The Bronco Orioles captured the PPBA World Series title.
Win the PPBA World Series Championship
The Bronco Orioles, coached by Matt Dorband, cruised through the regular season with 14 wins and three losses, placing them at the top of the American League.
They started the playoffs by blanking the Yankees, 9-0, but then lost to the Dogers, 9-5, and fell into the lower one-loss bracket. The tournament is a double elimination, so for the next five games, the Orioles always faced a must-win situation.
On May 28, they squeaked past the Red Sox, 3-2, followed by victories over the Cardinals (10-5) and the Cubs (3-1) to reach the championship round.
The Dodgers, who were 9-7 in the regular season and undefeated in the tournament, saw a much-changed Orioles team the second time and were crushed, 17-6, on June 4. The Orioles then won, 7-2, to capture the title.
After the game, Coach Dorband told his team, “This is my last year of coaching and this was the best team ever. You were awesome.” He thanked the parents and assistant coaches for their support and told the team, “We get to be on the float on the Fourth of July.”
Dorband, who works for AMI Asset Management, has coached for five years, since his son Max was in Pintos. “The was a great group of kids and we had fun the whole season.”
He will now serve as the head coach of the All-Star team that plays tomorrow, June 8. The team consists of players from each league team.
Dorband, who grew up in Walnut Creek, said he played football (not baseball) at Las Lomas High School. The coach once again praised his team for working well together and supporting one another. “This has been my favorite team since I’ve been here,” he said.