It was a beautiful night for baseball on Championship Saturday for the MRLL/NSLL 2019 Spring season.  A big crowd turned out to see the opening game which pitted the Grey Bulls, managed by Mark Zinman, facing off against the Black Bulls led by manager Chris Milner for the Minors division crown. 

The visiting Grey Bulls got things started quickly with their offense, converting 4 walks into 3 runs in the 1^st inning.  Liam McCusker started on the mound for the Grey Bulls and kept the Black Bulls largely under wraps for 3 and two-thirds innings.  McCusker struck out 9 batters and the Black Bulls could only plate 2 runs against him when Jack Milner connected on a 2 RBI bases loaded single.  The Grey Bulls extended their lead to 5-2 in the top half of the 4^th after Noah Sherman led off with a double and Adrian Woodnick followed that with a bomb to left center for a triple.

But in the bottom of the 4^th the Black Bulls came back to score 2 runs as well on a 2-out rally.  After the Grey Bulls scored another run in the top of the 5^th to make it 6-4, the Black Bulls were down to their last at-bats due to time limit constraints.  Jacob Andrews, Tate Riddle and Gavin Fifield all drew walks to lead off the inning and Jack Milner once again came through with a big hit to drive in 2 runners to tie the game.  Milner wasn’t done yet however, as he took advantage of a wild pitch in the dirt to sneak home and steal the victory for the Black Bulls!  Jack had also pitched the final 4 innings of the game, striking out 9 while only allowing 3 Grey Bulls runs to score.

Both teams played with tremendous courage and effort and the many fans in attendance gave them an appropriately large round of applause.  Congratulations Black Bulls as 2019 Minors Champs!

After the exciting conclusion of the Minors championship game, the growing crowd was primed for an even better show in the Majors division championship game.  And what a show it was!  The nightcap featured the Purple Reign, managed by Paul Long (who before the game was recognized for 13 years of volunteer service to MRLL), and the Black Diamonds, managed by Jeff Parker.  Pitching was the name of the game in this one, as the teams’ hurlers combined for 39 strikeouts while only walking 5 and hitting 1 batsman over 8 innings of play.  That’s right, 8 innings of play – the fans were treated to some free, bonus baseball – before this one was finally settled.

Once again scoring got started in the top of the first inning, as Purple Reign’s Jake Catalfio turned a double to left into a triple with his speed and was knocked in by Devin Long’s groundout to second base.  The Black Diamonds scratched out a run against starting pitcher Devin Long in the second inning when some aggressive base running by Asher Pence led to the tying score.  Both starting pitchers pitched tremendously and the score remained tied 1-1 heading into the eighth inning!   Long went 4 and two-thirds, striking out 11 while walking 4 and giving up 0 hits and only 1 unearned run.  Jack Lafflam was on the bump for Parker’s Black Diamonds and went 6 and one-third, striking out 15, hitting 1 batter and surrendering just 1 run on 2 hits.

After Truman Parker came in to shut the door on the mound in the 7^th inning by registering 2 K’s, Vinny Noble pitched the 8^th for the Black Diamonds.  Purple Reign finally broke the 1-1 stalemate when Sam Novak’s speed forced a throwing error and Jake Catalfio once again delivered with a triple over the head of the center fielder.  Catalfio was driven in by Devin Long’s single, giving Paul Long’s Purple Reign a 3-1 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth.  Catalfio was also dominant on the mound in relief of Long, pitching 3 an one-third scoreless innings, walking 1 and giving up 0 hits while striking out 9 batters including the last batter of the game.  Congrats to the Purple Reign as 2019 Majors Champs!

The atmosphere was incredible all night long, with many MRLL/NSLL alumni and their parents coming out to watch the games.  The crowd of about 100 people packed the bleachers, enjoyed the food truck and cheered on both teams’ extra efforts.  It was a fitting end to a great season!