The ASL Eagles managed to score five runs in the final inning of the deciding game against the Herts Falcons, coming back from a 5-3 deficit to win the 2008 HSL1 title. The Eagles did it in dramatic fashion in the final inning of the final game.
Before the game the ASL Eagles and the Herts Falcons were tied at the top of the standings both with 100% records, which meant that the winner was going to be the first ever Herts Spring League champion.
The Falcons scored three runs in the first inning but the Eagles kept in touch with two runs of their own. Both pitchers settled down after that which made for an exciting game for the purists. Falcons starter, Darrin Ward, who played his first game after being called up from the Herts Hawks pitched 5+ innings showing great control allowing only 1 walk. Overall the Falcons pitchers, Ward and Kikel, did not have a single earned run in the whole game.
In the middle of the 6th inning the Falcons were holding on to a slender 5-3 lead. A combination of 3 hits, a walk and critically 3 errors resulted in 5 runs for the Eagles. This was a dramatic come back which was met with loud cheers from the bleachers which were packed with Eagles fans.
The Falcons had three outs left to try and stay in the game, but the Eagles’ starting pitcher and the strong defence stayed focused and won the game in style.
This was a win which the Eagles thoroughly deserved, displaying fine pitching, fielding and hitting. Congratulations to the ASL Eagles players and coaches and a special thanks to every member of their staff for their hospitality and for hosting a fantastic baseball day.
One play deserves a special mention. On a hard hit fly ball the Eagles centerfielder made an incredible diving catch. This was applauded by home and visiting players and fans acknowledging the amazing skill and athleticism required to make such a spectacular play. The loudest applause actually came from Lee Manning, the Falcons batter who in the process was robbed of a fine hit which would have resulted in a triple or even an inside the park home run if the centerfielder did not execute the play. If this was an MLB game and the play was captured by ESPN it would have been shown again and again as a candidate for play of the year.
| Herts Falcons at ASL | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score By Innings | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
| Herts Falcons | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 5 |
| ASL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 10 | 2 |
| ASL 8, Herts Falcons 5 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASL | Herts Falcons | ||||||||
| ab | r | h | bi | ab | r | h | bi | ||
| Player 1 p | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | Rodney Naghar rf | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Player 2 c | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Lee Manning lf | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Player 3 1b | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | Kimiyoshi Saionji 2b | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Player 4 2b | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | Jason Greenberg c | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Player 5 3b | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Peter Kikel 3b-p | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Player 6 ss | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Marty Cullen 1b | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Player 7 lf | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | Nick Goetz ss | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Player 8 cf | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Aspi Dimitrov cf | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Player 9 rf | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Darrin Ward p-3b | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| TEAM TOTALS | 28 | 8 | 10 | 7 | TEAM TOTALS | 31 | 5 | 9 | 4 |
| E: Player 6, Player 9, Nick Goetz(2), Jason Greenberg, Peter Kikel, Rodney Naghar. LOB: ASL 4, Herts Falcons 6. 2B: Player 1(2), Jason Greenberg, Peter Kikel. SB: Player 9, Player 4, Player 5, Aspi Dimitrov. SB: Player 8. |
| ASL | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| Player 1 W | 7.33 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 8 |
| Herts Falcons | ||||||
| Darrin Ward L | 5.67 | 10 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Peter Kikel | 0.33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| PB: Player 2(2). T: 2:00. A: 108. |