Sports Editor

The Marlins beat the Pirates 23-0 in the deciding game of the Troy Amateur Baseball League championship held last Sunday.

Pitcher Todd Copeland had helped send the Pirates into the title match-up with an 8-3 decision over the Indians earlier in the day.

But in the second game of the doubleheader it was Marlins pitcher Matt Floyd picking up his seventh win of the year with double digit blanking. The lefthander kept the Pirates off balance all afternoon long.

"Matt cut the corners of the plate all day with precision pitches," noted TABL coordinator James Henderson. "Almost like Greg Maddux."

Henderson said Floyd was the game’s Most Valuable Player, but that the Marlins’ hitting in the second contest had plenty to say about the outcome.

"That huge lumber company," said Henderson, referring to the Marlins’ batting order, "did what they do best. They won with their bats and with a strong defense to match."

In the first game, the Indians jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, but the Pirates battled right back to tie the contest in their at-bat.

After the Indians added another run, Troy’s Jonathan Neeley knotted the contest again with an RBI double in the bottom of the fourth.

In the eighth, the Pirates pushed across five runs to take the lead for good. Copeland retired the Indians in order in the ninth inning to preserve the win.

Kevin Sexton was charged with the loss for the Indians.

Despite the blowout win by the Marlins in the last game, Henderson said the league has enjoyed great competition all year long.

"It was just one of those days where everything went right for one team and nothing went right for the other," he said about the Marlins’ win.

Henderson also said the TABL would return next year and wanted to thank the administration at Troy State for use of Riddle-Pace Field this season.

"The league wants to thank Troy State Athletic Director Johnny Williams and his staff for letting us play on the most up-to-date field around," said Henderson.