BRASSBALL LEAGUE
POSTSEASON

Game One

Columbus (Sirotka 8-13, 4.96 ERA) at Fleetwood (D'Amico 12-3, 4.63 ERA) 

The opening game of the series featured Columbus' Mike Sirotka versus Fleetwood's Jeff D'Amico.  D'Amico had a solid regular season for Fleetwood, but showed one glaring weakness...a tendency to give up homeruns (24 allowed in 163 IP).  This tendency would foreshadow the game results to come. 

Columbus wasted no time getting on the board thanks to a 2-run homer by LF Bobby Higginson in the 1st.  Not to be outdone, Columbus teammate Richard Hidalgo followed that up with two solo homers of his own, one in the 4th and one in the 6th.  Meanwhile, Columbus' Mike Sirotka cruised along into the bottom of the ninth with a 4-2 lead. 

Fleetwood second baseman Damion Easley, who had singled and walked against Sirotka earlier in the game, led the bottom of the ninth off with a double.  Fleetwood then pinch hit for SS Jose Valentin with Chad Curtis.   Sirotka, possibly showing signs of fatigue, hung a breaking ball to Curtis who ripped the pitch into leftfield for an RBI single.   The tying run was now on 1st. 

Columbus then brought in closer Mike Timlin to put out the fire.  Fleetwood catcher Ben Molina laid down a sac bunt, putting the tying run on 2nd.  But Timlin then struck out Shannon Stewart for the second out.  Down to its last out, Fleetwood Send up pinch hitter Craig Counsell, who was 6-16 in pinch hitting during the regular season.  Timlin came up big, though, and forced Counsell into a foulout popup to catcher Mitch Meluskey.

Columbus now led the series 1-0.  WP-Sirotka (1-0).  SV-Timlin (1).  LP-D'Amico (0-1)


BOXSCORE: 2001 Columbus Buckeyes At 2001 Fleetwood Walkers          10/1/2001
Game 1: Columbus rides the long ball (incl. two from Hidalgo) for the win.

  Buckeyes           AB  R  H RBI AVG     Walkers            AB  R  H RBI AVG
  R.Gutierrez SS      3  1  1  0 .333     S.Stewart DH        5  0  1  0 .200  
  M.Meluskey C        4  0  1  0 .250     J.Hammonds LF       4  0  0  0 .000  
  B.Higginson LF      4  1  1  2 .250   C-C.Counsell PH       1  0  0  0 .000  
  R.Hidalgo CF        4  2  2  2 .500     J.Edmonds CF        3  1  1  0 .333  
  S.Rolen 3B          4  0  0  0 .000     C.Jones 3B          4  1  2  0 .500  
  B.Fullmer DH        4  0  0  0 .000     P.Konerko 1B        4  0  2  1 .500  
  K.Millar 1B         3  0  1  0 .333     B.Abreu RF          4  0  0  1 .000  
  R.Belliard 2B       4  0  0  0 .000     D.Easley 2B         3  1  2  0 .667  
  B.Jordan RF         3  0  0  0 .000     K.Elster SS         3  0  0  0 .000  
                                        A-J.Valentin SS       0  0  0  0 ----  
                                        B-C.Curtis PH         1  0  1  11.000  
                                          B.Molina C          3  0  0  0 .000  
                     -- -- -- ---                            -- -- -- ---      
         Totals      33  4  6  4                 Totals      35  3  9  3

A-Subbed Defensively (SS) For Elster In 7th Inning
B-Pinch Hit For Valentin In 9th Inning
C-Pinch Hit For Hammonds In 9th Inning

Buckeyes........ 2 0 0  1 0 1  0 0 0  -  4  6  0
Walkers......... 0 0 0  0 0 2  0 0 1  -  3  9  1

Buckeyes                 IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA  SCORESHEET
M.Sirotka WIN(1-0)        8       9   3   3   2   7   0   3.38  A1 D8
M.Timlin SAVE(1st)        1       0   0   0   0   1   0   0.00  D9
Totals                    9       9   3   3   2   8   0

Walkers                  IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR    ERA  SCORESHEET
J.D'Amico LOSS(0-1)       7       6   4   4   1   7   3   5.14  A1 D1
M.Guthrie                 0 2/3   0   0   0   0   2   0   0.00  D2 D3
R.Mendoza                 0 1/3   0   0   0   0   0   0   0.00  D4 D5
D.Plesac                  0 1/3   0   0   0   0   0   0   0.00  D6 D6
D.Lowe                    0 2/3   0   0   0   1   0   0   0.00  D7
Totals                    9       6   4   4   2   9   3

ATTENDANCE- 22,892 DATE-  TIME- Night WEATHER- Average
T- 2:55
LEFT ON BASE- Buckeyes: 4  Walkers: 8
DOUBLE PLAYS- Buckeyes: 0  Walkers: 1
ERRORS- J.Edmonds
DOUBLES- M.Meluskey(1st), K.Millar(1st), D.Easley-2(2nd)
HOME RUNS- B.Higginson(1st), R.Hidalgo-2(2nd)
SACRIFICE HITS- B.Molina
WALKS- R.Gutierrez, K.Millar, J.Edmonds, D.Easley
STRIKE OUTS- R.Gutierrez, M.Meluskey-2, B.Higginson, K.Millar-2, R.Belliard-2,
             B.Jordan, S.Stewart-2, J.Hammonds-2, J.Edmonds-2, C.Jones, B.Abreu
GIDP- R.Belliard
BALKS- M.Sirotka

Richard Hidalgo smacked 2 homeruns as the Columbus Buckeyes topped the
Fleetwood Walkers by a score of 4 to 3 at Cinergy Field.

Columbus claimed the early lead in the first inning when they tallied 2 runs
on 2 hits.  The big moment was provided by Bobby Higginson who quieted the
home crowd when he popped a two-run clout over the fence (his 1st of the
season).  Fleetwood threatened in the 9th but their rally came up short.

The victory was credited to Mike Sirotka(1-0) who went 8 innings, allowing 3
runs. Mike Timlin gained credit for his 1st save.  Jeff D'Amico(0-1) was the
loser.  He served up 3 homeruns in his 7 innings.  

'You have to give Fleetwood credit, they fought us tough to the end' John
Winters said.  'It could have gone either way, but I'm glad we pulled out the
victory.'