Niagara Falls Canada

 

September 20, 2012

 

Hi Al

 

The Niagara Falls league concluded its season last night with a one game final between Niagara Snappers and Niagara Fury. The Snappers defeated Tazco in the semi’s and the Dawgs in the quarters while the Fury knocked off CanAm in its semis and Hill United in quarters to each reach the finals.

 

The Snappers outlasted the Fury 11-8 to capture the 2012 Niagara Falls Men’s League championship.  A total of 7 home runs were hit in the game as both teams combined for 19 runs and 25 hits. 

 

The Snappers start Matty Lyons and the Fury with Scott Wagar injured give the ball to Butch Provost and it’s the Fury who would strike first, in the top of the 2^nd inning with a couple of walks, Marcel Bilodeau singled in the game’s first run with Phil John and Rob Greatrix also picking up RBI’s to make it 3-0 Fury.

 

The Fury would add to their lead in the top of the 3^rd with a solo home run by Tom Watkinson.  In the bottom of the 3^rd, with the Snappers down 4-0, Alex Szockyj and Ryan Rothwell reached and Alex Panas laid down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position.  Peter Dobbin then singled in both runs to close the gap to 4-2 after 3 complete innings.

 

In the top of the 4^th, the Fury struck hard at starter Lyon, scoring 4 runs to break the game open with home runs by Mark Korten and Ray Carr, Korten’s home run being a 3 run shot, to increase the score to 8-2.  The Snappers began chipping away at the lead in the bottom of the 4^th with Lyon hitting a solo shot, followed by Scott Young also hitting a bases empty home run to narrow the gap to 8-4.  Kevin Newhouse singled and scored on a Ryan Rothwell triple to bring the score to 8-5 after 4 innings.

 

Perry Bartley came into the game to relieve Matt Lyon and had a 1-2-3 top of the 5^th inning.  Going into the bottom of the 5^th, the Snappers even the score with a Scott Young double that scored 2 runs and a Szockyj double that plated Young.

 

Bartley again was working the rise and change in the top of the 6^th to get out of the inning with only a single allowed to Adam Dearborn.  Mike Bateman put the Snappers on top for the first time in the game with a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the 6^th inning with Matt Lyon adding a 2 run home run to good measure to make the score 11-8 going into the final frame.

 

Bartley closed out the top of the 7^th to pick up the win in relief of Matt Lyon, with Butch Provost taking the loss for the Fury.  Both teams competed hard all night, as they have done every time they step on the field together.

 

The win leaves the Snappers with a 42-12 overall record for the 2012 season, GHFL regular season champions, GHFL playoff tournament champions, NFMFL playoff champions, Woodstock tournament winners, as well as a tied for 9^th place finish at the ISC World Tournament.

The Fury finish the season at 20-11-1 for the 2012 season and capture the annual Niagara Falls tourney title.

 

 

WP:  in relief Perry Bartley 3.33IP, 3H, 0R, 3K, 0BB; starter Matt Lyon 3.66IP, 10H, 8R, 3K, 3BB

LP:  Butch Provost 6IP, 12H, 11R, 3K, 2K

 

Snappers:  Matt Lyon 3-4 2HR’s 3RBI, Scott Young 2-3 HR 3RBI, Mike Bateman 1-2 HR RBI, Peter Dobbin 1-2 2BB 2RBI, Alex Szockyj 2-3 RBI, Ryan Rothwell 1-3 RBI

Fury:  Mark Korten 1-4 HR 3RBI, Tom Watkinson 2-4 2RBI, Ray Car 3-3 HR RBI, Marcel Bilodeau 2-4 RBI, Rob Greatrix 1-4 RBI, Adam Dearborn 2-3

 

 

The League would like to congratulate the Snappers on their win. A long busy season at Ker park comes to an end, I would like to thanks all the NF teams for their commitment to the league, although there’s always some bumps in the road along the way but we are appreciative of the fact that there are so many guys who give so much of their time to our league. The last order of business for 2012 will be the league’s annual year end banquet on October 13th. I will update the award recipients and provide a league wrap up.