Lead Story - 9/28/2025

King Louie brings it home for the Gaggle

On the biggest stage of them all, the Gaggle wasted no time silencing the Banana Slugs’ home crowd. In the top of the 1st of Game Seven, Richard struggled out of the gate, and the Gaggle bats went to work. Walker’s single set the table, and doubles from Delgado and Dickey brought in three quick runs. By the end of the inning, the Gaggle led 3–0, and the Slugs were immediately on their heels.

The second inning was a continuation of the Gaggle’s offensive surge. Ramirez doubled to start the frame, McGraw followed with another, and Sisler drove him in. By the time the dust settled, it was 6–0, and the Slugs were forced to turn to Satchel Paige in relief.

The Banana Slugs tried to claw back in the 3rd, loading the bases and pushing across two runs thanks to a Lopez score and Seymour’s RBI single. But Tiant, the Gaggle ace, limited the damage. Every time the Slugs threatened, the Gaggle had an answer. McGraw scored again in the 4th to make it 7–2, giving Tiant even more breathing room.

From there, the Gaggle leaned on steady pitching. Tiant danced through jams until the 7th, when he handed the ball to the bullpen. Putz, Marmol, and finally Kuo shut the door, with Kuo recording the last out by getting Lou Gehrig to ground out. Final score: Gaggle 7, Banana Slugs 3.

The Gaggle’s title run (the 5th club title) will be remembered for resilience. Down 0–2 in the series, they won four of the next five to hoist the trophy. Tiant’s two wins and Kuo’s timely saves will go down in team lore, while the Slugs had an incredible season to remember as well - fending off the challenging SBL West and reaching the World Series for the third time in club history, and second time in the last three seasons.

Have a great winter and see you all in 2026!

8/29/2025

2025 Playoffs Set

The 2025 Stonebrook Baseball League regular season is in the books, and what a finish it was. The pennant races went down to the wire, with dramatic finishes in both the East and West divisions, and a host of individual performances that will be remembered for years to come.

West: Banana Slugs by a Run
The most dramatic finish came out West, where the Bellevue Banana Slugs (79–51) edged out the Leschi Ridgebacks (79–51) for the division crown by a single run in differential. Bellevue’s +103 run margin to Leschi’s +102 goes down as one of the slimmest margins of victory the league has seen. It was truly a season where every inning mattered.

Central: Stampede fade, Gaggle on Top
In the Central, The Glen Gaggle (74–56) rode consistent pitching and clutch hitting to hold off the Enumclaw Stampede. The Gaggle’s +78 run differential showed they weren’t just winning — they were controlling games. Enumclaw (72–58) still booked their playoff ticket as the #5 seed, but they had led the division much of the season.

East: Hammers Survive
The Western Springs Hammers (68–62) won a hot-and-cold division where no team reached 70 wins. The Berkley Ridge Bombers (67–63) were in the hunt all season.

Wildcard Chase
Three teams survived the scramble:

Ridgebacks (79–51, WC #1) — A powerhouse with the league’s second-best record, but unlucky to be stuck behind Bellevue.

Stampede (72–58, WC #2) — Powered by Babe Ruth’s monster year and Blake Snell’s 15 wins.

Las Vegas Swingers (68–62, WC #3) — Just enough pop from Jeff Bagwell (36 HR) to outlast Berkley Ridge.

Stars of the Season

MVP – Babe Ruth (Enumclaw Stampede)
Ruth was everything for Enumclaw: a .321 average, league-best 42 homers, and 126 RBI. His 1.069 OPS was miles ahead of most of the league. Simply put, he was the engine that got the Stampede to October.

Cy Young – Carl Lundgren (Bellevue Banana Slugs)
Lundgren was unhittable, posting a 2.35 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and just 5.9 H/9. He gave Bellevue the ace it needed to outlast Leschi by the thinnest of margins.

Other Standouts:

Ted Williams (.350 AVG, .447 OBP) was the toughest out in the league.

Barry Bonds (Hammers) nearly matched Ruth with 38 HR and 110 runs.

Lou Gehrig (Banana Slugs) drove in 108 and slugged .576, giving Bellevue a thunderous middle of the order.

On the mound, Jacob deGrom (Offenders) and Nolan Ryan (Gaggle) were strikeout kings, while Aroldis Chapman (Ridgebacks, 35 saves) locked down the late innings.

The Playoff Picture

(3) Western Springs Hammers vs. (6) Las Vegas Swingers
A classic matchup: the East champs against a slugging wildcard. Bonds and Simmons will try to outslug Bagwell and the Swingers’ bats.

(4) Leschi Ridgebacks vs. (5) Enumclaw Stampede
Call this the “series of heartbreak” — the Ridgebacks had the record of a champion, but instead they face Babe Ruth and the dangerous Stampede in round one. Fireworks guaranteed.

Waiting in the Wings:

(2) The Glen Gaggle will face the winner of Hammers/Swingers.

(1) Bellevue Banana Slugs, the narrow West winners, draw the Ridgebacks/Stampede survivor.

If Bellevue and Leschi both advance, we could see a rematch of the West’s razor-thin race — but Enumclaw’s Ruth-led offense may have something to say about that.