Expansion
Series: Beacons Earn 3rd Consecutive Crown With Sweep Of Tritons
September
22, 2011 (Federal League Wire Service)
The Lighthouse Point Beacons became only the second team in
league history to win the Expansion Series three straight times
as they completed a three game sweep of the gritty Tri-Cities
Tritons with a 9-4 victory in Game 3.
As had happened in Game 2, the Tritons took an early 3-0 lead,
only to see it evaporate as the Illuminators rallied.
Carlos Martinez started for the Beacons against Brett Lancaster
for the Water Dwellers.
In the top of the first, Jay Caddle led off with a long double
to center and then scored easily on a single by Chris Price.
After Price stole second, he scored on a single by Lorne
Battiste. The Tritons increased their lead to 3-0 in the second
on an RBI force out by Andy Ruiz.
The lead only lasted until the bottom of the second as Lancaster
lost the plate. Jeff Fazio opened the frame with an infield
single and moved to second as Lancaster hit Brant Spring with a
pitch. When Lancaster hit Jose Morales, the bases were loaded.
Chris Sitler grounded into a force play that erased Fazio at the
plate, but Lancaster hit Keith Nicoll in the back to force in a
run. Jimmy Efre became the fourth batter hit by a pitch in the
inning, driving in another run. Chris Basso's sacrifice fly to
right scored Sitler with the tying run. After Lancaster walked
Jamie Siragusa to reload the bases, Nicoll scored the go ahead
run on a wild pitch.
Armed with a 4-3 lead, Martinez held the Tritons in check until
the fifth. In that frame, singles by Andy Ruiz and John King,
and a hit by pitch of Caddle, loaded the bases with none out.
Martinez regrouped and struck out Chris Price before Battiste
lifted a sacrifice fly to left that scored Ruiz with the tying
run. After walking Andres Libran, the Beacons turned to Chris
Basso, who struck out Donny Gagliano to leave the bases loaded
and the score tied at 4-4.
The Beacons threatened in the sixth as Nicoll and Efre
opened the inning with a pair of walks. The Tritons brought
Battiste on in relief and he induced Basso to ground into a
double play before retiring Siragusa on a line out to second.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Beacons took the lead for
good. Battiste issued a one out walk to Fazio before Spring
singled to center. Jose Morales then doubled off the fence in
right center field to score Fazio, but Spring was cut down at
the plate.
After Basso set down the Tritons in order in the top of the
eighth, he led off the home half of the frame with a long double
to left center. Siragusa then caught the Tritons by surprise
with a perfectly executed push bunt that eluded Battiste's
diving attempt. Siragusa was safe on first with a single as
Basso moved to third. The Illuminators picked up an all
important insurance run as Pat Vadala doubled. Fazio's double to
left scored Siragusa and Vadala, and Fazio scored on a single by
Spring.
Holding a five run lead, Basso dispatched the Tritons in the top
of the ninth. After Klingensmith singled to open the inning,
Basso induced Mike Whittaker to pop out to short, before coaxing
Andy Ruiz to hit into a game, and series, ending double play.
Basso, who allowed two hits in four and a third scoreless
innings of relief, gained the win. Battiste, who permitted five
runs on seven hits in three innings, took the loss. Lancaster
had yielded four runs on three hits in five innings. Lancaster
walked five, hit five, and struck out five.
Brant Spring, who was dominant in his three playoff pitching
appearances with a win and two saves, and
drove in four runs in five games, was awarded the playoff MVP by
the editors of the South Florida Baseball Report.
In winning their third straight championship, and fifth in six
seasons, the Beacons have now won a league record 10 Expansion
Series crowns.
Expansion Series Game 2-Beacons Trip Tritons, Take 2-0 Lead:
The Lighthouse Point Beacons moved to within one win of their third consecutive
Expansion Series title as they held on for a 4-3 victory over
the Tri-Cities Tritons in Game 2.
Jimmy Efre of the Illuminators and Andres Libran of the Water
Dwellers both pitch complete games for their teams, and both
pitched brilliantly. Things started a little rough for both
pitchers, however.
In the top of the first, Rich Martell singled to center with
runners on first and second, but Chris Price's throw home was
just in time to nab Chris Basso, trying to score from second, on
a close play. In the bottom of the first, Efre had struggles of
his own.
Price got on with a one out single and then trotted home as
Lorne Battiste swatted an Efre offering over the left field
fence for a quick 2-0 Triton lead. Efre then walked Libran, who
stole second, and scored on an RBI single by Donny Gagliano.
Kyle Klingensmith followed with another single, but Gagliano was
out trying to steal third for the second out. Efre escaped
further trouble by fanning the dangerous Mike Whittaker to end
the inning.
Armed with a 3-0 lead, Libran kept the Beacons off of the
scoreboard until the fourth. Jamie Siragusa drew a one out walk.
After Libran induced Jeff Fazio to fly out for the second out,
Libran balked Siragusa to second, from where he scored on Brant
Spring's bloop single to center.
The Beacons picked up another run in the fifth. Ryan Scott
opened the inning with a single and went to second as Pat Vadala
drew a one out walk. Rich Martell's double scored Scott and put
runners on second and third, but Libran struck out Siragusa and
Fazio to keep the Tritons' lead intact.
That lead only lasted until the top of the sixth as the Beacons
struck for two runs and took a 4-3 lead. With one out, Libran
hit Jose Morales with a pitch and then uncorked a wild pitch
that sent Morales to second. Efre walked and Scott singled to
load the bases. Basso worked Libran for a walk that scored
Morales with the tying run. Then, with two out, Martell lifted a
pop up to short left field that Klingensmith, playing shortstop
in the Tritons' reshuffled defense, failed to hang on to. Efre
scored the go ahead run on the play.
In the bottom of the seventh the Tritons rallied with two out.
Andy Ruiz singled and moved to second as Efre hit Jason Burns
with a pitch. John King followed with a single to center, but
Scott relayed the ball to Fazio, who fired a one hop strike to
catcher Joe Colosimo, who dug the low throw out of the dirt in
time to nail the sliding Ruiz at the plate for the third out.
In the eighth, the Tritons threatened again with two outs as
Battiste singled and Libran walked, but Efre recovered to strike
out Gagliano to close out the inning.
The Beacons mounted a threat of their own in the top of the
ninth, but failed to increase their lead. Siragusa led off and
worked Libran for a walk before heading to third on a double by
Fazio. Libran regrouped to get Spring to fly out to shallow
center, and retire Morales on a
line drive to second before hitting Efre with a pitch to load
the bases. Libran calmly dispatched Scott on a fly ball to
center to send the Sons of Poseidon into the bottom of the ninth
still trailing by only one run.
Klingensmith led off the final frame by hitting a high chopper
over the bag at third. Morales speared the ball, but ill
advisedly tried to throw out the speedy Klingensmith at first.
As Klingensmith sped across the bag, Morales' throw eluded first
baseman Chris Sitler and Klingensmith advance to second,
carrying the tying run. Whittaker's perfectly executed sacrifice
bunt advanced Klingensmith to third with only one out.
With the infield playing in, Efre reached back for something
extra and struck out Ruiz for the second out. As the Beacons'
infield moved back to normal depth, Jason Burns, holder of one
of the highest single season batting averages in league history,
strode to the plate. Efre quickly fired a strike past Burns,
before missing low for ball one. After taking a curve for a
strike, Burns then fouled off another pitch before taking a
pitch high to even the count at 2-2. Efre then whistled a high
fast ball past Burns for a swinging strike three that ended the
game.
Efre allowed three earned runs on10 hits to earn the win. Efre
walked two, hit one, and struck out eight. Libran permitted
three earned runs on 11 hits, walking six, hitting two, and
striking out seven.
The Beacons will be in search of the series sweep, while the
Tritons hope to extend their season, as the series continues
with Game 3, scheduled for Wednesday.
Saturday's Highlights-Beacons Top Tritons In Game 1 Of
Expansion Series:
The Lighthouse Point Beacons, seeking their third consecutive
Expansion Series title, opened the best of five series with a
13-1 win over the Tri-Cities Tritons in Game 1.
Brant Spring tossed a complete four hitter to earn the win.
Spring struck out four and walked one batter in, perhaps, his
finest outing of the campaign.
Mike Whittaker started for the Water Dwellers and last only two
and a third innings.
In the bottom of the first, the Illuminators took a 3-0 lead as
Ryan Scott connected for a solo home run, and Rich Martell added
a two run homer. The Beacons increased their advantage to 6-0 in
the second on a two run double by Chris Basso and an RBI single
by Pat Vadala. A two run double by Jose Morales in the third
helped to key a third consecutive three run inning for the
Guiding Lights as they opened a 9-0 bulge.
The Tritons refuse to fold, however, and loaded the bases with
none out in the top of the fourth as John King singled, Jay
Caddle doubled, and Chris Price walked. Spring bore down and
fanned all-star catcher Lorne Battiste before retiring the
dangerous Andres Libran on an RBI ground out to second. Spring
then escaped the jam by inducing Donny Gagliano to ground out to
third to end the inning with only one run coming in.
RBI singles by Jimmy Efre and Vadala in the fifth increased the
Beacons' lead to 11-1. A two run single by Basso in the sixth
capped the scoring.
Basso led the way for the Beacons, going three for three with
four RBI. Vadala had two hits and drove in two.
Game 2 of the series is scheduled for Monday. The Beacons,
looking to take a two games to none lead, will start Efre, while
the Tritons, hoping to knot the series at one game apiece, have
yet to name a starter.
