Fairney leads Force to Legends title MIDLAND, MI – With the game on the line and a chance to give his Cobourg Force their second ISC Legends title in three years, Bill “Rookie” Fairney wasted little time in delivering the decisive blow – a one-out, bases loaded single in the bottom of the seventh inning. Despite finishing the game 2-4 with the game-winning RBI and a run scored, Fairney gave full credit to his team for their slim 2-1 win over the Bay Area Merchants. “It’s really a big relief for us,” said Fairney after the game. “We played seven games [in three days] and to be able to do that for my guys, I just can’t say enough about them.” For a group of players aged 50+, the Force and the Merchants put on an entertaining show for the crowd on hand immediately prior to the ISC Championship game.
Bill Fairney drives in the gamewinning run for the Cobourg Force
Merchants second-baseman Danny Comacho was a stand-out, making several highlight reel-worthy plays on defense.
TIED AT 1 INTO THE 7TH After a one-out home run by the Merchants’ Raymond Biagini in the top of the first off Force starter Wayne Wells, Cobourg responded with a run in the bottom half as Randy Wicke singled in Fairney to tie the game at one. Wells and Ray Comacho then settled into a pitchers duel, with Darren Zack coming on in relief in the 6th inning for the Force. Zack struck out 4 and gave up a single hit to pick up the win. ZACK NAMED TOP PITCHER Zack, who earlier in the week picked up his 56th career ISC World Tournament win, added another trophy to his collection, picking up the Legends Top Pitcher Award, as he finished the tournament with a 3-1 record.
Two fastball legends: Darren Zack and Ray Comacho
Ray Comacho, who took the loss for the Merchants in the championship game, was named the Legends MVP, leading his California team at the plate and in the pitchers’ circle.
Cobourg earlier knocked out Ashland Ohio Battery in the semi-final while Bay Area eliminated Midland Carey’s All-State in the other semi-final.
Cobourg Force, 2012 ISC Legends Champions
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