March 24, 1952
Moving On: Pelicans Triumph over Trolleys 4-1 to Take Wild Card
The Kingston Pelicans punched their ticket to the playoffs this afternoon by defeating the Pulberry Trolleys 4-1 at Kingston Park in their tie-breaker game, necessitated after the two clubs finished tied for the wild card at season’s end. The Pelicans will now head to Satchel Paige Park in Wolseley to face the Unions in Game 1 of the Western League Pennant Series, scheduled to start Wednesday, March 26.
26-year old RHP Brian Marsland pitched a fine game for Kingston, holding the Trolleys scoreless until the 9th inning. In all, he scattered 6 hits, striking out three and walking 1, while giving up just a single run to earn Player of the Game honors. Pulberry’s 30-year old RHP Alexander Ellacott matched zeros with Marsland until the 4th inning when the Pelicans broke things open.
C Carlos Camasura led off the bottom of the 4th with a line drive single. With one out, 2B Katsunan Chikafuji doubled into deep rightfield. That scored Camasura for the game’s first run. Chikafuji was able to stretch his double into a triple on the play when he beat RF Ellis Dibble’s throw to third. Next up was 1B Dean Bishop, who connected on a 1-0 pitch for a
two-run home run, 407 ft. into left-centerfield, extending Kingston’s lead to three.
The Pelicans would tack on another run in the 7th, after SP Brian Marsland led off with a single and advanced to second on a CF Lance Oakley ground out. With two out, Carlos Camasura doubled home Marsland, increasing Kingston’s lead to four.
Marsland kept Pulberry’s hitters off the board until the top of the 9th, when SS Francis Jones led off with a
solo home run that landed 378 ft. in the leftfield bleachers.
1B Gerard Koerner immediately singled off Marsland and LF Aiden Thirkettle singled off stopper Kaula Mafileo, putting runners on first and second with one out. But Mafileo got RF Ellis Dibble to fly out to CF Lance Oakley and 3B Makani Kahale to ground out to SS Charlie Cockin to end the game.
Twice the Trolleys managed to put a runner on third base (CF Cooper Tyson both times), but were unable cash in. Tyson drew a walk with two out in the top of the 1st and reached third when Aiden Thirkettle singled. But Ellis Dibble popped up to 3B Ryoma Hakui to end the inning. In the top of the 4th, Tyson led off with a double and reached third base on a Thirkettle ground out. But once again, Pulberry was unable to take advantage, as Ellis Dibble flied out to rightfield and Makani Kahale grounded out 3B Hakui. Kingston then broke it open in the bottom half of the inning. That ultimately swung the momentum in the Pelicans’ favor for good.