Highest Scoring Tied Game In League History

By Josh Yohe, MCKEESPORT DAILY NEWS

When it finally ended under the moonlight at the Winkle Dome, one of the great Daily News League games of its generation produced everything but a winner. With the league being in its 82nd season no one can be sure, but it may have been the latest finishing game ever that started at 6:00 at a field with no lights and the 32 runs scored may have been the most in a tied game.
Mulligan's Sports Bar roared back from an eight-run deficit, only to stumble in the last inning in a 16-16 tie against Bowser Pontiac that ended only minutes shy of 9 p.m. "Craziest game I've ever seen," Bowser's Dalaine Ofchinick said.
Monday's game started under sunlight, endured a rainstorm and finished in near darkness, bringing back memories of Kevin Humbertson's legendary home run in Game 4 of the 2002 DNL finals. This game, though, didn't produce a winner, only memories.
• Ron Kramer and Ryan Gregg hit back-to-back homers in the second inning, propelling Bowser to an early 8-0 lead.
• Mulligan's roared back with six runs in the bottom of the second, thanks to an RBI single from Jeff Rubinsak, a three-run double from Craig Price and a two-run homer from Jake Kostelnik.
• Rubinsak, the player/assistant coach, went 2-for-2 with a single and double before being ejected in the fourth inning.
• Bowser's Kyle Lucot made the DNL's catch of the year when he climbed over the center field fence to rob Mike Neckerman of a home run.
• Onder, without question Bowser's best pitcher and terrific in recent outings, was pulled in the fifth inning after being charged with 13 runs. He was, however, brilliant again offensively. Onder came into the game swinging a hot bat and went 5-for-5 with three doubles against Mulligan's. He was also hit by a pitch by Tim Miller, and the two exchanged words moments later, with Miller calling Onder "a bully" while he was standing on first base.
• Jordan Abromovitz continued his brilliant season with three more hits, including a single off Bowser closer Mike Finocchi in the bottom of the sixth to even the game at 14-14.
• The next batter, Brad Yeschenko, grounded a single off second base and into center field to give the Brewers a 16-14 advantage going into the last inning, as darkness descended onto the playing field. "What an incredible effort," Mulligan's manager Jeff Kuzma said. "You have to realize that we didn't have our whole team here. To be shorthanded and, to see Bowser with its full lineup, and their two best pitchers going against us, it took a lot of character to come back like that." Rubinsak naturally took things a step farther. "We had half our guys there," he said. "They played and pitched their best and we showed that even at half strength, we are still the team to beat." Of course, there were no winners on this night, and the champs showed some resolve of their own. Needing two runs off Miller in the top of the seventh to even the game, the top of Bowser's order came to the plate. After getting the leadoff batter out the e Brewers were two outs away from not just a victory, but perhaps a symbolic passing of the torch, the Twins responded. Onder managed to loft a double down the left field line with one out. Kuzma then chose to intentionally walk Jared Frye, putting the tying run on base. Kramer made Mulligan's pay with a run-scoring single. A ground out to first followed, putting runners at second and third with two outs. Kuzma then elected to gamble again, intentionally walking Dan Lippert to load the bases for a showdown between Miller and inexperienced Jesse Campbell, who recently played first base for WPIAL Class A champion Serra Catholic baseball team. Campbell showed that he's endured a pressure at-bat or two in his day, working the count full and ultimately drawing a walk, tying the game. "I think Jesse Campbell deserves a lot of credit," Brettschneider said. "That was a great at-bat."
Lucot nearly gave Bowser a lead when he belted a line drive to right, but the catch was made to end the inning. "We aren't happy about blowing an 8-0 lead," Brettschneider said. "You never like to see that. But I guess this is better than a loss, and we definitely showed some of that old Bowser moxy, which is nice to see. We could have folded after they took the lead, but we never fold." The drama, however, wasn't finished. Finocchi is Bowser's closer and rarely pitches beyond an inning. He battled hard to hold on to a 14-13 lead in the bottom of the fifth, and then endured a lengthy inning while allowing three runs in the sixth. Finocchi also had to bat in the top of the sixth, and tumbled into first base while attempting to beat out a double play. His shoes were off when the bottom of the seventh came, but with Bowser struggling to produce another pitcher, Finocchi agreed to re-enter the contest for the final inning. Price reached on an error and made it to third base with two outs, but Finocchi struck out the last Mulligan's batter to end the inning and preserve the tie.
Even the last batter, though, added drama to the contest. Tim Donnelly, who already had belted three hits off Bowser pitching on this night, was forced to depart the game in the sixth inning because of a work obligation. Had he not been forced to leave, Donnelly would have had a chance to win the game. "It would have been nice to have Timmy up in that situation," Kuzma said.
Also, Rubinsak, twice would have batted with runners on base, but had already been ejected. "I guess I picked the wrong game to get tossed," Rubinsak said. A clear rivalry has been established between these teams thanks largely to Rubinsak's recent prediction that the Twins won't make the postseason this summer. Bowser hasn't lost since then. "That fired us up," Ofchinick said. "That's exactly what we needed." It still appears, though, that Mulligan's is the favorite to dethrone Bowser. Playing without Jim Samolovich, Andre Hayden, George Nahay, Tyler Scruggs and Anthony Girdano, Mulligan's still nearly pulled out the win. "We are a darn good baseball team," Kuzma said. "We showed tonight why we can win the championship."
Onder laughed off being called a bully. After all, he and the Twins have been the DNL bullies for a long time, and they aren't about to relinquish their throne without a fight. "That's OK that he called me that," Onder said. "That just means I was getting under his skin. I love getting under people's skin. No one can get under my skin. It's just baseball." The teams meet again Thursday at Clairton Park.

Date: July 19, 2010     Time: 6:00pm      Venue: Winklevoss Field