By Bobby Ward

Midwest Haymakers 6- Toronto Rush 5

Box Score

PALM SPRINGS, Calif.- A beautiful Saturday afternoon brought exciting California Winter League semi-final playoff baseball action at Palm Springs Stadium. The first game was a thriller between the Midwest Haymakers and the Toronto Rush. Both teams displayed superb pitching and defense highlighted by a beautiful diving catch by Rush centerfielder Alex Johnson that robbed Haymaker first baseman Daniel Oliver of a hit with the bases loaded. The Rush took a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning when Haymaker centerfielder, Joe Fiorino, came up with two outs and a runner at third and he squeezed a single into right field that tied the game at 3-3. The two teams went to extra innings and would trade runs back-and-forth when the Haymakers came up in the bottom of the tenth inning in a 5-5 game. With runners at second and third Manny Estrada came up to bat and smashed a walk-off single to send the Midwest Haymakers to the championship game with a 6-5 win.

Canada A’s 5- Coachella Valley Snowbirds 4

Box Score

PALM SPRINGS, Calif.- The second game of the semi-finals featured another exciting game between the Canada A’s and the Coachella Valley Snowbirds with the winner facing off against the Midwest Haymakers in the championship game. The Snowbirds jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning capped off by an RBI double by Snowbirds’ first baseman Manny Cardiero. The Snowbirds got solid pitching from starter Charlie Glenn and reliever Greg Dubela as they had a 4-1 lead going in to the bottom of the sixth inning. However, the A’s would not go away easily as they put together three runs on four hits to tie the game at 4-4. The score would stay tied heading into the bottom of the seventh and final inning when A’s catcher Larry Balkwill came up to bat with the bases loaded and he belted a walk-off single to give the A’s a 5-4 win that would send them to the championship game to face off against the Midwest Haymakers on Sunday.