The Hill United Chiefs hunt for history fell just short.

Chasing its fourth-consecutive International Softball Congress world title, the defending champions lose a heartbreaking 6-3 decision to the Toronto Gators in Moline, IL.

With the scored tied 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Shane Boland’s homerun off of Adam Folkard gave the Gators the walk-off win.

“This is precious,” Boland said, “especially winning it with my brother (Ryan Boland). I’m on top of the world right now.

“I got an outside drop ball and was able to get a good piece of the bat on it,” he said. “I’ve faced Adam (Folkard) the last five years. He is extremely good. I’m fortunate that I was able to get the job done.”

It’s the Gators third ISC title and first since 1995.

The Chiefs were chasing a record-setting fourth-straight ISC title, something no team has ever done.

And it almost looked like it was going to happen.

 Downw 3-0 after five innings, the Chiefs got within striking distance in the top of the sixth, when Nick Shailes smacked a homerun.

In the top of the seventh, the defending champs showed they had life when Mark Johnson and James Todhunter hit back-to-back jacks with one out to tie the game up, and setting up the Gators’ heroics.

For the Gators, it was sweet redmpetion, after the Chiefs captured its third-straight title last year against them in walk-off fashion.

It was also the second time in the tournament the Gators walked-off the Chiefs. On Friday in the undefeated bracket game, Wayne Laulu played the role of hero in the 7-6 Gators win, handing the Chiefs its first loss of the tournament.

“I wrote a team letter,” Gators manager Terry Baytor said. “I told them we had to lose before we could learn how to win. And this year we came ready to win.

““In the bottom of the seventh we had no doubt we could do this,” he said. “There is a special bond on this team this year. Someone different has stepped up when we needed it. Shane Boland did it (this time). Beating them twice is a special accomplishment.”

Despite losing its stranglehold on the fastpitch softball world, the Chiefs did show its dominance throughout the event.

They began with a 23-0 no-hit win against Todds Mudjacking, from Silivis, IL., before only allowing one hit against the Kegal Black Knights, from Fargo, ND., in a 3-0 win. 

The pitching mastery of Folkard continued, with another one-hit gem featuring 11 strikeouts, in a 10-0 win over Circle Tap, of Denmark, WI.

Thursday, the chiefs finally gave up a run in its fourth game, but beat the Scarborough Force 8-2, setting up the undefeated bracket showdown with the Gators.

After that nine-inning loss, the Chiefs got back on track with a 5-4 win over the New York Gremlins, from Clifton Park, NY., setting up the championship rematch.

Next year’s ISC World Tournament will take place in Grand Rapids, Mich., before returning to Kitchener in 2018.

 

dsmart@norfolknews.ca

twitter.com/darrylsmart1

 

 -- with files from Bob Otto