By H.W. BAILEY PHOTOS BY KATHY S. JOHNSON
It took the full three games, in a best two out of three game championship series, but the Liberty Diamond Dawgs emerged as champions of the Big Bend Baseball League of Florida, defeating the Gulf County Drive Sunday, in the final game at the Liberty County High School baseball field in Bristol. The Gulf County Drive won the first game Sunday, 6-3, making it necessary to play a third game for the championship of the League.
The first game on Sunday proved to be an outstanding pitching duel between Justin McCroan for Gulf Drive and the Parish brothers, Jamie and Jody, for the Diamond Dawgs, the win going to McCroan and Jamie Parish suffering the loss in a 6-3 game. Gulf Drive scored three runs in the top of the second, when Austin Horton doubled, driving in Adam Nixon who had earlier singled, plus back-to-back walks to Eric Ramsey and Stephen Besore, McCroan singled to drive in Horton and Gulf Drive led 3-0. Gulf Drive added one more run in the fourth with back-to-back doubles by McCroan and Justin Rhodes, then two more in the top of the seventh, on hits by Ryan Leaman, Kelley Forehand and Horton, to complete their scoring, with a 6-0 lead in the seventh. The only threat by the Diamond Dawgs was in the bottom of the seventh, when the bases were loaded by three walks, a hit batter, and a single by Boo Morris to score three runs, but not enough, and the Dawgs fell to Gulf Drive 6-3.
In the final game of the series, it was a different story as the bats came alive for the Diamond Dawgs to win the final championship game by a score of 11-1. The Dawgs wasted no time as they put six runs on the board in the bottom of the first on a three-run homer by Richie Smith, followed by a solo homer by Travis Anderson. The Dawgs continued to add runs in the second and third innings, and held a 11-0 lead after three innings of play. The only run by Gulf Drive came in the top of the fifth, but too little too late. Starting pitcher for the Dawgs, Tim Young, got the win, but was relieved by Boo Morris in the third inning to complete the game that ended in the fifth, on the 10-run mercy rule.
Thus ended a great inaugural baseball season for the Big Bend Baseball League of Florida, with the Liberty Diamond Dawgs being crowned 2009 champions. Congratulations to the Dawgs, and also the runner-up, the Gulf County Drive, on an outstanding season! And the remaining teams - the Calhoun Horsemen, the Bay County Brewers, the Chattahoochee Red Birds and the Jackson County Jays - congratulations on a great baseball season and as they say, “Just wait ‘til next year!”
It took the full three games, in a best two out of three game championship series, but the Liberty Diamond Dawgs emerged as champions of the Big Bend Baseball League of Florida, defeating the Gulf County Drive Sunday, in the final game at the Liberty County High School baseball field in Bristol. The Gulf County Drive won the first game Sunday, 6-3, making it necessary to play a third game for the championship of the League.
The first game on Sunday proved to be an outstanding pitching duel between Justin McCroan for Gulf Drive and the Parish brothers, Jamie and Jody, for the Diamond Dawgs, the win going to McCroan and Jamie Parish suffering the loss in a 6-3 game. Gulf Drive scored three runs in the top of the second, when Austin Horton doubled, driving in Adam Nixon who had earlier singled, plus back-to-back walks to Eric Ramsey and Stephen Besore, McCroan singled to drive in Horton and Gulf Drive led 3-0. Gulf Drive added one more run in the fourth with back-to-back doubles by McCroan and Justin Rhodes, then two more in the top of the seventh, on hits by Ryan Leaman, Kelley Forehand and Horton, to complete their scoring, with a 6-0 lead in the seventh. The only threat by the Diamond Dawgs was in the bottom of the seventh, when the bases were loaded by three walks, a hit batter, and a single by Boo Morris to score three runs, but not enough, and the Dawgs fell to Gulf Drive 6-3.
In the final game of the series, it was a different story as the bats came alive for the Diamond Dawgs to win the final championship game by a score of 11-1. The Dawgs wasted no time as they put six runs on the board in the bottom of the first on a three-run homer by Richie Smith, followed by a solo homer by Travis Anderson. The Dawgs continued to add runs in the second and third innings, and held a 11-0 lead after three innings of play. The only run by Gulf Drive came in the top of the fifth, but too little too late. Starting pitcher for the Dawgs, Tim Young, got the win, but was relieved by Boo Morris in the third inning to complete the game that ended in the fifth, on the 10-run mercy rule.
Thus ended a great inaugural baseball season for the Big Bend Baseball League of Florida, with the Liberty Diamond Dawgs being crowned 2009 champions. Congratulations to the Dawgs, and also the runner-up, the Gulf County Drive, on an outstanding season! And the remaining teams - the Calhoun Horsemen, the Bay County Brewers, the Chattahoochee Red Birds and the Jackson County Jays - congratulations on a great baseball season and as they say, “Just wait ‘til next year!”
No comments:
Post a Comment