The Farm Tavern, WI takes two from previously unbeaten NY Gremlins for ASA Major Title
The Farm Tavern overcame a first game loss to the New York Gremlins, winning ten games in a row thereafter, including two championship game wins over the runner-up Gremlins to claim the ASA Major National Title. The Farm handed the Gremlins their first loss of the tournament, 12-5 in the first championship game, and then 8-1 in the “if” game.
The string of wins against top flite teams was important for The Farm Tavern, whose big question mark heading into this month’s ISC World Tournament, was pitching. The Farm won the ISC World Tournament in 2007 at Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, on the strength of the arm of Most Valuable Pitcher Korrey Gorreau. Gorreau helped pitch them to a top 5 finish again last year, but retired prior to the 2009 season. The Farm made a key acquisition to replace Gorreau, signing Canadian Frank Cox away from the 2008 ISC World Champion Kitchener Rivershark Twins, and adding another hard throwing Canadian, Darryl Tilley. Tilley went down with an injury and was questionable for the 2009 ISC World Tournament.
At the World Fastball Invitational in Monkton last month, Tilley was unavailable, and Cox carried the lions share of innings, getting help from 18 year old Australian Andrew Blackshaw. The innings took their toll on Cox, though, as the weekend wore on, underscoring the questions fans had about the Farm’s chances at the ISC World Tournament. Judging from their outstanding performances at the ASA Major this weekend, the Farm (ranked # 5 at present) appear to be ready to challenge the world’s best.
At this weekend’s ASA Major, Cox won six games, including the final two on Sunday to win the title, while Tilley had four wins of his own. The Farm’s bats stayed hot on Sunday, with seven home runs on the day. The squad from Madison, Wisconsin, held to just 4 hits in their opening round loss to Bryan Newton, knocked out a total of 28 hits Sunday, (15 and 13, respectively.
In the first championship game, it was Jim Corbett (2 homers), Donny Hale (homer and 4 RBI) and Colin Abbott (homer, 2 RBI) combining for 8 RBI, to carry the offense. Rob Gray also homered for the Farm.
In the second championship game, Abbott and Corbett each homered again, and Zenon Winters added one more for the 209 ASA Major Champions.
New York pitcher Bryan Newton appeared to tire on Sunday, after picking up three wins (including the opening round games against the Farm) , to pitch his team into the finals. Despite falling twice on Sunday, the NY Gremlins turned some heads this weekend with their runner-up finish, including three wins over higher ranked teams. No team left South Bend without at least one loss, the champion Farm Tavern included.
Details from Sunday’s final two games:
Game 37 Sunday, August 2-9 a.m. game ends after 6 innings Red Field
Team Name — Hometown Runs Hits Errors
Visitor The Farm — Madison, WI 12 15 0
Home NY Gremlins — Staten Island, NY 5 6 1
Winning Pitcher: Frank Cox, Farm — WIN, 6 inn, 3 earned, 5 hits, 8 K’s, 4 BB’s; Darrell Tilley, Farm —0 inn, 2 earned, 1 hits, 1 BB’s
Losing Pitcher: Bryan Newton, Gremlins— LOSS, 2 inn, 5 earned, 7 hits, 1 K; Dave Lohman, Gremlins— 1 inn, 2
earned, 3 hits; Bill Hillhouse, Gremlins – 3 inn, 5 earned, 5 hits, 2 K’s
Highlights: Tom Owens, Farm —2 Singles, RBI; Donny Hale, Farm — Double, Home Run, 4 RBI’s; Colin Abbott, Farm
— Single, Home Run, 2 RBI’s; Rob Gray, Farm — Single, Home Run, RBI; Jim Corbett, Farm — 2 Home Runs, RBI; Mike Grant, Farm —2 Singles; Jordan Taveras, Gremlins — 2 Singles
Game 38 Sunday, August 2— 11 a.m. game ends after 5 innings Red Field
Team Name — Hometown Runs Hits Errors
Visitor The Farm — Madison, WI 8 13 0
Home NY Gremlins — Staten Island, NY 1 2 0
Winning Pitcher: Frank Cox, Farm — WIN, 5 inn, 1 earned, 2 hits, 5 K’s
Losing Pitcher: Bryan Newton, Gremlins – LOSS, 5 inn, 8 earned, 13 hits, 2 K’s
Highlights: Zenon Winters, Farm — Home Run, 2 RBI’s; Tom Owen, Farm —2 Singles, Colin Abbott, Farm — Home
Run, RBI; Jeff Goolagong, Farm — Triple; Rob Gray, Farm — 3 Singles, RBI; Jim Corbett, Farm — Single, Home Run, 2
RBI’s; Mike Grant, Farm —Single, 2 RBI’s; Kick Shailes, Gremlins—Single, Home Run, RBI
Click here for PDF printer friendly version of these game summaries and line scores. (PDF)
(Cap tip to Brent Swanson for the link)
Complete recap of scores and game summaries after the jump.
