Parkside Stands Alone As Bayside Champs

The Parkside baseball team fought for weeks just to earn their way to the Bayside Title game, and made the most of it by topping Colonel Richardson 9-7. The Rams earned their trip to the title game by coming together at the right time, and getting a little help from Bennett at the end. The Colonels made no friends in the North as they announced their presence in the title game as the defending champs, sporting an undefeated record, with the conferences best player taking the ball to open the game. All signs pointed towards a Colonels repeat. They had been here before, and knew how to win. 

But it was time for the Rams to change the narrative of their season, and they were ready.

The Rams would jump out to a lead in the top of the first after Matt Smith roped a RBI double down the 3rd base line. But the lead was short lived. Jaret Bennett would draw a walk, then take second off a pass bass. That’s when Dylan Nepert would blast a RBI triple down the 1st base line. But he wouldn’t be on 3rd for long, as the next batter was his cousin Garrett Nepert, who would get ahold of one for a RBI single to center. 

The table was set for a great game, and both teams came to eat. 

The Rams would battle back to tie up the game after Grant Burleson blasted a RBI double to center. The Colonels would then go on a 3-0 run, sparked by a couple Rams miscues. With the bases loaded, the Rams would check the runner at 2nd, but the ball would find the outfield allowing Bennett to score. Then a pass ball would allow another run to come in before they made it 5-2 off a suicide squeeze that would score Jake Zebron. 

The Rams would have the answer in the 6th though. A hit batter and a walk would for the Colonels to make a change on the mound, and Parkside was able to exploit the Colonels pen. They would draw a few more walks in patient at bats before getting a couple sac flys, a infield RBI single, and score off a pass ball to take a 6-5 lead into the bottom of the frame. 

But the Colonels weren’t undefeated by accident. They would fight right back and take a 7-6 lead after Shawne Bowens would score off a pass ball. CR was just 3 outs away from repeating as Bayside Champs.

But 3 outs are harder to get than you might expect. The Rams would work the bases loaded, then get a RBI single from Sean Fisher to tie the game up. Then with a couple men on, Colin Green would have the biggest at bat of the game, sending a chopper to short, where the throw to 1st would be off the mark and find the wall. Two runs would score, as Parkside took the lead for good.

The Bayside Championship is the first for Parkside since 1996. Both teams now prepare for the state tournament after earning 1st round byes.