The defending champion Seaborne Stealers came into Monday’s Bob Owens playoff action needing to win two games to get the chance to defend their crown; and through grit and determination, that is exactly what they did.
Relegated to the losers’ bracket after losing their playoff opener, the Stealers came back to beat the Cartel, 16-10, and the Diageo Hummers, 16-8, to advance to the finals where they will find arguably the hottest team in the playoffs, the Coolers.
The Coolers, the only team yet to lose a game in the playoffs, beat the Hummers 14-12 in the first game of the night to secure their spot in the finals.
Coolers 14, Hummers 12
Monday’s early game was a matchup of the two remaining undefeated teams in the playoffs in the Coolers and the Hummers. The latter was leading by one run in the bottom of the seventh at 12-11 when the Coolers’ Angel Rosa delivered a game-winning three-run, walk-off home run for the victory.
It was the Coolers with 14 runs on 12 hits and two errors, while the Hummers finished with 12 runs on 11 hits and two errors. The winning pitcher was Dexter Desouza and Roy Vialet got the loss.
Top batters for the winners were Angel Rosa (3 for 3 with two home runs and five RBIs) and Tomas Corcino (3 for 3 with a home run and three RBIs). For the Hummers, Cantobol Encarnacion was 3 for 3 with a home run and two RBIs, and David Clarke was 2 for 4 with two home runs and six RBIs.
Stealers 16, Hummers 8
After beating the Cartel 16-10 in game two to avoid elimination, the Seaborne Stealers had one more game to win to get back to the finals. That game was against the Diageo Hummers, a team who had hammered them in the opening game of the playoffs, 22-4, and was looking to do it again in a do-or-die situation for both teams.
Monday night, however, was different. After the Hummers took an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first, the rest of the night belonged to the Stealers as they doubled up their opponent, 16-8, to earn the chance to play for back-to-back Bob Owens championships.
It was the Stealers with 16 runs on 12 hits and two errors, while the Hummers finished with eight runs on eight hits and three errors. Sam Ramos got the win on the hill for the Stealers, while Roy Vialet got the loss. Top batters for the winners were Dave Schjang (3 for 3 with a home run and three RBIs) and Raymond Cintron (2 for 3 with a home run and two RBIs). For the Hummers, Mario Christian was 3 for 3 with a home run and two RBIs, and David Clarke was 3 for 3 with two RBIs.