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EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP: GAME 6
Fans of the Douglas Jackrabbits filed into the stadium expecting to see their team close out the series. Sure, the Turtles had won game five, but that was in Tucson. Now they had to come back to Douglas and try to find a way to win again. The fans were certain they would be celebrating for hours. The Tucson players seemed loose as the warmed up, confident even. But the Jackrabbits fans weren’t worried. This was their series to win.
Ben McDaniel led off with a single for Douglas against Tucson starter Eric Peterson. He moved to second on a ground out and scored when Elijah Leggett singled to right. Peterson avoided further damage but the Turtles had momentum in a game they had to win.
Josh Simpson was on the hill for Tucson. He gave up a leadoff double to Scott Klein but quickly retired the next three batters.
Tucson put two men on base in the 2nd, and Douglas had a runner in the inning as well. Neither team was able to score.
Scott Hughes doubled to lead off the bottom of the 3rd for the Jackrabbits. He moved to third on a wild pitch with only one out but was stranded there.
Tucson added a run to their lead in the 4th, with a leadoff double by Steve Stoddard and an RBI single by Roy Lewis.
In the bottom of the 4th, the Jackrabbits got the crowd back into the game. Chris Kelly drew a leadoff walk. Then, with two out, Danny Sosa singled and Steve Duffy walked to load the bases. The fans loudly showed their support as Scott Hughes walked up to the plate. He took a strike, then a ball. Simpson dug deep and threw a hard challenge fastball. Hughes took a big swing but just missed it, sending it too high into the air in right. Jaylen Lucas settled under it to end the threat. After 4, Tucson led 2-0.
Lucas added an RBI single in the top of 5th to stretch the Tucson lead to 3.
The Jackrabbits were unable to get anyone on base in the 5th or 6th innings.
Then, in the top of the 7th inning, the Turtles loaded the bases with one out against reliever Joe Patterson. The right hander walked Roy Lewis, Andy Lepore, and Ben McDaniel to drive in three runs. Tucson didn’t get a hit with men in scoring position in the inning but they had doubled their lead.
Down 6-0 in the bottom of the 9th, Douglas got a one out single from Danny Sosa filled by a double by Steve Duffy. Sosa scored on a sacrifice fly by Scott Hughes but that was all they were able to do.
Tucson won game 6 by a score of 6-1 and evened the series at 3 games apiece. Game 7 would be back in Tucson.
Josh Simpson pitched 5.1 shutout innings, allowing 4 hits and 2 walks, striking out 2.
Steve Stoddard went 3-5 with 1 double and 2 runs scored.
Roy Lewis has 2 hits, 2 walks, and 2 RBI.
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