CarL1 Carolina Mudcats

Carolina Advances To Southern League Finals

Published on September 6, 2003 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Carolina Mudcats News Release


Zebulon, NC -- Chris Aguila sprinted home from first base with the pennant clinching run on a double by Josh Willingham in the 11th inning lifting the Carolina Mudcats to the Southern League Championship Series with a 3-2 victory over the Tennessee Smokies at Five County Stadium on Saturday night.

With one out in the 11th, Willingham (1-4, R, 2B, RBI, W) stroked a slider from Josh Kinney (L, 0-1) six feet inside the left field line, two-hopping the left field wall. Aguila (2-5, 2R), who singled, raced around the bases as left fielder Shaun Boyd collected the ball and threw toward the relay man. Aguila churned home as the relay throw one-bounced catcher Yadier Molina, who opened his feet to surround home plate to catch the throw. Aguila, who was prepared to bowl over Molina, instead slid in leading with his right foot in between Molina's feet just before the high tag from Molina to win Carolina's first Eastern Division pennant since 1995.

Carolina won the Eastern Division Finals three games to one. Carolina will open the Southern League Championship against either Birmingham or Huntsville beginning at the Western Division champion on Tuesday night and Wednesday night. Carolina will host games three, four and five on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Games four and five will be played if necessary.

Carolina took a 2-0 lead for starting pitcher Nic Ungs in the first inning against Chris Narveson. With two outs and none on, Aguila singled, Willingham walked and Chris Ashby (1-4, RBI) flared the first pitch for a single to left-center to score Aguila. Chip Ambres (1-4, RBI) followed with a single to right to bring Willingham home.

Ungs (ND, 7IP, 6H, 1ER, 1W, 3K) carried that 2-0 lead into the eighth before allowing a pinch-single by Boyd. Sean Fesh (BS-ND, 2IP, 3H, 1ER, 1W, 0K) relieved to retire Skip Schumaker, but John Nelson looped a single beyond shortstop Kevin Polcovich to move Boyd to third. Papo Bolivar then drilled a 2-0 pitch to the right-centerfield wall for a two-run triple to tie the game 2-2. Bucky Jacobsen was intentionally walked before Yadier Molina crushed a liner to Polcovich (0-4) for the second out. Fesh exited the inning on an infield pop out by pinch-hitter Scott Krause.

The extra-inning chances belonged to Tennessee, which stranded the go-ahead run at second base in the 9th and 11th innings.

Mike Flannery (W, 1-0, 2IP, 1H, 0R, 0W, 0K) recorded the win with two shutout innings.

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Carolina League Stories from September 6, 2003


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