1980 WORLD SERIES
The Germantown Grays & Baton Rouge Ragin’ Cajuns locked up in the 1980 Mid-West Winter League World Series. Both teams fought hard to get here, and in the end, one team was the 1980 Mid-West Winter League World Champions.
Germantown @ Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge hosted games #1 & #2 for the 1980 MWWL World Series.
Game 1:
R H E
Germantown 8 11 0
Baton Rouge 0 3 4
Win – Burns 1-0
Loss- Reuss 0-1
Game 1: Germantown wins 8-0
Dawson and Yount each had 3 doubles. Yount also drove in 3 runs. Burns went the distance with a 3-hitter.
Game 2: (10 Innings)
R H E
Germantown 5 11 1
Baton Rouge 6 7 2
Win – V. Cruz 1-0
Loss- Caudill 0-1
Game 2: Baton Rouge wins 6-5 (10)
Cruz had 3 hits for Germantown and Bell had 3 hits and 3 RBI for Baton Rouge.
Baton Rouge @ Germantown
The Baton Rouge Ragin’ Cajuns come to Germantown for a three game set. The Cajuns stopped the Grays stampede through the post season by winning a dramatic come from behind in the bottom of the 9th to tie and 10th inning win to tie the MWWL World Series at one game a piece. Question is did that win take the air out of the Grays or are they able to get it back on track? I am sure the Cajuns will have something to say about it. Weather at game time is 54 degrees and drizzling. Welcome to Germantown.
Game 3:
R H E
Baton Rouge 5 7 3
Germantown 20 23 0
Win – Solomon 1-0
Loss- Stone 0-1
Game 3: The Cajuns send RHP Steve Stone to the mound. He was a work horse compiling a 21-14 record with a 3.31 ERA in 285!! Innings. The Grays will settle on RHP Eddie Solomon who much more modestly compiled a 5-4 record with a 5.02 ERA in 71 innings. The Cajuns are a Ragin’ as they start it off in the 1st when Hargove lead off with a walk and with 2-out Oglivie went deep to right, baboom 2-0. The Grays responded as they hae done all playoffs. In the bottom of the first after a Hassey walk Andre Dawson lowered the kaboom, 2-2. The Grays take the lead in the bottom of the 2nd. Page lead off with a single, advanced on a bobbled grounder and then scored on a Garner single to center. Later Garner who advanced to second on the throw home on the play to page scored on a 2-out 2-base E4. Maybe Stone got a little shaken as Hassey followed with a deep HR to right, 6-2 Grays. Cooper followed with a double to the gap to chase Stone. Final Grays 20 Ragin’ Cajuns 5.
Game 4:
R H E
Baton Rouge 2 4 0
Germantown 3 6 0
Win – Petry 1-0
Loss- McGregor 0-1
Game 4: The Cajuns are sending LHP Scott McGregor to the mound in game 4. He was no slouch either going 274 innings with a 21-12 record and 3.05 ERA during the season. The Grays counter with young RHP Dan Petry. He compiled an 11-2 record on a 2.18 ERA. The Grays bats stay alive as #2 hitter Werth went solo in the 1st. The Grays manufacture a run in the 2nd. Lead off man Otis drew a walk, stole, was bunted over by Garner and scored on a Porter SF down the line to right, 2-0. Two Grays DPs and a pickoff keep the Cajuns at bay through three. Then with 2-out in the 4th Bell drew a walk and Oglivie tripled to right, 2-1. Grays do it again. In the bottom half Dawson answer with a lead off HR, 3-1. Things settle into goose eggs and Grays Caudill holds down the 8th with Burgmeier coming in in the 9th to finish it. In the 9th Cajuns PH for MacGregor with Burroughs who lead the inning off with a solo shot, 3-2, 3 outs to go. Burgmeier settles in and gets the next to to pop it up, then with 2-out Bell walks and Oglivie went down on strikes. Final Grays 3 Ragin’ Cajuns 2.
Game 5:
R H E
Baton Rouge 2 4 2
Germantown 7 14 0
Win – Burns 2-0
Loss- Reuss 0-2
Game 5. The Cajuns backs are against the wall. They return to ace LHP Jerry Ruess. Ruess on the season went 19-7 with a 2.24 ERA in a whopping 264 innings. The Grays also go to there ace LHP Britt Burns who went 19-8 with a 2.37 ERA on the season. The Grays score in the 1st. #2 hitter Auerbach doubled and scored when Singleton dropped a would be third out fly ball. The Grays make it 2-0 when Cruz lead off the 3rd with a solo shot. A buzz is rising in the packed stadium. The Cajuns Soderholm quiets the crowd to a hum with a lead off 4-bagger in the top of the 4th, 2-1. The Grays mount a threat in the 6th. Garner lead off with a walk and Otis followed with a double to make it second and third. PH Woods is brought in for Porter to try to strike a fatal blow. And he does. Woods puts one through ‘the ozone layer to left, Grays 5-1. Celebrating erupts in the dugout and all around Germantown. The Cajuns remind the place that they are still around scoring Ayala on a PH Bowa double in their next at bat, 6-2. But that would be it. Final Grays 6 Ragin’ Cajuns 2.
Congratulations to the Germantown Grays on the 1980 World Series championship!
MVP: Britt Burns (2-0 16 IP, 1.13 ERA)