After beating the North Shore Titans on Saturday behind the arms of Jeff Amick and Jeremy Barchie and a total Militia hitting barrage, the Monroeville Militia stayed alive in the 2010 Pittsburgh NABA playoffs by knocking off the Allegheny AA Division Champs and 2009 Pittsburgh NABA Champion Hurricanes by a score of 6-3 in 9 innings on a sunny afternoon at Laroche College.
The Hurricanes jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning after Andrew Rafalski singled to right field to score a run. In the top of the second inning, Mark Lombardi reached on a tough play by Hurricane starting pitcher Chris Mulkerin. A Militia player then walked to have first and second for catcher Andrew Shaffer. Shaffer promptly bombed a double off of the left field wall to score two runs and give the Militia a 2-1 lead. However, in the bottom of the second inning, the Hurricanes answered with a run of their own off of Militia starting pitcher Paul Altymer to tie the game at 2-2.
The game was a battle as it stayed tied for the next 7 innings. Andrew Rafalski entered the game as pitcher for the Canes in the 5th inning after Mulkerin departed giving four solid innings of work. Ben Sorosky greeted Rafalski with a liner up the middle in the 5th but was stranded at second after the Canes RF robbed Evan Banner of a double in the gap.
A huge play for the Militia happened in the bottom of the 5th as Hurricane second baseman Matt Johnston got a great jump and tried to steal 3rd base. However, Militia second baseman Brian Andrews caught a short popup in RF and made a perfect flip to SS Jeff Amick to double off Johnston at 2B. Both Altmyer and Rafalski were dominant on the hill and pitched scoreless innings until the 9th inning.
In the top of the 9th, the Michigan Militia “Molotov cocktailed” a post office and created a ruckus as they rallied for four runs. ( Jeremy Barchie and Dan Stell shown in video)
Brian Andrews called in a Predator Missle and singled to RF to start the inning. Andrew Shaffer promptly got his third hit of the game with a line drive down the RF line to move Andrews to third. Jeremy “Stumpy” Barchie was then clutch as he called in a Harrier Airstrike with a liner to CF to give the Militia a one run lead. Smart base running got Barchie to second base after Militia elder statesman Dan Stell missed a bunt. However, Stell came up big as he called in a Nuke Attack when he doubled to the gap in LF to score both Shaffer and Barchie. The Militia tacked on an extra run in the inning to take a 6-2 lead.
That was all the cushion that Militia ace “Giant Killer” Paul Altmyer needed as he shut down the Canes in the bottom of the 9th to give the Militia a 6-3 win over the Hurricanes. Jeff Amick played all star defense at SS and Dan Stell made nice catches in CF to preserve the victory.
My respect is given to the Hurricanes as they won the Championship last year. Rafalski is by far one of the best pitchers in the NABA if not the best. They will be a force to be reckoned with again next season.
The Militia will now take on the ARCH RIVAL Ducks on Wednesday night at 9 PM at Springview. Jeremy Barchie is slated to be starting pitcher on the hill. Both teams will be well rested so it will be called the “Battle at Springview”.
The Militia is “Not Afraid”.
South Oakland Ducks Baseball 
I guess I’ll initiate the conversation on this semi final matchup. First off I like how after the hurricanes are eliminated all of the complaining, degrading, and badass-ness simply disappears. You guys are still the defending champs…for another 5 days or so, make use of it! And please, the militia “aren’t afraid” come on. I don’t know what the ducks to militia runs scored ratio is in our three games this season but I know its probably 5x better than that kids kill death ratio who made those horrendous call of duty references in that recap. Let’s please take care of these kids so I don’t have to see those again. And who can say they aren’t afraid when they’re coming into our turf, the duck pond, for a 9pm road to the championship, game, in which we’ve been playing stellar all season long. I like the ducks to make short work of yet another opponent en route to a probable, much wanted rematch of the sox in the finals to show who the real champions are.
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quack!
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Haha good. Dont take us lightly tomorrow night. The runs ratio means shit in a one game playoff. The militia will have full troops ready for battle. It will be a good game.
It is funny to me though how the three teams left in the tournament are all from the same conference…
Good luck tomorrow night. The Militia will be ready to roll…
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Dear Duck players and their fans,
You better get used to seeing the Militia, because starting Wed night when you fall asleep, the nightmares will begin to occur after seeing the Militia destroy the Ducks or should I say District 9. The Duck pond doesn’t scare the Miltia at all, its the ugly faces of each Duck player that worries us. The Militia will use every weapon possible to destroy District 9. We will invade the Pond and simply win like we have been all season. The only thing short that the Ducks will be experiencing is their season coming to an end just short of the champiosnhip once again. The soup can will deliver curveball after curveball, slower and slower as the innings continue but yet each Duck will be on their front foot and hit pus ground balls for easy outs. To the Ducks and their fans, I hope you like soup because the can will be opened Wed!
Quack Quack!
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pirates15
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Pittsburgh Dept of Public Works just told me they can guarantee only 4 lightbulbs to be functional at the spring hill field tomorrow.
I agree with Baumgartel. Hurricanes great team but Holloway loudmouth crap gets them nowhere.
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Who is this LarryZ clown? Did you even play in the league this year? Everyone in the league knows that in a 3 game series, their a$$ gets handed to them by the canes.
Poor coaching and lack of desire lost us the game on Sunday.
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Didn’t the Canes lose to the Sox in a best of three playoff series this year?
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Simply win like all season? I seem to remember 11-1, 5-3, 11-2 Ducks wins in all three games vs militia this year, with the worst loss (11-1) being at the duck pond. So bring your best plan with your invasion but remember its our home turf.
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Quack. Ducks for life. Wish I could be there for when we win the title. Make sure to send me my championship ring to California
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Wow Swoosh!!! You are already crowning the Ducks the Champions?!?! That is a ballsy statement!
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haha I knew that would fire you up kenny.
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if the militia can top one of the most dominant teams this league has seen in the Canes, we can not afford to take them lightly at all. One game at a time etc…Anything can happen in baseball. I think the canes were playing for the semis a little and didn’t expect to be in a tight game vs the militia, that’s what it looked like anyway. We’re playing to win one game. there’s no point in saving anyone for sat if we don’t get there etc…I don’t even know who is going to show up to pitch for us yet, but I know Barchie is a big game player, he won a huge game for the Blues in AC, and while he has never beaten the Ducks, nor have the militia beaten us this season, they have to feel confident now.
That said, they better be ready for our best on wed.
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Gwin told me he’s hanging up the cleats forever if the Ducks lose tomorrow night.
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i said no such thing…this isn’t the gray bats.
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Come on Larry, don’t just make that crap up. The Militia are obviously no joke, they beat the HURRICANES. However, having said that, the Ducks’ depth chart can’t be beat.
I can’t believe I have to miss this game tomorrow because of work. But I’ll be back for Saturday when I plan to see Ducks on the field.
Quack it up!
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The shit talk is back!
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where have you been?
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