The Arachnids hosted the Reds in game one of the Championship series. The game originally scheduled for Watervliet was moved to the A Diamond under the lights after an opening at that location.
The Arachnids started with "Big D" Darryl Duncan on the mound and the Reds started with Rick Knipper.
In the 1st the Reds got a couple runners on with 1 out and the cleanup hitter at the palate. But a hit to short and a flip to 2nd got the second out and Miles came around to score in what appeared to be the opening score. However, an interference call ended the inning and took a run off the board. In the bottom of the 1st Duncan singled and but was forced by the next batter and followed with a Saidenberg walk. A 6-3 ended the inning with a scoreless first.
In the 2nd Mithcell Singled and stole second. Then Shaw singled putting runners at the corners. A squib hit toward third was fielded by Duncan and he alertly got the runner going home. Caputo singled to load the bases. Duncan was able to get a bug swinging K and a pop up back to the mound to keep things scoreless. Knipper struck out the first batter looking with a fastball on the corner. After a walk the next batter hit into a 5-3. With two out Jimmy Wing hit a shot to left that was tailing toward center over the left fielders head, but Kenny Shaw made the running catch of the game to keep the game scoreless after two.
The Reds continued to put runners on with Durbak hitting a single to start the inning. Jaz followed with a single to put runners on. Paul Miles followed with a hit down the right field line to plate Durbak from second and Jaz from first to open the scoring with 2 runs. Peters was HBP and Miles scored & Peters advanced on a passed ball. With 1 out Peters scored on a 6-3 and the Reds went up 4-0. The Arachnids responded in their half of the inning. With one out Edelman singled followed by walks to Bolt and Duncan to load the bases. A single by Scorsone and an error followed by some alert base running plated 3 runs. An intentional walk and a single to by Madsen and the Arachnids were threatening with runners at the corners and two outs. Knipper was able to get the reverse k to end the inning. And the score was 4-3 after 3.
In the fourth Hall and Caputo singled to start thing off. Knipper was hit by a pitch to load the bases. The next batter hit back to Duncan who threw home to record the 1st out and keep any runs from scoring. The next batter hit into a 4-3 but pushed a run across. Jaz was hit by a pitch and Duncan was replaced by Scorsone. A pick off attempt to 1st resulted in runners advancing and a run scoring. Miles followed with a single scoring Jaz for the fourth run of the inning. In the fourth Hall came in for the injured Knipper. Mccarthy reached base on an error followed by a single by wing and a sac bunt by Wixon scoring McCarthy to pull closer and end the inning at 8-4.
After 1 out in the fifth Mitchell singled and stole second and was followed by a Shaw single to put runners on the corners. The Arachnids were able to turn a sorely needed 6-4-3 DP to end the threat. With two outs Saidenberg singled & stole second. King walked and Madsen hit a single to load the bases with 2 outs but comebacker to the pitcher ended the inning with the score 8-4 Reds after 5.
In the top of the sixth, the Reds went quietly with Scorsone inducing two 6-3 put outs, Dan Durbak?s second single of the night and then a 5-3 FC for out three. In the bottom of the sixth the Arachnids exploded for five runs. McCarthy walked, stole second, Wing singled plating McCarthey followed by a BB to Wixon. Runners on first and second. Hall then worked a K for an out.Bob Bolt singled to score Wing. Duncan rbi single scored run number four. Scorsone then walked. Rick Saidenberg ripped a shot up the middle for the fifth and final run.
Top of the seventh. Arachnids up 9-8. The energy on the field was electric. Reds Paul Miles at bat. Hits a hard chopper to Nickelson who fields cleanly fires to first. One out. Next Reds batter Paul Peters. Works a deep count. Payoff pitch is grounded to third. Again Wayne Nickelson gloves it and makes a clean throw to first. Reds down to their final out. Jack Griffin reaches on an error. Reds hanging on by a thread. Griffin steals second. Dave Mitchell, batting clean-up, heads directly to first on an intentional walk. Ken Shaw, 2-3 on the night comes to the plate. Shaw rips a single to centerfield. Centerfield scoops it cleanly and fires to home. Griffin racing around third and charging hard. Jim Wing, Arachnids catcher moves two steps up the third baseline to field the throw with Griffin at full speed. Wing lands the tag on Griffin for the game ending final out. Wow, what a game! Anachrids Steal Game
Reds Jaz 1 hit 2 runs, Miles 2 Hits 1 run, Peters 1 hit 1 Run, Mitchell 2 Hits 1 Int BB, Shaw 3 Hits, Caputo 2 Hits 1 Run, Knipper 1 Run, Reel 1 Run, Burbak 2 Hits 1 Run Anachrids Bolt 1 hit 2 Runs, Duncan 2 hits 1 Run, Scorsone 1 Hit 1 run, Saidenberg 2 hits, Madsen 2 Hits,McCarthy 2 runs, Wing 2 Hits 1 run, Wixon Sac 1Hit,Edelman 1 Hit 1 Run Scorsone W 3-1/3 innings 0 Runs
