The playoffs are underway and two teams are already out: the Karrtel and Sushi Rolls. The latter is a bit of a shock since they were the three seed and last year’s runner-up. The Clear River Tavern is the first team to punch its ticket to the Championship. The Clear is returning for the first time since 2017 and going for its sixth title in 10 years. The team is 5-2 in the League Championship.
The Clear began its quest with a tough match against the Karrtel. They started poorly giving up two runs while going down 1-2-3. The Clear’s pitcher Ronzoni Hacker only gave up four hits the next four innings and the team held the Karrtel scoreless during that stretch. Josh “Little Rock” Stevens blasted a two-run shot to tie the game in the second and Taylor Zink’s RBI gave the Clear a lead it would never relinquish. Tucker Zink and Josh “Purple Guy” Souza scored in the third to stretch the lead 5-2. The Karrtel broke out of its slump in the fifth with Nick “Hebrew Hammer” Davis and Mike Smith hitting back-to-back home runs. That’s all they had in the tank, but Stevens had more with a three-run rocket to seal the win, 8-4. Ronzoni delivered four “Cold Beer K’s” to Nate Gilman, Max Zichelli, Colin “Dizz” Clarke and Mikey Davis.
The Clear’s next game was a complete bashing of FCFSMBC. Hacker only gave up one hit through four innings and only four hits the entire game. The Clear took a 4-0 lead after one and only needed one of those runs for the win. The Clear got 12 total, spreading them out over six innings. FCFSMBC got none. It was a game of firsts for the Clear with “Purple Guy” getting his first ever home run in the state of Vermont and only the second in his long storied career. FCFSMBC’s only real threat to score was in the sixth with two on, but Brett “Mr. Pink” Regimbald had a sweet web gem to end that threat. Judd “Magnum” Washburn made it 9-0 with an assisted home run by right fielder Bobby Dederer, who after the game said he wished he could get that one back, missing the ball by an inch while knocking it over the fence. There was no assist needed with Taylor’s bomb as he got his first playoff home run and second walk-off of the season. This was the sweetest home run of the Clear’s season since it gave them the mercy and shutout win while sending them to the Championship.
The Clear will face the winner of McGrath’s Sushi vs. FCFSMBC. M.S. had a double knockout, sending both Sushi Rolls and the Karrtel packing. They beat S.R. 11-5 with a shocking 11 guys and then beat the Karrtel 11-9 with only nine. Jordan Toller and Mikey both had big homers for Karrtel, but it wasn’t enough. M.S. won yet again with only nine guys.
PLAYOFF SCHEDULE:
Wednesday, July 31
Championship Game Two 5:50 p.m. at Killington
Championship Game Three (if necessary) 7 p.m. at Killington
Monday, August 5
All Star Game 5 p.m. at Killington