The family and I headed to the local ballfield tonight to check out the championship game of the Northwoods League. The NWL is a summer college development league, which features players who are actively playing in college and looking to eventually advance to the majors.
The championship featured the Traverse City Pit Spitters vs. the Eau Claire Express. The big story initially was how crowded the ball park was. We've been to a couple regular season games and there are tons of empty seats. Not so tonight. It was very crowded.
And of course that meant the concession lines were longer than usual.
It was really a well played game, with lots of defensive plays and some good pitching. Heading into the bottom of the 9th, the Pit Spitters were down 2-1. At that point the Express pitcher seemed a bit gassed, and walked a couple batters. A bunt, then a throwing error to 1st, and the home team grabs the tying run.
Later in the 9th, another walk, another bunt, another botched play at first, and the Pit Spitters win the trophy! Confetti fell from the sky, the team mobbed the field, the coach got water dumped on him during the post-game interview; basically all the baseball cliches happened.
It was great to be in attendance, it was easily the most exciting baseball game I've ever attended. The crowd was into it and the good guys came from behind to win. Can't ask for more than that.