Lefty David Hurlbut kept the Biscuits off the base paths Monday night.
photo by Tim Evearitt
The Chattanooga Lookouts clinched the Southern League North Division championship Monday night defeating the Montgomery Biscuits, 4-1. After each team won a game in Chattanooga, the Lookouts had two straight wins at Montgomery in the best of five series.
"It obviously feels pretty good," said Chattanooga manager Doug Mientkiewicz. "We beat a team that was red hot in the second half, and talent-wise was far and beyond what we expected. To have a chance to play for the Southern League championship is quite an honor."
Chattanooga scored two runs in the third on a pickoff error followed by a base hit by Travis Harrison. They added a solo run in the fifth and Adam Brett Walker's second home run of the playoff series in the eighth gave the Lookouts an added insurance run.
"It definitely felt pretty good," said Walker. "Just tried to get a good pitch to it. Luckily put the barrel on it, was able to extend the lead and we were able to get the win. It felt great."
Starting pitcher David Hurlbut had the game under control except for a solo home run in the second inning. He went seven innings yielding six hits. At one stretch, he set down 12 consecutive batters.
Reliever Nick Burdi threw a perfect eighth inning and closer J. T. Chargois pitched a scoreless ninth.
Though Mientkiewicz was mum on the exact nature of his plan for the finals, the skipper said they will dive back into the film immediately to devise a new one for Biloxi, which Chattanooga faces in Game 1 on Wednesday.
"Biloxi has been the best team in our league all year, and we obviously have our work cut out for us," said Mientkiewicz. "We'll dissect every inch of film we have and devise a gameplan and see if our kids can stick with it."
Box
Chattanooga will face the Biloxi Shuckers, winners of the Southern League South Division, for the 2015 Southern League Championship. Games one and two will be played in Biloxi on Wednesday and Thursday. The League Championship series will also be best of five games.
The series shifts to Chattanooga on Saturday, September 19, for game three at 7:15 p.m. If necessary the Lookouts will host game four on Sunday at 2:15 p.m. and game five on Monday at 7:15 p.m.
On Sunday, fans who bring a canned good will receive a free general admission ticket and on Monday, Kids 12 & under will receive a voucher for a free hot dog and a drink.
Fans who want to see the Lookouts vie for a championship can get their tickets now online or by calling the Box Office at 423-267-4849. Tickets to Lookouts Baseball presented by FSG Bank.
Brett Adam Walker, the Southern League home run leader, homered in the eighth inning.
photo by Tim Evearitt