2022 45+ American
Carolina Pirates 6, Seven Stars 5 (11 innings)
The 45+ American Division championship of the 2022 MSBL Fall Classic was a faceoff between the 5-2 Seven Stars against the 5-2 Carolina Pirates. The Seven Stars jumped out to 5-0 lead by the second inning with great hitting and great pitching by Clisanchez Gilberto. Then Pirates starting pitcher, Jason Flach settled in and pitched a gem from that point forward.
The Pirates proceeded to chip away at the lead while Flach and the defense continued to keep the Seven Stars from scoring with great pitching and key defensive plays. By the seventh inning, the Pirates had tied the game at five apiece. Both the Pirates and Seven Stars had multiple chances to take the lead in the eighth, ninth, and tenth innings with runners in scoring position only to fail to capitalize with a run.
The Championship game proceeded into the 11th inning where the Seven Stars went 1,2,3 and the game moved to the bottom of the 11th inning. Co-MVP Patrick Whitted singled to right field and then stole second with two outs. After a walk to Jack Myers, the Pirates had runners on first and second with two outs when Co-MVP Donald Pustulka singled to left field to score Whitted with a walk-off win for the Championship!