Mariners win championship

The Mariners beat the Rams 8 to 4 in Game 5 of the ITL finals to clinch the series 3 games to 2. Manchester-Essex came back from being down 2 games to zero to clinch their 6th title in 7 years.

A failed safety squeeze kept the Mariners off the board in the top of the first. Rowley was first to strike with a run in the bottom half as Anthony Conte led off with a single, moved over on a stolen base and error then scored on a grounder to second by Tim Cashman.

Manchester-Essex had another runner caught at the plate in the top of the 3rd as the Rowley 2nd Baseman, CJ Ingraham, gunned down a Mariner at home.

In the bottom of the 3rd Rowley increase their lead to 3-0 on singles by Justin Bolla and Colin Sitarz.

Manchester-Essex finally got to the Rams starter, Tim Moore, in the top of the 4th as they pushed 4 runs across. Rory Gentile (2-4) led off with a single and was followed up with RBI hits from Peter Clark, Max Nesbit, Ian Buckley and Dylan Maki.

Rowley evened the score in their half of the 4th scoring the tying run on a wild pitch.

The game remained 4-4 until the top of the 7th. Max Nesbit the game winner a 2 out 2 RBI single just deep enough between Short Stop and Left Field. Ian Buckley added 2 more insurance runs on a single to make the score 8 to 4.

Peter Clark closed it out picking up a complete game win.

The last time a team overcame a 2 games to zero deficit in the ITL Finals it was the 1993 Manchester Mariners.