Kiel Engstrom hopes the third times' a charm.
For the third straight season, Engstrom's Vandals will appear in the Veto League Baseball World Series, this time, under the lights at Geneseo's Richmond Hill Sports Complex on Sept. 10.
With a comeback in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Vandals knocked off the preseason favorite Baseball Furies 11-10 at Douglas Park ending Bob Zerull's first season as head coach.
"Three world series trips, baby," Engstrom said. "More than any other team."
That's true. The Vandals are the only team to make multiple trips to the World Series, and Engstrom hopes his squad will prove better than the 1990's Buffalo Bills.
Jeff Kilgard and Scott Ellefritz doused the victorious coach with a small portion of water in celebration. Ironically, it's Ellefritz's River Bandits that will have their fate determined next. The Bandits will host Matt Veto's Meteors at noon on Sunday at Douglas Park. The Bandits won the World Series in 2004. The Meteors have made it to the playoffs each season, but have only been to one World Series, the first ever held in 2003.
"Sure it's been a while," Veto said. "But so what? I mean look at the Cubs.... Wait. Bad example."
Engstrom's celebration on Wednesday came after near heartbreak. The Vandals carried a 9-5 lead into the ninth inning after surging for five runs in the bottom of the eighth. However, Zerull's crew wasn't ready to go home.
With two outs and a runner on, Josh Francque kept the inning alive with a single over second base. Matt Veto followed with a single and Craig Fyfe (3-for-6) plated a pair of runs.
After narrowly escaping with a second chance on a pop foul towards first, Ben Rankin regrouped and doubled to plate Veto.
With the tying run at third and the go-ahead run at second, Engstrom had Zerull (1-for-4) intentionally walked to bring up Josh Paul. Bettendorf's finest popped up to left and Jon Escajeda appeared to have a beat on it. Runners were in motion as the ball fell into his glove, but managed to slip out onto the turf allowing both Fyfe and Rankin to score, giving the Furies a 10-9 lead.
"I think there was a conspiracy," Kilgard said.
In fact, Zerull did admit to bribing Escajeda.
"He said he wanted $3.75 for a pack of cigarettes," Zerull said.
Escajeda refused to comment on the matter.
Despite the Furies' ninth-inning theatrics, the Vandals would make the curtain call.
Escajeda (4-for-6) led off the bottom of ninth with a single, and Kilgard (3-for-6) dropped a fly into right field. He moved to second on a bobbled ball putting runners at second and third. Engstrom (3-for-7, 3 RBI) ended the game and continued his season in all in one stroke driving in Escajeda and Kilgard.
"Wooooo!" he said.
Eric Lindburg knocked out five hits for the Vandals in six at-bats. For the Furies, Alex Tschopp had a career game going 4-for-5 with 2 RBIs and a run scored.
For the third straight season, Engstrom's Vandals will appear in the Veto League Baseball World Series, this time, under the lights at Geneseo's Richmond Hill Sports Complex on Sept. 10.
With a comeback in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Vandals knocked off the preseason favorite Baseball Furies 11-10 at Douglas Park ending Bob Zerull's first season as head coach.
"Three world series trips, baby," Engstrom said. "More than any other team."
That's true. The Vandals are the only team to make multiple trips to the World Series, and Engstrom hopes his squad will prove better than the 1990's Buffalo Bills.
Jeff Kilgard and Scott Ellefritz doused the victorious coach with a small portion of water in celebration. Ironically, it's Ellefritz's River Bandits that will have their fate determined next. The Bandits will host Matt Veto's Meteors at noon on Sunday at Douglas Park. The Bandits won the World Series in 2004. The Meteors have made it to the playoffs each season, but have only been to one World Series, the first ever held in 2003.
"Sure it's been a while," Veto said. "But so what? I mean look at the Cubs.... Wait. Bad example."
Engstrom's celebration on Wednesday came after near heartbreak. The Vandals carried a 9-5 lead into the ninth inning after surging for five runs in the bottom of the eighth. However, Zerull's crew wasn't ready to go home.
With two outs and a runner on, Josh Francque kept the inning alive with a single over second base. Matt Veto followed with a single and Craig Fyfe (3-for-6) plated a pair of runs.
After narrowly escaping with a second chance on a pop foul towards first, Ben Rankin regrouped and doubled to plate Veto.
With the tying run at third and the go-ahead run at second, Engstrom had Zerull (1-for-4) intentionally walked to bring up Josh Paul. Bettendorf's finest popped up to left and Jon Escajeda appeared to have a beat on it. Runners were in motion as the ball fell into his glove, but managed to slip out onto the turf allowing both Fyfe and Rankin to score, giving the Furies a 10-9 lead.
"I think there was a conspiracy," Kilgard said.
In fact, Zerull did admit to bribing Escajeda.
"He said he wanted $3.75 for a pack of cigarettes," Zerull said.
Escajeda refused to comment on the matter.
Despite the Furies' ninth-inning theatrics, the Vandals would make the curtain call.
Escajeda (4-for-6) led off the bottom of ninth with a single, and Kilgard (3-for-6) dropped a fly into right field. He moved to second on a bobbled ball putting runners at second and third. Engstrom (3-for-7, 3 RBI) ended the game and continued his season in all in one stroke driving in Escajeda and Kilgard.
"Wooooo!" he said.
Eric Lindburg knocked out five hits for the Vandals in six at-bats. For the Furies, Alex Tschopp had a career game going 4-for-5 with 2 RBIs and a run scored.
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