Monkeys continued their winning ways in an textbook performance Tuesday night as they dispatched a depleted Sex Panthers squad that could field just nine players. “When the Panthers took the field with just 9 defenders, I knew we were going to score some runs,” stated Monkeys manager John Upton. “The question in my mind was how we were going to perform in the field.”

Given the Moneys erratic defensive play this season, Upton was justified in his concern. After scoring 6 runs in the top of the first inning, the Monkeys were able to hold their lead courtesy of some solid, error-free play in the field. Pitcher Frank Flores also performed well, scattering 10 hits over five innings.

Offensively, the Monkeys appeared to be in mid-season form. The team scored multiple runs in the each of the first four innings, and after the top of the fifth, their lead stood at 18-1. The Panthers rallied attempted to rally in the bottom of the fourth and fifth innings, but each time were stopped short due in large part to some overly-aggressive base running.

Michael Barnett led the way offensively for the Monkeys with a particularly impressive night at the plate. Barnett went four for four with a home run and four rbi’s. Matt Beighley also homered, and Curtis Brown, Brian Castaneda, and Daniel Quinones turned in multi-hit performances. Rookie Ryan Dorigan picked up his first hit as a Monkey.

Monkey Notes:

Utility-infielder John Maresca returned to the Monkeys lineup Tuesday night after missing the first three games of the season. Maresca went 1 for 2 on the night with a walk.

Next Game: August 3 2010. 8:00 pm, Lemon Park.. Team Yokohama at Monkeys.

Monkeys Bust Slump Against Slumpbusters

2010-07-13T18:57:00.000-07:00

Daniel Quinones and Frank Flores lead Monkey attack in 13-8 victory

By: JMU, Staff Writer

July 13, 2010

Fullerton, California.

The Monkeys bats came to life Tuesday evening at Lemon Park, giving the team a much-needed victory and snapping a frustrating two game losing streak.

After being pummeled by the Wheelchair Bandits in the Season Opener and turning in a lackluster effort in last week’s loss to a beatable Hackers team, the Monkeys took the field Tuesday evening hungry for a victory. The team had yet another new look, with rookies Ryan Dorigan starting in right field and Bernard Chang playing first. Ruben Quinones moved across the diamond to third base, and rookie Brian Castaneda played second base.

The Monkeys set the Slumpbusters down in order in the first and second innings, plating two runs themselves in the bottom of the second. The Slumpbusters took a four-two lead in the top of the third, but the Monkeys answered back with three of their own in the bottom of that frame. The score sea-sawed back and forth throughout the middle innings before the Monkeys began to pull away. The Monkeys took the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth, and held the Slumpbusters scoreless in the final two innings to take claim victory.

Frank Flores lead the way offensively for the Monkeys with a 4-4 performance, driving in four runs and raising his league-leading batting average to a gaudy .909. Daniel Quinones went three for four while driving in five runs, and Bernard Chang was a single away from hitting for the cycle in a remarkable 3-for-3 league debut. Also chipping in with three hits apiece were Ruben Quinones, Matthew Beighley, and John Upton. Brian Castaneda contributed a single and a double.

“It is too early in the season to talk about “must win” games, but we really needed to win this one,” remarked Monkeys manager John Upton. “We certainly haven’t been playing to our potential, and while the five errors we committed tonight serve as a reminder that we still have some work to do, we definitely took some steps in the right direction.”

One of those steps would appear to be putting together a consistent lineup. “I think it would be fair to say that part of the problem this season has been that we have not been able to have the same guys playing the same positions week after week,” observed Upton. “We are still working on a few things, but I suspect that the lineup you see next game (July 27) will be more or less the same lineup that we will use for the remainder of the season.” When asked if Ruben Quinones’ move to third base would be permanent, Upton indicated that this would be likely. As to other moves, Upton told the assembled media that they would have until the 27th.

Monkey Notes:

The Monkeys were without utility-infielder John Maresca and right fielder Michael Barnett, both of whom were attending the Major League baseball All-Star game. Both are expected back in the lineup on the 27^th.

Next Game: July 27 2010. 9:15 pm, Lemon Park.. Monkeys at Sex Panthers.

Monkeys Slump Continues in 25-15 Loss to Hackers

2010-07-06T18:52:00.000-07:00

Team wastes 2HR, 6 RBI night by Pitcher Frank Flores

By: JMU, Staff Writer
July 6, 2010
Fullerton, California.

Looking to bounce back from last week’s drubbing at the hands of the Wheelchair Bandits, the Monkeys took the field Tuesday evening with a renewed sense of purpose. “That beating we took in the season opener is not the way we wanted to kick off the summer campaign,” remarked team Manager John Upton. “I think the team was still a bit drained, emotionally and physically, from the spring playoffs and we just weren’t ready to play. We had higher expectations for tonight’s game”

While the team looked better against the Hackers, the Monkeys still have some work to do to get back into playoff-contention form.

The game started out in promising fashion, with the Monkeys sending 10 men to the plate and scoring six runs in the top of the first inning, but when Hackers roared back with 8 runs of their own in the bottom of the first, several of which were directly attributable to porous Monkey defense, the team knew it would be in for a struggle.

“The Hackers are a quality organization and hit the ball well,” remarked Upton. “They might not hit with a great deal of power, but they take their walks and base hits, and if you give them extra outs in the field, as we did tonight, they will make you pay.”

The Monkeys seemed to gather themselves defensively following that shaky start and held the Hackers to just two runs over the next two innings. Offensively, the Monkeys began chipping away at the lead and after three innings, the score was knotted up at 10.

The fourth inning was the turning point in the game. The Monkeys had the opportunity to take the lead in the top of frame, but were set down in order. The failure to score seemed to unnerve them, which led to several errors in the bottom of the fourth, and by the time they trotted off the field at the end of the inning, they were looking at a seven run deficit. The Monkeys managed to score a couple of runs in the top of the fifth, but the defense did not improve and they surrendered another 8 runs in the bottom of that inning, essentially putting the game out of reach. As time expired in the middle of the sixth, the Monkeys were forced to accept their second straight defeat.

“This may sound strange coming off of a 10 run loss, but I truly believe that this was a winnable game for us,” said Upton. “We hit the ball pretty well tonight, and had we played better defensively, we would have held them to half the number of runs. We need to work on our fundamentals, make smarter plays out there in the field, and I guarantee you will be seeing different results on the scoreboard.”

Leading the way offensively for the Monkeys was pitcher Frank Flores, who smacked two line-drive three-run home runs. Daniel Quinones notched three hits and Brain Castaneda launched a three run triple down the right field line.

Monkey Notes:

The Monkeys welcomed several new players into the fold on Tuesday night. Jon Hampe, acquired off of the free agent wire, played third base and Kevin McGlensey covered second base. In addition, Brian Castaneda, who started the season with the Monkeys, played right field.

Matt Beighley and John Maresca were out of the lineup on vacation. Beighley is expected back for the July 13 game vs. the Slumpbusters, but Maresca is not expected back until the 27th.

The Monkeys announced the acquisition of utility player Ryan Dorigan, who is expected to make his Monkeys debut July 13.

Next Game: July 13, 2010. 9:15 pm, Lemon Park.. Slumpbusters at Monkeys. Pocket schedules will be made available to all fans in attendance.