Uruk-hai win Orc Division in 1-game playoff!

DEAD MARSHES - For only the second time in league history, two teams were tied atop their division at the end of the regular season. The Dead Marshes Uruk-hai and Misty Mountain Hops finished on September 30 with 89-73 records. So, the two teams met at Uruk-hai Field to settle the matter. The winner would be going to the Fellowship Series against the Lothlorien Lumberjacks. The loser would be going home.

A packed house of 45,000 fans came to cheer on their team, as the wind blew in from left at a brisk 10mph, making the 51-degree game time temperature seem much cooler. Dead Marshes threw their ace, Nasil Oresplitter (21-10), while the Hops countered with veteran lefthander, Gwomer Grailas (12-8).

The pair gave up nothing for the first couple of innings of the game, Oresplitter striking out 3. But in the bottom of the 3rd, the Uruk-hai exploded. After Grailas got the first 2 batters out on strikes, Mauhur the Looter singled to left. Ruzdreg the Basher followed with a single, placing runners at the corners. Then, Fruron Elvand singled home the Looter for the first run of the game, and the floodgates were opened. Lignar Oathbane singled home the Basher. Eond Elruborn singled home Shamina Gil-Gawen, who came in to run for Elvand who hurt himself sliding into third. Imcir Imcirion singled home Oathbane. A wild pitch allowed Elruborn to score. Estella Headstrong doubled home Imcirion. And Wayne Phillips got a hit off reliever, Vamsh Ratchewer, scoring Headstrong to make it 7-0.

Dead Marshes added 3 more runs, but the Hops could not get anything going against Oresplitter. He finished the game with a 4-hit shutout, striking out 8 and walking only 1.

Posted at May 11, 2006 08:23 PM | more from Dead Marshes, more from League News, more from Misty Mountain