June 26, 2011
Hilltop Beer - 45’s

Coming off a 9 run victory in their 2nd game of the Chicago Championships, Hilltop Beer drew the seven time National Champion Miller 45‘s. The 45’s have won the Chicago Championships 8 out of 10 times and a perfect game would be needed if Hilltop Beer was going to pull off the upset today.

The 45’s started the game off playing singles ball and manufactured one run each of the first three innings. The 45’s defense held Hilltop Beer scoreless for the first three innings to lead 3-0.

Mike Potter started off the inning with a single off the pitcher’s leg and Frankie Rodriguez was able to move Potter to third with single up the middle. Tyler Fisher’s sacrifice fly was able to move a sliding Potter to home after the catcher bobbled the ball and gave Hilltop Beer their first run of the game.

The 45’s tried to break the game open with a sacrifice fly to right, but Al Thigpen hit the cut off man and Ryan Mazzocco with the quick turn was able to get the ball to Tony Culver at home with the tag to end the inning.

Potter's middle inning single was able to move Dustin Beraducci to third, and Frankie was able to gobble up the RBI with a hard smash pass the shortstop. Fisher was then able to come up and slap a blooper to left to score Potter to cut the 45’s lead to 5-3.

Hilltop Beer held the 45’s scoreless in the top half of the seventh to keep the 45’s lead at 5-3. With a big hit from Frankie and Tyler Fisher at the plate, Manager Joe Justka used Jeremy Thomas on a re-entry for Rodriguez. Tyler Fisher slapped the ball opposite field for the single but the 45’s took advantage of Thomas’s extra steps off of second by throwing him out to end the game.

The seven time National Champions eliminated Hilltop Beer 5-3 in the Chicago Championships.