Oakland Wins 2025 Pioneer League Championship
Ballers Win Final Three Games to Beat Idaho Falls
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
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3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | X | 8 | 6 | 0 |
By Nevada Cullen
OAKLAND, Calif. -- In just the second year of the team's existence, the Oakland Ballers are Pioneer League champions. The Ballers toppled the Idaho Falls Chukars, 8-1, in front of a sellout crowd of 4,100 at Raimondi Park on Sunday night, to bring a well-deserved championship to Oakland.
With a 73-23 regular season, the Ballers broke the PBL modern era record for wins in a campaign. They dominated opposition all year, winning 13 straight series through the completion of the regular season.
But, the playoffs were more difficult for Oakland. The Ogden Raptors pushed the Ballers to three games, and the Chukars won the first two in Idaho Falls to put Oakland on the brink of elimination. Still, Ballers found a way to take the championship series, outscoring the Chukars 26-6 in the process.
Tremayne Cobb Jr. lined a base hit to left-center field to lead off the contest for the Ballers, and Esai Santos followed him with a walk. Later in the game's opening frame, with two down, Jake Allgeyer teed off on a first-pitch, middle-in fastball, clobbering it over the Oakland bullpen in right for a three-run tank.
Next, Allgeyer showed off his slick fielding skills. WIth the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the second, Johnny Pappas rolled a weak grounder to the left side. Allgeyer slid to the ground to smother the baseball, got up quickly and threw out Pappas at first to end the threat.
In the bottom of the second, Michael O'Hara and Tyler Lozano drew back-to-back free passes with one away. Cobb plunged a single in front of Idaho Falls left fielder Eddie Pelc to score Lozano and increase the lead to 4-0 for the Ballers.
Noah Millikan, Oakland's ace throughout the regular season, lasted just two innings as the game five starter for the Ballers. The Milkman exited two pitches into the third with shoulder soreness.
Brooklyn native and first-year pro Adam Bogosian came to Millikan's aid as the first pitcher out of the Ballers bullpen. Bogo stymied the Chukars over 3.1 scoreless innings, fanning four and refusing to allow a hit.
Idaho Falls starter Shane Spencer settled in after the early damage. Spencer ended up allowing only five hits over 6.1 innings, struck out nine and did not allow a run from the third frame to the sixth.
At last, the Ballers got some more runs with a four-run seventh. O'Hara led off with a two-strike single, and TJ McKenzie pinch ran, stole two bases and touched home on a fielder's choice.
Then, for the second straight night, Cam Bufford launched a late, three-run homer to give the Ballers eight runs in the score column. Bufford smashed a 93 mph fastball at the top of the zone off of the batter's eye in center for a three-run dagger.
Bogosian was not the only Baller to throw multiple frames out of the pen. Hayward native James Colyer tossed two hitless, scoreless innings and struck out the last four Chukars he faced in order.
Trevor Rogers started the ninth with a solo bomb to left. But Connor Sullivan, Oakland's closer, fittingly grabbed the final three outs and fanned the last two to seal the title.
Thank you for listening to the action on 860 AM The Answer and on the Oakland Ballers YouTube channel all season! Like the rest of you, I can't wait to see what next year brings.
But for now, enjoy this one, Oakland. You deserve it.
