Jim Teyssier pitched a complete game shutout, striking out 9, while allowing just 3 hits and walking 2.
South Oakland scored its first run with two out in the bottom of the second, on three straight singels by Baumgartel, Smith and Gwin.
The Bulldogs left two men on base in the top of the third and would not threaten again.
In the bottom of the fourth, Fago walked, and pinch runner Tim Lipp stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error; he scored on Nick Berdine’s rbi single to left.
The Ducks will face Elliot in the finals on Saturday time and place to be determined.
James Fago pitched six strong innings, and James Teyssier earned the save in relief as the Ducks took a 1-0 series lead over the Bulldogs.
If our stats were up, Mike Cinefra would be putting up MVP numbers. In today’s game, he stole four bases, scored twice and drove in a run for South Oakland.
The Bulldogs were short-handed and threw the ball around a little.
Mike Martin made two spectacular catches in left for the Bulldogs.
For the Ducks, DeFilippo drove in two runs. In the second, Gwin stole third and scored after the catcher threw the ball into center field on an attempted pick off. Rob Cool singled and scored as well.
The Ducks have outscored their opponents 33-2 this post season and have allowed 1 earned run in four games.
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The Militia upset Elliot 5-4, once again winning in dramatic fashion, scoring the go ahead run in the top of the 8th after Wes White of Elliot made some rediculous play in shallow left to save a run.
Elliot and the Militia will finish their series tomorrow before the start of game 2 of the Ducks, Bulldogs series.
Game 3 (if necesary): Sun 7/31 Woodland Hills High School 5:3o pm
This will be the first ever post-season meeing between the Ducks and Bulldogs. Despite a dominant regular season winning percentage over the last several seasons, the Bulldogs are still in search of their first playoff victory.
On the other side of the bracket,
Jeremy Barchie leads a resurgent Monroeville Militia team against Elliot.
The Militia have come from behind to win to close games in the playoffs thanks to Barchie’s veteran leadership, and John Tremmel (sp.) being a beast.
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Congrats to the Express on a strong showing in the playoffs after winning only 6 games in the regular season.
The Express upset the 4 seed Black Sox and nearly took out the Militia last Sunday, losing 6-4 or something close after leading for most of the game.
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My one beef with the commisioner is that we haven’t recieved our championship t shirts from last year’s championship, nor was the trophy allowed to sit in Guthrie’s living room all summer.
In a battle of formidable foes, two of the premier pitchers in the NABA faced off at Joe Graff a.k.a. Volunteer Field. I have been playing baseball for a long time and this is one of the best games I have ever been apart of. The Ducks of old would be proud as we committed 0, that’s right 0 errors. Not even Berdine could Faff it up. Tish was a master on the mound against a great Hurricane lineup and our offense picked up where it left off and gave him a huge early cushion against a very good pitcher.
The top of the first went smoothly, Tish didn’t allow a baserunner until the 5th. The Ducks faced off against Rafalski throwing from the top of Mt. Everest and kept up the hot bats, scoring 4 of the first 5 to come to the plate and 6 overall in the bottom of the first. Lipp lined a ball in the hole to lead it off, advancing to second on T.J.’s single up the middle, and ending up at third after a botched ball by the Hurricane’s third baseman. I guessed right and started early to send a fastball to the left centerfield fence to score two and end up on second.
After watching this video I sent Gwin the following text…
July 25, 2011 12:46 PM I think we we win 2-0 berdine hits a bomb with flip on
With Flip on third, Berdine demolished a 1-0 slider over the high right centerfield at Volunteer into the trees, I got a chub. The feathered ones of South Oakland didn’t stop there. With two outs Ben “Benedict” Gwin rifled a single into right followed by Kenny Cool and then Tim Lipp’s second single of the inning, finally scoring on a Raflaski walk to Zarewicz.
Ben Gwin’s Senior Yearbook Photo
Ducks 6 Hurricanes 0
The second inning only saw three batters a side, but in the third the Ducks broke through for our 7th and final run. I hit the ball harder for an out to start off this inning than I did for my double in the first so I can’t be too upset, and only Fletch saw that the throw was offline and my lack of hustle cost us a baserunner… I owe him laps. Baumgartel and Berdine stayed hot with singles and Gwin wore a 90 mph fastball on the right shoulder to load the bases with 2 outs. Kenny Cool worked a fast ball count and swung early, sending a spinner out in front of the mound, Rafalski bobbled, fondled, and juggled the ball for a hustle E-1 and another Duck run.
Ducks 7 Hurricanes 0
The rest of the game was dominated by pitching and Duck defense. The only runner to reach second was Rafalski after a two out double, and one of the Hurricane’s 4 baserunners was thrown out at second on a strike em’ out, throw em’ out double play in the 6th. The last out was recorded as Holloway grounded out to Tish and the Ducks shutout the Hurricanes for the third time this season.
Some important facts about the Ducks this season.
-We shutout teams 12 times this season
-Elliot is second with 7
-We have outscored our opponents 22-0 in our two playoff games
-With 45 posts last time I checked, the last post was the most popular I have ever seen and it was a blurry playoff bracket and large Duck penis reference.
The Bulldogs beat us 14-1 and tore Whalen’s leg open in the first game of the year, they have outscored us 14-2. Pitching will be key, defense will be imperative, offense will be crucial. If South Oakland plays the way they have in the last two games, we won’t need a game 3. The bark of the Bulldogs vs. the quack of the Ducks this Saturday, venue and time TBA. Rob Cool is still gay.
If we didn’t want the chance to beat one of the best pitchers in the league in order to advance there’d be something wrong.
I’ll reply to the comments on the previous post shortly, but in general, regardless of what kind of a job you think Joe does as commisioner, I don’t see anyone else dying to step in and take his place.
South Oakland of the North Side (1-0) defeated the Hebrew Oilers 15-0 at Woodland Hills this afternoon.
Mike Fletcher pitched (1-0) pitched four scoreless innings for the win, and Rob Baumgartel pitched a perfect 5th to preserve the shutout.
For the Ducks:
James Fago was 3 for 3
Tim Lipp had most of our RBI going 2 for 2 with a sac fly.
Mark “Captain America” Guthrie was 0 for 0 with an rbi walk, and a sac bunt.
Gwin and Berdine each doubled.
and
Jim Teyssier went 1 for 1 with 2RBI
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In other news, Cranberry nearly upset the Militia. Jeremy Barchie was the hero in that game I’m sure.
The biggest upset of the day saw the Express eleminate the Black Sox, winning 5-4.
No way does Carrick take out Barchie and the Militia in the next round.
Something was off with the Sox this season.
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In a match-up of the last two league champions, the South Oakland Ducks will face the Hurricanes Monday night 8:30 pm at John Herb Field for the right to advance to the semi’s.
South Oakland Ducks Baseball 