Written by Biko Skalla:
The Nanners won a wild game 6 in Macon 10-4 to secure a Breakfast Bowl victory for the second straight year, as they took a 5-1 lead in the 9 game series.
Scott, I Drafted My Fantasy Football Team While Throwing BP, Strickland, turned to game 3 starter Christian, Fear the Deer, Dearman, who was once again dominant. The 3rd year Banana threw 5 scoreless innings, only allowing 2 hits and 1 walk, while just plunking 2 hitters (1 less than last Saturday), and striking out 7.
Bill, Breakfast Bowl God, Leroy, lead the game off with a single to left-center. With one out Dakota, Cheat Code, McFadden, roped a deep drive down the left field line but was robbed on an incredible leaping catch at the top of the wall by Cole, That’s a Really Hard Wall, Gaylord.
The Nanners offense would strand a runner in the 1st and 2 innings, but got on the board in the 3rd. With 2 outs Dalton, Country’s Bieber, Mauldin, hit a line drive single to left and then D-Mac blasted a double to right-center to put the Bananas up 1-0.
Jacob, I Can’t Believe I Left My Grill at Home, Teston, and EJ, That’s My DJ, Churchich, lead off the 4th with back-to-back walks. With 2 down, Malachi, I Guess That’s One Less Base to Steal, Mitchell, doubled down the left field line to bring home Teston. Then Bill lined a double to right-center to drive in Churchich and Mitchell.
Mike, Va Va Runs on Dunkin, Vavasis, flushed a ball to the left-center field wall to lead the 5th off with a double. Malachi walked and then stole second (naturally). A wild pitch bounced so hard off the backstop that it went back across home plate where Kendall, I Throw Fuzz, Marshall, grabbed it and narrowly and controversially tagged out pinch-runner Ashley, Second Time’s a Charm, Morris, at home. Bill walked and stole second, and Dalton lofted a sac fly to left to bring in Flash the Kid.
The Bacon got on the board with an unearned run in the 5th and then Davis, The Not Bald, Agle, took over the pitching duties in the 6th and walked the bases loaded. The Bacon pushed all 3 men across on a sac fly and a 2-run double to make it a 5-4 game.
Zak, Daily Double, Whalin, tattooed a doubled off the centerfield wall to lead off the 7th but was stranded there. Justin, Catch Me on the Sticks, How Bout’ That, DeGrandis, came in for the bottom half and walked a pair while also recording a strikeout and fly out, which set up first and third with 2 outs. He got a pop up in the infield that it looked like Ashley was gonna catch but then it evaded his glove and fell to the grass. Luckily for the Nanners, both Macon runners didn’t know there were 2 outs, and Dr. D snagged the ball and fired it to second just in time for a force out that negated the run that had just crossed home plate. It was bonkers.
With one out in the 8th, Kyle, Officially a Two-Way, Luigs, lined a pinch-hit double down the right field line and Bill followed with a walk. They double stole on a 3-2 pitch to Dalton who grounded out to short to make it second and third with 2 outs. On the 4th 0-2 pitch of the at-bat, Dakota just stuck his bat out to flare a 2-run single to shallow left-center to make it 7-4.
Justin came back out for the 8th and got a pop up but then walked and hit the next 2 batters. In came Sean, All This BP I’m Taking is Really Paying Off, Fluke. Sean got a fielder’s choice and then a fly out to Kyle in center to strand the 2 runners.
With 1 gone in the 9th Churchich walked and then Joshua, A Cup Check and a Day With Mo Will Get You Right, Lavender, stroked a double down the left field line to drive in EJ. With 2 outs Kyle reached on an error that brought in Lavy. Then Bill tried his hand from the left side of the box and he bounced a sharply hit single that took a nasty hop off the first baseman and sent the 2016 Chatham County Pitcher of the Year in from third.
Dakota left his DH spot to hop on the mound for the 9th. He got a fly out to Kyle in center, a strikeout, and another fly ball to Kyle in center to secure the 10-4 victory and the Bananas 2nd straight Breakfast Bowl Championship.
Once again a little magic for the Bananas as 4th year Nanner Kyle Luigs played 2 innings, doubled and scored twice, and made 3 out of the 6 possible outs in center, including the series clincher. Unbelievable.
Also of note:
Bill Leroy: 3-4, 3 RBI, 1 R, 2 BB, 1 SB (RBI single from the left side)
Dakota McFadden: 3-5, 2B, 3 RBI, 1 IP, 1 K
The 9-Hole combo of Malachi Mitchell and Kyle Luigs: 2-4, 2 2B, 1 RBI, 4 R
What a terrific way to secure another Breakfast Bowl series win, which will still wrap up next weekend with home games on Thursday and Saturday with a trip to Macon sandwiched in between. Can’t wait to see what is sure to be a wild final weekend of the Bowl!