[MAW] 2018 Mid Atlantic Championship Tournament: Timeline

The 2018 Mid Atlantic Championship began at 9:10 AM ET with the Longballs’ Tyler Nachbar taking a called strike from the Yaks’ Jarod Laird and ended nine hours later with a walk off single in extra innings of Game 3 of the championship series. Here are some of the moments - one from each of the day’s thirteen games - that defined the tournament.

9:20 AM – SHEFF - LONGBALLS VS. YAKS
HARSHAW’S HOME RUN

After Sean Bingnear reached on a walk and Colin Pollag struck out to start the bottom of the 2nd inning, Longballs’ captain Dylan Harshaw stepped in the box against the Yaks’ Jared Laird. Behind in the count 0-2, Harshaw deposited a hanging drop pitch over the Wall of Wifflers to put the Longballs up 2-0. The Ridley Park crew would hold on to take game one.

10:12 AM – BUFFALO - BRUISERS VS. LEMON HEADS
“YEA BABY!” - HILL ESCAPES JAM & CELEBRATES

With two outs in the bottom of the 5th and the winning run in scoring position, the Barrel Bruiser’s Jerry Hill got the Lemon Heads’ Ray Lutick to ground back towards the carpet. Jerry pounced on the ball, partook in a rare mid-play celebration, and competed the throw to escape the jam. Although the Bruisers would eventually lose in six innings on total bases, the Bruisers gave the eventual runners up all they could handle.

10:40 AM – BUFFALO - LONGBALLS VS. LEMON HEADS
POLLAG’S HR SENDS THE LONGBALLS TO THE SEMI’S

In a battle to see who would face the Stompers in the semi-finals, the Jersey Lemon Heads and Ridley Park Longballs entered the 3rd inning locked at zero. After taking a riser right over the plate, Colin Pollag unloaded on a Ray Lutick dropper and deposited the ball over the left field fence. The solo shot held up and the Longballs punched their ticket to the semi-finals

11:10 AM – SHEFF – BARREL BRUISERS VS. YORK YAKS
“THAT WAS BRUTAL” – MILSTED & THE YAKS STAY ALIVE

Adam Milsted paints the outside corner of the strike zone to get Jerry Hill looking. The strikeout keeps the Yaks’ championship hopes alive while eliminating the Barrel Bruisers from the tournament.

11:50 AM – SHEFF – LEMON HEADS VS. YORK YAKS
CLARK’S CLUTCH 2B PUTS THE LEMON HEADS IN FRONT

Things changed in a hurry in the Lemon Heads and Yaks elimination game. With two outs in the third and no score, Ray Lutick draws a walk and Dave Clark immediately cashes in with an RBI double. The Lemon Heads hold on and secure the last spot in the semi-finals, eliminating the Yaks in the process.

12:29 PM – SHEFF – LEMON HEADS VS. ERL (G1)
CLARK’S TRIPLE KNOCKS OUT HOFFMAN

Dave Clark brings Blake Hoffman’s day on the mound to a premature end with a 2-run triple in the top of the first inning. Connor Young would stem the tide, but the damage was already done and the Lemon Heads take game one.

12:35 PM – BUFFALO – LONGBALLS VS. STOMPERS (G1)
ROBLES GOES DEEP IN FIRST AT BAT

In his first at bat of the Championship Tournament, 2017 Championship Tournament MVP Jordan Robles went deep off the Longballs’ Sean Bingnear. The run stood up and the Stompers took game one of the semi-finals by a score of 1-0.

1:35 PM – BUFFALO – STOMPERS VS. LONGBALLS (G2)
SARNO STRIKES OUT BINGNEAR; STOMPERS ADVANCE

With a steady rain falling, two runners on, and two outs, Sarno trikes out Sean Bingnear to wrap up a win for the Stompers and send the Longballs home.

2:22 PM – SHEFF – LEMON HEADS VS. ERL (G2)
“I’VE GOT PLENTY LEFT!” – SOUP FORCES A GAME 3

Mere minutes after breaking a 7th inning tie with a solo home run, Connor Young finishes off the Lemon Heads’ Ray Lutick to force a game 3.

3:19 PM – SHEFF – LEMON HEADS VS. ERL (G3 - POST-GAME)
“WE’RE REALLY EXCITED. WE DON’T GET HERE OFTEN.” – LEMON HEADS ADVANCE TO THE FINALS

Moments after punching their ticket to the finals, the Lemon Heads chat with MAW’s Nick Schaefer about their improbable run to the finals 

4:11 PM – SHEFF – LEMON HEADS VS. STOMPERS (G1)
TIM BECK & THE LEMON HEADS STRIKE FIRST

Tim Beck stays hot by taking Jordan Robles deep to straight away center for a second inning solo home run. Ray Lutick would see to it that the run held up and the Lemon Heads take the first game of the Championship Series 1-0.

4:45 PM – SHEFF – LEMON HEADS VS. STOMPERS (G2)
ROBLES STRIKES BACKS

Robles extracts a small measure of revenge with a home run of his own in Game 2. The Stompers tack on several runs from there to even the series at one game apiece.

6:09 PM – SHEFF – LEMON HEADS VS. STOMPERS (G3)
”THERE IT IS!” - TIM COOKE WALKS IT OFF

The marathon final game of the day comes to an end in the 7th inning when Stompers’ captain Tim Cooke singles back up the middle to drive in the game’s only run, giving the Stompers both the game and the 2018 Championship