It took them four days to record the final nine outs — and add two much needed runs in the top of the seventh — that they needed to clinch the win.
But the wait was well worth it for the Hamilton Generals.
Scoring twice in the final inning, Hamilton snapped a tie game and claimed its fourth consecutive Intertown Twilight League baseball championship Saturday afternoon at Patton Park in Hamilton, finishing off a three-game sweep of Manchester with a 7-5 victory.
It was the second straight season in which the Generals swept the Mariners in the ITL finals and fourth consecutive summer that they beat them overall, winning 3 games to 1 in in both 2022 and 2023.
After finishing second behind Manchester during the regular season, Hamilton (19-6) won all five of their playoff games and outscored Manchester, 16-5, in their three-game brooming.
This decisive game originally began on Wednesday at Memorial Field in Essex, with Hamilton taking a 5-2 lead in the fifth inning. But it was suspended at that point due to lightning. Heavy rains and thunder on Thursday again postponed a conclusion of the game on Thursday, so it was moved to Saturday in Hamilton, where a potential Game 4 had already been scheduled.
Fighting gallantly to keep its season alive once play resumed Saturday, Manchester scored three times in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie the game. Cory Burnham had an RBI single for the Mariners before teammates Caulin Rogers and Cory McCollum both stole home successfully.
But the Generals were determined not to play an ‘if necessary’ contest, and got the runs they needed in the top of the seventh.
Ryan Hutchinson — who earned the win on the mound by coming in relief in the sixth and getting the final six outs — reached on a two-base error to open the frame. Nick Freni promptly delivered an RBI single to left, putting Hamilton ahead, 6-5. Later in the inning, Will Cooke was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, bringing home hte Generals’ final run.
Hutchinson, had thrown a complete game shutout in Game 2 of the finals, then locked it down in the bottom of the seventh by inducing two flyouts and a groundout to second base to start his team’s celebration.
Prior to the contest being halted last Wednesday, Hamilton had scored three times in the top of the fifth inning to break a tie game as Gian Gamelli, Hutchinson and Will Jones all had RBI hits. Will Frain added two hits and scored a run.