NALB 2006 Playoffs - League 1 Series

K. Fields
2007-10-21T16:11:51-04:00
Baseball

League 1 Series - Cornfield Axemen vs. Brooklyn Knights

Game 1: Brooklyn 10, Cornfield 3
Game 2: Brooklyn 11, Cornfield 7
Game 3: Brooklyn 5, Cornfield 4
Game 4: Brooklyn 2, Cornfield 0

The Brooklyn Knights faced a very difficult test in the Cornfield Axemen. The Axemen won 102 games in the regular season and played the Knights tough all season long. Game 1 of the League 1 Series featured Hap Bedford and Dave Hambright on the mound. Brooklyn jumped on top early, scoring three runs in the first inning. Cornfield scored a run in the second to cut into the lead. The Knights did some more damage in the fourth inning. They scored four runs and knocked Bedford out of the game. Several more runs were scored off of the bullpens of both teams and the Knights had their first win by a score of 10-3. Game 2 had a pair of lefty hurlers, John Watkins and Fred Millard. Neither starter pitched well and the game quickly turned into a slugfest. The Brooklyn bats were hot and managed four home runs on way to an 11-7 win. The Axemen looked forward to home field advantage as the Series shifted to Cornfield for game 3. Hughie Grover pitched for Cornfield against Brooklyn's Angel Fleming. The Axemen scored in each of the first three innings and built a 4-0 lead. However, the Knights chipped away and tied the game at 4-4 in the ninth. The game was decided in the 13th inning as Ted Pollet singled home the go-ahead run. The Knights held on to win 5-4. Game 4 was do or die for Cornfield. The Axemen once again sent their ace Hap Bedford to the mound. Bedford was faced with a similar situation last season when he pitched his team to a 1-0 shutout over the Knights. Brooklyn started left-hander Tracy Corkhill for game 4. As expected, both starters were dominant. The game was a pitcher's duel and it was scoreless heading into the ninth inning. Castino got a hit to lead off the ninth and Kid Detherage blasted a Walt Bouton fastball into the right field seats. Jeff Ramirez came on to close out the ninth and save a 2-0 victory for the Knights.

The Brooklyn Knights prevailed in a surprising sweep of the Cornfield Axemen to win the League 1 Series.