2013 Championship Series: Game One
Gary SouthShore 9, Wichita 4
No lead was safe in game one of the American Association Championship Series. The RailCats and Wingnuts played tug-of-war with the scoreboard, exchanging the lead three times. But, thanks to Daniel Pulfer (pictured) and a four-run RailCats seventh, Gary SouthShore came away with the series-opener, 9-4.
Gary SouthShore was behind 4-3 heading into the bottom of the seventh after Jake Kahaulelio hit a three-run homer to put Wichita ahead in the top half of the inning. The RailCats, however, answered right back. Reid Fronk and Ryan Babineau singled to begin the inning. After Brian Kolb advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt, Nick Liles walked to load the bases for Zac Mitchell.
The RailCats’ shortstop tied the game, though not in the flashiest manner. Mitchell was hit by a pitch, sending Fronk home to knot the score. Pulfer came up next and provided the dramatics. He drilled a double that scored both Babineau and Liles to give Gary SouthShore a 6-4 lead. The next batter was Adam Klein and he produced an insurance run with a sacrifice fly.
Wichita posed a serious threat to the RailCats’ lead in the top of the eighth, but reliever Kyle Lindquist helped Gary SouthShore side-step the danger. The right-hander entered the game with one out and runners on first and second. Though Lindquist walked the first batter he faced to load the bases, he recovered to escape the inning unscathed. Lindquist induced a grounder back to the mound and threw home for out number one. He then produced a weak pop up to second base to end the frame.
After the RailCats posted two more runs in the bottom of the eighth, Ian Durham closed the game out in the ninth. Durham allowed a hit, but no runs, as Gary SouthShore sent its fans home happy with a win in game one.
Photo courtesy of the Northwest Indiana Times
