Lugnuts play a perfect postseason to capture MWL title!!!!

With the nation in reflection on the 2nd anniversary of September 11th, the Lansing Lugnuts outlasted the Beloit Snappers in 10 innings by a score of 4-2 to capture the second Midwest League Championship in team history. Lansing swept the best-of-five series 3-0 and did not lose in the postseason, going a perfect 7-0.

We hope you enjoy this trip down memory lane as we quickly revisit the key plays and players from each of Lansing's seven postseason contents.

Midwest League Divisional Playoffs: Lugnuts defeat South Bend 2 games to 0

Game 1: Wednesday, September 3: Lugnuts 3 South Bend 1

Entering the 2003 playoffs, Lansing had won their final two regular season games. The Lugnuts entered the divisional playoffs against South Bend having lost nine straight times to their Eastern Divisional rivals. Early on, it looked like more of the same as the first nine Lugnuts were retired in order. Lansing broke the scoreless tie in the 4th when Felix Pie tripled to right-center and came in on a sacfly by Buck Coats. The Lugnuts then got RBI's from Casey McGehee and Pie in the sixth and seventh to take a 3-0 lead. South Bend rallied in the home half of the seventh, pushing across their only run on a single by Jamie D'Antona. The Silver Hawks had the tying runs on base later in the frame, but Clay Rapada got pinch-hitter Doc Brooks to fly out to end the threat. Jason Wylie closed the door in the 9th, but not without some help from left fielder Keith Butler. Butler made diving snares on back-to-back plays, robbing Conor Jackson and Sean Luellwitz of sure hits.

W-Anderson Tavarez(1-0), L-Adriano Rosario(0-1), SV-Jason Wylie(1)

Game 2: Thursday, September 4, 2003: Lugnuts 4 South Bend 3

One night after winning the playoff opener on the road, Ryan O'Malley came to the rescue of the Lugnuts for the first time in the postseason. Lugnuts starter Andrew Sisco was staked to an early 1-0 lead, but couldn't hold it as the Silver Hawks scored twice in the fourth and once in the seventh to take a 3-1 lead. With runners on first and third and nobody out, South Bend looked to put the game out of reach. Enter O'Malley. The crafty lefty got Neb Brown to fly out to left and then fanned Jerry Gil and Doc Brooks to end the threat. In the bottom of the inning, Lansing charged back to take the lead. Brian Dopirak singled and went to third on a double by Matt Creighton. After Jose Reyes struck out, pinch-hitter J.J. Johnson reached on an error by D'Antona that allowed Dopirak to score. Keith Butler tied the game with a single to right and Johnson later scored in the frame. Jason Wylie earned the save

W-Ryan O'Malley(1-0), L-Mike Watson(0-1), SV-Jason Wylie(2)

Midwest League Divisional Championships: Lugnuts defeat Battle Creek 2 games to 0

Game 1: Saturday, September 6: Lugnuts 11 Battle Creek 4

Lansing's next opponent was the Battle Creek Yankees. The Yankees were the hottest team in the league entering the series, winners of 19 of their last 22 entering the Eastern Divsional Championships. Battle Creek jumped on starter Rocky Cherry in the first for an early run, but left three runners in the first two innings. Trailing 2-1 heading to the bottom of the third, Lansing struck for five runs. Pie and Coats set the table with singles. Paul O'Toole's bunt got the runners to second and third and RBI's by Casey McGehee, Jake Fox, Matt Creighton and Keith Butler gave the Lugnuts a 6-2 lead. After Cherry settled in for five solid innings, O'Malley, Clay Rapada and B.J. Benik pitched four shutout frames. McGehee's two-run blast closed the scoring in the eighth.

W-Rocky Cherry(1-0), L-Jon Skaggs(0-1)

Game 2: Sunday, September 7: Lugnuts 4 Battle Creek 0

Sean Marshall was sensational in his only Lugnut start of the season, fanning 11 in seven innings. Around a solid defense, Marshall was once again unhittable as he allowed just two hits while working into the seventh. Coats' sacfly in the third got Lansing off to a 1-0 lead and Marshall fanned seven in the first six innings. Taking a fragile 1-0 lead to the ninth, Lansing put away the Yankees with a three-run ninth. Fox and Creighton drove in runs with hits and an error by Jayson Drobiak allowed Creighton to scramble home. The Yankees went in order in the ninth as Lansing rested up for the Midwest League Championship Series.


Midwest League Championship Series: Lugnuts defeat Beloit, 3 games to 0

Game 1: Tuesday, September 9: Lugnuts 7 Beloit 6 (10)

In the most exciting game of the postseason to date, Lansing rallied from a 5-0 deficit to capture the opening game of the 2003 Midwest League Championship Series.

Things looked bleak as the visiting Snappers showed no signs of bus lag with a three-run second inning and two-run third of Lugnuts' ace Anderson Tavarez. With league MVP Prince Fielder setting the table, RBI's came from Adam Heether, Pedro Esparragoza and Callix Crabbe and Travis Hinton. The Lugnuts would be forced to use their bullpen.

Enter Dan Foli. Making his only playoff appearance, the righty allowed just one hit in three shutout innings. Lansing got a pair in the fourth, fifth and one in the sixth to tie the score. Butler, Jose Reyes, and J.J. Johnson all drove in runs while Pie added an RBI in the fourth and scored the tying tally in the sixth. Beloit reclaimed the lead in the seventh when Anthony Gwynn doubled off O'Malley and Fielder plated Gwynn with a single. Bent but unbroken, Lansing tied the score again in the eighth. Pie drew a leadoff walk, went to second on an infield hit by Coats and scored on a sacfly by pinch-hitter Robinson Chirinos.

After everyday B.J. Benik worked a scoreless tenth, Pie led off with a single. After a successful sacrifice by Coats, McGehee reached on an infield single and Brian Dopirak's fielder's choice sprung Pie home from third for the heartstopping win.

W-B.J. Benik(1-0), L-Josh Alliston(0-1)

Game 2: Wednesday, September 10: Lugnuts 3 Beloit 2

Lansing took a commanding 2-0 lead to Wisconsin behind some middle inning offense, solid bullpen work and one amazing catch by Johnson.

Starters Andrew Sisco and Luis Pena battled for four innings before Lansing struck for a run in the fifth. An error by Chas Terni allowed Butler to reach. Pie drew a walk and three batters later, Dopirak's single to center sent Pie home. Butler's RBI single scored Reyes in the sixth and Johnson came around on a fielder's choice.

Beloit got on the board in the seventh. Fielder singled and scored on a passed ball. The Snappers chased Sisco in the frame, and had the tying runs on base when Terni sent a deep drive to right off Benik with two out. Racing back, Johnson crashed full steam into the wall. Laying on the ground, the ball rose from Johnson's right hand for the final out of the inning.

Beloit made it interesting in the ninth. scoring a run off Wylie on a single by Travis Hinton. With the tying run on base, Terni's tough night consumated with a double-play groundball to end the game.

W-Andrew Sisco(1-0), L-Luis Pena(2), SV-Jason Wylie(3)

Game 3: Thursday, September 11: Lugnuts 4 Beloit 2 (10)

With the championship just one win away, Lansing and Beloit played another thriller that provided 904 fans at Pohlman Field with some extra baseball.

The Lugnuts sent Rocky Cherry to the mound and much like his start against Battle Creek, he struggled early on as Beloit scored a run in each of the first two innings. Two-out hits by Rickie Weeks and Kenard Bibbs scored Gwynn and Jeff Eure. Dopirak blasted a solo homer to left to tie the score briefly in the second. In the fourth, three straight hits by Coats, O'Toole and McGehee tied the score. But Snapper starter Jason Baker fanned the next three hitters and held the Lugnuts in check through the sixth.

With the bullpens throwing dueling goose eggs, Lansing appeared to claim the lead in the eighth. Pie drew a one-out walk and went to third on a single by Coats. O'Toole flew out to Bibbs, whose throw was late to the plate as Pie slid in. However, on an appeal play, home plate umpire Eric Loveless ruled Pie left third base early and ruled the speedy centerfielder out. The game remained tied.

In the ninth, O'Malley forever entrenched himself in Lugnut lore. Working his fourth inning of relief, the lefty allowed a lead off single to Jeff Eure. Terni sacrificed him to second. Bibbs followed with a single to left, but Eure held at third. Manager Julio Garcia walked Crabbe to load the bases and then brought in O'Toole from right for an extra infielder. The move worked as Gwynn hit to the right side and Creighton forced Eure and the plate. With the game on the line, O'Malley fanned Fielder with a high fastball to force extra innings for the second time in the series.

Lansing claimed the deciding runs in the tenth off closer Bo Hall. Another error by Terni allowed Reyes to reach. Chirinos and Butler followed with singles and Pie and O'Toole each hit sacrifice flies, scoring Reyes and Chirinos.

In the last of the tenth, Wylie saved his 33rd game and 4th of the postseason. Weeks drew a leadoff walk. Travis Hinton struck out swinging. Weeks stole second and went to third when John Vandenberg grounded out to second. Eure then hit a grounder between McGehee and Coats, but Coats snared the ball and threw on to Creighton for the final out in the series and the season. The Lugnuts swarmed the field from the first base dugout and danced around the infield. For the second time in eight years, the Lugnuts were Midwest League Champions!

W- Ryan O'Malley(2-0), L-Bo Hall(0-1), SV-Jason Wylie(4)


The Lugnuts would like to say thanks to all of the players and coaches for a great season and a championship run! But without all of our great fan support from you Lugnut fans, none of it would have been possible. Once again, thank you Lansing for making it another successful season here at Olds Park!!!