B East 6-27-2021 Championships

[Rider14]

Game #1 – Birdgang vs. Morning Wood

James McLaughlin gets this series going with a three run bomb giving Birdgang the early lead. Joey Pittman adds a run on a RBI single a little bit later in the inning. The gloves show up for the next couple of innings until the fourth when Birdgang put up another two runs on a Shawn Collins two run single. Morning Wood finally gets on the board in the fourth and puts up a crooked number. They bat around and put up eight runs. Sean Valenza starts the scoring with a three run bomb, followed a couple of batters later by a bases clearing triple from Matt Kohn. Birdgang have a big sixth, again thanks to a big homer, this time off the bat of Jason McLaughlin. Birdgang holds a four run lead heading into the bottom of the inning. Morning Wood answers again with four runs of their own and tying this game up. Colton Hooker hits a homer this time while they also get RBI’s from Daulton Pickersgill and Steve Cox. Both teams look for big seventh innings. Birdgang steps up first, but can’t push any across. Morning Wood steps up and walks this one off. Ken Fretz smacks an RBI triple as they win this one in walk off fashion.

Player of the Game:
Sean Valenza (Morning Wood) – 2/3, HR, 3 RBI’s


Game #2 – Morning Wood vs. Birdgang

We get started on this second game of the series with again, the gloves showing up early and us standing at 3-1 after two innings of play. Morning Wood gets three runs in the third off a Valenza RBI single and back to back RBI doubles from Charlie Hooker and Ben Daniels. Birdgang respond in a big way in the bottom of the inning with six runs of their own. Nick Pittman had a big two run double in the inning. Matt Kohn smashed a solo bomb for Morning Wood in the fourth starting another big inning for them as they got another four runs as well. Back and forth we go as each inning it seems the lead changes. We head to the sixth where Morning wood takes the lead at 17-14 after a big inning. Colton Hooker had a two run single and Charlie Hooker had an RBI double in the inning. Birdgang gets one back and then shuts down Morning Wood in the top of the seventh, where there life is on the line. Birdgang trails by two. If they can’t force extra innings or win the game, they will go home. Birdgang gets back to back singles to start the inning. Jason McLaughlin then smacks an RBI double bring James McLaughlin to the plate. He smacks a two run double and they walk off and force a game three in the series. Birdgang wins 18-17.

Player of the Game:
Joey Pittman (Birdgang) – HR, 5 RBI’s


Game #3 – Birdgang vs. Morning Wood

We head to the series deciding game three and will pick up in the third tied at 1. Birdgang gets two runs on a Jason McLaughlin homer and take the advantage. Like we have seen all series Morning Wood respond getting four runs in the fourth. Matt Kohn and Kavit Solanki each had an RBI and Charlie Hooker scored two runs on a sac fly. Birdgang gets a big inning with four runs in the fifth. James McLaughlin had a deep fly that scored two runs and help keep the lead. We head to the seventh inning where Morning Wood comes to the plate to score five runs and take a two run lead. Matt Greaver had a two run triple and both Matt Figueroa and Charlie Hooker had RBI doubles. Birdgang gets within two runs on a RBI double from Jason McLaughlin and James McLaughlin steps up again with another big fly ball as he scores two runs on a sac fly. Onto extra innings we go. Alex Matteo gives Birdgang the lead in the top of the eighth with a sac fly, but that is answer in the bottom of the inning by a solo homer by Kavit Solanki. Birdgang erupts in the ninth for seven runs. Alex Matteo looks to be the hero with a bases clearing RBI double. Morning Wood looks to have run out of steam and go down 1,2,3 in the bottom of the inning and Birdgang will take the chip. Birdgang wins 20-13.

Player of the Game:
Alex Matteo (Birdgang) – 2/3, 2B, 6 RBI’s


Congrats to Birdgang on the Spring B East Championship.