The Miami Herald from Miami, Florida • 329

ea5s a ds ut Sports Sports ea5In a ds UD zero in i zero 4 I arffate 'We were beating everybody in the beginning Nobody could even touch us We must have peaked a little too early' Rob Stiegele 500 batter The winner of that tournament advances to the eight-team state tournament beginning Aug Bin Miami Beach The Margate boys however will hit the beach go fishing or buy a ticket and watch from the bleachers A6 4'1 "''''47 'c i 4tiv A i' 1 1-ikq 1 '1' 0: :4 (7 rg 40'4)1 4--I 4 1 1:::: :4 Ir A i'''4' t4: -4144 A 1 tI ta -rr f' '0-44k i 4 4 i 1 i'l -''1- i' 4 I '-4 --0'-1-4' 1 '4''''''' :5 I 4 tik il ji I :::::4:::: 7-4-tt -1(413: 4 I I iei i 4 i -4 140---r4't 1 110' tt -4- N1 7'-''t 4ki' I -73 1 :09 i '4 I '''Zii I -z i a4 1 r4'- PHi 1-i 1 1 fn' 4 1 'T' -'4? ii'-t--147''44 1 0- r'u-s1 i 1 ts i 1 1 4 1 1 :7 1 si -1: v' -I ite1 4 I 4 ar 7-4 'i'' i i' L- -1: I 004: gi 4 1 :4 v---: it :4) '44 2 't: i -ste '-r4A 3': '1': e''' 4 a1 liAV7 1- I 0-1-! to i 8it zioneartA By GRANT OVERSTAKE Herald Staff Writer The third time was a "darn" for Margate's Post 157 American Legion baseball team which- was eliminated from last week's ninth district championship tournament Margate regular-season champions was trounced 16-7 by host Pompano Beach Post 142 in the tournament final It's the third consecutive season that Margate has failed to qualify for post-season play It was especially painful for Margate Coach John Keefe a 38-year-old certified public accountant who was left to figure out how numbers such as an 134 league record and 26- 10 overall mark added up to zero again "I'm beginning to get used to it" Keefe said "But this one was tough because I think this was the best team we've ever had" The Margate team was led through its best season by Rob Stiegele 13 of Sunrise The All-Broward outfielder and graduate of Cardinal Gibbons High School posted a 500 batting average during the regular summer season His hitting tool was a 35-inch aluminum bat stained with pine tar and red clay The six-foot one-inch 190-pound Stiegele swung the 31-ounce pipe with strong calloused hands driving in 35 runs and posting an 845 slugging average He had 14 doubles two triples and seven home runs A picture of Stiegele dressed in his working uniform is pasted to a mock Sports Illustrated cover which hangs on a wall at his home Legend says athletes often are jinxed by making the magazine's cover but Stiegele says it had no bearing on his performance in the tournament final He was two for five at the plate but failed to score or drive in any runs He can't explain what happened "We were beating everybody in the beginning nobody could even touch us" Stiegele said "We must have peaked a little too early We kind of got blown out the last game I lost count of the score" Margate began the double-elimination tournament with a 9-3 victory over Hollywood Hills Post 92 It dropped a 4-2 decision the following evening to Pompano Beach but earned a rematch in the championship game with a 6-3 victory over Cooper City Post 321 Pompano Beach advances to tonight's area tournament against West Palm Beach Post 12 in West Palm Beach Many of them will be playing college baseball next spring Stiegele will attend Brevard Community College in Cocoa Beach which ranked sixth in the nation last season Coach Keefe said the junior college which had seven players drafted into the professional ranks last season would be good for his star slugger "I think he's a professional prospect but he's not quite ready yet" Keefe said "The pros don't pick a lot of outfielders out of high school" Stiegele who says he owes much of his success to Coach George Petik at Cardinal Gibbons is beginning to see his childhood dreams come true "In little league ball you play just for fun" Stiegele said "Professional ball is nothing but a dream As you get better people say 'Hey this kid may have a shot someday' and you begin to wonder "I'm an over achiever" he added "I never feel like I've done good enough I always push myself because I have more to give But I'm not obsessed by becoming a pro I'm taking it 3-1 one step at a time "If it doesn't happen I'm not going to let it wreck me I'll be crushed but life will go on" ALAN FREUNDMiami Herald Staff Rob Stiegele batted 14 doubles two triples and seven home runs K2 Os 0 Lauderdale team wants to go to championships CO 4s Sports Briefs State titles will be contested in the men's 25s 40s 55s and 75s divisions Women will compete in the 25s and 55s divisions Entries are closed Spectator seating is limited Call 722-4300 Ext 50 or 51 -1 I 3 3 I xi 1: SOFTBALL: The Plantation Athletic League will host the Amateur Softball Associatwn Girls' National Softball Tournament Aug 16-19 at Plantation Central Park The slow-pitch tournament will feature about 50 teams of girls 13- to 15-years-old South Florida's entries include the Pembroke Pines Cardinals the 1983 ASA National Champions as well as the 1983 runner-up team from Plantation Admission is $3 a day A four-day pass for spectators 16 and older is $9 children under 15 admitted free Call Jana Roderman at 792- The state-champion Lockman baseball team from North Lauderdale has been washing dogs and cars knocking on doors and standing on street comers trying to raise enough money to travel to the Class A Khoury League national championship Aug 11 and 12 in Decatur The team of 12- and 13-year-olds has lost only one game this season while winning league county and state titles It's about $3000 away from the $9000 needed to make the trip Anyone wishing to donate to the team may make checks payable to the Lockman baseball team account No 713 759 20 and send them to the Alexander Hamilton National Bank 1450 State Road 7 North Lauderdale 33068 Call Carol Broad at 726- 3950 TENNIS Florida's best adult amateurs are scheduled to play in the United States Tennis Association State Closed Tennis Championships Friday through Sunday at Woodmont Country Club in Tamarac BASEBALL: The Southern Regional Senior League Baseball Tournament will be Aug 5- 10 at Mullins Park in Coral Springs Teams from a dozen states will play in the tournament for 13- to 16-year-olds The winners earns the right to represent the Southern Region at the Senior League World Series later this summer in Gary Ind Call 752-8350.