Round 2 -- August 5, 2012

Northwest Regional Park Field 1:    Umpire-Reggie Grant
Round 2: Kings (1) 6 (WP-Chuck Grant ) Sky & Sky Inc. (1) 1 (LP- Jeff Harris ) 

In a re-match of the 2011 PMSL League Championship Game, the Kings defeated Sky & Sky 6-1. Kings starter Chuck Grant limited the potent Sky offense to just 5 singles, while the Kings defense was flawless.

In t-2nd, singles by Pat Wilcox and Andy Bloom had runners on the corner for Sky with 0 outs. Brian Sky hit a SF flyout to RF Brad Millison, with Millison gunning down Bloom attempting to tag up from 1st to 2nd base. Sky did score a run on the play, but the doubleplay cleared the bases and Grant was able to strikeout the next hitter to limit the damage to just the 1 run.

In b-3rd, Kings loaded bases with 0 outs on 1B by Millison, 1B by Grant , and walk to Mike Herr. With 1 out Kenny Salzman hit a SF to tie score, but Sky starter Jeff Harris was able to escape the Kings bases loaded rally with none out by just allowing 1 run. Into b-4th with score 1-1, Arin Gelletly doubled and Alan Varhaftik drew a walk to start inning. Both runners advanced on a Jan Katzen flyout and both scored on Troy Hendricks 2 RBI 1B putting Kings ahead 3-1.

In b-5th, 1 out singles by Koby Sarubin, Salzman, Shilo Merwitz, and 2 RBI 1B by Arin Gelletly extended Kings lead 6-1. Grant sailed along in the final 3 innings, never facing more than 4 Sky batters in any of those innings. The final score was Kings 6 Sky 1.

Kings game notes:
►Kings improved their lifetime Round 2 record to 18-6 (.750)
►Kings advance to the Round 3 winner's bracket game for the 8th straight season and 12th time in 24 seasons.
►Kings lifetime are 16-7 (.696) in Round 3 Playoffs, including an impressive 10-1 (.909) Round 3 record out of the winner's bracket.
►With 3 hits on the day, Shilo Merwitz (460) passed Jeff Slutzker (459) to move into 4th place on the Kings all-time list. He trails just Mike Herr (718), Alan Varhaftik (618), and Dave Sandler (462).
►The Kings outfield defense was tremendous including the right sided duo of 22 year olds Koby Sarubin and Brad Millison.

Northwest Regional Park Field 2:    Umpire-Mark Radom
Round 2: Stingers (7) 22 (WP- Larry Newman )  Thunderbirds (6) 1  (LP- ) 

The second round brought the Stingers against the Thunderbirds. The second round has historically been good to the Stingers in past years and this year would be no different. Nick Serkes and Mike Randall would get it going for the Stingers with two outs to put men on the base. Sean Flynn drove in an rbi from his double followed by Stewart Sheridan and Matt Friedman RBI singles to take a 3-0 lead. Larry Newman would be on his game shutting down the Birds in the b-1st. In the t-2nd James Engler and Joe Binkowski awoke their bats with doubles and an rbi for Joe scoring Engler. Tim Palo got into the mix and he drove in Binkowski with his double for the Stingers to take a 6-0 lead. In the b-2nd the Birds found a way onto the scoreboard but would only be able to manage a solo run making it a 6-1 game after two innings of play. In the t-3rd, Sheridan and Friedman jumped on base with their singles and Binkowski, who had a better batting day, drove both in for another 2 runs for the Stingers expanding their lead 8-1. With the Birds unable to put anymore on the board since the 2nd, the Stingers would try to close the game and came close. With Palo and Scott Webster on the bases, Mike Randall sailed a towering triple to the top of the fence for another 2 runs, followed by Flynn’s SAC brining in Randall. The Bird didn’t allow the Stingers to go far enough in the 4th and were unable to change the score after 4 innings of play. So in the t-5th with the Stingers up 11-1, the Signers would make a second attempt to take the game in round two. Friedman go the bats going with his lead off single followed by Eisenberg’s walk and Englers’ single. Binkowski would add on to his rbi total for the day with his SAC. Newman, Engler and Esenberg were left on the bags with one out and the parade of rbis began as Palo would get his via a walk, Websters would get his via a line drive single as well as Serkes and his single. Flynn would drive in another SAC, followed by Friedman with his rbi double and Engler’s 3 run double for the Stingers to take a 22-1 lead. Nemo closed his day with a great pitching day and Friedman shutting down the Birds final attempt for a run at home assisted by Serkes.

Stingers game notes:
►Matt Friedman celebrated his victory on Tuesday with the birth of his baby boy, Logan, arriving at 7 lbs. 8.8 oz.

Northwest Regional Park Field 3:    Umpire-Kory Rosenberg
Round 2: Deuces Up (8) 14 (WP- Bob Mallonee )  Natty O's (5) 11  (LP-RJ Seabeck ) 

The Deuces Up team went into game two hurting, exhausted, and short handed. They played the Natty Os with only 9 players, two of which were playing injured. The DU bats came out hot, batting around the order in the first inning with 7 hits and 2 walks leading to six first inning runs. The Os got a few of the runs back in the bottom of the inning thanks to a 3 run homerun by RJ Seabeck. The green machine stayed hot in the second inning, with an Andy Peksa walk, a Joe Chambers single, and a triple by Mark Winkel to deep left field. A single by Michael Bowen scored Winkel, and gave the DU team a 9-3 lead. Each time added a run over the next inning, the Deuces up run courtesy of Andy Peksa's third run of the game on a Joe Chambers RBI single.

The game really changed when the Natty Os were able to take the lead with 4 runs in the third inning and another 3 in the bottom of the 4th inning. Thanks in part the DU only having 3 OFers, these runs came thanks to 5 home runs throughout the game. Deuces Up got a 2 out single by the hobbling Billy Giles in the top of the 5th. The Natty Os chose Andy Peksa as the courtesy runner for Giles, and Peksa channeled his anger into running around the bases when Joe Chambers mashed a triple to right field. However, Mark Winkel, playing with a sore wrist, was unable to drive in the go ahead run when he attempted a one handed swing and feebly grounded out to the first baseman. The Natty Os loaded up the bases with 2 outs in the bottom of the 5th inning, but were unable to capitalize thanks to a brilliant grab by 2B Martin Harris in Shallow right field.

The score remained tied going into the 7th inning, with Andy Peksa getting the all important lead off single. After Joe Chambers singled to put runners on the corners with 1 out, the one armed Winkel was able to bloop a single to center field to plate Peksa for the 4th time in the game and to give DU the go ahead run. Michael Bowen followed that up with a clutch RBI double, and pitcher Bob Mallonee gave his cause another insurance run with a sacrifice RBI. Mallonee was able to retire the last 7 Natty Os batters to finish out a dramatic game and give the Deuces Up new life in their playoff dreams. A special mention goes out to center fielder Mikey Leight, who recorded 10 of the 21 outs for DU, his defense being one of the key parts to a miraculous win for the green shirts.

DU Box Score:
Andy Peksa: 2-3, 2 BB, 4 R
Billy Giles: 3-5, 2 R
Joe Chambers: 4-4. 1 BB, 3 R, 2 RBI
Mark Winkel: 2-4, 1 BB, 3 R, 4 RBI
Michael Bowen: 3-5, 1 R, 4 RBI

Northwest Regional Park Field 4:      Umpire- Lane Gordon
Round 2: Bombers (3) 21 (WP- Tzvi Friedman )  Northwest Corridor (2)  8 (LP- Howard Goldberg )

Game 2 was a seesaw affair. The Bombers took an early lead. They scored 2 in the first, 1 in the 2nd, and 3 more in the 3rd to take a 6-0 lead. RBI’s came from Flamm, Shulie (2) Brad, and Dan (2). NWC took the lead to 7-6 by scoring 7 in the 4th. 2 more runs would have scored for NWC but Shad made an amazing diving catch. The Bombers showed what they were made of by storming back in the 5th to score 7 runs of their own. After leadoff single by Shulie and Tzvi, Tony Doubled home the tying run. Dan’s RBI single gave the Bombers the lead that they wouldn’t lose for the rest of the game. Gardners single made it 9-7 and Shad’s triple drove home 2 more. Mikie and Ben tacked on RBI’s to make it 13-7.

The Bombers weren’t done. They scored 8 more runs in the 7th to win 21-8 After Mikie and Ben singled, Flamm walked. Shulie hit a 2 run double, Tzvi hit a triple off the fence, and Brad drove in the last 2.

The Bombers will play the Kings next week in a match of unbeaten teams.

Round 3 -- August 12, 2012

Northwest Regional Park Field 1:    Umpire-Rick Simmons
Round 3:  Northwest Corridor (2) 6 (WP- Howard Goldberg )  Deuces Up (7) 5 (LP- Bob Mallonee )

#2 seed NWC faced a vastly improved Deuces Up squad in the 3rd round of the playoffs. Bob Mallonee squared off against league veteran Ted Winner on the mound. Both pitchers shut down the opposing offenses in the 1st two innings and both enjoyed strikeouts in the 2nd inning. Deuces Up got on the board 1st in the top of the 3rd inning. Brad and Joe Chambers had back to back rbi hits after 2 uncharacteristic Winner walks issued. NWC erased that lead quickly in the bottom half of the inning. Jon Herbst drew a walk followed by Scott Snyder and Howard Goldberg singles. Adam Silverman drilled a clutch triple into the gap and Brad Rosenberg completed the 4run inning with a sac fly to centerfield. Deuces Up battled right back and up 2 runs in the 4th inning to take the lead back. Mark Winkel scored after a base hit and Mallonee rbi single. Josh Vaeth crushed a 2rbi inside the park homer over Herbst’s head in right centerfield. Deuces up now led 5-4 and going into the bottom of the 4th. Mallonee shut down the NWC offense in the bottom half of the innings and NWC brought in their closer Goldberg to face DU in the 5th. Trevor Walzl tied the game at 5-5 in the bottom of the 5th after a sac fly that plated Goldberg. Goldberg allowed a double to Winkel in the top of the 6th but once again held the DU offense off of the scoreboard. NWC left another 2 men on base in the bottom of the 6th and both teams went into the last inning tied and ready to breakthrough. Vaeth led off the inning with a hit but the rest of the DU lineup was still unable to score a run off of NWC vet Goldberg. That allowed NWC to bat in the bottom half of the inning and for Walzl to become the hero once again. Snyder started things off with a single up the middle. Goldberg followed with a bloop double putting runners on 2nd & 3rd. Adam Silverman drew a walk to load the bases and Trevor Walzl drilled a line drive base hit to left center to score the winning run, eliminate Deuces Up from the playoffs and move NWC onto the 4th round. 6-5

Northwest Regional Park Field 2:    Umpire-Mark Radom
Round 3:  Sky & Sky Inc. (4) 9 (WP-Jeff Harris  ) Stingers (7) 4 (LP-Tom Paulshock )

Stingers came into round three with Sky for the morning. Both Harris and Paulshock worked the first inning well keep runs off the board. IN the b-2nd Sky took the lead by 2, but the Stingers answered back with two of their own coming from a Joe Binkowski skipped drive to Sky’s left field that resulted in a 2 run inside the park homer. Sky then came back with another 2 of their own to take a 4-2 lead after 3 innings of play. IN the 4th, Harris and Paulshock again kept runs off the board. IN the t-5th, Stingers Friedman got things going with a left side single followed by an Eisenberg walk to put runners on the bases with nobody out. Paulshock would come through again with a fielder’s choice to drive in Eisenberg and Palo would loop one in as well to bring in another run for the Stingers making it a 4-4 game. Unfortunately, Sky would put up another two of their own in the b-5th to take the lead back again and they then added on another 3 in the b-6th to take round 3 of the 2012 playoffs.

Northwest Regional Park Field 4:      Umpire- Ken Seaman
Round 3:  Bombers (3) 23 (WP-Tzvi Friedman  ) Kings (1) 7 (LP-Chuck Grant  )  (6 Innings)

Round 3 of the playoffs pitted the Bombers and the Kings. Usually, games played between these 2 teams are nail biters. Not today. The Bombers pounced on the Kings and beat them easily 23-7. It was one of the biggest playoff margins of run differential in Bombers history.

The Bombers struck early and often . After Mikie hit an infield single and Ben reached on an error, Flamm hit a shot to deep RF. The ball was misplayed and the Bombers jumped on top for a 3-0 lead. The Kings bounced back scoring a run in the bottom of the first to cut the lead to 3-1. The Bombers jumped on Kings starter Chuck Grant in the 2nd and essentially put the game away with a 7 run outburst. Grant had little help from his defense. Dan started the inning with an infield single. Tony then laced a double to RCF and Brad’s 2 run single made it 5-1. Shad followed with an RBI single and after Ben’s infield single, Loeb’s sharp hit up the middle made it 8-1. Shulie’s bloop single made it 9-1 and an error by the Kings on a routine play off the bat of pitcher Tzvi Friedman made it 10-1.

The Bombers weren’t through. They tacked on 5 more in the 3rd to make it 15-1. Mikie, Ben, and Flamm hit RBI singles and Shulie drove in 2 more with a triple. The Kings fought back scoring 4 in the bottom of the 3rd to cut the Bombers lead to 15-5. The Bombers added a run in the 4th on an RBI triple by Tony.

The Kings scored 2 more runs but the Bombers put the game away with 7 more in the 6th to end the game after 6 innings. The final score was 23-7. The Kings decided to save Chuck for game 2 and put Mike Herr in but the Bombers kept hitting. In the 6th, Shulie and Tzvi singled and Jason’s RBI single made it 17-7. Dan’s single made it 18-7 and Shad’s single made it 20-7. Mikie, Ben and Flamm ended the game with RBI singles.

Bombers Playoff notes:
The Bombers have outscored their first 3 2012 playoff opponents 60- 19.

Round 4 -- August 12, 2012

Northwest Regional Park Field 1:    Umpire-Rick Simmons (plate), Mark Radom (bases)
Round 4:  Northwest Corridor (2) 5 (WP- Howard Goldberg )  Kings (1) 3 (LP- Chuck Grant )  (12 Innings)

This 4th round elimination game brought the 1st and 2nd seeded teams against each other. The Kings bested NWC in a doubleheader sweep to capture the regular season title just two weeks before. The pressure was on and each team threw their aces on the mound to do battle. Chuck Grant shut down NWC in the top of the 1st despite singles from Snyder and Goldberg. The Kings jumped on the scoreboard in the bottom of the inning. Jan Katzen hit a sac fly to plate Kings leadoff batter Sarubin. The scoring would stop until the 4th inning. Goldberg cruised through The Kings lineup and Grant was able to get out of a jam in the 3rd inning leaving NWC runners on 2nd and 3rd. Matt Bell finally got NWC on the scoreboard with n rbi single to left scoring Adam Silverman. Again grant got out of the inning leaving runners on 2nd and 3rd base. The Kings regained the lead quickly. Steve Levy knocked in Shilo Merwitz after back to back hits from Merwitz & Varhaftik. So the score would remain 2-1 until the last inning. NWC came up in the top of the 7th inning trying to stay alive in the title race. Grant got the 1st two batters quickly on a flyball to center and a grounder to 3rd base. With two out Scott Snyder reached base on a costly error. Brian Jarosinski followed with a single and Goldberg followed with a base hit rbi to score Snyder and tie the game at 2-2. Silverman followed with another rbi hit to score Jarosinski and NWC now had their first lead 3-2 in the 7th. Brad Millison knocked a leadoff single to center to start off the bottom of the 7th. Mike Herr came up with a clutch base hit to right center to advance Millison to 3rd base and troy Hendricks once again tied the ballgame with a sac fly to right. into extra innings we went and both teams stepped up the intensity, the pitching and the defense. Both teams challenged to take the lead each inning but neither team could break through. On to the 9th, into the 10th, again to the 11th inning this battle was epic and neither team would break. Finally NWC threatened in the top of the 12th inning. Snyder and Jarosinsi both hit singles at the start of the inning. Goldberg hit into a fielder’s choice to 3rd base. One out, 2 runners on. Silverman flew out for the 2nd out of the inning. Walzl came up big once again knocking Snyder and giving NWC the lead in the 12th inning. Grant and The Kings gave Rosenberg a free pass to load the bases and get to Matt Bell. Bell worked the count and drew a bases loaded walk scoring Goldberg and giving NWC a 2run lead. Bottom of the 12th Goldberg was able to get Alan Varhaftik to fly out to left field for the 1st out. Jan Katzen hit a clutch line drive single to center. Steve levy followed with another single to out the tying runs on base for The Kings. Brad Millison flew out to left field. That left Glenn Savage to be the savior for the Kings. Savage hit a ball into the gap in left center field. Katzen was already at 3rd and would surely score, Levy was hitting 2nd and thinking extra bases too. Trevor Walzl the NWC hero all day long , sprinted in, dove sliding fully outstretched and caught the ball for the 3rd out and secured the victory for NWC in a franchise and league playoff record 12 innings.

Game notes:
►The 12 inning game is the longest PMSL Playoff game since scores were maintained in 1988 (and likely longest in the league's 35 year history).
►The12 inning game is the longest in both Kings and NWC franchise history.
►Since 2000, there has been only 1 other PMSL game, Regular Season or Playoffs, of 12 or more innings -- July 27, 2008 Sky & Sky 6 Eastern Savings Bank 3.
►This will be NWC’s 1st time in franchise history advancing to the 5th round. The franchise’s first appearance in the PMSL title game.

Northwest Regional Park Field 4:    Umpire-Ken Seaman
Round 3:  Sky & Sky Inc. (4) 5 (WP-Jeff Harris  ) Bombers (3) 3 (LP-Tzvi Friedman )

In round 4, the Bombers were looking for revenge when they played Sky and Sky. Sky and Sky rallied against the Bombers late in their 2011 playoff game and ended the Bombers season while Sky went on to win the championship. However, the Bombers bats went silent and Sky, behind Jeff Harris beat the Bombers 5-3. Friedman pitched another great game but the Bombers defense made a key error in the 7th which allowed 2 unearned runs to score and give Sky the 5-3 victory. Sky scored 3 in the 2nd but the Bombers battled back. Friedman’s RBI single in the 4th made it 3-1.

In the 5th, Dan and Brad singled and Jay Walle’s pinch hit single made it 3-2. Mikie then came through with a clutch single to knot it at 3-3.

The Bombers will play Sky again on Sunday with the winner advancing to the championship against NWC.

Round 5 -- August 19, 2012

Northwest Regional Park Field 1:    Umpire-Kory Rosenberg (plate), Reggie Grant (bases), Lane Gordon (bases)
Round 5:  Sky & Sky Inc. (4) 10 (WP- Jeff Harris  )  Bombers (3) 4 (LP- Tzvi Friedman  ) 

Highlights pending.

Round 6 -- Championship Game - August 19, 2012

Photos Part 1:

Photos Part 2:

NWC had to play the waiting game in preparation for their 1st title game in franchise history. As Sky&Sky and The Bombers battled to see who would be NWC’s opponent in the final game, the Northwest Corridor players arrived at the fields early. Not to watch their potential opponents play………..but to take fielding practice, BP and prepare to win a championship. The morning was overcast and slightly cool so keeping warm while the other two teams played a game for almost an hour and a half was crucial.

Sky& Sky defeated The Bombers and would now attempt to defend their league championship title against NWC. NWC had upset the top seeded and regular season champion Sky & Sky a year earlier in the playoffs, but S&S came back, stormed through the other rounds and captured the 2011 Championship.

Howard Goldberg took the mound against Sky’s Jeff Harris. Former NWC member Eric Radom started the game off with a line drive single off of his former team mate to begin the game. Goldberg retired the next 3 Sky batters to end the small threat and get the early inning jitters out of their system. Jon Herbst started the bottom half of the inning off in style knocking a double down the 3rd base line just out of the reach of Sky & Sky 3rd baseman Elliott Blank’s glove. He would be stranded on 2nd base as Harris also retired the next 3 batters to end the inning.

Goldberg induced flyballs from Wilcox, Kowitz and Sky to breeze through the 2nd inning. Meanwhile NWC would get on the board first with 2 runs in the bottom of the 2nd. Adam Silverman and Trevor Walzl delivered back to singles to lead off the 2nd. With two outs Jon Goldman delivered a clutch rbi line drive to right center and Chris Ammann followed with another rbi base knock giving NWC the early 2-0 lead.

Sky&Sky only took a half an inning to erase that lead and take one of their own. Jeff Sacks doubled home Andy Bloom early in the inning an injured Jeff Harris drew a walk and Eric Radom reached on an error to tie the score at 2. Steve Truitt put Sky & Sky ahead by a run with a hard rbi single.

Down 3-2 NWC wasn’t going to change their game or settle for losing. The NWC offense took back control of the game with a 5 run bottom of the 3rd. After a Scott Snyder leadoff base hit up the middle, Brian Jarosinksi drilled a well hit double to the fence in left centerfield plating Snyder. Goldberg beat out an infield single and Adam Silverman roped a double into the centerfield gap scoring Jarosinski and Goldberg. Trevor Walzl belted a towering double off of the fence to left center scoring Silverman. Goldman stepped up and plated Walzl 3 batters later with another rbi single. 7-3 going into the 4th inning.

Wilcox, Kowitz and Sky went down in order in the 4th again. Snyder and Goldberg managed two 3-1 assits for the 1st and 3rd outs of the inning. In the Sky& Sky 5th inning Andy Bloom led off with a double but was left stranded on 2nd base. NWC was shut down in the 4th inning but put up 3 more insurance runs in the bottom of the 5th inning. Walzl started the inning with another double, this time stretching a single into a double and catching the Sky&Sky outfield off guard. Brad Rosenberg knocked him in with a liner to left and Matt Bell reached base on a SS error. Gabe Unterman singled to get another base runner on and Scott Snyder knocked in 2 runs with a clutch double. Jarosinski drew a walk and Goldberg lined a FC to 3rd base to end the inning.

Sky&Sky wasn’t finished, looking for a comeback and back to back PMSL titles they struck back in the top of the 6th. With two outs Van Landingham and Wilcox both reached base. Radom scored and Van landingham scored as Kowitz reached on error. Brian Sky delivered a clutch hit to centerfield and Sky&Sky was back in the ballgame 10-6. The rally was ended abruptly when NWC 2nd baseman Matt Bell ran into shallow right field and grabbed an Andy Bloom pop over his shoulder and on the run to end the inning.

In the bottom of the inning NWC put up one more run, again started by Trevor Walzl. This time he drilled a triple with one out to lead the charge. Brad Rosenberg knocked him with a sac fly to left centerfield and NWC now enjoyed an 11-6 lead.

Bottom of the 7th and the last chance for Sky&Sky to stage a comeback and earn the title. Things looked very promising to start the inning as Sky&Sky had runners on 1st and 2nd with one out. Radom lined an outside pitch into left field but Walzl was able to track it down for the 2nd out of the inning. Goldberg reached back and induced a fly ball from Steve Truitt to left centerfield. Brian Jarosinski squeezed it in his glove for the final out and NWC became the 2012 PMSL league Champions!!

NWC Game Notes:
► Many former NWC alumni came out with the large crowd to show their support. Lee Pollak, David Stein, Joey Liner, Aaron Birenbaum. Even league veteran and hall of famer Paul Bell who was out to support his son had played two games for NWC a few years back.
► Walzl went 4-4 with 3 extra base hits just one week after he delivered the go ahead runs in two different games and performed a sliding diving catch in left field to end a 12 inning elimination game thriller against The Kings
► This was NWC’s 1st appearance in a PMSL title game and 1st championship victory. It took 11 seasons to capture their first title. Howard Goldberg, Gabe Unterman and Jon Goldman were the 3 members in the championship game who were also members of their inaugural season as Mt. Washington Tavern in 2002.
► Injured players Scott Sweren and Jeff Kurland were there to join in the celebrating. Kurland (out for the season after knee surgery) took over as manager for the game and lent his league expertise to the team having played in many championship games himself. Sweren came out on crutches, making his 1st appearance since in season hip surgery.
► Scott Snyder & Ted Winner have both been parts of 1st place or finals teams but they had yet to capture a title, Winner was in his 2nd stint with NWC having also pitched for them in 2007.

Howard Goldberg has written an excellent history of the Northwest Corridor franchise. It can be read here.