The TBO 9-10 championship game featuring Glatt Express and Lakeland Bank was a classic! Expectations for a great duel were high as this was the second time these two teams would face each other. Their regular season match-up ended with a dramatic Glatt Express walk-off win. But no one could have expected what was to follow: a game that featured great pitching, strategic coaching (on both sides), dramatic and clutch hitting, and unlikely heroes.
Lakeland Bank took the early lead with strong pitching and clutch hitting by Yehuda Teitleman. After some aggressive base running by the Bank and some shoddy defense from Glatt Express, Lakeland extended its lead to 8-1 after 4½ innings.
In the bottom of the 5th, Glatt Express used an intentional walk to its clean-up hitter, Tani Rosenfeld, to ignite a 4-run inning, cutting the lead to 8-5 heading into the final inning.
The Bank tacked on an additional insurance run in the top of the 6th to extend its lead to 9-5. But a nice throw from Alex to Noam Kornwasser caught the Lakeland runner at 3rd and gave team Glatt Express a real boost.
What followed next might be one of the most dramatic finishes in TBO history. Down to their last out, with the bases loaded, trailing by 4, Glatt Express sent clean-up hitter Tani Rosenfeld to the plate for what would amount to being his only official at bat of the game. And he made that at bat count! Tani drove the ball over the centerfielder’s head for a game tying grand slam to send the game into extra innings.
Eli Knapp completed his third effective inning of pitching by retiring the Bank in the top of the 7th. In the bottom of the inning, utility player David London successfully reached base with a solid base hit to the opposite field. After successfully stealing both 2nd and 3rd bases, David stood just one base from securing the come-from-behind win for Glatt Express. But he needed help from his teammates. Help came in the form of Alex Scharf, who had a frustrating day at the plate until that at bat, but saved his best baseball for when it was needed most. Alex launched the ball into right field to bring home the winning run and complete Glatt Express’s mission to become champions.
All and all, it was an outstanding day for baseball and a well contested game by both teams. Congratulations to Lakeland Bank, Glatt Express, and all of TBO for an outstanding season!
Congratulations to the TBO 9-10 Champions, Glatt Express
Team Members:
Ilan Davidovsky, Coby Goldblatt, David London, Eli Knapp, Noam Kornwasser, Eliezer Kravitz, Alex Mcguire, Tani Rosnefeld, Alex Scharf, Yakir Scharf, Rafi Weil (not shown).
Team Coaches:
Stephen Knapp and Laizer Kornwasser
