(Front row from left): Jacob Ennis, Joel Colomby, Marcus Petkopoulos, Kasey Wong, David Sulkers; (top row from left) Dave Morgenstern, Ben Morgenstern, Justin Black, Mike Zhang, Sean Lee, Michael Greenberg, Blayne Bunting; (Absent): Dave Boothe.

The Hustlers became the third different team in three years to capture the Goulding Park Slo-Pitch championship on Monday, parlaying the momentum gained from their semi-final win over the pesky JnS Jays earlier in the evening to outlast the Hogs 17-12 in the final.

The Trappers, who sadly defaulted out of the playoffs because of attendamce issues, were last year's winners after the Hogs were the champs in 2019 and '21. (There was no league in 2020 because of COVID).

The Hustlers, who finished in third place in the regular season for the second year in a row -- albeit it with a much better record as their young lineup improved -- had to survive a nervous seventh inning to claim the title. The playoff-tested Hogs, who've been to the past four championship games, didn't go quietly. Down 17-7 heading into the bottom of the final inning, the bottom five guys in the batting order -- who have ignited many comebacks this season -- all managed to reach base with a combination of hits, Hustlers misplays and good fortune when a potential double-play grounder down the third-base line hit the bag and bounced away, leaving all runners safe.

Hustlers pitcher Joel Colomby, who had had trouble with the bottom of the Hogs order all season, admitted he thought this spelled the end of the team's title dreams with the vaunted Hogs top of the order licking its chops. Leadoff man Shaffin Datoo, no surprise, singled in a third Hogs run, bringing up Navaz (K) Kesahvjee, who had been stinging the ball well all game. The big lefty powdered an inside pitch high and deep to right-centre -- a blast that had all the appearances of a game-altering grand slam. But Blayne Bunting, who'd been making sensational plays all evening in the outfield, tracked it down right against the fence for an all-important first out.

Rob Kemp then singled in another run, but Luis Gustavo Savon and Rob Bell flew out to wrap up the surprise title for the Hustlers. Rookie sensation Justin Black made the final catch of the season in left-centre, and simply started trotting off the field as if its were the end of just another inning. But as catcher Marcus Petkopoulos raced out and Colomby thrust both hands in the air with the infield gathering around them, the significance of the moment finally sunk in and the celebration began.

The Hustlers led most of the way, though a five-run Hogs third inning -- the only frame other than the seventh in which they scored more than one run -- had the first-place team up 6-5. But the Hustlers outscored the Hogs 9-1 in the fifth and sixth innings, then tacked on two more in the top of the seventh for the 10-run bulge.

Overall, and cliches aside, it was truly a team effort for the Hustlers, with key hits up and down the order, none more important maybe than Sean Lee, hitting out of the 13th and final slot, legging out infield singles in those decisive fifth and sixth innings to turn the lineup over. 

League home run king Michael Greenberg slammed a key two-run blast in the fifth.

In the semi-final, the Hustlers prevailed over the Jays 15-7 with a two-run Dave Morgenstern home run to left keying a five-run fourth inning.