Published in the August 11, 2020 edition.
By DAN PAWLOWSKI
WAKEFIELD — For most of last night’s Twi League regular season finale, the Unknowns looked like they were playoff-bound.
With the undefeated Highlife having already locked up the first seed and three teams all anxiously awaiting results with eight points each, the Unknowns walked onto Moulton last night with seven points and a unique opportunity: win and the second seed is yours. Lose and call it a season.
The Orange bats came out swinging to the tune of four runs in the 1st inning and eventually took a 5-0 lead after three. They maintained a comfortable 5-1 lead through the 5th inning.
Rather than mail it in, the Life decided to go after Twi immortality and an undefeated season. They put four runs on the board in the top of the 6th, tying the game at 5-5. The Unknowns came right back in the bottom half of the inning, reclaiming the lead at 6-5, but the Highlife bats weren’t done, storming to the finish line with a five-run 7th and eventually quieting one final push from the Unknowns to win a wild finale, 10-8.
The Highlife win made the playoff picture clear, at least in terms of who will be there. Joining the 6-0-2 Life will be the Loafers, Slappers and Brewers who all finished the season tied with 4-4 records.
The Brewers are reportedly the number two seed. The matchups for the postseason weren’t announced at press time but the first game is tentatively scheduled for tomorrow night, 5:45 p.m. at Moulton. If the tiebreaker for the 3rd seed is based on head-to-head matchups, the Loafers would get it as they beat the Slappers in the their only meeting this year. That would put the Loafers against the Brewers and Slappers against the Life.
Unknown starter Adam Chanley (5.1 IP, 8H, 1K, 0BB, 3ER) worked around a bases loaded jam in the top of the 1st after singles from Mike Day, Anthony Cecere and Anthony Caracciolo. Chanley got Eric DiTonno to hit into a 4-6-3 double play to get out unscathed.
The Unknowns’ four-run 1st against Highlife starter Kevin Canty began with a leadoff Bobby Pearl base hit. He came around to score on a Brett Maloney single to right. Geoff Eriksen doubled and Brandon Panarese scored Maloney on an infield single to make it 2-0. Kevin Murray had an RBI groundout to make it 3-0. A wild pitch later scored Panarese as the Question Marks went up 4-0.
Panarese stayed busy in the top of the 2nd making the web gem of the day on a blooper off the bat of Tom Sheerin. Panarese charged from centerfield and sprawled out for the diving catch. Chanley made quick work of the next two batters.
Canty followed with a quick 2nd inning of his own, getting fly outs to end the inning after another single by Pearl.
After Chanley sat the Life down in order in the top of the 3rd, the Unknowns grabbed one more run in the bottom half. Panarese tripled to right-center and Murray brought him home on an RBI double. Canty limited the damage with a strikeout and a popup.
The Life got one back in the 4th. Cecere led off with a triple and Derek Dettorre scored him on a groundout.
Jake Vezga (3IP, 3H, 5K, 1BB, 1ER), who earned the win for the Highlife on the mound, moved over to the rubber from shortstop and started his night with back-to-back K’s eventually keeping the 4th scoreless.
In an attempt to get some momentum going in the 5th, Chris Dettorre broke a sacred Twi unwritten rule, bunting and beating it out with two outs and nobody on. Chanley issued Dettorre’s penance by throwing over to the bag twice, forcing the Life’s second basemen to dive in and get the jersey dirty while drawing some laughs from both sides. Maybe the speedy Dettorre was just getting ready for the playoffs where all bets are off regarding the bunt. Chanley later got out of the frame with a pop up.
The Highlife’s four-run 6th to tie the game at 5’s was initiated once again by Cecere who went 3-for-3 with three runs scored. Cecere singled and Derek Dettorre ripped an RBI double to the fence in left, finally getting the big hit the Life needed to rattle some rusty cages. Caracciolo advanced Dettorre to third on a groundout to first for the first out and Dettorre scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-3. With nobody on, DiTonno started it back up with another double to deep left, bringing Chanley’s night to end.
Maloney came on to the pitch for the Unknowns, facing lefty Tom Sheerin who quickly blasted one to right-center. “Moose” hoofed around the bags for a two-run homer as the Highlife bench exploded. Maloney made a nice play on a Vezga chopper and got a groundout to end the inning but the damage was done as the game was tied 5-5.
The Orange reclaimed the lead in the bottom half of the inning. Dave Ellegood hit a leadoff pinch-hit single in his only at-bat of the night and immediately moved over to coach first base as the guy he hit for, Sean Alexander, came back into the game to run.
Vezga got two huge outs on a popup and a strikeout but Maloney came through on an RBI single just over the glove of Dettorre at second. Alexander, who stole second earlier, came around to make it 6-5 Orange. Catcher Mark Sullivan threw out Maloney trying to steal second to end it.
The Life’s Twi-altering rally in the 7th started with a one-out double from Mark DiNocco. Sullivan singled down the line and the Unknowns intentionally walked Cecere to load the bases for Derek Dettorre who was hit by a pitch, earning his third RBI and making it 6-6. Caracciolo then came through with a two-RBI double, making it 8-6. DiTonno followed with an RBI single and Sheerin also picked up his third RBI with a sac fly to make it 10-6.
Highlife ace Nick Dettorre came on to close in the bottom of the 7th. Eriksen walked to lead off but Dettorre struck out the dangerous Panarese for a huge first out. Murray also walked and Brendan Coughlin hit into a fielder’s choice for the second out. Luke Martin hit an RBI single and Coughlin later scored on a wild throw to second trying to catch Martin stealing. Dettorre struck out Alexander looking to end the game and the Unknowns’ season.
