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South Middlesex fastball playoffs

 Appin has Moore to calm the Storm

 

   Greg Moore throws four plus innings of shutout ball against St. Thomas  

   as the Appin A's sweep the South Middlesex Men's Fastball League series

 

Monday August 27, 2018

 

  • South Middlesex playoff series
  • South Middlesex playoff series
  • South Middlesex playoff series
  • South Middlesex playoff series
  • South Middlesex playoff series
  • South Middlesex playoff series
  • South Middlesex playoff series


 

 

 

By Rob J. Ross 

APPIN, ON. -  There will be no third consecutive trip to the final for the St. Thomas Storm.

Greg Moore tossed four and two-thirds shutout innings, to lead the Appin A's past St. Thomas, 8-4, completing a three game sweep of the Southern Middlesex Men's Fastball League first round series.

Nate and Pete Johnson drove the A's offence, combing to go six for seven, with three RBI and three runs scored, while Jeff Lyons belted a late game solo home run.

The A's move on to the semifinals, while for the first time in their three years in the league, the Storm will not be in the final. St. Thomas won the SMMFL championship in 2016 and lost to the Alvinston Aces, in the 2017 final.

"I can't remember the last time we were done before Labour Day. It's tough. We lost to Alvinston last year and were hoping to get another shot at them," St. Thomas manager Tom Edie said. "They (A's) didn't make as many mistakes as we did and one through nine they hit the ball. At this level, hitting the ball is what matters."

The A's opened the best of five series, taking game one, 9-7, at home, before thumping the Storm, 11-3, in game two, in Fingal.

"Bottom line was we got four runs and didn't get another one. They held us from the fourth inning on. We didn't get the hits when we needed them," Edie said. "You never have enough against that team. They're a good hitting team. They don't have an easy out in their line-up. It's a battle to stay up with them."

The Storm jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the visitors' half of the first inning, scoring on an error and Randy Gray RBI, but left the bases loaded.

Nate Johnson delivered his first RBI, tying the game in the second inning, scoring Aaron Fichter. Paul Johnson had led off with a triple, before scoring on a throwing error charged to Storm pitcher Jake McKillop.

St. Thomas grabbed another two run lead, scoring twice in the third inning.

Gray delivered out a RBI double, but got caught in a run down between third base and home plate.  McKillop, who had reached base on an error, caught the A's sleeping, raced home from second base, to put the Storm up 4-2.

That ended the night for A's starter Jeff Lyons, but in retrospect, the game for the Storm.

Enter Moore, who surrendered a single, but ended the inning with a strikeout. Over the next four innings, Moore only allowed a single and a pair of walks, while striking out three batters.

"I was just trying to stay ahead, throw strikes, but hit the spots and let the guys work, You can't throw it down the middle against those guys (Storm)," said Moore. "I had a curve ball that was working. When they were kind of cheating for that, I'd mix in the drop."

Appin got a run back in their half of the third inning, on a Paul Johnson RBI. The A's took a 5-4 lead, in the fourth, on back to back RBI singles, by Brad Wolfe and Adam Fletcher.

Nate Johnson pushed the A's lead to 6-4, in the fifth, rifling a hit out towards Storm's centre fielder Chris Wismer, who made a valiant diving effort  to catch the ball.

Lyons went yard and R Chisholm slapped out a RBI double, to complete the scoring in the sixth inning.

"Everybody is hitting the ball the best this year so far. I think we have a tendency not to bare down (during the regular season), but it's playoffs and we're ready to play," said Moore. "We're excited (to advance to the semifinals). We're a team to beat. When we're playing this way, we'll be a tough team."

Gray and Chris Wismer, both finished two for three, with a base on balls, for St. Thomas, while Aaron Gould had a single and a pair of walks, in three plate appearances.

McKillop worked six innings, allowing eight runs, six earned, on 11 hits and two walks, while striking out six batters.

The 2-0 lead was the Storm's first lead of the series, since a 2-0 in the first inning of the opening game.

Depending the dates for games, the A's may be without Jeff Lyons for the start of the semifinals.

The Appin native joins the Elmira Expos, for the Senior men's Canadian fastpitch championship, in Saint Croix, Nova Scotia, August 29 to September 2.

Several Storm players' season will continue as they also play for Glanworth, in the Tri-County Men's Fastball League. The post season begins Wednesday with Glanworth, the eighth seed, taking on the number one Innerkip Eagles.

Glanworth will be also at the Ontario Challenge Cup, in Innerkip, September 14-17, a tournament featuring all the league champions in the province.

McKillop, Gray, Gould, Rob Burns, Mark Coleman and Edie, will be with Glanworth.

"It's a fun way to wrap up the season," said Edie. "All of the league champions are there, so everybody is trying to gun to see whose league is the best. There will be some good intermediate baseball. It's a fun brand of baseball."

Alvinston Juniors will be representing Southern Middlesex.

Earlier this month, Glanworth won the Ontario Amateur Softball Association (OASA) Intermediate B championship.

 

 

Related articles:

  Appin takes 2-0 lead over St. Thomas

 

 

 


        rob@hometownplay.ca