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World Series Game 5: Magic take (3-2) World Series lead After an Improbable Comeback Win 23-21
NEW CARLISLE- After a back and forth start to the World Series in which we have already seen 2 series tied, the winner of Game 5 would make it 3 times that the series has had a new team leading the World Series.
With no chance of clinching at home, the Newts entered Game 5 hoping to at least take a Series lead back to LaPorte after dropping Game 4 by the score of 17-14.
Early on it was all New Carlisle who seemed poised to take a 3-2 World Series advantage with the Migley crowd fully behind them.
A 10-run fourth inning turned gave New Carlisle a 17-8 advantage. But Maple City immediately answered with a 13-run fifth inning that was kick started by a Shane Anderson Home Run as the Magic bats had their best inning of the 2019 season.
A 17-8 Newts 5th inning lead quickly evaporated as the Magic scored 7 straight runs without recording an out.
The Newts tried to break the momentum in the middle of the rally, pointing out that one of the bats being used did not follow the specifications in the ORWBL rules.
Friedman, who is also the league's commissioner, was unable to answer the Newts' request for a rules clarification stating that "It is not a flat top bat, just an older version that we were all unaware of on our end and that the bat was rounded at the top and had a hole in the bottom.
From that point on, Jared Jonkman used another bat and still blasted out 2 Home Runs with a different bat, showing that the equipment surely was not an issue to competitive fairness.
After no complaints or suggestions from Newts Manager Koby Keck after taking a look at the bat, the game continued, just without the bat.
The Magic's 13 run 5th inning put them up by 4 heading into the Bottom of the 5th. The Newts answered with 2 runs to make it a 21-19 heading into the 6th. After a pair of outs to start the 6th, Jared Jonkman and Jeremy Ratajczyk belted out a pair of what would be game changing insurance runs.
Trailing by 4 heading into the Bottom of the 6th, Scott Soos and Noah Shail blasted out a pair of Home Runs to cut the deficit to 2 runs. It is definitely worth noting that Scott Soos only got out 3-4 times in the entire 3 game span as the Home Run king did everything he could to lead the Newts back.
Magic Pitcher, Caleb Jonkman buckled down for the 2nd straight game and got the final 2 outs of the game on a groud-out and pop out to complete one of the craziest comebacks in ORWBL World Series history as the Magic prevailed 23-21 to take a (3-2) series lead.
The Newts now face a tall task, needing to win two games on the road to capture what would be the franchise's fourth ORWBL title (No other team has 3 at the moment.)
As for the Magic, they have to be absolutely thrilled taking 2 out of 3 at Migley as they now head back home to Magic Park where they will look to complete the first ever ORWBL 3-peat and tie the Newts with 3 ORWBL World Series Championships.
Only one ORWBL World Series has gone a full seven games, the 2015 showdown between the Newts and Cult West. New Carlisle blew a 3-1 series lead, and the Warriors won their second championship.
Other than that, the 2013 World Series in which the Newts beat the Magic (4-2) and 2014 in which the Newts beat Cult West (4-2) are the only other ORWBL World Series matchups to make it to at least a Game 6 as 8 out of the 11 World Series played to date have either been 4-0 or 4-1.
This extremely competitive series is now set to conclude this upcoming Sunday at Magic Park as Maple City has their first opportunity to win a World Series in front of their home fans.
With the largest margin of victory in the series being 5 runs, this has truly been as competitive of a World Series as you could ask for as the Magic have outscored the Newts 77-70 which just goes to show you how evenly matched the NL and AL Champions are.
Game 6 is scheduled for 1pm ET next Sunday at Magic Park in La Porte. Should the Newts force a decisive Game 7, it will begin immediately following the conclusion of Game 6.
With everything on the line Sunday as well as how close this series has been, it would be wise to expect an exciting finish to what has been a very competitive World Series.
