After spending most of the season atop the league standings and stats leaderboards, the Beecher Muskies have claimed the 2020 CSBL championship. The Muskies defeated the Lombard Orioles 7-0 in the 2020 CSBL playoffs championship game on Sunday, August 16, easily handling the Orioles with stellar pitching and offensive performances.

Sunday’s championship started off quiet, as the game remained scoreless through four innings. But in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Muskies started a game-changing two-out rally by stringing together five singles and plating four runs. The Muskies scored three more runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, scoring their seven total runs on 12 hits, five walks, and five strikeouts; all 12 of Beecher’s hits were singles. Eight of 10 Muskies notched a hit in Sunday’s game, with three players – Jacob Bulthuis (Olivet Nazarene), Marty Coyle, and James Sheehan – recording a multi-hit game. 

Two Beecher pitchers combined for a nearly flawless performance on Sunday, giving up no runs on five hits, four walks, and four strikeouts. Joe Greenfield started for the Muskies and carried most of the load in the game, tossing eight scoreless innings and earning the win. Corey Schultz relieved Greenfield in the ninth inning, giving up a hit and striking out two to seal the win for Beecher.

The Muskies finished the 2020 season leading the CSBL in ERA (3.16), WHIP (1.29), opponent batting average (.227), and strikeouts (240). They also performed well in several offensive categories, finishing third in the league in slugging percentage (.506), batting average (.319), and on base percentage (.419) and first in hits (281).