Christian pitched the complete game win for Cheap Goats, and his two-run homer capped a three-run inning that put Cheap Goats in front for the remainder of game 1
The first game of the 2020 EWL Playoffs was a classic, as #1 seed Cheap Goats narrowly held on to defeat #4 seed Shady Characters 5-4 with the game coming down to the final batter. The 2020 regular season was hard fought with four of the most evenly matched teams in EWL history, and the first game of the playoffs lived up to expectations, as tensions were high and the game was a battle. Up 5-2 in the top of the sixth, Christian and Cheap Goats gave up two runs before escaping 5-4, taking a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five first round series.
Christian retired the first batter he faced, Dylan, in the top of the first. The next batter, Mike, hit a one-out triple. Sam followed with an RBI single, and Shady Characters led 1-0. Tom K followed with a double, putting runners on second and third with one out. It looked as if Shady Characters would jump out to a commanding early lead, but Christian buckled down, retiring Lucas to strand both runners and end the inning.
Christian unloads a pitch to Dylan, who went 2-for-4 with a double and a solo homer
Tom K took the mound for Shady Characters, and he rolled in the top of the first, retiring Brett and Joey in order.
Christian got into a groove starting in the top of the second, and sent Dylan and Mike down consecutively.
Cheap Goats would even things up in the bottom of the second when Jordan led off the inning with a solo homer, making the score 1-1. Two batters later, Dinger hit a one-out single, but Tom K stranded him, retiring Brett to end the inning.
Jordan, pictured on second base after his double, went 2-for-4, and his solo homer tied the game in the bottom of the second
Christian continued to roll in the top of the third, sending Sam and Tom K down in order.
With the score tied at 1-1, Cheap Goats opened up their first lead in the bottom of the third. Joey led off with a triple, and Jordan drove him in with an RBI double, putting Cheap Goats in front 2-1. Christian followed with a two-run blast, and Cheap Goats led 4-1. Tom K retired the next two batters, Dinger and Brett, and Shady Characters trailed by three.
Mike went 2-for-4 with a triple and a two-run homer to lead Shady Characters
Shady Characters got a run back in the top of the fourth. With one out, Dylan hit a solo homer to right-center, and the score was 4-2. Christian then retired Mike to end the inning.
Cheap Goats immediately got the run back when Joey started the bottom of the fourth with a solo shot to left, putting Cheap Goats ahead 5-2. Two batters, later, Christian had a one-out single, but Tom K avoided further damage, retiring Dinger to strand the runner and end the inning.
Christian got back on track in the top of the fifth, retiring Sam and Tom K in order.
Tom K delivers a pitch to Joey, who went 2-for-4 with a triple, a home run, and two runs scored
Cheap Goats were unable to add insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth, as Tom K send Brett and Joey down consecutively, and Shady Characters trailed by three runs heading into their final at-bat.
Christian remained on the mound to close things out, and he retired the first batter he faced, Lucas. The next batter, Dylan, hit a week dribbler to right, but was not only able to reach base safely, he extended the hit into a double. The next batter, Mike, crushed a two-run bomb to right-center, and Shady Characters had cut the the deficit to 5-4. The tying run was at the plate, but the rally would end there. Christian retired Sam for the second out of the inning, and Cheap Goats had taken game 1 by the score of 5-4.
The win gave Cheap Goats a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five first round series.
W: Christian (1-0)
L: Tom K (0-1)
Game Notes:
– Christian pitched the complete game win for Cheap Goats, allowing four runs on six hits.
– Tom K took the loss for Shady Characters, giving up five runs on seven hits in five innings.
– Joey, Jordan, and Christian each had two hits for Cheap Goats, leading the way on offense. Joey went 2-for-4 with a triple, homer, two runs scored, and an RBI. Jordan went 2-for-3 with a double, home run, two runs scored, and two RBI. Christian went 2-for-3 with a single, home run, run scored, and two RBI.
– Mike and Dylan each had two hits for Shady Characters. Mike went 2-for-4 with a triple, home run, two runs scored, and two RBI. Dylan went 2-for-4 with a double, homer, two runs scored, and an RBI.
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