REPEAT!!

November 18th, 2007

"We are the Champions again!" screamed North Carolina Tar Heel Owner/GM/Manager Larry Taube while being handed the EBL's Championship Trophy for the 2nd time in the leagues first two seasons.

Tar Heel Nation was nervous after Game 1, a game in which the Svartalheim Dark Elves bombed away and then hid behind their pitching. Too many gopher balls served up by lefty Nate Robertson, and the Heels thought the Dark Elves were suspect against lefties! Roy Oswalt dominated Game 1, going 7 strong allowing only 2 runs on 8 hits walking only 1 and striking out 5. The Dark Elves take Game 1 of the fall Classic 6-2.

Game 2 The "Moose" Mike Mussina was masterful through five innings, yielding just one hit with three strikeouts. The Dark Elves had scored one in the bottom of the third, and it looked like that would be enough for the win. The sixth inning, however, saw two Tar Heels cross the plate. Scott Hatteberg pinch hit for Kevin Millwood (5IP, 4H, 1R, 0ER) and he hit it out of the park! Jeff DaVanon followed with a triple, and the usually reliable Brandon Inge booted Albert Pujols grounder which allowed DaVanon to score. That was the end of the scoring. Scott Proctor, Russ Springer, Fabio Castro, and K-Rod each pitched a scoreless inning, allowing one hit, zero walks and collecting 3 Ks over the 4 innings. KRod picked up Save number one and the 2-1 Tar Heel victory knotted the World Series at 1-1 as the teams headed back to North Carolina .

Game 3 saw Jon Garland matched up against Brandon Webb. The nasty sinker baller had pitched the deciding Game 7 in the AL Championship Series, and was finally rested enough to start. He turned in an outstanding performance, going 7 innings, allowing 3 hits, 1 ER and 3 BB to go with 3K's. He was constantly ahead of the Dark Elves batters, and no breaks were going their way!

In the meantime, Albert Pujols came alive, hitting a two out HR in the bottom of the first, and following that feat with a two out HR in the third, driving Carl Crawford in. Pujols went 4-4, 2 RS, 4RBI and 1SB. Omar Vizquel added another stolen base, as the Tar Heels started to run more on the Dark Elves. Paul Konerko, after killing Tar Heel pitching in the first game, was 1-7; Brad Hawpe tried to pick up the slack with two RBIs, but that was it for the Dark Elves in a 4-2 Tar Heel victory. Five Tar Heel relievers finished the game, going 2 innings, allowing 1 hit, 1 walk and 1 earned run. KRod picked up his 2nd save of the World Series with one inning of no hit, no walk, 2K relief.

Jake Westbrook went against Greg Maddux in Game 4. The "Professor" Maddux pitche 7.1 IP strong, allowing only 1ER on seven hits and one walk. North Carolina broke the game open in the first inning, scoring four off of Westbrook. Svartalheim fans went silent during the first, faced with a four run deficit and a sputtering offense. Carl Crawford hit a one out single and stole second. Albert Pujols followed with a walk, and Scott Hatteberg hit an infield single to load the bases. Tony Graffanino hit a two run double, Bill Hall hit into an RBI force, and little-used Endy Chavez knocked home the fourth run with a single. Chavez then stole second, but was stranded there on a Jason Varitek fly out. The second inning saw the Heels increase their lead to five runs with a single by Kenny Lofton. Both Lofton and Vizquel stole additional bases during the game on the Dark Elves battery, giving the Heels four stolen bases on the night. Tar Heels take Game 4 6-1 and a 3-1 series lead and a chance to clinch the series on home soil.

Game 5 saw Oswalt return to the mound, but this time against Millwood. Millwood had only gone 5 innings in Game 2, so he was ready! Only question would be: could the Tar Heels score against Oswalt? One run was all that was needed in this game! The Tar Heels got that run in the seventh. Ian Kinsler lead off with a double to deep left, and Lofton bunted him to third with one out. Varitek struck out, but the pesky Vizquel doubled deep to right center. Oswalt pitched all 8 innings, allowing six hits, one walk with 10K. Millwood went 6.2 innings, allowed 3 hits and 1 walk and struck out 5. Then the Tar Heel bullpen took over. Castro picked up the win, striking out one batter, and he was followed by Procter, Tankersly and KRod. They went two innings, striking out five while allowing one single. KRod struck out the side to earn his third save of the World Series.