Earning victories over Green Mountain (10-7) on Friday afternoon and an early morning victory over the Windsor Timber Rattlers (12-6) on Saturday, the BlackSox ran into a tough Broomfield Blaze team and a 40-minute snow delay on Saturday afternoon and suffered a 12-9 defeat.

However, a come from behind victory over the DC Rockers on Sunday morning put the BlackSox in the Championship Game and a rematch with the Blaze. The BlackSox needed and got a thrilling stop in the bottom of the sixth against DC as they clung to a one run lead. With a DC leadoff hitter aboard with a double and a steal that put the tying run at third with no outs, BlackSox relief pitcher Mikey Rotter went to work to strike out the next batter. A head's up play by catcher Chris Reynoso on a dropped third strike ended with Reynoso throwing to BlackSox third baseman Marcelo Sanchez who put the tag on the runner at third. Rotter struck out the next batter and forced a ground ball out to second baseman Renato Leyva, who played solid defense throughout the tournament, to end the game with the tying run on third.

The rematch with the Blaze proved equally exciting. A combination of strong pitching from Ryan Browne, Mikey Rotter and Andrew Cherry was enough to keep the Blaze hitters off balance throughout the game. With timely and big hits on both sides of the diamond, including hits from Braden Smith, Ben Schechter, Nick Dardano and Jake Lowry, the BlackSox found themselves up by one run going into the top of the 6th and final frame of the 2008 King Lyles Championship Game. But the power of the Blaze lineup drove in two runs and put the BlackSox down a run, 11-10, going into their final at bat.
BlackSox batter Charlie Davis led off the frame with a hit. The next batter, Andrew Cherry, was hit by a pitch to put the winning run on first base. BlackSox batter Mikey Rotter stepped to the plate and, with the runner's advancing to 2nd and 3rd base, he drove a ball into right center field. Davis scored easily and, thanks to a terrific jump and speed on the basepaths, Cherry rounded third and scored standing up as the throw from the outfield came to the plate.

Teammates jumped on Cherry at homeplate and Rotter standing on second base as the BlackSox captured the Tournament Title and clinched their State Playoff Birth before the end of April.

THE KING LYLES TOURNAMENT:
Lakewood High School students Troy Lyles and Carrie King died in a single car accident in August 2002. In memory of these two young members of our community, Lakewood Junior Baseball Association has hosted the King Lyles Tournament each spring. Proceeds from the tournament provide scholarships to Lakewood High School students and those students who participated in the baseball association.