Beavers Hold Off Hoppers, 4-3, to Advance in USPBL Playoff Game #2
UTICA, Mich. – The Birmingham Bloomfield Beavers (23-21, 1-0) held off a late Eastside Diamond Hoppers (14-30, 0-1) push to earn a 4-3 victory Friday night at UWM Field, opening Championship Weekend with a tightly contested playoff win. The Beavers finished with nine hits and played error-free defense, while Eastside recorded four hits and one error.
Birmingham wasted little time getting on the board, striking for two runs in the bottom of the first inning. With two outs, Amari Bartee delivered a two-run double, giving the Beavers an early 2-0 advantage. Eastside answered immediately in the second when Myles Beale launched a two-run home run, pulling the game even at 2-2.
The game remained tied until the bottom of the fifth, when Birmingham broke through for two more runs. Matt Piotrowski drove in a run, while Bartee added another RBI to put the Beavers back in front, 4-2. Bartee led the Birmingham offense with an impressive 3-for-4 performance, a double and three RBIs, accounting for three of the Beavers’ four runs driven in. Piotrowski finished with a hit, two runs scored and an RBI, while David Coppedge added two hits.
On the mound, Jack Decker delivered 7.2 strong innings for Birmingham, allowing three runs on four hits while striking out eight to earn the victory. Eastside made things interesting in the eighth when Eli Watson doubled home a run, cutting Birmingham’s lead to 4-3.
But the Beavers turned to Miles Garrett to finish the job. He tossed 1.1 scoreless and hitless innings, striking out two and earning the save as Birmingham slammed the door on the Hoppers. The Beavers’ pitching staff combined for 10 strikeouts in the victory.
With the 4-3 playoff victory, Birmingham moves on in USPBL Championship Weekend following a dramatic opening night at UWM Field.