2015 Stallions Go Back-to-Back with 8-4 Championship Win Over Smokies

Lexington Adult Baseball League

Contributed by Matt Roberts, Lexington Smokies manager

The Stallions and Smokies have been a fixture in the Lexington Adult Baseball League’s first two championships over the past two seasons. Both teams had very successful seasons finishing in the top two in the league standings. It wasn’t easy to make it to the championship as both teams had to fight their way to the championship game. Both the Stallions and Smokies would win in walk off fashion during the semi-final games. The Stallions won 4-3 in 12 innings over the fourth seed Miners and the Smokies won a 2-1 thriller over the third seed Diamond Dogs.

The Stallions rode MVP Eric Sanders and tournament MVP Donnie Johnson who combined to hit over .400 and 13 wins on the mound for the Stallions over the year. Those two and the rest of Stallions proved to be too much for the Smokies to overcome five unearned runs in the championship game.

Donnie Johnson got the win for the Stallions. He allowed four runs while pitching a complete game. Johnson struck out 12, walked two and gave up six hits.

Chris Works ended up on the wrong side of the pitching decision, charged with the loss. He lasted five innings, walked four, struck out three, and allowed five runs.

The lead stayed with the Stallions after the first, when they scored two runs on a two-run error. After a quick strike from the Smokies, the Stallions responded with two runs in the fourth to bring the score to 4-1. The Stallions scored on an RBI single by Dan Greenberg and an RBI single by Ben Baker.

After pushing across three runs in the top of the seventh, the Smokies faced just a 5-4 deficit. An RBI single by Stephen D’Addario, an RBI single by Sal Olivet, and a steal of home by JR Heiner gave the Smokies life. The Lexington Smokies threat came to an end when Johnson finally got Josh Watts to strike out.

The Stallions built upon their lead with three runs in the eighth and the final score would go on to be 8-4 for the Stallions back to back championship wins over the Smokies.

The Stallions final record was 19-1-1 and the Smokies final record was 14-8. If we spot light anyone it needs to be Eric Sanders and Donnie Johnson. Eric Sanders won the league MVP for the Stallions while batting over .400 and led the team in wins on the mound with eight. Donnie Johnson, also from the Stallions, won the tourney MVP and also batted over .400 and was second in wins and first in everything else with a sub 2.00 ERA on the mound. (photos provided by Clint Riddle)