Championship Final Series: Sunsets Slay Stars In Game 4 To Win Title

              The Sunrise Sunsets scored an emphatic, 15-5, win over the Hollywood Stars in Game 4 of the Championship Final Series, and, in so doing, wrapped up the series, three games to one. It was the first league championship for the Twilighters in the last seven seasons.
              In what was, essentially, a war of attrition, both teams played multiple games without some of their top players, due to injuries, the 'Sets were able to adjust just a little bit better than the former champs. 
              Calvin Rayburn got the start for the Sunsets and got into immediate trouble in the top of the first. Eddie Llovera led off with a base hit, advanced on a wild pitch, went to third on a ground out, and scored on a ground out to short by Brett Fick. In the bottom of the first, the Twilighters tied the score, facing three different Stars' pitchers.
              Dylan Brammer started for the Stars and gave up a double to leadoff hitter Jay Warman. With Joe Iacobucci at the plate, Brammer indicated an arm issue and retired from the mound and moved to third base. Llovera came in and walked Iacobucci before relinquishing the mound to Austin Armstrong. Although Armstrong induced Rudy Mueller to hit into a force play, an error by Albert Carbonell receiving the throw at first base allowed Warman to score the tying run.
              In the second, after Rayburn shut down the Stars in order, the Sunsets exploded for seven runs. Tommy Tritz led off with a base hit and Brandon Hull was hit by a pitch. Jimmy Schariest bunted and wound up with an infield hit, loading the bases. After Armstrong caught Rayburn looking, Warman his hit by a pitch, bringing in Tritz with the go ahead run. Iacobbuci singled in two runs, Mueller singled in another, and Dom Ficarra singled in one as well. A throwing error, later in the frame, enabled Ficarra to score as the 'Sets took a 8-1 advantage.
              The Stars, however, revealed their championship pedigree, battling back to 8-5 by the top of the sixth. Fick singled in a run in the third, Ryan Snyder singled in a run in the fourth, and Armstrong and Brammer had RBI hits in the sixth.
              With their lead whittled down to three, the Sunsets put the game out of reach in the bottom of the sixth. Warman led off with a bunt single, Iacobucci also singled, and Mueller single scored Warman. Two batters later, Tritz put the Sunsets ahead 12-5 by swatting a three run home run.
              In the bottom of the seventh, the 'Sets stretched the lead to 14-5 on a walk to pinch hitter Paul Tunink, a double by Warman, a wild pitch, and a sacrifice fly by Mueller. The 'Sets then closed out the scoring in the eighth. Schariest singled with two out, Tunink drew another walk, and then Warman singled to left to score Schariest with the final run of the game, the series, and the season.
              Warman had four hits and two RBI to lead the Twilighters. Mueller had three hits and three RBI. Tritz had three hits and drove in three, too. Schariest also had a three hit game for the 'Sets. 
             Rayburn went the distance for the win, permitting five runs on 10 hits, walking two, hitting two, and fanning seven. Armstrong was charged with three earned runs on three hits in an inning and a third and took the loss.
              After the game, the editors of South Florida Baseball Report named Sunsets' pitcher Alex Katz as the MVP of the playoffs. Katz went 2-0 in the post season with a 2.08 ERA. The rookie right hander struck out 19 batters in 13 innings.
              While the Sunsets can look forward, next season, to trying to become repeat champions for the first time in team history, the Stars will undoubtedly be focused on regaining the championship mantle that they surrendered to the 'Sets.
              Stars Outshine Sunsets In Game 3: With their backs against the proverbial wall, the Hollywood Stars refused to relinquish their league title and defeated the Sunrise Sunsets, 6-2, in Game 3 of the best of five Championship Final Series. The Sunsets still hold a two games to one lead in the series.
              A four run rally by the Stars in the bottom of the eighth broke a 2-2 tie in the defending champs' favor. The Sunsets, uncharacteristically, committed three costly errors in the frame, and Albert Carbonell delivered the go ahead runs with a two run single.
              Justin Jordan started for the Stars and allowed one earned run on six hits in eight innings to capture the win. Jordan struck out nine and walked two. Garrett Rogers went the distance for the Twilighters and took the loss. Rogers permitted two earned runs on 10 hits, walked two, and struck out eight.
              The Stars opened the scoring in the bottom of the first when Dylan Brammer walked and went to third on a single by Brett Fick. When Rogers picked Fick off of first, the fickle finger of fate allowed Brammer to score before first baseman Calvin Rayburn tagged Fick for the third out.
              In the second, Jose Zacarias tripled and scored on an RBI single by Ryan Snyder.
              Meanwhile, the 'Sets, who had left the bases loaded in the top of the second, threatened again in the fourth when Dom Ficarra drew a one out walk, stole second, and reached third, but Jordan fanned the next two batters to keep the Sunsets scoreless.
              The 'Sets finally broke through in the top of the sixth, tying the score. Rudy Mueller led off with a long double to center and scored on a base hit by Rogers. After Joe Iacobucci singled, Jordan thre wildly to second in an attempt to pick Rogers off, and with the ball rolling into the outfield, Rogers came all the way around to score.
              In the bottom of the eighth Eddie Llovera led off and reached on an error. Brammer then laid down a successful sacrifice bunt and was safe at first on a throwing error, with Llovera moving to third. After Fick grounded out, leaving runners on second and third with one out, the Sunsets chose to walk Jordan intentionally, but, Carbonell, in the midst of slump, foiled the strategy by singling to left, driving in two runs. Freiburg Marin bunted for a hit, reloading the bases, and Zacarias drew a walk to force in another run. A third error in the inning enabled Carbonell to score the game's final run.
              In an inning that featured three miscues, the defensive play of the night occurred with two out when Stefan Leclerc's long drive to left was hauled in by Iacobucci with a sliding, over the shoulder, catch.
              The Sunsets went down quietly in the ninth, allowing the Stars to notch their first win of the series.
              Marin and Fick had two hits a piece for the Stars. Mueller, Iacobucci, and Rogers had two hits each for the 'Sets.
              The Sunsets can still wrap up the championship, while the Stars will be hoping to spoil the party by sending the series to a fifth and final game, as the series continues with Game 4, scheduled for Saturday.
              Sunsets Shutout Stars In Game 2: After whitewashing the defending champion Hollywood Stars, 5-0, in Game 2 of the Championship Final Series, the Sunrise Sunsets stand one win away from their first league title in seven seasons.
              Alex Katz got the starting assignment for the Twilighters and the rookie right hander responded with, perhaps, the best performance of his brief career. Katz tossed seven scoreless frames, striking out 11, walking two, and limiting the Stars to just two hits. Calvin Rayburn pitched two innings of one hit relief and earned a save.
              For the second straight game, the Stars sent lefty Mike Wassong to the hill. Wassong, working with five days rest, allowed three earned runs on six hits and took the loss. The veteran walked three, hit one, and fanned six.
              Neither team threatened until the bottom of the fourth. Jay Warman led off for the 'Sets and singled, advancing to second on a bunt base hit by Jose Zabala. With one out, Chris Price singled to left, bringing Warman home with the game's first run, and the only run that the Twilighters would need. Wassong pitched out of the jam, holding the 'Sets to one run, but the damage was done.
              The Stars got a runner in scoring position in the fifth when Jose Zacarias singled and stole second, but Katz bore down and retired the dangerous Justin Jordan on a pop up to first to end the inning.
              In the seventh, the Sunsets collected three insurance runs. With one out, Joe Iacobucci singled and went to second on a base hit by Dom Ficarra. A walk to pinch hitter Tommy Tritz loaded the bases, and a sacrifice fly by Chris Marrero drove in Iacobucci. Warman then followed with a two run single, giving the Sunsets a 4-0 advantage.
              The 'Sets added another run in the eighth on an error, two walks, and a wild pitch.
              Warman's two hits and two RBI led the Sunsets. Zacarias had two hits for the Stars.
              The Sunsets will try for the series sweep, while the Stars look to extend the series, in Game 3, scheduled for Wednesday night.
              Sunsets Stop Stars In Game 1: The defending champion Hollywood Stars fell, 6-3, to the Sunrise Sunsets in Game 1 of the best of five Championship Final Series.
              A three run rally in the fifth, bolstered by another three run rally in the top of the ninth, gave the Twilighters the lead, and Garrett Rogers, who tossed a complete game eight hitter, made it stand up.
              Rogers, in addition to scattering eight hits, walked only one, and struck out nine. Mike Wassong started for the Stars and allowed four earned runs on four hits in eight and two thirds innings. Wassong, who was charged with the loss, fanned 14, but issued eight free passes.
              Both pitchers filled the scoreboard with goose eggs until the 'Sets broke through in the top of the fifth. Dom Ficarra led off the frame and reached on an error, but was erased at second on a force out when Calvin Rayburn attempted to bunt him over. After Rayburn swiped second, Chris Marrero's single to center sent him to third. Marrero stole second and, then, Rayburn scored on a wild pitch, breaking the ice. Jay Warman drew a walk, and moved up to second, with Marrero taking third, on a passed ball. Marrero scored on a sacrifice fly by Jose Zabala, and Warman came plateward on another wild pitch.
              The Stars responded in the bottom of the fifth. Jose Zacarias got aboard with a one out double and scored as the result of an error. In the sixth, the Stars cut the deficit to one as Eddie Llovera singled and wound up scoring on a base hit by Dylan Brammer.
              The score remained 3-2 until the top of the ninth. With one out, Joe Iacobuuci singled and Rayburn and Marrero drew consecutive two out walk, loading the bases. Wassong walked Warman to force in one run, and then Zabala greeted reliever Angher Cespedes with a two run, check swing, single to left.
               Faced with a four run hill to climb in the bottom of the ninth, the Stars refused to fold. Justin Jordan led off with a majestic home run to left, and Albert Carbonell and Freiburg Marin followed with consecutive singles. With the potential tying run standing at the plate, Rogers bore down and induced Ryan Snyder to line into a double play. After Zacarias reached on an error, Rogers sealed the win by retiring Carlos Fluerry on a fly ball to right field.
              Zabala's two hits and three RBI paced the Twilighters. Jordan's three hits were tops for the Stars.
              The teams will have the weekend off before resuming the series with Game 2, scheduled for Tuesday night.                

            
                          
              
              
                   
                


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