8/13/2012
DOWN 5-4 IN TITLE GAME, BARBERO’S WALK OFF HOMER GIVES A’S FIRST AABC WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP
The three-time defending Twilight League Champion Albany Athletics (44-6 overall / 22-2) captured their first National Championship in dramatic fashion at the AABC World Series in Port St. Lucie, Florida when Dan Barbero hit a walk-off three-run homerun in the bottom of the 9th inning for a 7-5 victory over the Tampa Elite Rays.
The A’s were down 4-0 early and 5-3 heading into the final inning. Tournament MVP Ben Paniccia (9-for-19, 6 RBI, 6 runs) singled to lead off the 9th, then scored on a sac fly by Al Barbato to make it 5-4 before setting the stage for Barbero with two outs and a 2-2 count.
Barbato hit a solo homer in the 8th to pull the A’s within 4-3 but Tampa added a run in the top of the 9th before the drama unfolded.
Righthander Pat Landers relieved starter Chris Smith and only yielded one run and one hit in 4 innings of relief for the win.
Earlier in the day, the A’s recorded another come-from-behind victory by defeating Northwest Wildcats of Texas who they lost to in the opening round. The Wildcats were 33-1 before their second game with the Athletics. Justin Harris singled in a run and Ben Paniccia hit a sac fly to tie the game at 2-2 in the 4th inning. Justin Meagher then singled in Mark Teson in the bottom of the 7th as the A’s won 3-2. Ryan White hurled 7.2 innings to earn the win while JJ Pearsall quelled an 8th inning rally by getting the final out of the inning and retiring the side in the 9th.
Al Barbato singled twice in the game to lead the offense and eliminate the 2011 World Series Runner Up Northwest.
The Athletics are the first Twilight League team and the first AABC Upper New York State team to ever capture a National title since the World Series started in 1935. The Athletics become only the 2nd team since 1977 from the North Atlantic Region to capture the National World Series and the 6th North Atlantic team since the first year of the AABC World Series.
