Mighty Knucks 9, Bilabial Stops 6
Bilabial Stops 12, Mighty Knucks 2
Bilabial Stops 12, Mighty Knucks 2
by Daniel Rish, West Coast Washout
Game 1: Knucks Rally to Shock the Stops
The Bilabial Stops started their World Series campaign in style, with the dynamic duo of Eddie Brown and Nick Usoff going yard to give the Stops an early 2-0 lead. They extended that lead to 5-0 thanks to a series of walks issued by Mighty Knucks starter Alex Hatch in the second. Hatch made a great defensive play in the third to stem the tide, cutting down Bobby Vadnais on his way home for the second out to hold the score steady.
Just as things were looking dire for the Knucks, their bats came to life. Alex Hatch homered to lead off the 4th, and then drove in another run on a single to center later in the inning. Michio Koide’s two-out, two-run single made the score 5-4. Usoff helped his cause on the mound in the bottom of the inning, singling to advance the Stops lead to 6-4, but from their, Alex Hatch stagnated the Stops bats.
Brandon Wallach singled to lead off a fifth inning rally capped by another Alex Hatch bomb, this one for three runs, which made the score 9-6. Hatch stranded two runners in the bottom of the fifth and then directed a parade of fielder’s choices in the sixth en route to winning the Aflac player of the game award.
Brown and Usoff went a combined 6-9 at the plate, while the rest of the lineup was held to a combined 1-15 (though they did account for 9 walks). Both Hatch and Usoff struck out 10.
Game 2: Stops Bounce Back in Style
In the playoff preview, I wondered aloud what would happen should the Stops lose Game 1. I never expected it to happen. But here it had, and the Stops were now up against it.
They responded authoritatively, scoring 6 in the first and 4 in the second to jump out to a 10-1 lead. Every member of the lineup recorded an RBI in the first two innings, and Greg Nyssen uncorked a home run and a double in the second inning to contribute to the party.
On the mound, Eddie Brown was brilliant, scattering 6 hits across 5 innings of work, striking out 11 and walking just 1.
Game 3: Knucks Roll to the Series
In Game 3, both teams went to their most effective starter on the mound, with the Stops throwing Eddie Brown and the Knucks throwing Alex Hatch. The Stops had more success in the second go-around, scoring on a 3-run Usoff bomb, a Brown RBI double, and a 2 RBI single from Ben Burkhardt to account for a 6-0 lead.
The Knucks struck back in the second, with singles by the Brandons (Williams and Wallach), followed by Marcoly to make the score 6-2. The Stops would add 2 more before the mandatory pitching change at the end of the 3rd.
Nick Usoff looked sharp on the mound in his return, striking out the side in succession. Brandon Wallach was less sharp, and could not find control. He walked the first 5 batters he faced, before Bobby Vadnais singled on a pop-up to the second baseman. Hoping for a last gasp bit of trickeration, Brandon Williams let the very catchable pop up drop, but was not able to pull off the triple play required to save the Knucks season.
The Stops will advance to the World Series for the second consecutive year.
