Shire ends Mordor All-Star win streak

MIRKWOOD - Nearly 65,000 fans packed into Mirkwood's Woodland Field to see the 8th All-Star Game, and the home crowd was treated to a great one, as the Shire Conference snapped the Mordor 3-game winning streak by defeating the visiting squad, 6-4.

It looked like things were going to pick up where they left off last season when Rohan's Posco Sackville won the game with a walk-off 3-run homer. In the top of the 1st, Grey Havens' Isszava Elionel blasted a 449-foot homer to deep left, scoring the Slayers' Isilborn Imrilron to make it 2-0 Mordor.

In the bottom of the 3rd, the Shire struck back when Balin Bloodspear of Minas Tirith knocked in Bree's Duuk Braingobber with a hit. Then, with runners at 1st and 3rd and nobody out, Loopy Squishmasher of Rivendell hit into a 4-6-3 double play, scoring Carrock's Trik Rider from 3rd to tie the game at 2-2.

Moradoc Leguden of Dagorlad came in to pinch hit for the starting catcher, Minas Morgul's Minta Sandyman, and drove a long fly to right for a solo homer, making it 3-2 for the Mordor team. Olorin Orithil of Isengard added another homer in the 7th to give the Mordor Conference a 4-2 lead.

After Orithil hit his homer, Shire pitcher Bagnar Anvilcrusher of Lake Town plunked Misty Mountain's Tran Clawfoot on the arm with a pitch. Words were exchanged as Clawfoot headed down to 1st with Tran finally taking off after the pitcher. Both benches cleared in a heated brawl that lasted 2 minutes before the umpires could restore order. Both Clawfoot and Anvilcrusher were ejected from the game. Since the Mordor team had already used all its bench players, they were forced to do some fancy maneuvering. Grey Havens Stars pitcher Phanra Fimir came in to replace Clawfoot, who had been playing SS. Fimir was moved to RF, and the right fielder, Rosil Shieldmover of Dagorlad, came in to catch. Leguden the catcher went out to play 3B, and the Slayers' Minto Foxburr moved over to SS.

In the bottom of the 8th, Moria's Moran Alcarin led off with a solo homer, making the score 4-3. With 2 out and a runner at 1st, Lothlorien's Thor Darkcloud was called out of the bullpen and immediately walked Lake Town's Nuukor Gnomekicker. At that point, with just closer Gundin Diamondlegs of the Lumberjacks on the bench, the Mordor Conference called on their final pitcher. Lake Town's Thuralia Nilad greeted Diamondlegs with a homer to left, scoring 3, giving the Shire the 6-4 lead and the eventual win.

The winning pitcher was Mirkwood's Gwelf Goriborn. Old Forest hurler, Frodo Chubb, came in to pitch the 9th for the save. Darkcloud took the loss. The player of the game was Nilad.

Posted at December 1, 2005 10:53 PM | more from All-Star Game, more from League News