Kars advances to GOFL finals

A new Greater Ottawa Fastball League playoff champion will be declared in 2023 as the Kars Aces eliminated defending champs Micksburg Twins with a 2-1 victory on Tuesday night in Manotick. 

It was a wild finish to a well-played game that put the Aces on top with a two-game sweep of their semi-final best of three series.

Cory Alkerton got the pitching win, allowing only one hit, three walks and a hit batsman. Joran Graham threw very well taking the loss, also only allowing one hit, one hit batsman and striking out 17. 

The Twins got their run in the top of the third. Quentin Rook started the inning and was hit by a pitch. A sacrifice bunt by Paul Griffith moved Rook to second. After a strikeout, Matt McIntyre singled up the middle to put Micksburg up 1-0.

The scored stayed that way until the bottom of the final inning as Graham was perfect through six. 

Brad Pender led off the seventh with an offhand triple to left field. Kristian Knapp followed and was hit by a pitch. Knapp immediately stole second on the first pitch. Graham struck out the next two batters. Then, with Nick Ellis at the plate, a wild pitch to the screen scored Pender to tie the game. As Pender was scoring the catcher attempted to throw to Graham who was covering the plate; the toss was errant, and the speedy Knapp scored all the way from second to walk off the win for Kars.

The win by the Aces avenges their loss to the Twins in the Finals in 2022. Kars will face Orleans Rebels in the Final as they defeated Quyon Flyers in the other semi-final. 

Dates and times will be posted for the best of three series as soon as available. 

A nice crowd on hand in Manotick for playoff fastball.