Explosive Fourth Inning Leads Beavers to Title
Rejniak Protects Lead with Dominating Performance
FRANKLIN, WI - For the first time in the series, the Beavers scored first to grab a quick 1-0 in the first inning of the winner-take-all Game 3 Rock League Championship. Tim Garceau led off the game with his seventh consecutive walk and scored on a two-out RBI single to left by Doug Martin. Garceau had a chance to extend the lead in the second inning as he came up with one out and runners on the corners, but his line shot up the middle was snagged by the pitcher who doubled off the runner at first.
The Builders tied the game in the 3rd on a Beaver error and used 3 two-out singles to score two more runs in the 3rd after a botched double play ball couldn’t get Milwaukee out of the inning.
Then the inning of the season happened in the 4th. Martin singled to center, Rob Tschimperle walked and Tyler Schoen laid down a perfect bunt single to load the bases with nobody out. Jarrett Gates was hit to score one and RBI singles from Justin Reminger and Tim Garceau handed the Beavers a 4-3 lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Justin Barkhurst knocked in two with a single down the 3B line and Mike Schroeder scored another with a single down the LF line. Martin launched a RBI double to the center field wall to make it 8-3 and then a fielder’s choice from Tschimperle scored Schroeder. Schoen lined his second hit of the inning to RF to extend the lead to 10-3. Milwaukee used 8 hits to score 9 runs in one inning against a team that had not allowed more than nine runs in an entire game all season.
Beaver starter Garrick Day kept the Builders at bay until a walk and a single in the bottom half of the 4th brought up their #3 hitter, who hit a 3-run home run to cut the lead to 10-6. The Beaver manager turned to his Game 1 starter, Alex Rejniak, who ended the inning with two fly outs.
Rejniak faced the minimum in the 5th, 6th and 7th innings. He induced two tailor-made double play balls to shortstop Justin Barkhurst to end both the 5th and 6th innings. The Builders went 1-2-3 in the 7th.
Milwaukee scored two more in the 7th to extend their lead to 12-6. The first two men reached base for the Builders in the 8th, but Rejniak escaped easily with three quick outs. Brett Youngbeck led off the ninth with a triple to the right-center gap and scored on a sacrifice fly to RF by Joe Cefalu. Beaver closer Alex Raver closed the door in the 9th and his mound was invaded after a game-ending ground out to short. The Beavers won 14-6 to win the series 2-1 and their first franchise championship in four tries.
Rejniak was brilliant in relief, allowing just two hits, 1 walk and had 4 strikeouts in 4.2 innings. He did not allow an earned run in 19 2/3 innings in the playoffs. Tyler Schoen was a perfect 5-5 with two runs scored and played great behind the plate all series. Doug Martin was 3-4 with a walk, 2 RBIs and 3 runs scored. Barkhurst went 2-4 with 2 RBIs, a run and was hit twice. Tim Garceau reached base three times and scored twice.
