Steve Powers of the Grays with the throw to second as Jay Sadowski covers the bag. Stu Clark photo

Fainting Goats - 7
Phillies - 4

WP: Eddie Esposito, LP: Ken Sloat

The Fainting GOATs* came on late to break a 4-4 tie in the 8th to edge the Phils in a rock-n-roll-themed game for the ages in first-round action under the lights at Whalley Field in Southwick.

Amid blazing temperatures and an even hotter backdrop of classic rock echoing though the park for most of the game (compliments of Aquanett, New England's most authentic 80s cover band performing as the headliners at Destination Bike Night across the way at Southwick Motocross), the GOATs came ready to rock and roll all night.

Great pitching and infield defense stifled the Phils for much of the game, while the GOATs timely hitting and aggressive base running allowed them to scratch out a late lead in a terrifically pitched game by both sides.

The go-ahead run scored in the 8th off Ken "GDIK" Sloat without the benefit of a hit. Hector Arroyo walked and moved up on a passed ball. He stole 3rd and came around to score when throw got away and squibbed into the outfield grass.

The GOATs scored two insurance runs in the 9th on singles by Steve "Squeeza" Gargone, Geoff "With a G" Oldmixon, Todd Neumann and Jerold "With a J" Duquette, and an RBI groundout by Tony Maspo.

The GOATs broke out to a 3-0 lead in the first off Miracle Max Strubel, aided by Duquette's single and a sac fly by "Boogie With" Stu Clark.

The Phils clawed their way back in during the middle innings of this Rock and Roll crazy night. John "Deuce" Dusenberry had an RBI double in the 2nd to score Andy "AK" Klepacki. In the 3rd, singles by Klepacki and Dusenberry drove in 2 more runs, and Dusenberry's two-out single in the 6th drove in the Phil's 4th run to tie the game.

Dusenberry was wild on the night, going 3-3 with a double and 3 RBI.

But the star of the show was Eddie "Magic" Esposito, who came on in relief in the 2nd. Pres Pieraccini pitched a 1-2-3 inning to start the game but ran into problems in the second, loading the bases without an out. Esposito got out of the jam with minimal damage, allowing just one run.

Esposito would close the game, going 8 innings, allowing just 4 runs, 3 earned, on 5 hits and 2 walks. Along the way, he also tallied 14 ground-ball outs while out-dueling two great efforts by the Phillies combo of Strubel and Sloat.

In the 9th and on the verge of claiming the GOATs first playoff win, the unflappable Esposito set the Phils down 1-2-3 -- alll while singing along with Aquanett's cover of Joan Jett's "I Hate Myself for Loving You."

This was only the 2nd time the Phils and GOATs squared off this year. The Phils won the first game 7-6. Two other games were rained out.

It's the nature of the playoffs. One team wins and goes on, one team loses and goes home. And now the GOATs and the Phils must go their separate ways.**

*In keeping with custom, the Goats are referred to as the GOATs after wins.

** Sorry. I'll stop.

Wonders 3
Dorian Grays 18

WP: Mike Whatley, Sv. Jay Sadowski, LP: Nabil Hannoush

It was a long night for the Wonders, and we're not just talking about it being a 9-inning game.

In the Wednesday night Round 1 game at Pioneer Valley High School, the 3rd ranked Grays put up 18 runs on 25 hits against the 6th-ranked Wonders. The 15-run differential may well be the worst playoff loss in the history of the league.

"It was more of a whomp instead of a romp," said Wonders manager Larry Pietras. "It could best be described as a 9-inning episode of the Twilight Zone titled "Murphy's Law on the Diamond."

The Wonders' high-water mark came early when they held a 1-0 lead midway through the first. But by the end of the inning, they trailed 3-1 and that was as close as it would ever be..

The Grays scored in their first 7 at-bats, and multiple runs in every inning except the 4th where they only scored one.

Defensively, the Grays did everything right. Four times in the game, a Wonders hitter hit a ball that landed safely in the outfield but the fielder was able to force the base runner at second.

Mike "Knuckles" Whately went 6 innings, allowing 3 runs, while Jay "Supe" Sadowski pitched a scoreless final 3.

Next Week: Round 2

We have secured the serves of McKenzie Field in Holyoke for the remainder of the playoffs. The games that had been scheduled for Southwick are now at McKenzie.
If you're unfamiliar with it, it's at 500 Beech Street, Holyoke and it's the home of the Holyoke Blue Sox of the New England Collegiate Baseball League.

Wednesday's game pits the Fainting Goats against 1st seed Plug Uglies, and on Thursday, the Dorian Grays take on the #2 ranked Isotopes.

Game Photos

By Stu Clark