Tritons Walk Off With Fifth Consecutive Title

              The Tri-Cities became only the second team in league history to log five consecutive championships as they edged the Sunrise Sunsets, 2-1, in Game 5 of the Championship Final Series.
              Jay Warman beat out an infield hit, enabling Matt Rodriguez, who had doubled and advanced to third on a wild pitch, to score the winning run with two out in the bottom of the ninth. The Sunsets had rallied to tie the score in the top of the ninth, plating the tying run on a throwing error by Warman.
              In the bottom of the sixth, the Water Dwellers broke a scoreless tie as Zac Miller reached on an error went to second on a base hit by Mike LaManna, and scored on an RBI single by Dom Dingus. 
              Calvin Rayburn and Garrett Rogers hooked up in a classic pitcher's duel, and both went the distance. Rayburn allowed five hits, struck out 11 and walked only one. Rogers, who suffered his first loss of the series, scattered 12 hits, struck out 11 and did not walk a batter.  
              The Tritons threatened in the bottom of the first as Miller and LaManna both had two out singles, but Rogers escaped the jam. In the fourth, the Sons of Poseidon put runners on second and third, but could not dent the scoreboard.
              In the sixth, Miller led off and reached on an infield error. LaManna followed with a sharp single to center, and, when Dingus singled to right, Miller slid in, just ahead of the throw, with the game's first run.
              With Rayburn humming along, the 'Sets were down to their last two outs when Joe Iacobucci and Brandon Hull collected back to back singles. With two out, Javier Aguilar  hit a grounder to deep short. Warman's throw to second was wide of the bag, allowing Iacobucci to score from second, tying the score.
              After a walk to Chris Price loaded the bases, Rayburn avoided further trouble by striking out Joel Barroso. 
              In the bottom of the ninth with one out, Matt Rodriguez doubled deep to right and moved to third on a wild pitch. Warman, looking to atone for his miscue in the top of the ninth, hit a ball towards the hole. Third baseman Tommy Tritz dove for the ball, but could not get enough on the throw to first to beat the speedy Warman. As Warman hustled up the line, Rodriguez trotted home with the game, and series, winning run.
              Warman, Miller, LaManna, and Dingus led the Tritons with two hits each. Rogers and Brandon Hull had two hits a piece for the Twilighters.
              Rayburn, who went 3-0 in the series, was named the MVP of the playoffs for the sixth time in his career.
              The Tritons, and their now legendary manager, Mike Whittaker, not only knocked on the door of history, they knocked the door down by claiming a fifth consecutive championship.
              Game 4-Tritons Even Series: For the first time in the last eight seasons, the Championship Final Series will come down to a fifth and final game as the Tri-Cities Tritons staved off elimination with a 15-1 shellacking of the Sunrise Sunsets. It was the second straight time the Tritons had won when facing elimination. In the semi-final round, the Water Dwellers outlasted the Hollywood Stars in a do or die Game 5.
              Calvin Rayburn was his usual dominant self, pitching a complete game four hitter, striking out 12, walking three, and hitting one. Tommy Tritz got the start for the Twilighters but was lifted after not getting an out in the second inning. Tritz was charged with four earned runs on six hits.
              Rayburn also led a 19 hit onslaught by the Sons of Posiedon, getting four hits and driving in four runs. Zac Miller went three for three with three RBI, and Matt Rodriguez also drove in three runs. Jay Warman had three hits and scored twice. 
              Joe Iacobucci had two of the Sunsets' four hits and scored their only run, ending Rayburn's shutout bid in the fifth.
              The Tritons wasted little time in putting the game on ice, scoring three runs in the first and seven more in the second. Highlights included a pair of two run singles by Miller and Rodriguez in the second.
              In the fifth, already trailing by 11, the 'Sets dented the scoreboard when Iacobucci singled and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Garrett Rogers.
              It will be Rogers, the winner of Games 1 and 3 that will get the call on the mound for the Sunsets in the deciding game. With the final game scheduled for Wednesday, the Tritons could elect to bring Rayburn, who won in Games 2 and 4, back on just three days rest, or they may elect to start John Hardardt, who pitched effectively, despite taking the loss in Game 3.
              Game 3 Capsule-Sunsets Move Ahead: After being postponed one day by rain, the Sunrise Sunsets defeated the Tri-Cities Tritons, 9-3, in Game 3 of the best of five Championship Final Series, sending the Water Dwellers to the brink.
              Garrett Rogers pitched a complete game five hitter for the Twilighters, picking up his second win of the series. Rogers walked one, hit one, and struck out 10.
              John Hardardt started for the Tritons and was equally brilliant. Hardardt permitted only one run on three hits in seven strong innings, but took the loss. 
              The game was scoreless until the top of the fourth. With one out, Joel Barroso singled, moved to second on a wild pitch and stole third. After two out walks to Karl Hirsch and Jimmy Schariest loaded the bases, Chris Craig singled to left to score Barroso. Hirsch was out at the plate on the play.
              In the eighth, the 'Sets added four insurance runs. With one out, reliever Jose Marcano hit Joe Iacobucci with a pitch and then Rogers reached on an error. With two out, Barroso singled home Iacobucci with the Sunsets' second run. Dom Ficarra followed with a three run home run, giving the Twilighters a 5-0 advantage.
              In the bottom of the eighth, the Tritons exhibited their championship pedigree. Brandon Sam drew a leadoff walk and went to second on a pinch hit single by Jayven Miller. Mike LaManna's line drive went off of first baseman Javier Aguilar's glove for an error as Sam scored. Eric Silverberg's RBI single plated Miller as the Tritons cut the game to 5-2.
              After Rogers recovered to retire Jay Warman on an infield fly, Calvin Rayburn ripped a line drive, headed to left field, but third sacker George Negron's leaping grab speared the shot and turned a would be double into an inning ending double play.
              In the ninth, the Sunsets pushed across four more runs. Iacobucci and Aguilar had RBI singles, and Barroso doubled in a run.
              In the bottom of the ninth, Zac Miller launched a leadoff home run to cap the scoring. 
              Barroso's three hits and three RBI led the Twilighters.
              The Sunsets will attempt to clinch the series, as the Tritons aim to send the contest to a fifth and final game, in Game 4, scheduled for Saturday.
              Game 2 Highlights-Tritons Trounce Twilighters: The Tri-Cities Tritons evened the best of five Championship Final Series at one win a piece after scoring a 10-1 win over the Sunrise Sunsets in Game 2 on Monday night.
              Calvin Rayburn started for the Water Dwellers and responded by limiting the Twilighters to one run on seven hits in eight innings. Rayburn, who retired the first 14 batters in order, struck out six and did not walk a batter. Brant Spring started for the 'Sets and allowed two earned runs on eight hits in seven innings.
              The Tritons broke a scoreless tie with three runs in the top of the fourth. An RBI ground out by Mike LaManna scored Jay Warman with the game's first run. Dominick Dingus singled in Chris Marrero, and Zac Miller scored on the play as a result of a throwing error. 
              In the fifth, Warman had a two run double and Miller doubled in another run as the Sons of Poseidon took a 7-0 lead.
              The Sunsets got the first base runner in the bottom of the fifth on a single by Javier Aguilar. The Twilighters got on the scoreboard in the seventh when they loaded the bases and Tommy Tritz drove in a run by bouncing into a force play.
              In the eighth, the Tritons tacked on three more runs, highlighted by an RBI double by Matt Rodriguez.
              Miller, Dingus, and Rodriguez led the Water Dwellers with two hits each. Aguilar and Joe Iacobucci had two hits a piece for the Sunsets.
              The pivotal third game of the series is scheduled for Wednesday night.
              Game 1 Recap-Twilighters Topple Tritons: The Sunrise Sunsets took the opening game of the best of five Championship Final Series with an emphatic 12-6 win over the four time defending champion Tri-Cities Tritons.
              Garrett Rogers, who pitched the 'Sets into the Finals, started against Tritons' lefty Jose Marcano. Rogers went the distance, allowing six runs on 10 hits. Rogers walked three and struck out four. Marcano took the loss after permitting four earned runs on 10 hits in five innings.
              The Sunsets opened the scoring in the top of the second on a two out, two run, double by Chris Craig. The Tritons cut the Sunsets' lead in half in the bottom of the second when Dominick Dingus singled and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Jayven Miller.  
              In the third, the Twilighters tacked on three more runs, building a 5-1 advantage. With one out, Joe Iacobucci was hit by a pitch and went to second on a single by Chris Price. Rogers then beat out a bunt for an infield single to load the bases. Javier Aguilar singled home Iacobucci and Price, and Tommy Tritz drove in a run on a ground out.
              The Sunsets' lead was short lived, however, as the Tritons exploded for five runs in the bottom of the third. Calvin Rayburn singled in one run, and Dingus and Matt Rodriguez both followed with two run singles to put the Water Dwellers in front, 6-5.
              The Tritons' lead was even shorter lived as the 'Sets scored twice in the fourth to move in front for good. A pair of Triton errors and an RBI fielder's choice by Iacobucci put the Twilighters ahead.
              In the fifth, the Sunsets added three insurance runs on an RBI single by Joel Barroso and a two run single by Iacobucci. The 'Sets tacked on two more runs in the seventh on another RBI fielder's choice by Iacobucci and a sacrifice fly by Price.
              Chris Craig's four hits led the 'Sets. Barroso had three hits. Iacobucci drove in four runs. Dingus had three hits and two RBI to pace the Sons of Poseidon.
              The Sunsets were only in position to win the series opener after they staged a dramatic ninth inning rally in Game 5 of the semi-final series with the Broward Cubs. The 'Sets entered the top of the ninth, which had been suspended by a municipal curfew on Wednesday, trailing 9-7, but scored four runs in the top of the ninth and then held on for an 11-9 victory.  
              Javier Aguilar led of the top of the ninth and was hit by a pitch by the Cubs' ace, the normally dependable, Chad Volbert. After Chris Price flew out to deep left field for the first out, Dom Ficarra singled to left, sending Aguilar to third. Ryan Sander pinch ran for Ficarra, representing the tying run. Sander went to third on an RBI single by Tommy Tritz that scored Aguilar. Jimmy Schariest reached first as Sander scored the tying run on a grounder to third that resulted in a throw error towards the plate. Brandon Hull's two run single put the 'Sets in front.
              In the bottom of the ninth, the Cubs got a leadoff single by Eduardo Roldan and a one out single by Henry Estrada. With runners on the corners and two out, Rogers struck out Cory McEwen to end the series and the Cubs' season.
              This will mark the eighth season in a row in which the Tritons and Sunsets have met in the Championship Final Series. The Tritons have won six of the previous seven meetings.
              The Sunsets will seek a two games to none lead, and the Tritons will attempt to square the series at a win a piece when the Championship Final Series continues with Game 2, scheduled for Monday night.

            
                          
              
              
                   
                


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