WHIV 2048.1- Hustlers Win Title!

[recte44]

The 2047 Las Vegas Hustlers club had gone into the playoffs bearing the burden of GM Matt Rectenwald describing them as "possibly the best team the Hustlers have ever had." No pressure, right?

When the playoffs begin, the regular season is quickly forgotten. So after a nice break with their bye for the Geoghegan Series, Las Vegas squared off with the Rockville Pikemen in the Doubleday Series. The series was a true battle, going the full seven games and requiring the Hustlers to come back from a 3 games to 2 deficit to earn the series win.

Next, the Charlotte Cougars and the Cartwright Cup. While no playoff series can be considered "easy", this one was shorter in a five game series win.

Now the Hustlers had a chance to make their GM's words prophetic as they prepared for the Monty Brewster Memorial Series against the mighty reigning BBA champion Omaha Cyclones and their wily GM Justin Niles. Las Vegas manager Edward Allen made a somewhat surprising decision by choosing left-hander Nathaniel Davis to start Game 1. It looked like a genius move when Davis went about mowing down Cyclones batters one after another. After a full six innings he had struck out 12, allowing no runs on just three hits with two walks. At 76 pitches, Davis appeared poised to carry on for at least another inning. Allen instead went to the bullpen to open the seventh inning, with Hustlers fans blowing up Twitter with their disgust. Rich Martinez was the first man out, and he pitched well enough in the seventh to come back out for the eighth. That's when the chaos ensued. Las Vegas' bullpen had been so strong for most of the season but of late had been stumbling. Dominic Thompson, in for Martinez, walked two and allowed two hits with only one out recorded before the Hustlers star closer Bang Pi entered. Pi, one of the best relievers in the BBA this year, had already lost two games in the playoffs and now was in another critical spot. With two men out, this happened:
Pitching: RHP Bang Pi
Batting: RHB Orlando Ordóñez 0-0: Called Strike
0-1: Ball
1-1: Fly out, F7 (Flyball, 7D, EV 90.6 MPH)
Batting: RHB Emílio Morales 0-0: 3-RUN HOME RUN (Flyball, 9D, EV 101.2 MPH), Distance : 400 ft
Pinch Hitting: LHB André Ly 0-0: Ball
1-0: Ball
2-0: Foul Ball, location: 2F
2-1: SOLO HOME RUN (Flyball, 7D, EV 105.0 MPH), Distance : 397 ft
Batting: LHB Wilson Estrada 0-0: Foul Ball, location: 2F
0-1: Called Strike
0-2: Foul Ball, location: 2F
0-2: Ball
1-2: Ball
2-2: SOLO HOME RUN (Flyball, 9D, EV 111.2 MPH), Distance : 417 ft
Batting: RHB Russell Sharp 0-0: Ball
1-0: Foul Ball, location: 2F
1-1: Ball
2-1: Foul Ball, location: 2F
2-2: Strikes out swinging
Batting: RHB Jim Antolin 0-0: Fly out, F8 (Flyball, 8RM, EV 95.6 MPH)
Top of the 9th over - 5 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on base; Omaha 5 - Las Vegas 4

Vegas couldn't come back in the bottom of the ninth against Omaha's Renato Lucerda, ultimately losing a game which they had, by any reasonable measures, dominated through seven innings.

"Every team in baseball loses," Hustlers manager Edward Allen said. "We're in the playoffs and we still have the same guys that got us here. We'll bounce back."
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Bounce back they did, with a Game 2 victory behind Martin Ross and four relievers. Ross was wild with five walks in 5.1 innings, but just allowed 1 run. Eugenio Asseldonk (2.1 IP, 0 H, 3K) was electric, and Allen acknowledged after the game that his lefty arm out of the pen may end up being a key to the series. Bang Pi did complete the game with a one out (strikeout) save, his fourth of the playoffs, evening the series at one game apiece.

Blaine Tyler was vital part of the Las Vegas win in Game 2. He went 1 for 4 with a double. In the bottom of the third with one out, Tyler hit a run-scoring double. It made the score 2-1, in favor of the Hustlers.

"We're happy," Tyler told reporters after the win. "When you're in the playoffs, you've got to treat every game like it could be your last."
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The series arrived in Omaha for Game 3. The story was Brian King, who was quite simply awesome with an eight inning masterpiece (6 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 104 P). "Brian is tough when he's hitting his spots," said Las Vegas manager Edward Allen. The MBMS start for King marked the only game this season in which he exceeded 100 pitches. "Saving my best for last," said King with a smile. The Hustlers offense also came alive in the later innings, scoring eight runs in total. Tom Rudge continued his hot hitting with a 3-4 day including a triple.

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Vegas saved their dramatic flair for Game 4. Omaha took a 3-2 lead into the ninth inning. The Hustlers rallied to load the bases and then took the lead with a bases clearing double by Carlos Santillan. 5-3 would be the final, with Bang Pi notching his fifth postseason save. On to Game 5.

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In Game 5, Nathaniel Davis fought through some early bumps to get through five solid innings and, thanks to a two run double by Jim Ashford in the top of the ninth, would earn the win in the decisive game. Eru Likiliki, Jay Hodge and finally Asseldonk would combine for four scoreless innings of relief to clinch the title. Calvin Johnson also tied the JL playoff game record for doubles in a game with his 3.

The Hustlers left little doubt who was the better team. Celebrating a banner year, "team" was the word of the day in the victorious clubhouse after the game. "Hitting, pitching, fielding; those are all things you need to win, but most importantly you need a team, a team that works together toward the same collective goal," said Las Vegas manager Edward Allen. "Our players felt that way all year, and they played that way. When one guy had an off day, 26 others stepped up their game and filled the void." A jovial mood filled the air as Las Vegas celebrated into the night. The city's mayor said parade plans were underway and a "huge celebration" would be in order.

"I hope they have a big celebration," Omaha manager William Cole said. "They deserved to win this series and they deserve to celebrate it."

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[bschr682]

Woot woot

[scottsdale_joe]

Up the Hustlers!

[tylertoo]

Congrats! (belatedly)

[CTBrewCrew]

Dookie gets a ring! Gotta shout out my ex Madison crew!

[Dington]

Congrats!