PLAYOFFS UNDERWAY

By Mark Senna
Date of publication: 8/19/1999
Having played twenty-two games this season, two teams needed to play one more to settle a tie for the eigth and final playoff position. Quality Painting and Hub Video took the field Friday night under cloudy skies while the other seven-playoff teams rested and readied themselves for their upcoming series.

After a scoreless first inning, Hub got on the board in the second when Sean Linnell and Chris Kelly connected for back to back doubles. The lead didn't last long for Hub as Quality answered with ten runs over the next five innings and managed to hold on to the 11-6 victory. Quality's reward for winning the game is a date with the three time defending champion Sam Moran Club.

In another close race, the L Street Tavern and teh Shamrock Pub entered last Thursday's game with identical 12-9 records. It was the last game of teh season for both of these teams and plenty was at stake, as the winner would get sole ownership of sixth place.

With ace pitcher Mike Hannigan back on the mound, the L Street Tavern played great defense and used timely hitting to give Hannigan his first victory in three weeks. Hannigan, who was on the shelf with a mysterious rib injury, kept the Shamrock batters guessing and frustrated throughout the evening as L Street cruised to a 10-4 win. Brothers Danny and Ed McElaney provided the key hits for L Street while Shamrock's speedy left-fielder, Tony Bianco, collected three hits including a seventh inning homerun and scored all four of his teams runs. L Street will face Murphy's Law in the first round of the playoffs while Shamrock will take on the Sidewalk Cafe .

Recently, the Quietman Pub and the Seapoint Restaurant have been the talk of the league as the two teams prepare for their first round playoff meeting. Many feel that the series is going to be a memorable one as the two teams finished in fourth and fifth respectively and are evenly matched. Seapoint is looking to advance out of the first round while Quietman is trying to be the first club to reach the finals in their first year. Seapoint won the regular season series two games to one. The series was scheduled to kick off on Monday with game two scheduled for Wednesday and if needed, game three of the series is scheduled for this Friday at 8:30. If the series goes three games then you don't want to miss this one.

Finally, for the third year in a row the Sam Moran Club finished the regular season in first place. The clinching win came on Tuesday when they defeated rival Sidewalk Café 6-4 behind a strong pitching performance by John Gregorio. As a measure to their greatness, the Moran Club has been inundated with injuries to key players all season long but they continue to win ball games. Congratulations gang!