Intimidators take SAL crown

September 17, 2005

KANNAPOLIS, N.C.

The Kannapolis Intimidators blanked the Hagerstown Suns 3-0 Friday night to win the best-of-5 South Atlantic League Championship Series, 3-1.

Jack Egbert went six innings for the victory, allowing four hits and a walk while striking out five, and Garry Bakker pitched three shutout innings for the save, giving up two hits and fanning four.

The Intimadators made the most of their five hits against Suns starter Blake Eager, who lasted five innings.

Kannapolis took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third. Ryan McCarthy hit a one-out double to left and scored on Boomer Berry's single to right.

The Intimidators went up 3-0 in the fifth on McCarthy's two-run homer to left.

Rafael Cova took over for Eager in the sixth and pitched three shutout innings, allowing no hits and a walk while striking out three.

Hagerstown, which left seven men on base, had six hits, but none for extra bases.

The Suns missed a chance to grab the early lead in the top of the first. Jose Coronado singled and Ambiorix Concepcion reached on a throwing error, putting runners on second and third with only one out. Grant Psomas then hit a grounder to third baseman Berry, who threw home to get Coronado out. Concepcion was then thrown out at the plate trying to score from second on Russ Triplett's single to right.

In the fourth, Triplett was hit a by a pitch and stole second to lead off the inning. He took third on Jesus Flores' groundout, but Jim Burt struck out and Matt Fisher grounded out to end the threat.

The Suns didn't get another runner past second base.

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