Kars Aces win Greater Ottawa Fastball League playoff championship
September 17, 2012
Manotick, ON
Manotick, ON
The Kars, ON Aces are the playoff champions for the Greater Ottawa Fastball League, earning the "I4C Trophy" by defeating the Quyon, QC Combat Flyers in the finals of the Final Weekend tournament held Saturday September 17th. With the Friday night games rained out, all the action was played on Saturday.
The double knockout tournament featured Kars which finished in first place in regular season play and earned the bye, as well as Quyon, Stittsville, ON 56ers and Fitzroy Harbour, ON West Carleton Electric which each won their best-of-five semi-final playoffs series to earn a berth at the event.
This is the third year in a row with Kars as GOFL playoff champions. The Flyers have lost in the finals for the previous four seasons.
The tournament was held at the Manotick diamonds and was hosted by the Barrhaven, ON Broadway Blues. Congrats to the Blues on holding a well run event..
Kars Aces 1 West Carleton Electric 0
In a very well-played defensive game, Corey Costello lead the Aces with a no-hitter. Costello allowed only one base runner (a walk) and struck out 17. He also drove in the game's only run, a ground out which allowed Brad Pender to score from third. Andy Barber threw very well in a losing cause for the Electric, allowing only four hits over six innings.
Quyon Combat Flyers 5 Stittsville 56ers 2
Joran Graham got the complete game win for Quyon in this and also hit a home run. Matt Greer hit one out for the Flyers as well. Trevor Scott took the loss for Stittsville and saw relief from Dan Bradley.
Kars Aces 3 Quyon Combat Flyers 0
The Aces won the undefeated game to advance to the final with both Corey Costello and Joran Graham pitching complete games for their respective teams and holding up well into their 14th innings of work. Costello threw a five-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts, while Graham also threw very well only allowing three hits.
Stittsville 56ers 4 West Carleton Electric 1
This game was much closer than the score indicates as it was 1-1 through six and a half. Darren Featherstone stroked a three run walk off home run with two out and two on in the bottom of the seventh. Scott Herriot also had a solo homer for the 56ers. Dan Bradley allowed only five hits, earning the complete game win. Steve Cavanagh took the loss for Fitzroy.
Quyon Combat Flyers 16 Stittsville 56ers 14 (8 innings)
The tournament semi-final was a wild affair with several lead changes and thirty runs in total. At one point in the fifth, Stittsville led 9-4. After six, the 56ers lead 12-6. But the Flyers would not quit and scored six runs in the top of the seventh to tie the game at 12-12. Stittsville didn't score in the seventh, so with the international rule in place the Flyers scored four in the eighth and the 56ers could only answer with two to end the scoring at 16-14. Darren Featherstone went the distance for Stittsville, while Matt Greer started for Quyon and Joran Graham earned the win in relief. Scott Herriot had a three run homer and a grand slam for the 56ers. After the grand slam cleared the outfield fence, it also cleared the 12 foot fence guarding the Manotick tennis courts and landed at the tennis net - approximately a 360ft home run.
FINAL: Kars Aces 6 Quyon Combat Flyers 1
The Aces took control early in the final and the result was really never in doubt as they defeated the tired Flyers. Joran Graham started – appearing in his fourth game of the day - for Quyon, and Matt Greer saw action in relief. Brad Porter had the complete game win for Kars. Kars opened the scoring the first when Brad Pender took home from third when the Flyers attempted to throw out a runner taking second. Cory Alkerton hit a two run homer to make it 3-0 and Chad Costello's solo shot made it 4-0. The Aces later scored two more runs on bases-loaded walks. The lone Quyon run was a Graham solo shot.
