Game 1

After a long year, the Battalion were looking for revenge after losing to the Brewers in the finals the last 2 years.

Game 1 saw 2 former Pitcher of the Year winners go head to head. The Battalion sent Matt Wing to the mound to faceoff with Geoff Magnus.

The first few innings went as expected with not much offence on either side.

The Battalion struck first in the top of the third. Sam McIntosh was able to work a 1-out walk, followed by a Renaud single. Baldock was able to hit a groundball to shortstop and reach on an error by the first baseman, scoring McIntosh. Kyle Craig followed that with an RBI single, making it 2-0 after 3

After a few scoreless innings, the Brewers were still trying to break through against Wing. In the bottom of the 5th, Scott Tunis attempted to start a 2-out rally with a single. On the very next pitch, Tim Feren laced a double into the gap which looked like it was easily going to score Tunis. The baseball Gods were shining on the Battalion this night as the ball took a fortunate hop over the fence for a ground rule double. Wing was then able to get the next batter to pop out to end the threat

Wing was able to work his cutter and keep the Brewers at bay all night. He finished off his complete game shutout without a single strikeout, and only 3 walks.

Battalion lead the series 1-0

WP: Wing (2-0)
LP: Magnus (0-1)

 

Game 2

Game 2 saw two more aces go head to head in Nick Gazo and Josh Soffer. Coming into this game the Battalion had never beaten Gazo in the finals (spoiler alert, they still havent)

Both pitchers made quick work in the first 2 innings, each going 6 up, 6 down.

The Brewers were able to get on the board first after 3 straight two out hits, highlighted by a 2-RBI double by Tim Feren.

The Battalion were able to answer quickly, scoring 2 of their own in the bottom of the 4th. Evan Hammond was able to draw a lead off walk. After advancing to second, Hammond would score on a Matt MacIntyre single. Musashi Takara would follow that up with an RBI double of his own, scoring MacIntyre and evening the score at 2

However it was not meant to be for the Battalion tonight. The Brewers were able to claw across 2 more in the 6th on a Scott Tunis, 2-RBI double.

Gazo shut the door the final 2 innings, not allowing a runner past first in the final 3 innings.

Series tied 1-1

WP: Gazo (2-0)
LP: Soffer (2-1)

 

Game 3

Game 3 saw each team send a pitcher to the mound with very different resumes. The Brewers sent veteran stud Adam Oattes to the mound the face the Battalion’s upstart Japanese ace Musashi ‘Battalion Stallion’ Takara.

It was Takara’s 2nd start of the playoffs, equalling his career total.

It was a bit of a rocky start for Takara as he allowed a leadoff single to Scott Tunis. Tunis would come around to score on an RBI ground out by Geoff Magnus.

After a sleepy first few innings at the plate for the Battalion, walk-off her Eugenio Matos woke everyone up with a 1 out double. Steve Renaud followed that with a single of his own, scoring Matos. After a groundout, Kyle Craig came up and continued his torrid playoffs, scoring Renaud on an RBI single.

The Battalion would stay on Oattes, adding two more in the top of the 5th on a 2RBI single by Evan Hammond.

Heading into the bottom of 6 it was a 4-1 Battalion lead.

Oattes helped his own cause by leading off the inning with a walk, followed by a single by Magnus. Keith Blouin came up next and squeaked one by third base. Oattes chugged around 3rd trying to score but Matt MacIntyre threw a missile to home plate to prevent him from scoring and getting a huge first out.

The Brewers were able to scratch 2 across during the inning, cutting the lead to 4-3 after 6.

Steve Renaud was once again the spark in the Battalion offence in the top of the 7th. After reaching on a 1-out single, Renaud promptly stole 2nd base. The next pitch saw Evan Hammond ground to shortstop. Renaud went to third and never stopped and was able to beat the throw at the plate for a huge insurance run. The Battalion took that momentum and rattled off 4 straight hits, adding 2 more runs to extend the lead to 7-3

Takara went out in the 7th and did what he had all night. Takara’s final line was 7.0IP, 1K, 3BB, 6H, 3R, 2ER

Battalion lead series 2-1

WP: Takara (2-0)
LP: Oattes (1-1)

 

Game 4

Game 4 saw the Battalion send their horse to the mound in Josh Soffer, to face off against perennial stud Geoff Magnus.

The game started with a bang as Scott Tunis continued his hot finals with a leadoff double to deep center. Thankfully the Battalion opted for the home game in Kanata to play with the deeper park.

Soffer settled in from there stranding Tunis at second after getting Feren, Fitzgerald, and Magnus in order.

The Battalion offence started the same way with a leadoff double by, who else, Steve Renaud. After advancing to third on a ground out, Renaud was able to score on a Kyle Craig sac fly.

Alex Baldock came up next and legged out an infield single. The reigning Battalion RBI champ Matt MacIntyre followed suit with a deep double to center, scoring Baldock from first. Stupidly, the Battalion opted for the home game in Kanata to play with the deeper park.

The Brewers didnt take long to get the runs back, scratching 2 across in the top of the 3rd on another double by Tunis. After 3 it was all square at 2

The Battalion offence was sputtering since the first inning, with Magnus retiring 9 in a row until the Battalion Stallion was able to draw a 2 out walk in the 4th. Takara was able to steal 2nd, then advance to 3rd on a pass ball. Ryan ‘The The The The Heaviest’ Dillon was up and took Magnus to a full count. After a 9 pitch at bat, Dillon came up with the biggest hit of the series for the Battalion, lacing a line drive down the first base line, scoring Takara and giving the Battalion a 3-2 lead after 4.

It was all Battalion from there, scoring 3 more in the 5th, and 2 in the 6th to go up 8-2 heading into the 7th.

After a little bit of a scare, Soffer was able to calmly set down the Brewers to win the championship.

Soffer finished off the game with 7.0IP, 4K, 1BB, 8H, 3R, 2ER

Battalion win the finals, 3-1

WP: Soffer (3-1)
LP: Magnus (0-2)