Let's see how the association championships went!
BNN Report
News from the CBO, MML, BMU, GBRL, and Youth Leagues
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
11 October 2308
NCA Championship Series: #5 Starlight vs #3 Bunker Hill
Game 1 - Starlight 3, Bunker Hill 2
Killers Edge 75ers 3-2 to Open ACS
The Starlight Killers powered past the hometown Bunker Hill 75ers, 3-2, in the opener of the Association Championship at Battle of Bunker Hill Memorial Stadium today. Starlight starting pitcher Bill Sarnacki threw 7.2 innings of 6-hit ball, to lead the charge. The Killers now lead the series 1-0.
Starlight used a well-timed hit by Willy Mazehaze to capture the win. The center fielder socked a run-scoring double in the top of the first inning to put the Killers ahead, 1-0. Though it was his only hit in 5 at-bats, it was important.
"At the end of the day, it's always about your starting pitcher," said Starlight skipper Austin Shuler.
The next game is set to be played tomorrow at Battle of Bunker Hill Memorial Stadium in Boston.
Game 2 - Bunker Hill 5, Starlight 4
75ers Clip Killers 5-4 in ACS Contest
In a crucial game, the Bunker Hill 75ers put on their best show, beating the Starlight Killers by a final score of 5-4 today. Oren Gep went 2-3 with a home run and a walk. He scored 2 runs and drove in 2. Bunker Hill and Starlight are now tied at 1 wins apiece in the best-of-7 affair.
Matt Stickhouse was 1 for 4 for Bunker Hill. In a tie game with one out in the bottom of the eighth, Stickhouse came through with a run-scoring ground out. It put the 75ers in front, 5-4.
"They say the first rule of the playoffs is to win the home games," Stickhouse said afterward. "It feels nice, but it is kind of what we were supposed to do."
The next game is set to be played for Wednesday, October 7th , 2308 at Valentine Detective Agency Field in Lexington.
Game 3 - Starlight 5, Bunker Hill 1
Starlight Wins at Home to Take 2-1 Lead in ACS
The Starlight Killers got a strong performance from pitcher Digger Vadim, who stymied the visiting Bunker Hill 75ers en route to a win, 5-1, in Game 3 of the Association Championship today. The 75ers could never get a bead on the right-handed Vadim, who threw 7.2 innings of 4-hit ball. The Killers now hold a 2-1 in the best-of-7 series.
Vadim, who was born in Marlborough, Massachusetts, threw 95 pitches over 7.2 innings, while allowing 1 run.
Vadim called the win "a team effort."
The next game is set to be played tomorrow at Valentine Detective Agency Field in Lexington.
Game 4 - Bunker Hill 9, Starlight 2
Bunker Hill Win to Pull Even With Starlight
The Bunker Hill 75ers topped the Starlight Killers by the score of 9-2 and moved into a 2-2 tie in the Association Championship today. The largest share of the credit belongs to Bunker Hill starter Jason Tonelli, who threw 8.2 innings of 5-hit ball in the win.
Brightsun Ramos, the two-time All-Star , had a direct impact on the outcome. Ramos contributed a run-scoring double in the top of the fifth inning to put Bunker Hill up, 2-0.
"I thought we played a nice game," Ramos told the Bunker Hill Today. "Good pitching, timely hitting, it was all there."
Game 5 - Bunker Hill 7, Starlight 6
Road Win Lifts Bunker Hill to 3-2 Lead in ACS
The Bunker Hill 75ers moved to within one game of the Sole Survivor Series today, downing the Starlight Killers on the road at Valentine Detective Agency Field by a score of 7-6. 75ers first baseman Matt Stickhouse went 2 for 4 with a double. He drove in 4 runs. The win gives the 75ers a 3-2 advantage in the best-of-7 Association Championship.
Had Stickhouse not come through in the top of the eighth, who knows how the game would've ended? But with two down, Stickhouse hit a bases-clearing double. The 75ers took the lead, 7-6, and never looked back.
"We lost," Starlight manager Austin Shuler said later. "We'll deal with it. The series isn't over."
Game 6 is scheduled for Sunday at Battle of Bunker Hill Memorial Stadium in Boston.
Game 6 - Bunker Hill 7, Starlight 6, 10 inn.
75ers Heading to Sole Survivor Series
On the strength of a dominant series from right-hander Rafe Sauce, the Bunker Hill 75ers have eliminated the Starlight Killers in the Association Championship.
Bunker Hill won the final game by a score of 2-1 at Battle of Bunker Hill Memorial Stadium and took the series 4-2.
The game was scoreless until the 8th inning when each team scored a run, pushing out Starlight's SP Digger Vadim and Bunker Hill's SP Max Thunderdome. That made the rest of the game a matchup of relievers Sam Molina of the Killers and Sauce of the 75ers.
In the bottom of the 10th, Molina started to struggle. With one out, Molina walked Jig McGhee and gave up a single to Aaron Squire. He then walked Matt Stickhouse to load the bases. Then, in four pitches, Molina walked Jalen Wharton to give Bunker Hill a literal walkoff win to complete the series.
Sauce was named MVP and had a 0.00 ERA over 6 innings pitched, with 5 strikeouts and a 2-0 record in the series.
"The pitches were doing what they were supposed to be doing in this series," he said. "I felt in control."
It's likely not the last time these two North Charles Association teams will meet in the playoffs and Starlight manager Austin Shuler said his club would be better prepared for the next matchup.
"It feels like we didn't show up ready to win," he said. "That won't happen again."
The Bunker Hill 75ers will play the winner of the South Charles Association Championship Series in the Sole Survivor Series. The Sole Survivor Series schedule will be announced after the Association Championship finishes.
SCA Championship Series: #3 Vault 81 vs #1 Oberland
Game 1 - Oberland 1, Vault 81 0
T-51s Rally Past Dwellers for 1-0 Series Lead
The Oberland T-51s took the first game of the Association Championship in dramatic fashion today, topping the Vault 81 Dwellers with a ninth-inning, walk-off, 1-0 shutout victory. T-51s pitcher Emperry Alizm threw 7.0 innings of shutout ball.
The clutch at-bat came in the bottom of the ninth inning, when Oberland catcher Racky Westheim, facing Chris Salazar, had a run-scoring walk. It gave the T-51s the 1-0 win.
"This joint was rocking," said Alizm.
The next game is set to be played tomorrow at Oberland Stadium in Oberland.
Game 2 - Vault 81 11, Oberland 5
Yamada Blasts T-51s, Dwellers Take Game 2, 11-5
The Vault 81 Dwellers relied on the hitting of shortstop End Yamada to get by the Oberland T-51s, 11-5, in Game 2 of the Association Championship today. For the game, Yamada went 3-5 with a home run, 2 singles, and a walk. He scored 3 times. The clubs are now tied, 1-1.
Vault 81 relied on the bat of Knud Bather to get the win. The third baseman ripped a 3-run home run in the top of the sixth inning to put the Dwellers ahead, 9-2. For the game, Bather had 1 double and 1 home run in 5 at-bats.
"We're all about heart and hustle on this team. That's what wins ballgames," Yamada told the Vault 81 Daily News.
Game 3 is scheduled for Thursday at CURIE Inc. Field in Boston.
Game 3 - Oberland 7, Vault 81 2
Road Win Lifts Oberland to 2-1 Lead in ACS
Riding the 4-hit performance of first baseman Chase Doctorman, the Oberland T-51s got a road win against the Vault 81 Dwellers, 7-2, in Game 3 of the Association Championship today. Doctorman went 4-5 with 4 singles for the T-51s, who now lead the best-of-7 series, 2 games to 1.
Stormin Normin MacDonald, the former first overall pick , had a direct impact on the outcome. MacDonald contributed a 2-run single in the top of the fifth inning to put Oberland up, 4-2.
"I felt good up there," said Doctorman. "I saw the ball well."
The next game is set to be played tomorrow at CURIE Inc. Field in Boston.
Game 4 - Oberland 7, Vault 81 2
Almost There: Oberland On Cusp of ACS Triumph After 7-2 Win
The Oberland T-51s moved to within one game of the Sole Survivor Series today, downing the Vault 81 Dwellers on the road at CURIE Inc. Field by a score of 7-2. T-51s right-hander Emperry Alizm had a strong outing. He threw 7.0 innings of 4-hit ball. The win gives the T-51s a 3-1 advantage in the best-of-7 Association Championship.
Oberland used the bat of Chase Doctorman to get the win. The first baseman hammered a 2-run home run in the top of the fourth inning to put the T-51s ahead, 3-2. It was his lone hit in 5 at-bats, but it did its damage.
"It felt like they almost stopped play a couple times, but it just held off," Doctorman said of the rain that threatened throughout much of the game. "Not great conditions for playoff baseball."
The next game is set to be played tomorrow at CURIE Inc. Field in Boston.
Game 5 - Oberland 5, Vault 81 1
T-51s Advance to Sole Survivor Series
SP Mesquite Williams pitched a masterful fifth game, allowing just one run over 8.2 innings to lift the Oberland T-51s over the Vault 81 Dwellers, 5-1, clinching the series in the process.
Good Don Duck and Racky Westheim each homered in the contest, accounting for three of the T-51s' five runs. Harry Byrd's solo shot in the bottom of the 9th accounted for the Dwellers' only run.
Duck was named series MVP after playing an instrumental role in winning the series 4-1 and eliminating the Vault 81 Dwellers.
"See the ball, hit the ball," the six-time All Star said. "It's simple what I did this series."
Duck was red hot in the series, which saw him put up a .522 average, as well as 2 home runs and 5 RBI.
The Oberland T-51s will play the Bunker Hill 75ers in the Sole Survivor Series. Bunker Hill won the series 4 games to 2. The Sole Survivor Series schedule will be announced after the Association Championship finishes.
