2010 Trend Arlington Men’s Fastball Championship Final Set

 

September 15^th 2010

 

Ottawa, ON – Wednesday’s semi-final games saw two teams advance to the championship finals with Durabuilt Construction Inc and Lone Star Texas Grill advancing to the finals.

 

In the early game, Durabuilt eliminated PJ Quigley’s Bar and Grill with a two-game to zero series win, after scoring five in the opening frame and Gord Flannery pitching a 15-1 victory to Dean McDonald. Steve Vukic took the loss with Kevin Wilson relieving him received by catcher Nick Norton.

 

The contrast in contests was evident in the air the minute Lone Star Texas Grill and Goodfellow Cleaners took the field. The rain had abbreviated an excellent Monday affair, which had to be completed Wednesday thanks the skies opening up on a 4-4 tie at the end of six and a half innings. The situation had Lone Star taking their last swats in the bottom of the seventh, down one-game-to-none in the best of three semifinal.

 

With two out Andy Sampson singled off Art Henry and advanced to second on a passed ball. Brent Taylor rifled a single in the gap between Dave Stokes and Mike Sharp. Stokes took the ball on a hop and threw out Sampson with a perfect throw to Super Dave Simmonds and the Goodfellows’ got another bat.

 

In the 8^th the International tie-breaker rule was in effect and Goodfellow leadoff hitter Andy Ivol started the inning at second base. Craig Macdonald had come on in relief of Mike Goodfellow on this night, and he got the next three hitters on ground balls leaving Ivol standing at third.

 

In the bottom of the 8^th, Taylor started the inning at second and Mike Goodfellow singled him to second. Johnny Paolozzi hit a ground ball deep to second base which Roger Cousineau stabbed with a nice play and attempting to both hold Taylor at third and double up Paolozzi threw the ball low. Taylor took off for the plate and scored, giving rise to game three.

 

In game three the teams traded deuces in the first inning with a thundering two-run shot by MacDonald off Art Henry. Goodfellow’s took back two with Ivol and Cousineau scoring off MacDonald in the bottom of the frame. In the second Lone Star’s Mike Goodfellow doubled home Brent Taylor to go ahead 3-2.

 

MacDonald settled down with 5 straight K’s and the teams traded runs in the 4^th with Chris Jelley homering to left and Chris Golden scoring on an error for Goodfellow’s to put them down only 4-3. The gamebreaker was the 6^th. . Henry struck out Graeme Fraser to lead off, and MacDonald singled. He was thrown out at the plate on a bases loaded fielders choice by Andy Sampson. Brent Taylor came to the plate with two out and the bases drunk holding both Bob and Andy Sampson with Jelley standing on second between them. Taylor drilled a line drive into left-centre toward Stokes, who was forced to dive for the final out, hoping to save at least two runs. Stokes couldn’t quite reach it, the ball skipped under his glove to the fence and the merry-go-round ended with Taylor at third and a 7-4 Lone-Star lead. MacDonald and reliever Mike Goodfellow didn’t need that much help, striking out a combined 12 Goodfellow hitters for the win and the come-from-behind ticket to the finals.

 

The TAMFL best two-of-three finals, beginning Monday September 20^th at 7:30 pm at Trend Arlington Field, 50 Bellman Drive in west end Ottawa. Game two is slated for Wednesday September 22^nd at 7:30, with game three start time to be determined, if necessary.

Lone Star Texas Grill will take the field first against home team Durabuilt Construction, by virtue of Durabuilt’s 4-0 play-in round record.