2025 Free Agents Sweep Miners in 50+ Sunday American Division of Sacramento MSBL
Sacramento MSBL, 50+ American Sunday Division
Free Agents 6, Miners 4 (Game two in best-of-three championship series sweep)
Submitted by Tim Burkitt, manager
Going into the playoffs for the 50+ Sunday League, the Free Agents were the #5 seed with a record of 12-6. In these playoffs, the #1 seed gets a bye into the National Division Championship Series. The #2 and #3 play to get into the championship series, with the loser dropping down to be the top seed in the American Division playoffs.
We played the #8-seeded Seals and beat them 15-4. We then played the #4 seeded Diablos with the #3 seeded Miners playing the #6 Cavern Bats.
The Free Agents played a back-and-forth game and were trailing by 4-3 at the top of the ninth with a runner on third. A suicide bunt with two strikes scored the tying run. We held the Diablos in the bottom of the ninth to go into extra innings.
In the 11th, the Free Agents had runners on second and third with one out and another suicide bunt was attempted, but missed. The runner stopped 20 feet short and went back to third. The throw hit his shoulder and went into left field, scoring both runners. Final was 7-4.
In the best-of-three championship series, the Free Agents played the Miners, who beat us both games in the league in close games.
In the first game, we jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. They scored four in the bottom of the third to take a 4-2 lead. We scored two in the 5th, 7th, and 9th to win 8-4.
We had outstanding pitching by Ross McGehee, throwing seven innings and with only four runs allowed. Our closer was Josh Stonebrook, who contributed two no-hit innings with two Ks.
Outstanding hitting: Skye Ropke 2/3, Bobby Brown 2/4, Guillermo Roses 3/4, Steve Welch 2/5, and Gary Stonebrook 3/4.
In the second game of the day, the Free Agents scored one in the bottom of the first. The Miners countered with two in the second. The Free Agents then scored one in the fourth, one in the fifth, two in the sixth, and one in the seventh.
The Miners scored two in the seventh. The Free Agents led 6-4 going into the last two innings, and Josh Stonebrook relieved his father, Gary Stonebrook. Josh shut them down with one hit and two Ks to get the save.
More outstanding pitching by Gary Stonebrook, throwing seven innings with only four runs allowed and three Ks. Josh Stonebrook got the save in both games.
Outstanding hitting: Dave Everingham 3/4, two RBI, Skye Ropke 1/2, Guillermo Roses 3/4, Ross McGehee 3/4, Josh Stonebrook 2/3, two RBI, and James Irvine 1/2, two stolen bases