The Sunshine Coast Men’s Fastpitch League (SCMFL) ended their season last weekend with an excellent two days of playoff ball, showcasing the many talented players in the league.
The RJS Jays and Coastal Cutthroats squared off against each other in the final. Both teams fought hard battles to get to there.
Coastal’s road was easily the toughest, as they lost to Lon’s Gun Show in a close game and had to come through the back door to get to the finals.
First was a 9-8 win against Gilligan’s, then an 8-7 victory against Custom Carpet, followed by a 5-4 win over the Big Deals. Those hard-fought battles earned Coastal Cut-throat a rematch against Lon’s Gun Show who beat them earlier in the playoffs to send them down their tough path.
This time pitching in his fourth game of the weekend, Bill “Stick” Stockwell was able to keep the Gun Show bats off balance and was leading his team to what looked to be an easy victory, carrying an 8-4 lead into the bottom of the seventh. But with two outs, Lon’s Gun Show rallied and showed why they were the defending champs.
Mike Sopow hit his third homerun of the game to bring them within two, and Bailey Busnarda drove in another run to bring them within one run, but the Cutthroats dug in and were able to get the third out, winning the game 8-7 and sending them to the final.
In the other semifinal, the RJS Jays and Lon’s Gun Show had a hard-fought pitching duel between Jim Peers and Mike Sopow. The game was marked by many exciting defensive plays, and in the end RJS snuck by with a 3-2 win, setting up the final between the RJS Jays and Coastal Cutthroats.
Both teams had excellent defense and the game see-sawed back and forth. In the sixth inning, RJS had a 3-2 lead, but Adam Thomsen hit a homerun that tied the game. Not to be outdone, Mitchell Rainer answered back and gave RJS a 4-3 lead going into the final inning.
In the top of the seventh, Tyler Graham – who was swinging a hot bat all weekend – hit a triple off the fence. Next up was Brett Trefry, another amazing hitter. With the tying run on third and Brett representing the go-ahead run, Brett laced a line drive towards the gap in right centre.
Out of nowhere Tyler Craig extended higher than anyone thought he could to snag the ball out of the air and preserve the 4-3 victory for the RJS Jays.
The RJS Jays finished the season in first place, followed by Coastal Cutthroats, Lon’s Gun Show, Big Deals and Custom Carpet with Gilligan’s coming in last.
