Wolseley Unions (93-61) vs.
Kingston Pelicans (86-69)
Season Matchup: 10-6 in favor of Wolseley
Wolseley: Runs scored – 806 (1st in West); runs against – 600 (3rd)
Kingston: Runs scored – 665 (3rd); runs against – 624 (4th)
The Wolseley Unions square off against the Kingston Pelicans for the first time since they battled for the Western League Pennant five years ago. The two teams were heading in different directions at the time they met back in 1946-47. For the Unions it marked their first playoff appearance in team history, and their 4 games to 1 upset over the Pelicans that year was the first of six straight playoff appearances that has seen two United Cup Championships thus far. Meanwhile Kingston was making their 10th consecutive playoff appearance (in 10 seasons), but their quick exit foreshadowed their decline; they would miss the playoffs the next four years. But after winning a one-game playoff against the Pulberry Trolleys, they are back.
Like last season, the Unions enter the playoffs hampered by injuries. No. 2 starter, 28-year old RHP
Jeremy Albury (8-1, 3.05 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 3.34 FIP) will miss his second straight playoffs, after suffering a ruptured ulnar collateral ligament back on December 10 in a game against the Queensland Eagles (the team that originally drafted him 7th overall in 1942-43). Also missing the playoffs will be No. 4 starter, 33-year old RHP
Bill Blair (11-7, 3.18 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 3.15 FIP), who tore a flexor tendon in his elbow in a game against the Downie Chiefs back on February 5.
But while the Unions have depth to spare in the rotation to cover those injuries, they may be exposed at third base. Both 22-year old starter
Carlos Ortíz (.284/.354/.424, 16 HR, 71 RBI, 57 BB, 3.5 WAR) and 30-year old back-up
Burt Willey (.378/.427/.476, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 7 BB, 0.6 WAR) are gone for the season, leaving 27-year old
George D’Urberville (.351/.422/.526, 1 HR, 9 RBI, 5 BB, 0.9 WAR), a former 1945-46 3rd-round draft pick that was acquired from the Balmoral Giants in the Rule 5 draft two years ago, to man the hot corner going forward. The Pelicans meanwhile, enter the playoffs with all hands-on deck.
The two managers, Wolseley’s 53-year old
Tony Fay (1185-1125, .513) and Kingston’s 48-year old
Ben Houchens (1108-895, .553) have managed a combined 4,313 games and are arguably the United Leagues’ top managers in the game today. They both know how to lead and win. Let the games begin!
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Game 1 – March 26
The Series opens at Wolseley’s Satchel Paige Park, with 30,710 fans on hand. The conditions are ideal for an afternoon game: partly cloudy (71F) with a slight breeze (12 mph) blowing out to right.
Two rookies will make their playoff debut: 26-year old RHP
Roberto Garza (17-10, 2.70 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 2.84 FIP) takes the hill for Wolseley, while No. 4 starter, 25-year old LHP
Rob Hutchence (12-5, 2.48 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 3.58 FIP) answers for Kingston.
Top of the 1st:
Garza is given a rude welcome by Kingston. Lead-off hitter CF Lance Oakley draws a four-pitch walk to start things off. Up next is the speedy LF Glen Traill, who smashes the first pitch he sees into deep rightfield. Oakley dashes for home but Traill is right behind him, as RF Howard Ockley has trouble tracking down the ball. Traill comes all the way home to score an
Inside the Park home run.
Kingston 2 - Wolseley 0
Bottom of the 1st:
Wolseley gets a run back when 2B Make-Make Kamaka leads off with a line drive single into shallow rightfield. 1B Alan Cavell immediately doubles into leftfield. Kamaka rounds third on the play and scores safely as Glen Traill doesn’t risk the throw.
Kingston 2 - Wolseley 1
Top of the 3rd:
With Glen Traill on first with two out, C Carlos Camasura singles into leftfield, putting runners on first and second. RF Mo Spencely follows and crushes a 1-2 offering from Garza 358 ft. into the rightfield stands for a
3-run home run.
Kingston 5 - Wolseley 1
Bottom of the 4th:
The Unions get back into the game in the 4th when SS George Kimpton leads off with a first-pitch double. After C Éric Denis advances Kimpton to third base on a 1-3 ground out, Howard Ockley reaches base safely when 1B Dean Bishop cannot hang on to 3B Ryoma Kakui’s throw. That allows Kimpton to score.
George D’Urberville then singles into left-centerfield to advance the runners. With two out, Roberto Garza helps his cause by doubling into right-centerfield, scoring both Ockey and D’Urberville to pull Wolseley to within one.
Kingston 5 - Wolseley 4
Bottom of the 7th:
Make-Make Kamaka doubles into left-centerfield with one out and reaches third when PH Blair Toman grounds out to the first baseman. Up next is LF Carlton Hawking, who slams a
2-run home run 386 ft. into the jubilant leftfield bleachers. That gives the Unions the lead for the first time in the game while ending Rob Hutchence’s afternoon.
In the top of the 9th, PH Danny Trowbridge singles with one out. But after Lance Oakley hits into a fielder’s choice at second base, reliever RHP Shou-xin Chin gets Glen Traill to fly out to CF Owen Claridge to end the game. The Unions win in a squeaker.
FINAL: Kingston 5 - Wolseley 6
Player of the Game: Mo Spenceley got games honors in a losing cause. He batted 1 for 4 with 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 R.
Glen Traill went 1 for 5, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R.
It wasn’t an easy day for the young starters. Rob Hutchence went 6.2 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 106 PI (0-1, 5.40 ERA; Game Score: 38).
For Wolseley:
Lead off hitter Make-Make Kamaka went 2 for 4, 2 R.
Carlton Hawking went 1 for 4, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 R.
Roberto Garza pitching line was 5.0 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 2 HR, 80 PI (0-0, 9.00 ERA; GS: 37).
John Palm picked up the win: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 42 PI (1-0, 0.00 ERA).
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Game 2 – March 27
The Pelicans let Game 1 slip through their fingers and are now looking for a split before heading back home. The weather is exactly as the day before: partly cloudy (71F) with just a slight breeze blowing out to right (12 mph). 30,324 fans are back to see if Wolseley can keep the momentum going.
Wolseley goes with their No. 2 starter, 35-year old LHP
Anastasio Rodríguez (10-9, 3.88 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 3.03 FIP), while Kingston will counter with their ace, 31-year old LHP
Patrick Denman (21-11, 2.98 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 3.73 FIP). This will be Rodríguez’s 20th career playoff start (9-7, 3.28 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 3.01 FIP) but his first for the Unions. His previous starts were all with the Brunswick Legends. Denman will be making his 12th playoff start (7-6, 2 SV, 4.20 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 4.06 FIP), all with Kingston.
Bottom of the 5th:
The hitters are kept off the board until the 5th, when Kingston commits a pair of costly errors. Denman gets two quick outs before Rodríguez reaches safely on an infield single. Make-Make Kamaka hits one to the infield as well, but 1B Dean Bishop’s flip to Patrick Denman covering first is off the mark, allowing Kamaka to reach safely. Alan Cavell also reaches safely on an error when LF Glen Traill drops the fly ball. That allows Rodríguez to score. Carlton Hawking follows with a single to centerfield. Kamaka scores from third on the play. Cavell follows him home, beating out the throw from CF Lance Oakley.
Kingston 0 - Wolseley 3
Top of the 6th:
Kingston strikes back when Glen Traill crushes a towering one-out
solo home run, 433 ft. into the right-centerfield bleachers.
Carlos Camasura follows with a line-drive double into deep rightfield and scores easily when Mo Spenceley singles into left-centerfield.
Kingston 2 - Wolseley 3
Bottom of the 6th:
But Wolseley keeps up the pressure when Éric Denis and Howard Ockey lead off with back-to-back singles. After George D’Urberville advances the runners with a 5-3 ground out, Owen Claridge is given a free pass to load the bases. Anastasio Rodríguez puts the ball in play, but 2B Katsunan Chikafuji throws out Éric Denis at home plate for the second out. Next up is Make-Make Kamaka, who smashes a deep fly ball into left-centerfield for a three-run triple. That ends Patrick Denman’s afternoon, as RHP Kaula Mafileo takes over in relief.
Kingston 2 - Wolseley 6
Top of the 7th:
RF Benjamin Nishikawa, who came into the game in a double switch with pitcher Kaula Mafileo, hits a first-pitch single into leftfield with one out. With two out, Glen Traill doubles Nishikawa home.
Kingston 3 - Wolseley 6
Bottom of the 8th:
George D’Urberville slams a one-out
solo home run 366 ft. into leftfield off RHP Ben Currall.
In the top of the 9th, 3B Ryoma Hakui leads off and hits it out to 3B George D’Urberville. But D’Urberville’s throw sails over the head of 1B Alan Cavell and into the dugout, allowing Kakui to reach second. After Benjamin Nishikawa flies out to RF Howard Ockey, Hakui reaches third base on a Lance Oakley 4-3 ground out. But Glen Traill ends the game when he grounds out to Alan Cavell for the final out. Wolseley takes game 2 in convincing fashion.
FINAL: Kingston 3 - Wolseley 7
Player of the Game: Anastasio Rodríguez picks up his 10th career playoff victory, going 9.0 IP, 11 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, 1 HR, 126 PI (1-0, 3.00 ERA; GS: 59).
Make-Make Kamaka went 1 for 4, with 1-3B, 3 RBI, 1 R.
Éric Denis went 3 for 4.
For Kingston:
Patrick Denman suffers the loss, going 5.2 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 0 K, 88 PI (0-1, 4.76 ERA; GS: 34).
Glen Traill had a big game, going 3 for 5, 1 HR, 1-2B, 1 R, 2 RBI.
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Game 3 – March 29
The Series heads to the south-west coast and Kingston Park, with the Pelicans still looking to get into the win column. 27,215 fans are on hand on a hot, sunny afternoon: 83F with clear skies and only a soft breeze (11 mph) blowing out to right.
Kingston sends their No. 2 man, 27-year old RHP
Kieran Bunce (14-10, 3.26 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 3.63 FIP), to the mound, while Wolseley goes with their third starter, 32-year old RHP
Kai Tosh (14-10, 3.37 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 3.74 FIP). This will be Bunce’s first career playoff appearance while Tosh will make his 17th playoff start (5-9, 3.76 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 3.27 FIP), all with Wolseley.
Top of the 1st:
Wolseley strikes first when 1B Alan Cavell doubles with one out. LF Carlton Hawking then singles him home as Cavell beats out LF Glen Traill’s throw home.
Wolseley 1 – Kingston 0
Bottom of the 1st:
Kingston evens things up when C Carlos Camasura slams a 1-0 offering from Tosh, 377 ft. into the leftfield bleachers for a two-out
solo home run.
Wolseley 1 – Kingston 1
Top of the 2nd:
3B George D’Urberville singles and CF Owen Claridge draws a walk with one out. Kai Tosh advances the runners 90 ft. on a sac bunt. 2B Make-Make Kamaka, Alan Cavell and Carlton Hawking then hit back-to-back-to-back singles, scoring three runs in all.
Wolseley 4 – Kingston 1
Top of the 6th:
Make-Make Kamaka adds to the Unions’ lead when he crushes a one-out
solo home run, 415 ft. to the right-centerfield bleachers.
Wolseley 5 – Kingston 1
Bottom of the 8th:
With two out, CF Lance Oakley, Glen Traill and Carlos Camasura all hit consecutive singles, scoring Oakley.
Wolseley 5 – Kingston 2
Bottom of the 9th:
In the bottom of the 9th, 2B Katsunan Chikafuji singles into centerfield. But CF Owen Claridge flubs the pickup, allowing Chikafuji to reach second. RHP Shou-xin Chin comes on in relief of Kai Tosh and gets two quick outs, but 3B Ryoma Hakui singles in leftfield. Chikafuji rounds third and scores without a throw. But Chin strikes out PH Danny Trowbridge on a full count to end the threat and game. Wolseley takes a commanding three games to none lead in the Series.
FINAL: Wolseley 5 – Kingston 3
Player of the Game: Wolseley’s lead-off hitter
Make-Make Kamaka, made his presence felt, going 2 for 4, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R, 1 BB.
Alan Cavell goes 2 for 4, 1-2B, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB.
Kai Tosh picks up his 6th playoff victory, going 8.0 IP, 10 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 0 K, 121 PI (1-0, 3.38 ERA; GS: 48).
For Kingston:
Carlos Camasura batted 2 for 4, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 R.
In his first playoff start, Kieran Bunce went 6.1 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 5 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 72 PI (0-1, 7.11 ERA; GS: 36).
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Game 4 – March 30
It’s do or die for the Kingston Pelicans, as they face elimination at the hands of the mighty Unions. 26,942 have returned to see if their club can stem the tide. The weather will not be a factor: partly cloudy, 77F with the wind now blowing left to right (14 mph).
Kingston’s starters have had a rough go it in the first three games, so the Pelicans are banking on their No. 3 starter, 26-year old RHP
Brian Marsland (14-14, 3.22 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 3.80 FIP) to give them a lift. Wolseley will hand the ball to their No. 4 starter, 32-year old RHP
Aaron Saunderson (9-18, 3.68 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 3.85 FIP) to try and close out the Series. This will be Marsland’s first career playoff appearance, while Saunderson (3-5, 2.45 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 2.72 FIP) makes his 10th start and his first for the Unions. He previously pitched for the Queensland Eagles in their successful championship run in 1946-47 (against the Unions) and the Embro Suns last year.
Top of the 1st:
2B make-Make-Kamaka leads off with a single but is subsequently thrown out by C Carlos Camasura at second base. 1B Alan Cavell and LF Carlton Hawking then bang out back-to-back singles, putting runners on first and third. After SS George Kimpton draws a walk to load the bases, C Éric Denis hits into a fielder’s choice where Kimpton is forced out at second. But Cavell scores on the play, putting Wolseley on the board.
Wolseley 1 – Kingston 0
Bottom of the 1st:
LF Glen Traill doubles down the leftfield line with one out. Carlos Camasura singles into centerfield. Traill races around third, but CF Owen Claridge cuts him down at home plate with a terrific throw. RF Mo Spenceley comes through however, with a double into leftfield. That scores Camasura for the tying run.
Wolseley 1 – Kingston 1
Bottom of the 4th:
1B Dean Bishop hits one back to the pitcher’s mound with one out, but Aaron Saunderson’s throw is off target, allowing Bishop to reach first safely. SS Charlie Cockin battles Saunderson for nine pitches and five foul balls before drawing a walk. 3B Ryoma Kakui also draws a walk to load the bases. Brian Marsland then hits one out towards shallow rightfield. 2B Make-Make Kamaka knocks it down but is unable to make a throw. Bishop comes in to score on the play.
Wolseley 1 – Kingston 2
Top of the 6th:
Brian Marsland gets two quick outs but LF Carlton Hawking then stings him with a
solo home run that sails 404 ft. into the left-centerfield bleaches, tying up the game once again.
Wolseley 2 – Kingston 2
Bottom of the 9th:
Aaron Saunderson gets both PH Danny Trowbridge and PH Hayden Billyard to fly out to rightfield, but then things quickly fall apart for the Unions. First, CF Lance Oakley hits a bouncer straight up the middle but SS George Kimpton can’t make the transfer, allowing Oakley to reach first safely. Oakley then advances to second base on a wild pitch. Glen Traill then hits a line-drive single into left-centerfield. Oakley races around third. Hawking throws to home plate, but it’s over the head of C Éric Denis as Oakley slides in with the winning run. Kingston pulls out their first victory in the Series in a walk-off.
FINAL: Wolseley 2 – Kingston 3
Player of the Game: Brian Marsland gives the Pelicans their first solid pitching performance. He goes 8.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 3 K, 1 HR, 121 PI (0-0, 2.08 ERA; GS: 67). At the plate, he went 3 for 3, 1-2B, 1 RBI.
RHP Kaula Mafileo picks up the win after facing one batter. He went 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 4 PI (1-0, 0.00 ERA).
For Wolseley:
Aaron Saunderson pitched 8.2 IP, with 8 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 4 K, 139 PI (0-1, 1.04 ERA; GS: 59).
Carlton Hawking went 2 for 4 with 1 HR, 1 R, 1 RBI.
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Game 5 – March 31
The Pelicans live to play another day and look to try and keep their momentum going. Conditions will be ideal for game time: partly cloudy skies (72F) and a light breeze blowing left to right (12 mph). 27,116 Pelican fans are back to try and cheer their club on to another victory.
The same starters from Game 1 are on tap. Wolseley’s 26-year old RHP
Roberto Garza will square off against Kingston’s 25-year old LHP
Rob Hutchence. Garza got a no-decision in their previous matchup while Hutchence was hung with the loss.
Top of the 3rd:
The Unions open the scoring when LF Owen Claridge leads off with a walk, then reaches third base on a Roberto Garza sac bunt and a 2B Make-Make Kamaka ground-out. 1B Alan Clavell then drives a single into rightfield, bringing home Claridge.
Wolseley 1 – Kingston 0
Top of the 5th:
Wolseley extends their lead when Roberto Garza and Make-Make Kamaka lead off with back-to-back singles. With one out, LF Carlton Hawking punches a single into shallow leftfield. Garza rounds third and scores without a throw. With two out, C Éric Denis hits a bloop single into shallow centerfield. That scores Kamaka as 2B Katsunan Chikafuji doesn’t risk the throw.
Wolseley 3 – Kingston 0
Top of the 7th:
The Unions break it open in the 7th, as Make-Make Kamaka and Alan Cavell lead off with back-to-back doubles to score a run. After Carlton Hawking is given a free pass, SS George Kimpton lines a single into right-centerfield to load the bases. That ends Hutchence’s day as RHP Ben Currall takes over.
But the onslaught continues. Éric Denis singles into centerfield to score Cavell. RF Howard Ockey singles into rightfield, scoring both Hawking and Kimpton. George D’Urberville gets in on the act when he singles into rightfield to load the bases, still with nobody out. Owen Claridge hits the ball back to the pitcher and Currall promptly throws out Denis at the plate. But reliever John Palm bats for himself and doubles the first pitch he sees into deep centerfield, scoring three more runs.
After Make-Make Kamaka flies out to leftfield, Alan Cavell singles home Palm for the inning’s eighth run. LHP Dana Listman comes on in relief and after walking Carlton Hawking, gets George Kimpton to fly out to centerfield to finally bring the inning to an end.
Wolseley 11 – Kingston 0
Bottom of the 8th:
Kingston finally generates some offense when PH George Nipper leads off with a double. With one out, Carlos Camasura singles into shallow centerfield. Nipper races around third and beats out CF Owen Claridge’s throw home to get the Pelicans on the board.
Wolseley 11 – Kingston 1
Bottom of the 9th:
John Palm looks to wrap things up for Wolseley, but Kingston refuses to go quietly. SS Charlie Cockin leads off with a double and PH Hayden Billyard draws a full-count walk with one out. After George Nipper flies out to centerfield, PH/LF Ricardo Ruíz walks to load the bases. With C Carlos Camasura representing the last out, Palm throws a wild pitch. Cockin comes in to score on the play. But three pitches later, Camasura lines out to 2B Make-Make Kamaka to end the game and series. The Wolseley Unions win the Western League Pennant in convincing fashion to advance to the United Cup for the fourth straight year!
FINAL: Wolseley 11 – Kingston 2
Player of the Game: Roberto Garza picked up his first playoff victory, although he went just 5.1 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 7 K, 110 PI (1-0, 4.35 ERA; GS: 64).
John Palm got the save, going 3.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 66 PI (3.18 ERA)
1B Alan Cavell went 3 for 5, 1-2B, 3 RBI, 1 R.
C Éric Denis went 3 for 5, 2 RBI.
LF Carlton Hawking went 2 for 3, 1 RBI, 1 R, 3 BB.
For Kingston:
It was an even tougher outing for Rob Hutchence than in Game 1. He went 6.0 IP, 9 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 4 BB, 0 K, 100 PI (0-2, 7.82 ERA; GS: 22).
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