Osprey prepare for 4th run into postseason
September 10, 2009 - Pioneer League (PL)
Missoula PaddleHeads News Release
MISSOULA, MT - The Missoula Osprey are preparing for their fourth trip in their 11 seasons of existence into the Pioneer League playoffs, which begin on Saturday with Game 1 of the North Division Best-of-3 series at Ogren Park Allegiance Field.
The Osprey have won nine of 11 post-season games, including two championships. They won the title in their initial season in Missoula, 1999, and won the title again after entering the post-season as a wild-card team in 2006.
This will be the first time the Osprey have played any Great Falls team in the playoffs. The Voyagers, who won the first half and enter Thursday's games with a two-game lead over Missoula in the second-half standings, are the defending Pioneer League champions.
The Osprey swept their way to a Pioneer League championship in 1999. After posting a 45-31 record and winning the first-half title, the Osprey beat Helena in a two-game sweep, and followed that up with a two-game sweep of Billings, winning Game 2 at Lindborg-Cregg Field to celebrate their first season in style.
In 2001, the Osprey posted their best-ever record, 52-24, and won the second half title to qualify for the playoffs. In the North Division playoff round, they won Game 1 at home by lost the next two at Billings to bring an end to their season. The Mustangs would go on and win the Pioneer League championship in a two-game sweep of Provo.
In 2006, the Osprey had to win their final two games to secure their playoff spot, and finished with a 42-34 record. Going in to the North Division playoff round against a red-hot Billings team, the Osprey took Game 1 at home, then went to Billings and finished off the two-game sweep. The Osprey would finish off the deal by winning Game 1 at home and Game 2 of the championship series at Idaho Falls to secure their second title.
One note about the 2006 Osprey who won the title - their longest win streak of the regular season was five games. Counting the final two games of the season, and the playoffs, Missoula won six straight on their way to the championship.
While the squad has assaulted the record books, and many of the individual and team records they are breaking were set in 1999 or 2001, the 2009 Osprey much resembles the 2006 squad. They, too, have a pair of five-game win streaks, and both, ironically, lost their 74th game of the season. It's also most likely that the Osprey will enter the 2009 post-season as a wild-card, although they can win the second half if they sweep a two-game series at Helena, and the Voyagers drop two to at home to Billings.
Tickets for the September 12 playoff game can be obtained by calling the Osprey at (406) 543-3300, stopping by the Osprey Team Store at 412 W. Alder, or ordering online at www.missoulaosprey.com.
Pioneer League Stories from September 10, 2009
- Osprey fall at Helena, 4-3 - Missoula PaddleHeads
- Osprey prepare for 4th run into postseason - Missoula PaddleHeads
- Osprey drop home finale to Mustangs, 3-2 - Missoula PaddleHeads
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