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Red Rock takes playoff championship

The Red Rock Avengers won the 100 Mile Men’s Fastball League playoffs last week
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Red Rock Avengers pitcher Pat Findlay was steady and controlled throughout the 100 Mile Men's Fastball League playoff championship. He only gave up 14 runs in the three-game series

The Red Rock Avengers won the 100 Mile Men’s Fastball League playoffs last week by winning the rubber match in the best-of-three series against Jakes Pub.

It was the second consecutive year the Avengers grabbed the playoffs title, but this year, Red Rock had to come through the back door into the championship finals.

Last year, they won both the league and playoff trophies.

This year, however, Jakes Pub won the league title after putting together a nearly flawless season.

Jakes - 9

Avengers – 7

The game 1 showdown on July 22 was an exciting contest between the league champions and Red Rock, which finished third in league play.

Jakes’ chucker Greg Parent mowed down 10 Avengers via strikeouts for the victory, while Pat Findlay recorded four strikeouts in a losing cause.

There was no scoring in the first inning, but the Pub crew jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second thanks to a three-run double by Jamie Law.

The score was 5-2 after three innings, and in the fourth, Jakes veteran centre-fielder Len Goin hit a two-run double for a 7-2 lead. He also registered two more singles and a run batted in (RBI) during the game.

However, the Red Rock bats came alive in the fifth inning with a five-run rally to knot the score at seven apiece.

Jakes Pub earned the victory when Parent crossed the plate on an error in the top of the sixth inning.

Red Rock had two men on the base when a shallow fly was caught for the third and final out.

However, it was a costly out, as Goin was injured while he was racing in for the ball and collided with the second baseman who was back-peddling for the pop up. Goin, who was an important cog in both the team’s offence and defence, broke his arm and jaw in the collision and was out for the remainder of the playoffs.

FAST bytes

• teve Almond went 3 for 3 with three singles for Jakes.

• ed Rock’s Brent Szabo hit a home run for an RBI, Brad Mills had a triple (1 RBI), Ryan Odette had a triple, and Brandon Hilstad smacked a three-run double.

Avengers - 8

Jakes Pub – 1

Red Rock evened the series via the seven-run mercy rule after five completed inning on July 23.

Parent had seven strikeouts in the losing cause, while Findlay struck out four.

The first inning was scoreless, and Red Rock went up 2-0 in the second thanks to two-run double by Kurtis Bicknell.

It was 4-0 after three thanks a double by Mills and Szabo scoring on an error.

Both teams scored a run in the fourth inning with Jakes getting on the scoreboard thanks to Mark Dufour hitting a single, Greg Lund getting to first base on a fielder’s choice, Parent hit a single to advance Lund and Ed Ray singled him home.

Szabo led off the bottom of the fifth inning with a triple for the Avengers and then Brody Borg hammered a shot over the fence for two runs. Mike Hopkins hit a single and cashed in Cale Tessaro who reached base on an error for the eighth run.

Avengers - 16

Jakes - 5

There was a great crowd on hand for this sudden-death final on July 25.

Jakes was hit with the injury bug and it forced some of the guys to play positions they were unfamiliar with, and it hurt them in this game.

Findlay went a complete game and notched three strikeouts for the game, while Parent set down five batters in a losing cause.

Red Rock led off with eight runs in the top of the first inning, but Jakes came back with two runs and had bases loaded with only one out. Unfortunately, they couldn’t advance the runners and the inning ended 8-2 in the Avengers favour.

It was 9-2 at the end of the second and the teams scored three runs each in the third, which ended with Red Rock leading 12-5.

The Avengers continue their good, safe hitting and found the holes in the defence to rack up another four runs, and the game was called.

FAST bytes

• zabo had the big stick for Red Rock with a single, double and triple for five RBIs; Mills - home run (2 RBIs); Hilstad - two doubles (2 RBIs); Bicknell – two singles and a double (1 RBI); Hopkins – single and a double (2 RBIs); and Tessaro – single and a double.

• akes Pub’s Ray countered with a double (2 RBIs); Lund – single and a double (1 RBI); Parent – double (1 RBI); and Law – single (1 RBI).

It was a good year for men’s fastball this season with good crowds turning up for the games, the young players coming into their own and a great show of sportsmanship throughout the season.

Everyone is hoping Goin will be back patrolling the field or stretching out for the catch at first base for Jakes Pub next year.