Tuesday August 11th: The Bristol Shock won game 1 of the championship 4-1 over the CCR Angels. Game one was carried on the strong pitching of Jordan Scheiner and Derek Duffy and the Shocks great defense. Scheiner kept batters off balance all day, allowed contact and his defense to do their work. He did allow 10 hits but always seemed to be able to pitch out of any trouble, and only allowed one run on the day. Then Duffy came in with 1 out in the 6th, and proceeded to retire all 5 batters he faced for the save. For the Angels, Dan Livingston was all kinds of heroic. He threw all 6 innings of championship game 1, allowing 9 hits and 4 runs, AFTER throwing the entire continuation game that proceeded it. The night before the elimination Bracket championship game vs the Rockies was unable to finish (only playing 5 innings that night), and it continued before the championship game for another 7 innings. Livingston got that win with a 7 inning relief appearance allowing only one run. So on the day, Dan Livingston threw 13 innings across the double header. Amazing stuff. The game was won in the bottom of the 12th inning, by the Angels on Jon Wilson’s RBI walkoff “single” off the wall in left at Muzzy.

Wednesday August 12th: In game 2, the Angels answered back evening the championship best of three series 2-1 behind a dominant performance by Ethan Puhala. Puhala struck out 9 over his CG win, only allowing one run. For the Shock, Miggy DeRosa went 3 innings allowing 2 runs and the tough luck loss, only to give way to the hero of the day (and really the whole playoffs), Eric Galarza who closed out the final 3 innings without allowing a run. The Shock’s only run was driven in by Carson Lentini scoring Ben Schulz. For the Angels, both Josue Lopez drove in a run in the bottom of the first with an RBI double, and Dio Espinal drove in a run in the bottom of the third with an RBI single.

In the Final and deciding CTL Championship Game 3… Eric Galarza stayed on the mound for the Shock to go as long as he felt good, after his solid 3 innings to close out game 2. Galarza went the distance, closing out the Shocks back to back championship without allowing a run. Eric scattered 2 hits, and 3 walks, while striking out 3 in his 7IP CG Shutout win. At the Plate, Galarza also provided a 2 RBI double in the bottom of the first, and those were the only runs the Shock would need. Over the whole playoffs, Galarza was dominant at the plate, and then with the closing out of game 2 on the mound and the CG game 3 win to lock up the championship, Galarza was voted as the Playoffs MVP.

Congrats to the Angels on a fantastic season and to the Shock for pulling off the very rare back to back championship.

Photos: Elimination Bracket Final – Angels 9 – Rockies 8, F(12)
Photos: CTL Championship Game 1
Photos: CTL Championship Games 2 & 3