Mirkwood defeats Bucklebury in Shire Wild Card tie-breaker

BUCKLEBURY - In an amazing race down the stretch, the Mirkwood Marauders and Bucklebury Fairies finished in a 87-75 tie for the Shire Conference Wild Card. The two teams met in a tie-breaking game at Bucklebury's Fairie Dome to decide which team would go on to the playoffs and which would go home.

After the late season injury to staff ace, Hallalonn Brilhirion (23-7), the Marauders went with Gwelf "Guns" Goriborn (15-7). Goriborn, 31, was 6-2 down the stretch after returning from a broken hand in July. Bucklebury passed up Scarlett "Mawaan" II (17-15) and decided to go with William Oconnor (16-12). Oconnor pitched a great game, only giving up 2 runs and 4 hits in 4 IP, but fatigue set in, and he was lifted in the 5th. Meanwhile, Goriborn cruised 8.1 innings, scattering 7 hits and allowing 0 earned runs, as the Marauders won the game, 6-1.

Meanwhile, as if the playoff drama weren't enough, Mirkwood catcher, Curt "The Bat" Ballscarer, was in a personal race for the Shire batting title. Going into this extra game, he trailed Carrock's Trik Rider by .0007 points in batting average. Rider finished the season with 175 hits in 479 at-bats for a .3653 average. Ballscarer went 1-for-2 in the game, raising his average to .3651, not enough to take the closest batting race ever!

Mirkwood goes on to the playoffs for the 8th straight season, their 2nd as the Wild Card. They have won 4 League titles, including 3 straight from 2005-2007. Last season, the Marauders swept the Slayers in the Return of the King Series.

Posted at September 8, 2006 07:36 AM | more from Bucklebury, more from Mirkwood