Deltas fall in championship

The Deltaville Deltas found themselves on the cusp of their third Richmond NABA championship last week, however it was not to be. After the Deltas defeated the Richmond El Heaters by the score of 2-1 in game one of the best of three series, they fell 4-1 and 9-5 in games two and three. 

The championship was the third in four years for the El Heaters squad. The Deltas finished the season with an overall record of 17-4.

Game 1: Deltas 2, El Heaters 1

Deltas starting pitcher Bryan Bierlien turned in a complete game, six-hit performance as the Deltas took game one in Richmond on Tuesday, Aug. 8.

The Heaters struck first in the third inning, scoring on a sacrifice fly. But the Deltas tied it in the fourth when Jacob Houston stole home on a wild pitch. 

The game remained tied until the bottom of the seventh, when Scott Crump singled to lead off the inning. After Tucker Bratton pinch ran for Crump and advanced to third base on a Brandt Brophy hit, Travis Crump laid down a perfect squeeze bunt to score Bratton.

Bierlien went on to pitch all nine innings, scattering six hits.

Game 2: El Heaters 4, Deltas 1

Hits were hard to come by for the Deltas on Thursday night, but pitching kept them in the lead until the seventh inning…