The Coors Light Chuggers rode their
potent offense to a 16-12 quarterfinal victory in adult co-ed softball
play-offs on Tuesday.
The win sets up a rematch of last
year’s semi-final game against KPMG A, which upset Island Taste Hot Stuff 12-7.
Chuggers Coach Alan Markoff said
his team was looking forward to the game with revenge in mind. “We had high
hopes last season after winning the A2 division crown and our quarter-final
play-off game. But then we played KPMG A in the semi-final and they ended our
championship dreams,” he said. “This year, we hope to avenge that loss and get
to the final, where we know we can beat whatever team we face.”
The game is rematch of the
Chuggers’ regular season finale, which they won handily 17-7. “We know we can
beat them, especially if we hit like we’re capable,” said Markoff.
The Chuggers scored 172 runs –
second most in the A league and 76 more runs than KPMG A – during the regular
season. However, KPMG A’s stingy defence allowed a league best 114 runs, two
less than Coors Light. The Chuggers
earned the #3 seed with an 8-4 regular season, while KPMG A, with a 4-8 record,
finished at the bottom of the A league.
Markoff said the regular season
meant little come play-off time and that his team would have to perform well to
get to the championship game.
“KPMG A has a good defensive team.
Pitcher Doug Harrell knows how to keep hitters off balance and they can catch
the balls hit in the air. But as long as we can hit hard ground balls and line
drives, we should do all right.”
The Chuggers hit the ball well
against another pitching nemesis, Dave Nielson, in their game against KM Ltd.
The sky-ball pitcher held the Chuggers bats at bay for the first two innings,
allowing only two runs, but then Coors Light erupted for five runs in the third
inning and eight runs in the fourth inning to put the game away. KM Ltd. started a last inning rally, but the
Chuggers defence caught Norland Duarte in a pickle between first and second and
successfully ran him down to end the game.
“That’s the most runs we every
scored against Dave,” said Chuggers co-coach Mark Wallace. “We hit well
tonight.”
The Chuggers got offensive
contribution from several players, including Rob Harris (2 for 2 with a home
run and 4 RBI); Chris Orlandini (2 for 2 with a home run and 5 RBI); Pat Haag
(3 for 4 with three doubles); Neil Clements (3 for 3) and Michael Carey (3 for
4).
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