The Hawaii Tropics begin the best of seven Doubleday Series against the Long Beach Surfers at Vito Constantino Memorial Stadium.
Game 1- The Doubleday series opener was a pitching duel between Danya Tchekanov and Niccolo “Notorious” Destefani. Both pitchers left with the game tied at 2-2 and watched their bullpens go to work. The Tropics were the team that blinked when Stephen Taub gave up a triple and a two out single that gave the Surfers the walkout win.
Destefani pitched 7 1/3 innings allowing 2 runs on 5 hits and 4 walks. He struckout 4 batters in the no decision.
RF Mike Campbell was 2 for 5 with a two run homer.
Long Beach wins 3-2.
Game 2- The Tropics fall behind early 2-0 before the bullpen stopped the bleeding. Hawaii scored 1 in the third and 4 in the fifth to take the lead. The bullpen shut down the Surfers to events series at 1-1.
SP Jesus Gonzalez pitched 4 2/3 innings allowing 2 runs on 6 hits and 3 walks. He struck out 3 before coming out of the game.
Mike Campbell was 1 for 5 with a solo homer.
Hawaii wins 5-3.
Hawaii and Long Beach make their way to the islands with the series tied at 1-1.
Game 3- The Tropics and Surfers played another nail biter before the surfers break the 2-2 tie with a run in the eighth and ninth to take a 2-1 series lead.
The Surfers made SP Alaric Wullenweber work hard going 6 innings surrendering 2 runs (one earned) on 4 hits and 2 walks. He struck out 6 in the no decision.
3B Miguel Rodriguez was 1 for 3 with two RBI.
Long Beach wins 4-2.
Game 4- The Surfers take a 7-2 lead in the top of the eighth with a 3 run innings. The Tropics make a last ditch run at the Surfers scoring 1 in the bottom of the eighth and 3 in the ninth but fall short of the comeback.
SP Zak Johnson threw 4 1/3 innings giving up 3 runs on 3 hits, 2 walks and struck out 3 batters.
1B Gary Allen was 3 for 4 with a double, homer, two runs scored and two RBI.
SS Fernando Rodriguez was 1 for 3 with a three run homer.
Long Beach wins 7-6.
Game 5- The Hawaii Tropics saw their 2044 BBA Season end in a whimper at Diamond Head. The Tropic Killer Danya Tchekanov finished off Hawaii with 7 innings of work. He allowed just 5 hits and walked one while striking out 10 batters.
Niccolo Destefani struggled going 3 1/3 innings giving up 5 runs on 7 hits, a walk and struck out 4.
C Ron Shiplack had the most success against Tchekanov going 2 for 4.
Long Beach wins 5-0 and wins the series 4-1.
