Jose Berrios delivered a clutch two-out, three-run homer in the top of the seventh to give the Coolers a dramatic come-from-behind championship win over the Stealers, 19-18, in the 2010-11 Bob Owens Slow Pitch Softball League Tuesday night at D.C. Canegata Ball Park.

The Coolers, undefeated in the playoffs, came into Tuesday’s finals needing to win just one game to claim the crown, while the Stealers playing from the losers’ bracket needed two victories to repeat as champs. But the Stealers had no intentions of going quietly, thumping the Coolers 25-5 in the opener.

But the new champions saved their best for last in winning a most exciting deciding game two.

Coolers 19, Stealers 18
After the teams battled back and fourth for most of the deciding contest, the Coolers found themselves down by six runs, at 18-12, heading to the top of the sixth inning. They would plate four runs in the inning to get to within two runs of the lead and set the stage for the seventh inning fireworks.

After the Stealers failed to score in the bottom of the sixth, the Coolers opened the top of the seventh by getting the first two batters on base. A double play quickly put the Stealers one out away for the championship.

Fortunately for the Coolers, the heart of their powerful lineup was coming up to bat.

With two outs, Eric Pere’s single to deep center placed runners on first and second with the power-hitting Berrios coming to the plate. After looking at one strike, Berrios blasted the next pitch he saw high over the left field fence, just inside the foul pole for the eventual game winner.

It was the Coolers with 19 runs on 17 hits and three errors, while the Stealers finished with 18 runs on 16 hits and two errors. The winning pitcher was Dexter Desouza, and Sam Ramos got the loss.

Top batters for the champs were Berrios (the playoff’s MVP, who went 3 for 4 with two home runs and four RBIs) and Perez (4 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs).

For the Stealers, Angel Torres was 4 for 5 with two home runs and six RBIs.