Santa Clarita Valley Journal | Stars Clinch Playoff Berth, Ninety-four-win Season (49.12)

[mragland]

Santa Clarita Valley Journal
Vicente Lamb, Stars Reporter
September 29, 2049

VALENCIA – With their 8-3 victory over the visiting Surfers tonight, the Valencia Stars capped their season with their 94th win of the year, their fourth best win tally of the modern era. The Stars will enter the postseason as the 2nd wildcard (4th overall) seed, and will face the Madison Wolves in the Geoghegan Round. This will be the team's first playoff appearance since 2041, their twenty-third all-time. It is their first 90-win season since 2023 and their best regular season record since 2017, when they won 95 games.

The Stars picked up the win in perhaps the most atypical fashion. For starters, Valencia scored 8 runs without the benefit of a single home run. Home fans were also treated tonight to that rarest of sights, a Roelof Klooster triple in the bottom of the second inning that scored two. Klooster went 2 for 4 tonight with 4 RBI and picked up player of the game honors for his troubles. In the seventh inning with the game tied at three runs apiece, the fans were treated to something nearly as rare, a Yodo Sato walk with a man on base. Later in the seventh, the Stars would draw successive bases-loaded walks en route to a five run inning in which they kept the conga line moving while notching just one hit.

Valencia fans appeared to be in post-season form tonight. In the ninth inning a chant could be heard from the near-capacity crowd: “We want the cup”. The Stars only Cartwright Cup win came way back in 2014, when they were still in the Johnson League, and finished the regular season with 94 wins.

Coming up, the Stars have a best of five series against the Wolves beginning on October 4th at home. It's an early 5:05 pm start. The Stars are 6-2 against the Wolves so far this season, whom they've outscored 46-25. Sacramento awaits the series winner.

[CTBrewCrew]

Good luck and congratulations on a stellar season.

[7teen]

After having been swept in 4 straight by Valencia to end the regular season, I’m almost glad I draw Yellow Springs in the Geoghegan. Haha better the be swept by a new team than lose 7 straight to the Stars.