Harmon’s and Barton’s 11

Pettis Plumbing 9

It took two days and eight innings, but Harmon’s and Barton’s finally took Westbrook’s Babe Ruth championship.

Tuesday night, Harmon’s and Pettis Plumbing were deadlocked in 9-9 tie with the league championship hanging in the balance, but darkness intervened before the extra-inning game could be decided. Coming back on Wednesday, it took all of 15 minutes for Harmon’s to score a pair of runs and take the title.

The game resumed in the eighth inning with Harmon’s coming to bat. With one out in the inning, Darryl Quinlan singled to start the game-winning rally. Pettis looked to get out of the jam when they got the second out with Quinlan still at first.

But Trevor Clouarte drilled an 0-1 pitch deep into the left field corner to score Quinlan all the way from first for what would be the game winner. Two batters later, Harmon’s tacked on an insurance run when Shane Nealey singled in Clouarte.

Pettis had been coming from behind the entire game and would need to do so again to have any chance at forcing a deciding third game. Dane Tupper led off for Pettis in the bottom of the eighth and flied to left for the first out. Brent Martin then popped up to third for out number two.

Pettis managed to hold out for one more batter when Matt Moody singled. He stole second with Reid Coulombe at the plate as Pettis pulled out all the stops. In the end, Mike Mowatt struck out Coulombe to give Harmon’s and Barton’s the title.

“That’s kind of been the story of our whole season,” said Harmon’s coach Steve Marchant. “We have been bouncing back all year. If we didn’t do that we probably would have been 4-11 instead of 11-4.”

On Tuesday, Harmon’s and Barton’s jumped on the board early when Mowatt began the game with an infield single. Keegan Goan singled to move Mowatt to third and set up the first run. Pat Fagen grounded to third and Pettis’ Mike Lacourse threw home, but the throw was late and Harmon’s and Barton’s had a 1-0 lead.

Pettis bounced right back in the bottom of the inning. Zack Collett singled and took second on a throw to third that got Mitch Chipman out. Two batters later, pitcher Matt Weimer ripped the ball to deep center for a game-tying double.

Harmon’s and Barton’s broke the game open in the second inning putting up four runs, all with two outs. Clouarte got things going with a walk. Mowatt singled and suddenly Harmon’s was threatening. Shane Nealey drove in the go-ahead run with a single and Goan reached on an error to load the bases. Mowatt then scored on a passed ball and it was 3-1. Fagen then singled in a run to make it 4-1. Adam Begos singled in the fifth run for Harmon’s and Barton’s.

Harmon’s and Barton’s added another run in the third to make it 6-1 before Pettis began clawing their way back. Collett walked to lead off the third for Pettis and Kevin Moody walked as well. After Weimer struck out, Matt Brooks bunted to move the two runners over. Brent Martin then delivered with a two-run single to pull closer at 6-3.

Pettis eventually took the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Goan was brought in to pitch for Harmon’s and had trouble finding the strike zone. He walked Coulombe to start the inning. Then he got Joe Dvilinsky to strike out swinging. Chipman popped out and then Collett doubled and Kevin Moody was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Weimer walked, forcing in a run and suddenly it was a 6-4 game. Dane Tupper then knocked a two-run single on the first pitch he saw, tying the game at six. Weimer scored the go-ahead run on a passed ball and it was 7-6 Pettis.

“We tried to rely on our two aces, Chad Egeland and Keegan Goan,” said Marchant. “Chad got into trouble with his pitch count and we pulled him because we weren’t sure if we would need him for a possible game three. Keegan did OK but we had some defensive lapses behind him that hurt.”

Harmon’s and Barton’s tied the game in the top of the sixth when Goan walked to lead off the inning. Fagen doubled to move Goan to third. Goan scored on a grounder to second when he slid in under the tag.

Pettis bounced back in the home half of the sixth with a pair of runs. Collett led off with a double and stole third. After two straight strikeouts, it looked like Collett would be stranded. But Tupper came through with an RBI single to give Pettis the 8-7 lead. Tupper came around to score on passed ball.

Pettis needed just three more outs to force a third and deciding game, but Harmon’s and Barton’s had other ideas. Mowatt was hit by a pitch and the leadoff man was on base. Nealey then doubled and Mowatt scored from first. Nealey moved to third on a ground out and scored when Fagen hit a deep sac fly to left field to make it a 9-9 game.

“We had some big clutch plays in this game,” said Marchant. “Pat Fagen had a big clutch hit for us in the seventh.”

Pettis still had a chance to win the game in the bottom of the seventh. Coulombe led off with a walk. But Harmon’s got the next two batters in order with a strikeout and a fly ball. Collett then reached on an error and the potential winning run moved to second base.

Kevin Moody then loaded the bases with an infield single, with Harmon’s shortstop Chad Egeland making a diving stop deep in the hole to keep the ball in the infield and perhaps save the game.

Weimer then came up with two outs and the sacks full. Mowatt, who had been brought in to pitch the seventh, got Weimer swinging on a 2-2 pitch to send the game to extra innings, and eventually the next day.