The Western League regular season ended on a familiar note, as the Pulberry Trolleys and Sherburn Tigers finished 1st and 2nd in the standings for the fourth straight season. While the Trolleys had a relatively easy time securing top spot once again, the Tigers had to fend off both the Balmoral Giants and Cambria Cannons until the next-to-last day of the season to secure their fourth-consecutive playoff appearance.
For Pulberry, this will be their sixth-consecutive playoff appearance and sixth-consecutive first-place finish. After becoming the first team in ULB history to win three straight United Cups last year, the Trolleys are looking to equal another record, namely winning four-straight League Pennants. The Brunswick Legends first achieved it from 1942 to 1945 while Kingston Pelicans achieved it from 1943 to 1946, and the Wolseley Unions accomplished it from 1949 to 1952. Of course, Pulberry has its sights on winning an unprecedented fourth United Cup and they have a chance to be the first to win it in four-straight years.
Thus, the Sherburn Tigers are once again facing a formidable opponent who are driven to make history. The Tigers are making their sixth playoff appearance as well their fourth in a row. But unlike the Trolleys, Sherburn has never finished a season in first place and have yet to win a Pennant. This year, they won the Wild Card by the fewest wins in their history and finished 11 games back of Pulberry.
During the regular season, the Tigers were much more competitive in the 15 matches against the Trolleys, going 7-8 and scoring 40 runs while allowing 54. That is an improvement from the season before, where they won just 4 games and were outscored 49 to 72.
Like last season, Sherburn is dealing with an injury to a pitcher. No. 3 starter, 22-year old RHP
Ben Buschlen (13-14, 4.11 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 3.45 FIP, 94 ERA+; Career Postseason: 3 GS, 0-1, 3.91 ERA, 23.0 IP, 1.39 WHIP, 3.14 FIP, 105 ERA+) strained his back late in the season and will not be available for at least the Pennant Series.
45-year old rookie
Lee Ayling makes his first playoff appearance as manager. The Sherburn Tigers parted ways with Jamie Blair (400-370, .519) last offseason after five years at the helm. While Blair led the Tigers to three consecutive playoff appearances, they were unable to unseat the Trolleys to win their first Pennant. Thus, all eyes will be on the Tigers to see if a new voice in the clubhouse can make a difference this time around.
For
Ryo Ichikawa (1292-1022, .558), the beat goes on as the 53-year old skipper has established himself as one of the most successful managers in the United Leagues. With the Trolleys qualifying for the playoffs once again this season, Ichikawa has now set a new record for most playoff appearances by a manager with eight. Six of those appearances have come with Pulberry, while the other two came with the Embro Suns in 1945 and 1946.
While the story may sound familiar – with Pulberry and Sherburn squaring off against each other for the fourth straight year and the Trolleys looking to make history – the Tigers meanwhile are looking to finally ‘flip the script’ and usurp the vaunted Trolleys and finally win a playoff series. Thus, the Series should be a dandy. Play ball!
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April 1 – Game 1
For the 6th straight year, Trolleys Stadium hosts Game 1 under clear, warm skies.
Pulberry’s ace, 23-year LHP
Bart Ohara (6-3, 2.08 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 11 career playoff starts) takes the hill, while Sherburn responds with their ace, 35-year old RHP
Jesús Chapa (2-3, 1 SV, 3.29 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 6 career playoff starts).
Bottom of the 1st:
Ellis Dibble lines a 1-1 change-up into short centerfield for a lead-off single. With one out, Aidan Thirkettle smashes the first pitch he sees, a 90-mph fastball out toward deep right center for a double. RF Albert Sulley reaches for it but it’s way over his head as it falls in and bangs off the wall. Dibble heads to third then races for home. Sulley fires it home but 1B Jay Durham cuts it off as Thirkettle bolts for third. His throw to third is not in time as Thirkettle opens the scoring with an RBI double.
Sherburn 0 - Pulberry 1
Bottom of the 5th:
With two out, Aidan Thirkettle lofts a 92-mph fastball out toward deep left centerfield. RF Ross Shewman waves off CF Leon Albrecht but then flubs the catch as Thirkettle pulls up into second. Cooper Tyson then squeaks a hot grounder into rightfield. Thirkettle takes third then sprints for home. Thirkettle slides in headfirst, beating out the tag from C Robert Kersey as Tyson takes second.
Sherburn 0 - Pulberry 2
Top of the 9th:
Vic Lewis leads off and fouls off five straight pitches before lining out to 1B Ellis Dibble. PH Brendan Blowers then punches a slider through the hole and into rightfield for a base hit. That ends Bart Ohara’s day as manager Ryo Ichikawa calls to the bullpen for RHP Quintiliano Galeo.
Leon Albrecht then battles Galeo to a full count before smashing a line drive out toward first. But 1B Ellis Dibble is right there to catch it on the fly. Blowers tries to get back to first, but Dibble beats him, stepping on the base to complete the game-ending double play. Pulberry takes game 1, shutting out the Tigers.
FINAL: Sherburn 0 - Pulberry 2
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April 2 – Game 2
Clear, warm skies return to Trolleys Stadium for Game 2.
After being stonewalled in a tough loss in Game 1, the Tigers call upon their No. 2 starter, 33-year old RHP
Kieran Bunce (1-4, 3.49 ERA, 1.24 WHIP in 5 career playoff games.) for Game 2, while Pulberry’s No. 2 starter, 31-year old RHP
Taylor Folkard (7-3, 2.78 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 14 career playoff starts) takes the mound.
Bottom of the 1st:
Yoshimi Sekozawa slices a 90-mph fastball into rightfield for a one-out single as it falls in before RF Albert Sulley can reach it. Aidan Thirkettle then breaks his bat on a chopper headed down the first-base line. 1B Jay Durham scoops it up and retires Thirkettle as Sekozawa takes second. Cooper Tyson then slices the first offering to leftfield past a diving SS Dwayne Vick. Sekozawa takes third, then heads for home, beating out the throw from RF Ross Shewman to open the scoring.
Paul England then jumps all over the first he sees and sends it soaring out toward deep rightfield. RF Albert Sulley races back to the warning track but the ball hits high off the wall. Tyson takes third then breaks for home without a throw as England pulls up into second with an RBI double.
Sherburn 0 - Pulberry 2
Top of the 5th:
Sherburn finally ends their scoring drought. Robert Kersey leads off and slaps a grounder out toward short. SS Sean Abercrombie dives to knock it down then staggers to his feet to throw to first. But 1B Ellis Dibble can’t hang onto it as Kersey reaches safely on the error.
Dwayne Vick then launches a 2-2 slider into the gap in deep right center. CF Cooper Tyson chases after it, but the ball sails over his head and kicks off the wall. Kersey moves up to third as Vick cruises into second.
With Albert Sulley up to bat, Taylor Folkard uncorks a wild pitch. C Paul England tracks it all the way to the backstop, but Kersey slides into home safely as Vick takes third.
Sulley then pounds a 91-mph fastball up the middle past a drawn-in infield for a base hit. Vick comes home to tie up the game.
After Albert Sulley moves up to second on a sac bunt by Ross Shewman, Dwyane Vick punches a line drive out toward short rightfield for a base hit. Sulley moves up to third and is then sent home. Sulley slides in safely as the throw from RF Joe Riding is off target.
Sherburn 3 - Pulberry 2
Top of the 7th:
Albert Sulley draws a lead-off walk. Ross Shewman then sends a hard grounder that just stays fair down the third base line and into the corner. LF Aidan Thirkettle hurries the ball back in, holding Sulley at third while Shewman pulls up into second.
Dwayne Vick then lofts one out to leftfield. Although not that deep, the speedy Sulley tags up at third and races home easily as Thirkettle simply throws the ball back to the infield.
Sherburn 4 - Pulberry 2
Top of the 8th:
Jay Durham drives a 1-2 slider out toward the gap in deep left center. LF Aidan Thirkettle makes the long run, but it sails over his head and caroms off the wall. Durham races around first and beats the relay from SS Sean Abercrombie, sliding in for one-out double. That ends Taylor Folkard’s afternoon as RHP Quintiliano Galeo comes on in relief.
Robert Kersey then shoots a line drive just over the head of SS Sean Abercrombie into short left centerfield for a base hit as Durham takes third. Dwayne Vick then lofts his second sac fly of the game, this one to rightfield. Durham tags up and scores without a throw.
Sherburn 5 - Pulberry 2
Bottom of the 9th:
Guan-cai Zhuo punches the first offering from RHP Ramón Ortíz past a diving 2B Vic Lewis and into rightfield for a lead-off single. Sean Abercrombie then sends a sharp grounder past the pitcher toward second and into centerfield for a base hit as Zhuo takes second. After PH Ángelo Ríos and Ellis Dibble fly out to right and centerfield respectively, Yoshimi Sekozawa jumps on an 89-mph slider and punches it down the line into rightfield for a base hit, loading the bases with two out.
That sets the stage for Aidan Thirkettle, who drives a 1-1 fastball out toward deep leftfield. LF Ross Shewman races back for it but it lands 397 ft. into the jubilant leftfield bleachers for
Walk-Off Grand Slam home run. Pulberry comes from behind to take the second game in stunning fashion as the Series now heads to Sherburn.
FINAL: Sherburn 5 - Pulberry 6
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April 4 – Game 3
Although cloudy, no rain is in the forecast and very mild temperatures set the stage for Game 3 at The Paramount in Sherburn. The Tigers are looking to see if some home cooking can change their fortunes.
Pulberry taps their No. 3 starter, 29-year old LHP
Dermott Rathbone (3-1, 9 SV, 3.82 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, 2 career playoff starts). Sherburn calls upon 33-year old RHP
Paul Woodruff (1-1, 1 SV, 4.50 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 2 career playoff starts) to try and crack the Trolley’s code.
Bottom of the 1st:
Leon Albrecht lines a 1-0 fastball into shallow right center for a lead-off base hit. After Dwayne Vick moves Albrecht up to second on a sac bunt down the first base line, Adrian Flynn slaps a hard grounder past a diving 2B Yoshima Sekozawa into rightfield for a base hit. Albrecht moves up to third, then breaks for home. RF Joe Riding whips the ball toward home, but Albrecht slides in safely for the game’s first run as Flynn moves up to second.
Jay Durham battles Rathbone for 12 pitches, including 7 foul balls before drawing a walk. Robert Kersey then taps one out to 2B Yoshima Sekozawa and is thrown out at 1B as the runners advance. Ross Shewman then jumps on 88-mph fastball and launches it to deep right center. CF Cooper Tyson races back for it but it lands 396 ft. into the right centerfield bleachers for a
3-run home run.
Pulberry 0 – Sherburn 4
Bottom of the 4th:
Leon Albrecht hits a grounder to the right side with one out. 1B Ellis Dibble fields it and tosses it to SP Rathbone covering first. But Dibble’s throw is off the mark and Rathbone can’t handle it. Albrecht reaches safely on the error. After Dwayne Vick pops out 2B Yoshima Sekozawa, Adrian Flynn walks, moving Albrecht up to second. Jay Durham then turns on a 90-mph fastball and sends it soaring 361 ft. into the rightfield stands for a
3-run homer.
Pulberry 0 – Sherburn 7
Bottom of the 6th:
Adrian Flynn hits a scorcher towards the right side. 2B Yoshima Sekozawa intercepts it but is unable to corral it and doesn’t risk the throw as Flynn picks up an infield hit with two out. Jay Durham then jumps on RHP Hyun-kyoo Sin’s first offering and sends it soaring out toward deep right center. RF Joe Riding races back and lunges for it but he comes up short as the ball skips to the wall. Flynn hustles to third then breaks for home. He scores without a throw as Durham pulls up into second for an RBI double.
Pulberry 0 – Sherburn 8
Bottom of the 7th:
Ross Shewman leads off with a 5-pitch walk. Albert Sulley then slices one down the leftfield line as LF Aidan Thirkettle tries to track it down. Shewman moves up to third then heads home without a throw as Sulley pulls up into second.
Vic Lewis hits one sharply toward first that gets through into leftfield for a base hit as Sulley moves up to third before putting on the brakes. After Paul Woodruff strikes out for the first out, Leon Albrecht pounces on a 3-1 fastball and sends it soaring to deep left center. CF Cooper Tyson hustles to the wall and lunges for it but it falls 379 ft. into the stands for a
three-run home run. That prompts Pulberry manager Ryo Ichikawa to pull RHP Hyun-kyoo Sin in favour of RHP Damon Pinney.
Pulberry 0 – Sherburn 12
Top of the 9th:
Paul England leads off and grounds out to SS Dwayne Vick. Joe Riding then strikes out looking. Francis Jones battles Woodruff to a full count but breaks his bat grounding out to 3B Adrian Flynn for the final out. Paul Woodruff goes the distance as the Tigers roar their way back into the Series, obliterating the Trolleys.
FINAL: Pulberry 0 – Sherburn 12
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April 5 – Game 4
The weather is a carbon copy of yesterday, with warm and cloudy skies greeting the fans and players alike at The Paramount. The Tigers are hoping that Game 4 will be a carbon copy of yesterday as well, as Sheburn easily derailed the Trolleys in stunning fashion.
Pulberry looks to No. 4 starter, 38-year old RHP
Robin Medellin (6-3, 3.54 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 16 career playoff starts with Braeland City Monarchs and Pulberry) to get them back on track. Sherburn calls upon to their No. 4 starter, 26-year old LHP
Kozue Saito (1-0, 2.75 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 3 career playoff starts).
Top of the 2nd:
Aidan Thirkettle hits a slow dribbler toward the right side but uses his speed to beat out the throw from Kozue Saito for a lead-off infield hit. Paul England then lofts one out to left field that lands in front of LF Ross Shewman for a base hit as Thirkettle moves up to second. After Joe Riding strikes out swinging, Francis Jones then belts a 3-1 cutter down the rightfield line. RF Albert Sulley lunges for it but it sails past him and rolls into the corner. Thirkettle comes into score. England moves up to third and is waved home as Jones knocks in two with a double.
Pulberry 2 – Sherburn 0
Bottom of the 3rd:
Vic Lewis battles Robin Medellin to a full count before driving one out toward left centerfield. LF Aidan Thirkettle lunges for it but it’s out his reach and it bounces to the wall as Lewis pulls up into second with a lead-off double. After Kozue Saito strikes out swinging, Leon Albrecht grounds out to 2B Yoshima Sekozawa as Lewis moves up to third. Adrian Flynn then sends 1-0 fastball soaring into deep right centerfield with RF Joe Riding in hot pursuit. Lewis crosses the plate to get Sherburn on the board as Flynn slides safely into second.
Pulberry 2 – Sherburn 1
Bottom of the 5th:
Vic Lewis leads off and sends a 0-2 slider into shallow rightfield for a base hit. With two out, Adrian Flynn punches a 0-2 pitch into leftfield for a base hit. LF Aidan Thirkettle chases it into the corner. Lewis tears around third and scores the tying run as Flynn pulls up into second.
Pulberry 2 – Sherburn 2
Bottom of the 7th:
Ross Shewman leads off and works the count full before being hit by Medellin. Shewman then takes second when Vic Lewis grounds out to 3B Francis Jones. PH Carlos Cuevas then steps in and crushes an 0-2 circle changeup toward the gap in right centerfield. CF Cooper Tyson races back but all he can do is watch as it sails 398 ft. into the stands for
2-run home run.
Pulberry 2 – Sherburn 4
Top of the 9th:
Paul England leads off and rolls one back up the middle. But SS Dwayne Vick pounces on it and throws England out at first. Joe Riding then draws a full-count walk bringing the tying run to the plate. But Francis Jones flies out to LF Ross Shewman in shallow leftfield on the very next pitch and Sean Abercrombie grounds out to 2B Vic Lewis for the final out to end the threat. Sherburn wins its second in a row to tie up the Series.
FINAL: Pulberry 2 – Sherburn 4
