Playoffs!
Even though the Aces aren't in the playoffs, I wanted to fairly quickly review what took place, and who was the first ever champion of the Northeast Baseball League!
There was a one game playoff, between Hanover and Gettysburg with Hanover winning 8-5. Next was the Carbondale and Gettysburg playoff game. These four teams all finished tied for the wild card spot in the National Conference. This game was a slugfest with Greensburg outlasting Chambersburg, 13-11.
So the final eight spots were set as follows.
And in a huge upset, the Geneva Robins on the road in game five, defeat the heavily favored Buffalo Bisons, by the score of 5-1. Even more amazing, the Robins were down 2-0, and came storming back to win three in a row! Buffalo had won 92 games during the season, and looked pretty much unbeatable! This now made the playoffs a wide open affair!!
In round 2, Carbondale took care of Johnstown in a mild upset, four games to three, and Albany's fairy tale ride continued, as they again pulled another upset, beating Geneva four games to two!
Isn't baseball amazing. Carbondale, who finished three and a half games out of first, and overcoming some key injuries, find themselves in the Northeast Baseball Leage World Championship! AND even more amazing, is the Albany Senators, a team that finished 70-70, winning their division by just one game! You gotta love this sport!
The Final Game of 1989!
Well, in the end, the "fairy tale" that was the Albany Senators season, came to an end in the sixth game of the world championship, when Carbondale won the game 7-5, in a thrilling sixteen inning affair. The mayor of Carbondale immediately announced a parade for Tuesday, October 3rd. What an incredible ending, to a really incredible first season! I was there to witness the last game, and it was quite a sight. The NBL has really done well this first season, and all the Owners, GM's, and Players should be proud!
Carbondale Pioneers - World Champions 1989
