The TFP Baseball Playoffs: The Epic Conclusion

After nearly a year of delays, it's finally here: the TFP Baseball Playoffs. The epic knockout battle between the top four TFP Baseball Teams commenced last week with the Zacharia Mutants taking on the SOTCW Apostles at Nile Shipping Arena, where all playoffs games were to be held. But let's recap how we got here: for the most part, the first three playoff slots were decided, except for one: the Shwinnland Raiders and the Cloucia Taps were on the verge of a playoff spot, but only one could make it in. If the Taps won and the Raiders lost, then the Taps would get the coveted spot. Otherwise, the Raiders would be the ones facing off against the United Imperium Thunderbirds. And for a moment, it looked like the Taps would get in, as they convincingly defeated the UFR Businessmen 5-1, while the Shwinnland Raiders were stuck in the bottom of the 7th, down 2-0 to the Kinshasa Big Shots, a team that hadn't won a single game. Then, a two-run homer sent the teams to extra innings. Twelfth Inning, Patrick Collins is pitching for the Raiders when he reaches for his elbow, clearly in agony. After everything he had given to this team, it would be injuries that ultimately ended his storybook run. He wouldn't return, but he wouldn't need to. Little known backup Dale Ortiz Jr would step up to the mound, deliver three strikeouts in a row, and then come back to the plate for the Raiders when it was needed the most: 

Two outs. Wonder if Dale Ortiz can hold out against the Big Shots long enough to send this team to the playoffs. Speaking of which, he's at the mound. Tucker Koivu's pitching in relief for Harris, he's gone for a ton of sliders today. Zero zero is the count. Here's the pitch... HOLY GUACAMOLE, BARRY, HE'S SENT THIS ONE TO THE OUTFIELD! IT'S GOING, GOING, GOING, AND IT IS OUT OF HERE! DALE ORTIZ JR THROWS THE BAT INTO THE STANDS AS HE STRUTS INTO HOME PLATE, SENDING HIS TEAM A FIRST CLASS FLIGHT TO THE PLAYOFFS!

And so the Shwinnland Raiders would pull a miracle out of their sleeves, as they moved to their next challenge: the formidable United Imperium Thunderbirds. But first, the Zacharia Mutants would have to face off against the SOTCW Apostles. Honestly, it's not worth covering, since the Mutants steamrolled the Apostles, 6-0, to secure a spot in the Finals. But the second match...

Again, it was at Nile Shipping Arena. Patrick Collins would not pitch for the Shwinnland Raiders, as he was preparing for Tommy John surgery. In addition, Clyde Grundlepilth wasn't pitching for the Thunderbirds following his own wrist injury. As a result, Dale Ortiz Jr. and Leo Song would duke it out on the mound for the Raiders and Thunderbirds respectively. The pitching matchup was incredible, with the score remaining at 0-0 for 16 innings. In fact, it was almost 2:00 AM local time when the 17th inning started. As the home team, the Thunderbirds pitched first. The bases were loaded, but there were also two outs on the board. Song would come up clutch, as a devastating slider would send the game to the bottom of the 17th inning. Then the Thunderbirds came up to bat for the 17th time. Two outs. Then, Clarence "Nuclear Bomb" Bush came up to bat. However, Dale Ortiz would pitch two strikes. It was all of a sudden, a full count. Two balls, three strikes.

We already saw Bush come up to bat, but he was no match for that devastating slider that Ortiz throws. I think he strikes out again. Here's the pitch... THAT'S GONE! IT'S OUTTA HERE! IT'S GOING TO BE A STORYBOOK ENDING HERE IN NILE SHIPPING ARENA AS THE THUNDERBIRDS MOVE ON TO THE FINALS!

And with that, the final matchup was set up: Thunderbirds versus Mutants. The Mutants, upon acquiring several superstars, were now the heavy favorites. However, the Thunderbirds did hold out fairly well, maintaining a 1-0 lead for four innings. However, the star power of the Mutants eventually broke through, with an incredible three run homer from the Mutants side:

Victor Hill has the chance to give the Mutants the lead here. Runner on first and third. Just getting a walk makes it a tie game. With Clyde Grundlepilth recovering from injury, I'm not sure if he can keep pitching like this. Here we go... and he sends it to the outfield... Sanchez trots into home, tie game... OH, HE GOT IT OVER THE WALL! VICTOR HILL BARELY GETTING A THREE RUN HOMER AS THE MUTANTS TAKE A COMMANDING 3-1 LEAD!

And so the Zacharia Mutants would make history, becoming the first TFP Baseball Champions. On the night of their championship victory, it would be Victor Hill, the hero of the match, who raised the Clayton Kershaw trophy for the Zacharia Mutants. As 42 million fans looked on, the Mutants would find their names become etched eternally into history as one of the greatest baseball teams in history, champions of the TFP Baseball League.