Taking different routes to final

There’s not a lot of extra hype that needs to be piled on for the final game of the 2009 Powerline Baseball League season.

You have two teams who had quite a few let-downs and perceived failures this season. They’ve had to overcome adversity and come back late in playoff games and win extra-inning games just to get here.

It’s quite a story to review and tell.

In one dugout you will have the up-and-coming fairly young challengers. They lost last year in three games to these same Bardo Athletics in a hard-fought semi-final series. It has the making of an Oilers-Islanders-like matchup whereby either the Bardo Athletics will pass on the torch, or the Milleteers will learn another valuable lesson in what it takes to win.

The “Millet Men” have now lost their veteran right-arm hurler, second baseman and one of their best hitters in Scott Peterson for the deciding game, who left on a family trip. Still, they will likely have their all-star ace back for game three in Steven Pahl. They also have home advantage, something they thought they wouldn’t have when they lost the season series to Camrose just a few weeks ago.

But one has to wonder if the Milleteers have learned enough from two full seasons and last year’s playoff disappointment? It appeared so when they took game one and then had Bardo on the ropes 4-1 in game two.

However, in the other dugout, the Bardo Athletics have been on the ropes all year. They got swept by both Camrose and Leduc in the regular season, the only team not to cash a win against either of those two teams has now won 3 of 4 – all of them in extra innings. They were down 1-0 in the seventh in a must-win tilt against Ryley in their next-to-last game. They were down 9-2 in their final regular season game where a loss could have eliminated them. 

At times you think Bardo doesn’t deserve to be here, but just when you think they’re too old, too slow and on their last legs, somehow, some way they’ve got it done when it mattered.

Leduc on the other hand seemed destined for this. They have the pitching. They have the experience in other leagues. They also have the youth to give teams fits with their speed and small ball.

But here we are, knotted at one game apiece with the trophy polished up and ready to be hoisted. Now it’s just a matter of putting the hype and all that adversity to good use. The team that hones it best, will come out on top.

Posted on July 31, 2009 by Jason Buzzell