The National Guard Hummers and the Seaborne Stealers will face off in the 2012-13 Bob Owens Slow Pitch Softball finals on Thursday at the D.C. Canegata ballpark after both overpowered opponents on Tuesday to get there.
The Stealers had to win two games to stamp their ticket, while the Hummers – regular season champions and undefeated in the playoffs – had to win just one.
The Stealers doubled up the Benjay Lumberjacks, 20-10, and the Hummers knocked off the Anchor Dive Pirates, 21-6. These games set up a do-or-die matchup between the Stealers and the Pirates in game three.
Stealers 20, Lumberjacks 10
The Seaborne Stealers showed why they are still considered a perennial league powerhouse after thrashing the Lumberjacks, 20-10, in game one on Tuesday to stay alive in the playoffs. The Stealers finished with 20 runs on 28 hits and three errors, while the Lumberjacks had 10 runs on 14 hits and three errors.
At one point the lumberjacks led the game 6-5, with all six of their runs coming on solo homeruns. Not good in the league when six is the number of home runs each team is allowed to hit. Most teams try to hit their home runs with men on base to put them to full use.
The winning pitcher was Sam Ramos and Greg Miller got the loss. Top batters for the Stealers were Steve Simmonds (3 for 4 with three homeruns and eight RBIs and Raymond Cintron (3 for 4 with a homerun and three RBIs). For the Lumberjacks, Greg Miller was 3 for 4 with two homers and two RBIs, while his twin, Kai Miller, was 3 for 3 with two homeruns and two RBIs.
Hummers 21, Pirates 6
In game two, in a battle of undefeated teams, the top seeded National Guard Hummers made short work of the upstart Anchor Dive Pirates by crushing them 21-6 in four innings by way of the 15-run mercy rule.
It was the Hummers with 21 runs on 19 hits and four errors, while the Pirates finished with six runs on 14 hits and five errors.
Stanley Jones got the win on the hill for the Hummers and Mario Simmonds got the loss. Top hitters for the Hummers were Mario Christian (4 for 4 with a homerun and four RBIs) and Davis Clarke (3 for 3 with a homerun and three RBIs). For the Pirates, Daren Lewis was 2 for 2 with two homeruns and five RBIs.
Stealers 19, Pirates 10
In game three, with a chance to join the Hummers in the finals, the Stealers avenged their earlier playoff loss to the Pirates by way of a 19-10 shellacking. It was the Stealers with 19 runs on 22 hits and two errors, while the Pirates finished with 10 runs on 13 hits and three errors.
Ramos was the winning pitcher and Simmonds got the loss. Top batters for the Stealers were Cintron (3 for 4 with a homerun and five RBIs) and Kenneth milligan (3 for 3 with a homerun and two RBIs). For the Pirates, Wayne Scotland was 1 for 2 with a homerun and one RBI.