The Plug Uglies defeat the Phillies in the TNB+50 Championship
Phillies 5
Plug Uglies 7
WP: Jeff Whitehead
LP: Colin Hosley
36 scheduled games, 18 rainouts, 17 makeup games, 4 playoff matchups…and the 2024 TNB+50 season concludes on a beautiful early fall evening at Mackenzie Stadium with the Phillies and the Plug Uglies vying for the championship. This would be the fifth time the Uglies and Phils have faced off in the final, with the men in red walking away with three league crowns.
The night started off with a pregame ceremony recognizing each team’s MVP, as well the presentation of the Pres Pericini Sportsmanship Award to Paul “Gris” Griswald of the Phillies. After the team’s lined up for the national anthem, it was time to play ball! The night’s starting pitchers were Krafty Kenny Sloat for the Phillies and Jeff Whitehead for the Plug Uglies.
The scoring started in the bottom of the first when Plugs leadoff hitter Nolan Anaya reached on an E-6, Jeff Cabana singled, and Whitehead singled to load the bases with two out. Rob “Ecc” Eccleston worked a walk which pushed Anaya home for the first run. Morriss “Mo” Partee, swinging a hot bat this post-season, whacked an RBI single that scored Cabana. It would have been two RBIs for Big Mo, but on the throw to home Whitehead was a dead duck trying to score as catcher Ron Totten applied the tag a few feet from the plate (on a play that was originally called safe but overturned). After one inning: Plug Uglies 2, Phillies 0.
The Phillies got on the board in the top of the third. Steve Malachite hit a shot to right field that rolled on and got himself a triple. Rookie sensation Micheal “Miguel” Ringler reached on a single but the runner on 3rd held. It didn’t matter: John ”JW” Wills knocked in both base runners with a single to tie the game. In the bottom of the inning the Uglies came up empty handed, and after 3 innings it was tied at two runs apiece.
In the top of the 4th the Phillies took command. A single by leadoff hitter Micah Winston, followed by a Paul Griswald single, set the stage for a bomb by Phillies MVP Colin “Hos” Hosley to right centerfield that scored both base runners. Andy Klepacki reached on an E-5 and stole second, with Hosley on third. Sean St. Marie hit into a fielder’s choice and Hosley was caught trying to score. Whitehead then induced a 6-3 and limited the damage to two runs.
The Uglies came right back in the bottom of the 4th. Cabana reached on a E-5 and stole second, then Eccleston singled. Partee hit another single that scored a run, followed by Steve Wall doing the same. Mike Olkin kept the parade going with another single to load the bases. Then skipper Chris “Chaka” Scanlon hit a line drive two feet over the head of Hosley (who had come in to pitch in relief) that went through the hole to score Partee and the Uglies regained the lead. “Hos” limited the damage with a 1-3 groundout, stranding 3 runners on base. After 4 innings it was Plug Uglies 5, Phillies 4.
Undeterred, the Phillies struck back. Malachite reached on an error, followed by Ringler smashing a bomb of a double that scored St. Marie. Up came Wills again, this time whacking a double that almost scored Ringler, who was thrown out trying to get home. In the bottom frame Uglies rookie Justin Gaudette got a sweet single, but they couldn’t do anything with it. After five innings it was tied again at five.
The Uglies came right back in the sixth with a single by Bill “The Principal” Evans , who reached second on a passed ball then stole third. Then Plugs backstop Matt Boulanger smashed a long fly ball to left that looked like it might get caught but was lost in the lights: Evans scored easily and Boulanger legged a triple as the ball rolled to the wall. Whitehead hit a sacrifice fly to score Boulanger and the Uglies regained the lead. The Phillies were able to get a lone runner on base in the bottom half of the inning, but that was all. 7-5 Uglies after 6 innings.
In the top of the 7th the Plugs got 3 runners on base but couldn’t cash in. In bottom half the Phillies got two men on and had the same problem.
And that set the stage for a tense 8th inning: Jim “Kruk” Forgerty reached on a single, but was caught in a fielder’s choice leaving Malachite on 1st. Ringler singled and Malachite moved to third. With the go ahead run at the plate Whitehead was able to strikeout the red hot bat of J.W. Wills. Two down. Then, in a fierce battle with Ron Totten, the Uglies ace struck him out looking to get out of the jam.
In the bottom of the 8th Gaudette reached on another single, but that was all for the Ugly bats, who were desperately hoping for some insurance runs with a tenuous 7-5 lead. On to the 9th…
…Whitehead and company tried to nail down the last three outs, knowing better than anybody that a two run lead can evaporate fast. Tensions were high. The first batter was Jack Eisenstadt, who grounded into a 4-3. One out. Paul “Kap” Kaplan stepped to the plate to face the Uglies ace and went down swinging. Two out. Up came dangerous leadoff hitter Micah Winston, whose bat and speed have troubled the Uglies many times before. On a 2-2 count the Phillies speedster swung through strike three and the ballgame was over. The Plug Uglies are the 2024 TNB+50 champions, securing their third league title!
Game photos courtesy of Patrick Johnson
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