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Que no, que nooooo. Que no me digas que no!
The Knights show their tenacity as they refuse to loose. After a disastrous performance in the first game of the PPBA championship series, the Knights pulled together to win in dramatic fashion on Sunday. With their backs against the wall the Knights needed two wins against a Parkville Warriors team that has proven to be a tough opponent through out the year.
Parkville won the only game between the two teams in the regular season with a come from behind last inning rally, and then defeated the Knights in the first game of the championship series 13-11. But the Knights would not be denied.
Daniel Rodriguez took the mound after the staff aces JR Romero and Eli Abreu were unavailable as they had pitched in the semi-final game and game one of the championship series. Daniel came up big putting in a gutsy performance for the win in game two as the Knights bats came alive. Making a statement and backed by the hot bats of Roland Rivera, Keith Herring, Luis Cruz and Jacob Ramos OLS rolled to a 19-7 mercy rule victory in game two.
Game three was a game to remember. Luis Rosario took the mound for the Knights with their championship hopes resting on his shoulders. Going up against the Parkville ace #31 Taromina, this game had the making of a classic pitching duel. It didn’t disappoint.
The game moved along quickly locked in a 0-0 tie going into the bottom of the 4th inning. Parkville’s leadoff hitter lined a single into left field. After stealing second base he managed to score Parkville’s only run of the game on a throwing error by committed by the usually solid OLS shortstop Dale Sanchez. That would prove to be the only blemish in a spectacular pitching performance by Rosario.
The Knights came right back in the top of the fifth inning as Roland Rivera singled and then stole second base. Rosario came to the plate ready to battle for a run. After working the count Rosario got a pitch he could handle and lined a bullet back up the middle hitting Parkville’s Taromina and ricocheting toward the first base line. As Taromina recovered and scrambled to get the out at first base, Rivera blazed around third base and on a daring call by third base coach Marcelo Perez headed home. It was a bang-bang play as Roland was called safe at home plate. Taromina would settle down and end the inning in a 1-1 tie.
It would stay that way until the top of the seventh. Keith Herring started what proved to be the game-winning rally with a double that was followed by a Roland Rivera single that found its way through the left side of the infield, giving the Knights runners on first and third. The next batter, Rosario was walked to load the bases for Vimanuel Corali with one out. Corali hits a ground ball that the shortstop fields and throws late and offline to home in an attempt to cut down the go ahead run as Keith Herring scores giving the Knights a 2-1 lead.
But Parkville was not ready to concede victory. Getting their leadoff hitter on and moving him to second base with two outs Parkville’s cleanup hitter stepped to the plate. He battled Rosario and managed to hit a hard ground ball to shortstop that looked like it would be the last out of the game until it took a wicked hop over Dale Sanchez’ head and into left field. The runner on second base was running on contact and rounded third heading for home with what would have been the tying run setting up what in my opinion was the most dramatic finish to a championship game I have ever witnessed. Knights left fielder Roland Rivera charged the ball hard and came up throwing. The throw was a perfect no hop bullet to home plate that beat the runner by a good two steps. Knights catcher Vimanuel Corali held on to the ball waiting to apply the tag to the runner and soon was swarmed by his teammates celebrating their championship victory.
Congratulations to the OLS Knights, 2006 PPBA Champions!!!
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OLS Knights
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