The Greater Ottawa Fastball League playoff final series will be going to a deciding game three after the Pontiac Flyers defeated the Micksburg Twins 4-3 on the road on Thursday night in a 14-inning back and forth battle that took three hours and 37 minutes to play in front of about 100 spectators.
Both pitchers went the distance throwing all 14 innings - Drew Hathway for the Flyers and Joran Graham for the Twins. Hathway earned the win, with only one earned run (the other two were international tie breaker runners), allowing four hits, walking four (two intentional), hitting a batter and striking out 21. Graham took the loss with only one earned run (other three ITB runners), allowing three hits, walking one, and striking out 29.
The teams were tied at 1-1 after seven complete, traded runs in the ninth, traded runs again in the twelfth, then the Flyers scored one in the fourteenth and the Twins couldn't respond, sealing the victory for the visitors and tying up the series.
The pitching performances were remarkable and there were several weird and wild plays.
I am going to try something different by giving an inning-by-inning synopsis of what happened. Here is a breakdown with both statistical details and some commentary added.
Game three details will be posted as soon as available.
Lineups:
Flyers: Dennis McCleary cf; Drew Hathway p; Matt Greer 1b; Hunter Beauregard ss; Cade Kuehl c; Shawn Laframboise lf; Jared Murray dp; Lane McMurtry 2b; Evan Atkinson rf; Luke Young flex / 3b
Twins: Joran Graham p; Andy McIntrye ss; Joe Mick c; Matt McIntyre lf; Jared Steege 3b; Jason McIntyre 2b; John Enright cf; Paul Griffith 1b; Ryan McIntyre rf
Officials: Dave Herbst plate; Steve Jaworski bases
Top of first
McCleary strikeout, one out; Hathway to first on error by 2b; Greer to first on infield single, Hathway to second; Beauregard out p to 1b, two out, Hathway to third, Greer to second; Beauregard as courtesy runner for Hathway; Kuehl ground out 1b to 2b.
Micksburg 0 Pontiac 0
Quyon had a chance early but couldn't get a run across. It was nice play by J. McIntyre on the Greer single just to keep it in the infield.
Bottom of first
Graham strikeout, one out; A. McIntyre strikeout, two out; Mick strikeout, three out.
Micksburg 0 Pontiac 0
Hathway came out firing seeds and struck out the side.
Top of second
Laframboise strikeout, one out; Murray strikeout, two out; McMurtry scores on solo home run, RBI; Atkinson strikeout, three out.
Pontiac 1 Micksburg 0
Solo bomb to centrefield by McMurtry on a low pitch scores the game's first run.
Bottom of second
M. McIntyre strikeout; one out; Steege walk; J. McIntyre pop out to ss, two out; Enright strikeout, three out.
Pontiac 1 Micksburg 0
Hathway got behind in the count on Steege and didn't give him anything to hit, and stranded Twins first baserunner.
Top of third
McCleary strikeout, put out c to 1b, one out; Hathway strikeout, two out; Greer ground out 2b to 1b, three out.
Pontiac 1 Micksburg 0
Graham starting to get more comfortable on the slab and started dealing.
Bottom of third
Griffith strikeout, one out; R. McInytre strikeout, two out; Graham strikeout, put out c to 1b, three out.
Pontiac 1 Micksburg 0
Hathway strikes out the side a second time.
Top of fourth
Beauregard strikeout, one out; Kuehl strikeout, two out; Laframboise strikeout, three out.
Pontiac 1 Micksburg 0
Graham's turn to strike out the side.
Bottom of fourth
A. McIntyre single to lf; A. McIntyre steals second, throwing error by c, advances to third; Mick strikeout, one out; M. McIntyre single to cf, A. McIntyre scores, RBI; Steege strikeout, two out; J. McIntyre ground out 1b unassisted, three out.
Pontiac 1 Micksburg 1
The McIntyre cousins make things happen in this inning to tie the game with the Twins' first two hits.
Top of fifth
Murray to first on error by ss; McMurtry strikeout, one out; Atkinson sac bunt 1b unassisted, Murray to second; McCleary strikeout, three out.
Pontiac 1 Micksburg 1
A lead off baserunner on an error can be problematic, but Graham shut things down to keep the game tied.
Bottom of fifth
Enright pop out bunt to p, one out; Griffith strikeout, two out; R. McIntyre triples; Graham strikeout, three out.
Pontiac 1 Micksburg 1
The players and fans went wild when nine-hitter Ryan Mac smashed a triple to the right-centre gap. A great throw by McCleary from centre made the play somewhat close at third. Hathway got a key strikeout to end the inning.
Top of sixth
Hathway strikeout, one out; Greer ground out ss to 1b, two out; Beauregard strikeout, three out.
Pontiac 1 Micksburg 1
Starting to wonder at this point - is this game going to extras?
Bottom of sixth
A. McIntyre fly out to cf, one out; Mick hit by a pitch, Nolan Rook in to pinch run; M. McIntyre strikeout, two out; Steege fly out to cf, three out. Mick re-enters.
Pontiac 1 Micksburg 1
The fly balls were really knocked down by the wind and cold air; they looked like they may have a chance off the bat. Also, the hit by pitch on Mick looked painful.
Top of seventh
Kuehl strikeout, one out; Laframboise bunt ground out p to 2b, two out; Murray strike out, three out.
Pontiac 1 Micksburg 1
Graham is pitching well and Pontiac isn't getting much in play - they haven't had a ball out of the infield since McMurtry's homer in the second.
Bottom of seventh
J. McIntyre ground out 2b to 1b, one out; Enright strike out, two out; Griffith strikeout, three out.
Pontiac 1 Micksburg 1
We are going to extra innings. How long could that possibly take?
Top of eighth
Young flex in to run for Murray dp as ITB at second; McMurtry strikeout, one out; passed ball advances Young to third; Atkinson strikeout, two out; McCleary ground out p to 1b, three out.
Pontiac 1 Micksburg 1
Not much offence still for Pontiac.
Bottom of eighth
Griffith as ITB at second; Griffith out for lead off, one out; R. McIntyre fly out to lf, two out; Graham strikeout, three out.
Pontiac 1 Micksburg 1
I don't think I've ever seen the ITB runner called for lead off before while attempting to get a good jump on a sac bunt situation, but this game did have some other "firsts".
Top of ninth
McCleary as ITB at second; Hathway strikeout, put out c to 1b, McCleary to third, one out; Greer walks; Beauregard reaches on fielder's choice to ss, McCleary scores, RBI; Kuehl strikeout, two out; Laframboise strikeout, three out.
Pontiac 2 Micksburg 1
Pontiac was lucky with the third strike on Hathway not being caught clean and the speedy McCleary getting to third, allowing him to score on Beauregard's grounder. Now Micksburg has to respond.
Bottom of ninth
Graham as ITB at second; A. McIntyre bloop double to rf, Graham scores, RBI; Mick ground out p to 1b, one out; M. McIntyre ground out ss to 1b, A. McIntyre out 1b to c, three out.
Pontiac 2 Micksburg 2
A clutch hit by Andy Mac, his second of the game to tie things up. Later Andy tried to score on Matt's ground out as he started running from second and didn't stop as throw was made. Kuehl had the ball in time at home on the throw from Greer, and Andy Mac tried to evade the tag and then come from behind the plate to score. Twins thought they had won the game, but the umpire ruled that he had broken his baseline when evading the tag and therefore was out, putting the game into a tenth inning.
Top of tenth
Laframboise as ITB at second; Murray re-enters as dp, strikeout, one out; McMurtry strikeout, two out; Atkinson strikeout, three out.
Pontiac 2 Micksburg 2
Graham strikes out the side, setting up a chance for Micksburg to win it.
Bottom of tenth
M. McIntyre as ITB at second; Steege walks; J. McIntyre reaches on fielder's choice, M. McIntyre out p to 3b to c, Steege out c to 3b, two out; J. McIntyre steals second; Enright strikeout, three out.
Pontiac 2 Micksburg 2
Another crazy double play in back-to-back innings for the Flyers. This time, on a comebacker to Hathway, he elected to get Matt Mac out a third; Young couldn't quite handle the throw, lost control and Matt Mac broke for home. A great throw by Young to Kuehl had the out at home. Meanwhile, Steege broke for third. An off balance throw from the ground by Kuehl to Young got Steege out. Pretty sure the first 1-5-2-5 double play I've ever seen.
Top of eleventh
Atkinson as ITB at second; McCleary strikeout, one out; Hathway strikeout, two out; Greer ground out 3b to 1b.
Pontiac 2 Micksburg 2
Again, Graham gives his team a chance to put up a run and win it. Greer's ground out was a laser beam, nice play by Steege to make the play.
Bottom of eleventh
Enright as ITB at second; Griffith sac bunt, out c to 2b, Enright to third, one out; R. McIntyre strikeout, two out; Graham and Steege both walked intentionally, bases loaded; Mick ground out p to 1b.
Pontiac 2 Micksburg 2
I am not sure I have ever heard a crowd cheer for a sac bunt as loudly as they did for Paully's bunt in the 11th. Flyers' decision to walk the bases loaded paid off.
Top of twelfth
Steve McCord pinch run for Greer as ITB at second; wild pitch, McCord to third; Beauregard strikeout, one out; Kuehl single to rf, McCord scores, RBI; Laframboise sac bunt out p to 2b, two out; Laframboise runs for Kuehl as courtesy runner; Young strikeout, three out. Greer re-enters.
Pontiac 3 Micksburg 2
Clutch hit by Kuehl to put the Flyers up in the game, putting the pressure on the Twins. That was the Flyers' first hit since the second inning.
Bottom of twelfth
Mick as ITB at second; M. McIntyre pop out to ss, one out; Steege fly out to rf, Mick tag to third, error on throw in by ss, Mick scores, two out; J. McIntyre fly out to lf, three out.
Pontiac 3 Micksburg 3
Another extra inning, another crazy run. A miscue was costly and gave Twins a run and heads up baserunning by Mick tied the game. Moe Laframmo had to make a long run to catch the inning ending fly out.
Top of thirteenth
Young as ITB at second; McMurtry reaches out fielder's choice, Young out p to 3b to ss to 3b, McMurtry out 3b to 2b, two out; Atkinson pop out to 2b, three out.
Pontiac 3 Micksburg 3
Yet another unorthodox double play. On McMurtry's hard comebacker, Graham noticed Young hung out, got him in a run down for the first out and when McMurtry tried to advance to second, the Twins got him out too.
Bottom of thirteenth
J. McIntyre as ITB at second; Enright strikeout, one out; Griffith strikeout, two out; R. McIntyre pop out to 3b, three out.
Pontiac 3 Micksburg 3
Two strike outs and pop out....but the pop out was really high and around the pitching circle. It was a bit of a difficult catch. Young had it, bobbled it, but hung on. If he dropped it J Mac was scampering around the bases with two out and would have scored to win it.
Top of fourteenth
Atkinson as ITB at second; McCleary strikeout, one out; Hathway single to rf, Atkinson scores, RBI; Greer fly out to cf, Greer to first as courtesy runner for Hathway, two out; Greer to second on passed ball; Beauregard strikeout, three out.
Pontiac 4 Micksburg 3
Hathway scorched the ball through the right side of the infield. Possible error but I am scoring on the side of a hit, as it was a very hard hit ball and very clutch at bat by Drew. Could the Flyers hang on and end it?
Bottom of fourteenth
R. McIntyre as ITB at second; Graham strikeout, one out; A. McIntyre fly out to cf, two out; Mick ground out 3b to 1b, three out.
Pontiac 4 Micksburg 3
Just as the inning began, the rain started. Surely, we would get this game in right? And not have to start over another night? It didn't rain hard enough though, and Hathway closed the door despite facing the top of the Twins order to get the win. What an amazing pitching performance by both throwers and an incredible game of fastpitch softball. Tons of fans stuck it out to watch the game, and I hope they are all back to watch game three in Shawville to see what team takes the title. Date and time still to be determined.
If you are on Twitter, you can check out the inning-by-inning updates that were posted.
Labels: GOFL
