Superior League Championship Series

Game 1:

Charlotte jumps off to a 4-0 start in the first with 2 run homers by Anakin Solo and Mike Kelso. Dave Fitzgerald shuts down the Ute offense, and Charlotte goes on to a 12-1 victory. Kelso homered twice and drove in 5 runs.

Game 2:

Utah, facing fill-in starter Bobby Torres, gets off to a 4-0 first inning start. Keith Langford goes the distance in an 8-4 Utah win. Ryan Ballard homers and drives in 3.

Game 3:

Felix Reyes, the hero of the Baltimore series, tried to do it again. His team gave him a 2-0 lead against Tom Groovine. Reyes pitched his way in and out of trouble, walking 8 in 5 2/3 innings but getting a few timely double play balls. Lou Zamuda tied the game with a 2 run homer in the 4th, Jason Blaylock put Utah ahead with a 6th inning homer, and Utah torched the Charlotte bullpen for an eventual 12-4 victory. Utah walked 11 times, led by 4 from Frank Lewis, and Blaylock added 3 hits and 4 RBI.

Game 4:

This one was a classic pitcher’s duel. Mike Conner singled in Carlos Merejo in the second for a 1-0 lead. Utah tied the game in the 5th when Fidel Duenas threw a Kermit Holmes groundball past Anakin Solo and into the dugout. Dave Fitzgerald went the distance for a 9 inning, 3 hit performance, striking out 9. Charlotte won as Jacen Solo hit David Burke’s 1st pitch in the 9th for a homer and a 2-1 win.

Game 5:

Ryan Ballard hit a 3 run homer in the first inning off John Herbert, but those were the only runs scored until the 9th. Herbert pitched 8 innings and kept his team in the game, allowing no more runs. Jack McDermott pitched 8 shutout innings for Utah, allowing 6 hits and 6 walks. He received some strong defensive support. In the 5th, after walking the first two hitters, Kermit Holmes made a spectacular diving catch and doubled the runner off second. With the bases loaded in the 7th and one out McDermott got Tommy Miller to pop up and struck out Fidel Duenas.

He ran into more trouble in the 9th, allowing one run to score and the tying runs on base when Chris Grimes came in to strike out Duenas for the final out.

Game 6:

Larry Patterson returns from the disabled list and allows only 3 runs through 6 innings as Charlotte beats Utah 11-5 to force a game 7. Keith Langford allowed 6 runs before being chased in the 4th and the Utah bullpen could not keep things close. Jacen Solo homered and knocked in 3.