Game Recap - The last game of the year featured
two of the most powerful teams in the league. The winner of the game would clinch the Hess Division and a first round BYE
in the playoffs. There was a lot on the line, and both teams threw their aces onto the mound. It was a classic rematch of
Chris Hess vs Kyle LeClair. The Cudas jumped off to a quick 2-0 from a bases loaded walk to a RBI single
by Chris Hess. Nick Giordano was thrown out at the plate by a good throw by Chris Suriano to keep the score at 2-0. The Cyclones
answered right back in the bottom of the first. After a 1 out walk to Chris LeClair, Chris Suriano made him pay by belting
a two run homer over the LF wall. The score would remain tied until the 4th, when Chris Hess had a bases loaded RBI walk to
bring in the go ahead run. In the top of the 5th the Cudas would tack on two more runs to take a commanding
5-2 lead, but Hess would let them get right back in the game. Chris Suriano poked another two run homerun to bring the game
to 5-4. In the top of the 6th the Cudas added three more runs, one of which came off of a big base hit by James Strang. Kyle
was having clear control problems as he issued a career high 16 walks. Those walks proved to be his downfall, as a 8-4 lead
going into the bottom of the 6th proved to be too much to overcome. Kyle hit his league leading 10th HR in the bottom of the
6th to make it 8-5, but that was all the offense could muster. The Blue Barracudas clinched the division for the first
time since 2005.
