In the morning games, the Cobras took a pair from the Clippers by two mercy scores. Carlton and Alan led the Cobras offensive attack. Arsenal and the Bushwackers split their double header. In game 1, Arsenal broke open a scoreless tie on a two run single by Josh and never looked back as Andy shut down the opposition enroute to a 3-1 victory. The Bushwacker bats came alive in the second game by scoring 9 runs in support of another fine pitching effort by Mickey. In the afternoon contests, the Assault jumped on the Borrachos in game 1 and cruised to an 11-4 victory. Theron went 3-3 with a HR and 2 RBIs in support of Dennis who not only pitched well, but also helped himself by going 2-3 with a HR and 3 RBIs. Intense alcohol therapy combined with a mascot arranged locker-room visit by Coors Light Girls during intermission allowed the Borrachos to regain footing and slug their way to a hard-fought 9-8 victory in the night-cap thanks to timely hitting by Tico and solid pitching by Jaime L. The showdown between the NY Knights and Smoke ended in a time limit induced split. The first game, however, was subject to a protest due to the improper enforcement of the time limit rule and is pending a review. The game was halted in the 5^th inning with the Knights ahead. In the second game, the Smoke cruised to a 12-4, six inning victory behind the strong pitching of Gabe and the hot bats of Dave, Chris and Mat. Finally, in the late afternoon contest, the Holy Name Knights and Thunder engaged in two slugfests. Dave hit 2 HRs, including a grand slam to pace the HN Knights to a 22-11victory in game 1. Wally and Brian also homered in the first game. In the 2^nd game, Dave homered once again for the Knights, but Thunder did most of the scoring in support of Angel, who earned the 12-2 victory.

The brooms were out in week 3, as all five match-ups ended in sweeps. Assault threw a blanket over the New York Knights in both games of their double header, winning by scores of 3-0 and 11-0. Theron and John earned the victories in the whitewash. The Bushwackers also took a pair from Los Borrachos. In game 1, Joe B. pitched a gem and received clutch support from Blake on the way to a 6-2 victory. In game 2, Brick provided offensive and defensive support while Josh and Ralph also joined the hit parade to back up a fine pitching performance from Rich. John F. had a fine offensive day for Los Borrachos, going 5-6 in a losing cause. The Cobras took two games from Smoke by scores of 7-1 and 10-2. In game 1, Will turned in a quality mound performance while Kevin led a balanced offensive attack. Although tagged with a loss, Kavin pitched well for the Smoke. In game 2, the Cobras, led by Ian and Shawn, pounced for eight early runs and Mike made them stand up with another strong outing. Arsenal pulled out the heavy artillery and rained down a torrent of runs in their sweep of Thunder. In game 1, Arsenal put the game out of reach with nine runs in the 2nd inning. Nick led the Arsenal offense with 3 RBI. In game 2, Arsenal had a seven run 2nd inning keyed by Phil's three run homer. Arsenal forced a mercy with a 10 run 4th inning led by George's two run homer. The Clippers got some wind behind their sails and cruised to two 14-4 mercies over the Holy Name Knights. The hitting star for the Clippers was Hector, while Andy was the ace on the mound. Ed and John L. were the standouts for the HN Knights in defeat.

The New York Knights were the latest prey for the Cobras who struck for two mercy wins. Ian and Kevin led the way on offense as the Cobras scored 29 runs. Arsenal called out the heavy artillery in their double header, taking the wind out of the Clippers' sails on the way to two victories. Game 1 was a 20-0 blowout, but game 2 tightened up a bit as Arsenal used a fifth inning rally to overcome an early deficit and cruise to a 9-3 victory. Assault, led by the hot bat of Mark D. and the strong pitching of Dennis, took two low scoring affairs (3-0 and 4-1) from the Smoke. In the late afternoon, Jimmy L. and Jim J. combined to limit the Holy Name Knights to one unearned run in the Borrachos' 11-1 first game victory. The game was also highlighted by a 6-5-6 triple play turned in by the HN Knights. In game 2, Sonny Oh pitched a two hit shutout, but was nearly matched by the HN Knights' Jack M. Los Borrachos did strike for two runs on hits by Sonny and Gary L. to stagger to a 2-0 win and a series sweep. In the final matchup, the Bushwackers took two from the Thunder by mercy scores. Joe B. displayed dominant pitching in game 1 and the Bushwacker offense came up big, scoring 24 runs.

Los Borrachos started the party early as they swept past the New York Knights just in time for the start of happy of hour. DJ Frenchie Whiteshoes, referred to by some as Jared, of the Borrachos had a great day at third, while Gary made a great catch in the OF then flipped like a hot tortilla. Not to be out done, Tomas went 2-2 with two runs, Young crossed the plate more times than his family crossed the border and Foley bombarded parked cars with several long foul balls in a historic 15-minute at bat. Meanwhile, across the diamond, Smoke and Clippers engaged in a heated contest. In game 1, Smoke, led by the hot bat of Chris, broke out on top and Kavin made the early lead stand up enroute to a 7-2 win. In game 2, the Clippers used 6 late inning runs to earn a split with a 9-4 victory. Sal not only pitched well but also was the offensive star, belting two 3-run homers. In the afternoon, Arsenal and the Cobras engaged in two pitching battles. Andy's pitching arm turned out to be Arsenal's heaviest artillery piece as he shut down the Cobras to preserve a 1-0 win in which Chris B. pitched well in defeat. The Cobras recoiled from defeat and struck back in game two, winning 4-2. Clutch hitting and savvy baserunning by Will helped the Cobras build a 4-0 cushion in support of Mike L. Once again, the losing pitcher deserved a better fate as John A. turned in a strong outing. In the afternoon, Assault's loud booming bats overpowered the Thunder in two mercy, shutout wins. Chino, Shane, Mark and Pete W. all had banner offensive days in the sweep. In the final contest, the Bushwhackers were awarded two victories due forfeit by the Holy Name Knights.

Renewing a 5-year rivalry, Assault and the Cobras engaged in a pair of low scoring affairs. In game 1, Assault jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, but the Cobras battled back to tie the game and send it into extra innings. In the 8th frame, Assault broke through with three runs to make Dennis the winner and Joey a hard luck loser. In game 2, Assault once again scored two early runs, but this time John R. made them stand up by shutting the Cobras out and dealing Chris B. a loss in spite of his fine outing. Arsenal also earned a pair of victories by sweeping their series against the Smoke. Although Smoke played some highlight reel outfield defense (back flips included), Arsenal's attack was too steady and balanced in game 1. Six different Arsenal players contributed RBIs, while Andre's strong pitching and Yersin's slick SS play limited Smoke to three runs. In game 2, Arsenal jumped out to an early 8-2 lead, but Smoke chipped away until they tied the game 10-10 in the 5th inning. In the bottom of the 6th, however, Arsenal scored two runs to squeak out their second victory, 12-10. The offensive star for Arsenal was Phil who completed hitting for the cycle with a Grand Slam. Ari also contributed in the wins with 5 RBI on the day. Chimaera (formerly known as the New York Knights) began under a new regime by getting their first win of the season against the Bushwhackers, 2-1. Leland pitched a shutout through 6 innings and held on for the win. Matt also chipped in with great defense, including a spectacular diving catch in centerfield. In game 2, the Bushwackers bounced back to win 4-1 thanks to clutch hitting from Brian M. and Blink, both of whom went 2-3 in support of a strong outing by Dave K. In their matchup with the Thunder, anorexic Chihuahuas had more bite than the Borrachos until Rob pulled out the Mad Dog to ignite the offense. Nine thirsty doggies soon crossed the plate in the final inning to turn a 5-1 deficit into a 10-5 last call victory. Team defense allowed JJ to retire batters almost as often as he retired cervezas in the 12-2 nightcap win. Foley and Frenchie both produced at the plate, but Sir Ian led the pack by going 3-3 with a game-ending triple. Greg was able to throw out a runner while parked on his behind and is now considering playing an entire game from this position. In the final series of a very competitive weekend, the Clippers took two from the Holy Name Knights, winning the first game 8-5 before cruising to a 15-1 mercy in the finale.

The Cobras and Borrachos engaged in two very similar games in the pre-happy hour mist. In both games, the Borrachos jumped out on top 1-0, only to have the Cobras sneak ahead and stave off rallies until the later stages of the game. Then, in both contests, the Cobras erupted for a big inning to earn a pair of 11-1 victories. Joey and Mike pitched well for the Cobras and enjoyed offensive support from Santo, Omar and Carlton. Assault and Arsenal met in a showdown of first place teams, but the outcome turned out to be one sided. In game 1, Assault took an early 4-0 lead, but the game settled down at 4-2 half way through. Assault, led by the bats of Anthony and Javon, exploded for eight late runs and salted a 12-2 mercy. In game 2, Theron hit a big 2-run homer in the third inning to provide all the support that John R. would need enroute to a 7-0 shutout. Chimaera, led by the shutout pitching of Leland and the defense of Matt and Jonathan, earned a 7-0 victory in their first game against the Smoke. In game 2, the shutout tables were turned as Smoke bested the tri-beast 9-0. Holy Name Knights took a pair from Thunder by scores of 12-4 and 21-15. Jack M. pitched well in the game 1 victory with gold glove support from Tim and the hitting prowess of George and James. The Bushwackers also came away with two victories due to a forfeit by the Clippers.

The Bushwackers and Cobras split a pair in their first match up of the season. In game 1, the Cobras took an early 1-0 lead, but Mickey didn't allow another run, allowing the Bushwackers to earn a 2-1 come from behind win. Once again, Chris B. was the hard luck loser. In game 2, the Cobra bats were much livelier, breaking through for 7 runs, thank in large part to a 3 RBI performance by Carlton. Joey pitched another gem in the Cobras' 7-1 victory. In the other morning contest, the Smoke used late inning heroics to take two from the Clippers. In game 1, Smoke scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth and one run in the seventh on a base hit by Dan to turn a 4-2 deficit into a 5-4 victory. In game 2, the score was tied 10-10 in the sixth inning until Smoke exploded for 10 runs to double up the Clippers. Dan, who went 6-7 with 7 RBIs, and Keith, who went 4 for 4, were the hitting stars of the game in support of Gabe, who earned 2 wins. The afternoon match up between the Borrachos and Arsenal also featured two thrilling endings. In game 1, Andy and Jimmy J. battled each other over 7 innings, with Arsenal holding a 4-3 advantage in the last inning. With two outs and a man on first, a misplayed ball in the outfield evoked visions of the 1946 World Series. Playing the role of Enos Slaughter was Greg S., who raced like a madman around the bases with the tying run. Unfortunately for Greg, the ball was waiting at home for him, held safely in the glove of Rico, who applied the tag to preserve a 4-3 Arsenal victory. In defeat, Gary had two game 1 ribbies to go with his cervezas. Ever the cerdo glaton, Gary continued to drink and wolfed down all four game 2 ribbies in the 4-3 extra-inning nitecap won by the Borrachos. Lil' Drewito was the buj'ia of the Borracho's rally going 2-2 when it counted most. Jaime L. pitched valiantly despite appearing sober. Sonny, the burro robusto, reached base 6 out of 7 at bats in the two games. In the late afternoon, Assault added a little battery in their contest against the Holy Name Knights by recording two mercy victories. Thunder and Chimaera, meanwhile, engage in two barnburners. In game 1, Chimaera came out on top 13-8 thanks to huge offensive performances by Tommy and Jonathan, who each finished the game 3-3 with four RBIs. Game 2 was a seesaw battle that saw Chimaera rally from a 7-1 deficit with a twelve run 4th inning, only to once again surrender the lead in the last of the sixth. Hotly contested until the very end, yet another game ended on a play at the plate, allowing Thunder to hold on for a 17-15 win.

Chimaera and the Clippers split their morning double header. In game 1, Jonathan's grand slam sparked a Chimaera come back as Leland pitched four strong innings and Mike provided the team's first save of the season in the 7-5 win. In game 2, the Clippers turned the tables and recorded a 7-5 victory of their own. Assault swept a pair from the Borrachos to improve upon their league best record of 16-2. In game 1, Dennis improved to 9-0 on the season by recording another shutout, while Alexis led the offense by going 3-3 with 4 RBIs. In game 2, Dennis capped off his big day by stroking a game breaking triple in support of John R., who earned the win. In the afternoon, the Bushwackers rallied from an early 4-0 deficit to earn an 8-5 victory over Arsenal. The highlight of the contest was a game winning grand slam in the top of the seventh inning. In game 2, Arsenal once again took an early lead, but this time coasted to a 9-4 victory. Cobras swept a pair from Thunder. In game 1, Joey pitched a masterpiece, coming within one out of throwing a perfect game in the Cobras 15-0 victory. In game 2, the Cobra offense struck for 14 more runs, but the story of the game was a triple play turned by Will. Smoke was awarded two mercy wins over the Holy Name Knights, who were forced to forfeit due to an accident suffered by one of their teammates. The league is happy to report that a full recovery is expected.

After a rainy night, the GHSBL rolled along in week 10. In a morning affair, Assault and Bushwackers split a pair. In game 1, Dennis twirled yet another shutout, besting Mickey in a 3-0 pitcher's duel. In the second game, the Bushwackers bounced back behind Joe B. to earn the split by a 6-4 score. Where there was Smoke there was fire in the team's double-header sweep against the Borrachos. In game 1, Smoke rallied from a 7-4 deficit with late inning offense and held on to win 11-8. Game 2 was an epic struggle won by Smoke with 2 runs in the top of the 11th. Troy and Sam were the day's offensive stars with 3 RBIs apiece, and Gabe ruled the mound, pitching 13 innings to earn both victories. In the afternoon, Arsenal and the Cobras met up for the second time and once again split a pair. Game 1 was scoreless for 5 innings until the Cobras broke through for 6 late runs, keyed by a 2 run double by Omar. Once again, Joey was masterful on the mound, carrying a no hitter into the 5th inning enroute to his second consecutive shutout and 15th consecutive scoreless inning. In game 2, the Cobras kicked the ball around early and Arsenal took advantage of the opportunity by mobilizing the heavy artillery. Phil, Scott, Ari and Desmond all went deep to build up a large lead, allowing Andy to coast to a 10-5 victory. Clippers and Thunder played two competitive games, including the first tie of the year. Game 1 went to the Clippers by an 8-5 score, while game 2 ended in a 9-9 deadlock. In the last matchup of the day, Chimaera exploded for two mercy wins over the Holy Name Knights. In the combined games, Tommy stayed hot by going 6-7 with 2 home runs and 8 RBIs, while Lance and John also pitched in with 4 and 5 RBIs, respectively. The defense was also at its best in support of fine pitching performances by Leland, who earned a game 2 shutout, and Mike, who picked up his first win of the season.

After a week of fireworks, barbecues and summer vacations, GHSBL returned to action for the stretch drive, added pounds in toe. In the inaugural game at Prospect Park, Assault swept a pair from the Cobras. After jumping out to a 5-0 lead, the Cobras couldn't reach Dennis for more runs and allowed Assault to charge back for an 11-5 victory. In game 2, John R. and Joey both pitched well, but several late inning rallies by the Cobras came up short and Assault held on for a 5-3 win. Pete W. was the offensive star, blasting several big hits in both games. Over at Six Diamonds, Chimaera and Smoke met up for a pair in addition to the completion of a previously suspended game. In Game 1, Jonathan paced an 11 run outburst with a home run, helping Leland earn an 11-2 victory. In game 2, Smoke went toe-to-toe with Chimaera, winning 11-9 in extra innings thanks to the fine pitching of Kavin and the hot bat of Willie. Chris went 3-5 with 4 RBIs in defeat. The long afternoon finally cam to an end as Chimaera earned a 21-11 victory in the completion of the suspended game. In the afternoon, Bushwackers and Borrachos engaged in two low scoring affairs. In game 1, the Bushwackers came out on top 2-1, thanks to a masterpiece by Joe B. In game 2, Borrachos bounced back behind the arm of Jimmy L., winning 4-2 to earn a split. Clippers took two from Thunder, winning 3-2 and 8-3. In the late afternoon finale, Arsenal bounced back from an early 4-0 deficit against the Holy Name Knights and went on to record two mercy victories, 14-4 and 11-1.

The Cobras and Borrachos kicked off Week 12 by splitting a doubleheader. In game 1, the Cobras jumped out to an early lead and then cruised to an 8-3 victory behind the solid pitching of Mike L.. In game 2, the Cobras held a slim 2-1 lead into the sixth inning, but the Borrachos rallied for 8 unanswered runs and won going away by a 9-2 tally. Jimmy L. earned the win with a fine performance. At Prospect Park, the Bushwackers swept a pair from the Smoke and, in the afternoon, the Assault doubled up on Arsenal. The Clippers also had their brooms working, taking two games from Chimaera. The victories ensured the Clippers at least a #2 seed in the B-division playoffs. In the finale of the week, Thunder and Holy Name Knights met in a showdown for the final B-division playoff spot. In game 1, Thunder eased to a 13-3 mercy victory, but then had to sweat out a nail biting 10-9 nightcap enroute to a sweep. The two wins gave Thunder a commanding 1.5 games lead with only two contests remaining.

The GHSBL season resumed after the league’s first postponement with exciting action in both divisions. The A-division resumed with the first of two weeks of split opponent double headers in the final push to playoffs. Assault and the Cobras were the big winners on the day, sweeping their to victory. Assault’s victories over the Bushwackers and Arsenal allowed them to clinch the division title and earn a first-round bye. In the win over Arsenal, Theron pitched a complete game and went 3-3, while Dennis chipped in with a big 2-run double to secure a 14-10 win. Against the Bushwackers, Dennis also recorded his 13th win while going 2-4 with a triple and 2-run HR. The Cobras battled Los Borrachos in a thrilling 11 inning contest that featured outstanding defensive plays (including a tremendous grab by Tony S. to steal a homer and extend the game) and great pitching by Mike L. and Jimmy L. The deadlock was finally broken in the eleventh inning thanks to a 2-RBI triple by Santo, which sparked a four run rally. The Borrachos also scored twice in the final frame, but fell short by a 7-5 score. The Cobras second win came in another pitcher’s duel with Arsenal. Joey was masterful, and Andy matched him pitch-for-pitch, but clutch hitting and outstanding defense by Omar helped the Cobras squeak out a 3-1 win. After losing to Assault, the Bushwackers recorded a win as well, besting the Borrachos 8-3.

Smoke, Clippers Meet in B-Div. Finals
In the B-division playoffs, Smoke dropped their first game 8-7 to Thunder, but roared back to win the final two contests and advance to the final round. Joining Smoke in the finals is the Clippers, who also lost their first game against Chimaera, but rebounded to win the final two. Both teams will face off for the right to join the A-division playoffs the following week.

The Nationals, composed of Assault, Bushwackers, Smoke and Clippers, bested the Americans, composed of Cobras, Arsenal, Borrachos, Chimaera and Thunder, in a low scoring affair. After five scoreless innings by the Cobras' Joey, the Americans jumped out in front in the sixth thanks to a clutch double by Yersin of Arsenal. The Nationals bounced back in the seventh, however, plating three runs including a two run single by Alex of the Bushwackers. The slim 3-2 margin was sustained thanks to the strong pitching of the Smoke's Gabe, who closed out the game and notched four scoreless frames. Gabe was awarded with the game's MVP for his clutch pitching and fine fielding at first base.

In the pre-game contests, Anthony of Assault was named the first ever GHSBL fastest man. In spite of a wet track, Anthony circled the bases in a flash and completed the circuit in an impressive 12.07 seconds. In the longest ball competition, Alex of the Bushwackers lived up to his nickname Brick by blasting a 281-foot bomb that topped a strong field of competitors.

The GHSBL playoffs got underway with two quarterfinal matchups: (6) Smoke vs. (3) Bushwackers and (5) Borrachos vs. (4) Arsenal. In game one of their series against Smoke, the Bushwackers won 5-1 behind strong pitching by Joe B. and big hitting by Brick, who belted two home runs. The second game also went to the Bushwackers by a 10-3 score. Josh and Mike each went 3 for 3 in the contest and Jeff C. earned the win with a strong relief effort before Joe B. came on in the seventh to close the series out. By sweeping Smoke, the Bushwackers advanced to play the Cobras in the semifinals. Arsenal also advanced to the semifinal round with a sweep over the Borrachos. In game one, Andy dominated the Borrachos' bats enroute to an impressive 6-0 shutout. In game two, the teams engaged in a seesaw battle as the lead changed hands several times before being decided in extra innings. In the top of the eighth inning, Arsenal plated two runs and held on for the 7-5 win. Arsenal will meet Assault for a chance to go to the finals.

GHSBL's Final Four weekend featured lots of excitement and produced many heroes on the road to the championship game. At Six Diamonds, the Bushwhackers and Cobras played a classic first game in their best of three series as both Joey in victory and Micky in defeat pitched masterful games. The teams traded runs in the fourth inning, but the Cobras jumped out ahead in the fifth on a RBI single by Will. The run looked liked it would stand up when, with two outs and the bases empty in the seventh, the Bushwackers rallied to tie the score. After escaping a threat in the top of the eighth, the Cobras rallied in the bottom half to squeeze out a victory and take a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, Chris B. got into an early jam, but escaped unscathed and then never looked back. Chris' fine pitching was backed up by a five run Cobra rally in the second inning, highlighted by a key base hit by Roberto. The Cobras tacked on two more runs in the fifth and held on for the 7-0 shutout and series sweep. Over at Prospect Park, Assault and Arsenal also played a hotly contested series. Game one was a pitcher's duel between Andy and Dennis. Arsenal jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, but Chun belted a clutch two run homer to tie the score. Pete W. eventually drove home the winning run and Assault held on for a 3-2 victory. In game 2, Assault did the early scoring thanks in large part to a two run blast by Anthony. Arsenal gradually chipped away at a 4-0 deficit and narrowed the margin to 4-3. With an insurance run added, Dennis came on in relief to preserve the 5-3 victory for John R. and send Assault back to the finals for the second time in three years.

The GHSBL Championship matchup featured 27 innings of drama as the Cobras triumphed over Assault two games to one. In the series opener, both teams traded unearned runs in the first inning but went on to play crisply thereafter. Meanwhile, Joey and Dennis battled tooth and nail on the mound, posting shutout innings along the way. The game remained deadlocked at 1-1 into the top of the ninth, when the Cobras finally struck. Will knocked in the go ahead run with a RBI single and then Ian and Omar each knocked in a run to extend the lead to 4-1. Joey capped off a masterful 5-hit performance by retiring the bottom of the ninth in order to give the Cobras the series lead. In game 2, Assault jumped out an early 4-0 lead, but by the third inning the Cobras had tied the score. In the fifth frame, Assault exploded for six runs and held on for a series tying 10-4 win thanks to the fine pitching of John R. The rubber game featured another pitcher's duel between Joey and John R. Run scoring singles by Omar and Santo gave the Cobras a first inning 2-0 lead, but once again Assault responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the frame. In the fourth inning, the Cobras took a 3-2 lead on another RBI single by Santo. With time running out, however, Assault used fundamentals to tie the score in the sixth and send the game into extra innings. Faced with the mounting pressure of sudden death, Joey continued to spin shutout innings, while John R. did the same. Finally, in the bottom of the tenth, Assault loaded the bases on an error and two intentional walks. With only one out, the championship run 65 feet away and a 2-0 count on the batter, Joey dug down deep and popped the next two batters up to escape the jam. In the top of the eleventh, the Cobras immediately sought to capitalize on their new life as Will and Jimmy led of the inning with a pair of singles. Ian then stepped to plate and belted another single into left center to drive home the lead run. Assault escaped further damage, but Joey once again retired the final three outs in order to give the Cobras their first GHSBL championship in the team's fourth season in the league. The offensive stars of the series were Omar, Ian and Santo and Jimmy was the defensive master (as was Javon of Assault), but the MVP went to Joey, who enroute to two victories pitched 20 innings (including 8 sudden death frames) without yielding an earned run.

Congratulations to the Veterans on winning the B-level tournament with wins over Arsenal and Assault. In the A-level, the Jammers bested the Outlaws in a sweep, advancing to the championship game where they will take on the Rams, who also earned a sweep over the Cyclones.