(From Dubois) The Dubois County Bombers made it a clean sweep of the 2015 Ohio Valley League championships last night by downing the Madisonville Miners 3-2. The victory secured the best-of-three Playoff Championship Series over the Madisonville Miners two games to one, earning the Bombers both the regular season and playoff crowns.
     It was a tight game throughout. The Bombers took an early lead in the first inning when leadoff hitter Daniel Johnson hammered a ball over the right field fence to start the bottom of the first. Morgan DePew followed with a double and later scored on a line drive hit to right field by Mark Giesler, giving the Bombers an early 2-0 lead.
     Madisonville responded by manufacturing a run in the second inning, Shane Connahan singled and moved to second when Cory Finkler walked. Tyler Greiner moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Catcher Andrew Tanous hit a grounder to second that scored Finkler when the Bomber defense opted for the sure out at first.
     From that point, starting pitchers Devin Williams for the Bombers and the Miners' Cameron Smith settled into rhythms. The game remained 2-1 in the Bombers favor until the Miners tied it in the top of the fifth. 
     With two down and nobody on, Wesley Birchmeier lashed a single to centerfield that Johnson misplayed, allowing Birchmeier to advance all the way to third base. Nolan Ramsey followed by driving him in to knot the game at 2-all.
     Dubois County regained the lead immediately. Devyn Newberry walked with one down in the bottom of the sixth. Johnson and DePew singled to bring Newberry around the bases and restore the home advantage at 3-2. Smith then struck out the next two batters to escape without further damage.
     Madisonville threatened in the seventh. After putting two runners on base with one out, head coach Andy Lasher pulled Williams to a standing ovation from the home crowd of 667. Zach Freeman entered from the bullpen. The Bombers versatile reliever fanned Birchmeier and Ramsey to put down the rally.
     In a season that saw relatively few save opportunities for the Bombers, Freeman made the most of his chances in the Championship Series. He stayed on to pitch the eighth and ninth innings without allowing a Miners baserunner, preserving the victory and the playoff championship. Freeman earned save in both Bomber wins in the championship series.
     After Freeman struck out JD Minor to end the game, the Bombers rushed the field, mobbing Freeman and entering into a prolonged infield championship celebration on the final night they will spend together.
     Devin Williams gets the win. After a 3-3 regular season, Williams was 2-0 in the playoffs, matching teammate Ryan Dills with two playoff victories, as the two pitchers from Olney Central accounted for all four Bomber playoff triumphs.
     It was a season of great improvement for both the Bombers and the Miners. Last season, the two squads finished in the bottom two spots in the OVL standings. This season, they finished first and second in the regular season. Then they eliminated all playoff challengers before matching up in a hard-fought best-of-three championship series that went the max three games with the decider being determined by a single run.
     Dubois County adds the playoff trophy to bookend the regular season traveling trophy that they had earned less than two weeks ago.
     In presenting the championship trophy to the Bombers, OVL President Cubb Stokes prefaced his congratulatory post-game remarks with a brief tribute and recognition of the off-season passing of former Bomber GM Joe Mundy. It was Mundy's hard work and dedication to the Bombers organization that laid much of the foundation for their on-field success this season.