Mormon Baseball

Mitch Maier is hitting .345 in the Pacific Coast League playoffs, providing a huge boost to the Omaha Storm Chasers in their bid for the League championship and a shot at the AAA championship. Maier homered for the third time in the playoffs yesterday as the Storm Chasers beat the Reno Aces and tied in their 5-game championship series at 1 game a piece.

Meanwhile, Blaine Howell pitched one inning of relief in the final California League championship game, giving up 1 hit and no walks, but by the time he did so in the 7th inning, the Bakersfield Blaze were already down 6-1, and the Blaze were unable to make up the deficit in subsequent innings.

Howell’s final game leaves just two Mormons in the minor league playoffs, Maier and the Ogden Raptor’s Derek Cone of the rookie Pioneer League, which had a rest day yesterday.

Here’s a run-down of the remaining Mormons in the minors who are on teams that will play in the league championships:

AAA teams:

Each of the two AAA leagues have league conference playoffs, championship series, and then the champions of each league then meet in a single game AAA championship, scheduled for September 18th in Durham, North Carolina.

• Mitch Maier, Omaha Storm Chasers, Pacific Coast League, American Northern Conference Champions
  * Storm Chasers tied 1-1 in the 5-game League championship series against the Reno Aces Sept. 11-12, 14-16.

A+ teams:

Each of the two divisions in the California League play division series between the winners of each half of the season to determine the division champions. The division champions then face each other in a championship series.

• Blaine Howell, Bakersfield Blaze, California League, Northern Division 1st half winner
  * Bakersfield Blaze lost to the Modesto Nuts 3 games to 2 in a 5-game series Sept. 8-12.

Rookie teams

The winners of the first half play the winner of the second half in each division to determine the division champion. The division champions then meet in a league championship.

• Derek Cone, Ogden Raptors, Pioneer League, South Division champion
  * Raptors trail the Missoula Osprey 1 game to 0 in the 3-game series Sept. 11, 13 & 14.

I will try to keep us all up-to-date with the status of these Mormon minor leaguers over the next couple weeks. Enjoy the minor league post season!