Nick Schmitt's Walk-off Homer Propels Clyman to 2023 Rock River Grand Championship
The Rock River League certainly saved its best moment of the 2023 season for last as Nick Schmitt's delivered a dramatic two run walk off homer to give Clyman its first RRL championship since 2018 and 6th overall. Trailing 8-7 into the bottom of the 9th, Brock Vredeveld reached via an infield single and advanced to second on an error with one out to set the stage for Schmitt's heroics. Schmitt jumped on an 0-2 fastball and the rest was Rock River League history.
Saturday's championship game had been suspended from the week before due to storms putting a halt to the championship game with Hartford leading 8-7 in the top of the 9th. With the field deemed unplayable, the game was to resume the following week in Clyman and had Hartford hung on a deciding game would have taken place later in the day in Hartford.
This is the third time in the last 5 years that Clyman and Hartford have squared off in the RRL championship with Clyman claiming two titles to Hartford's one. Hartford did capture last season's 2021 championship over Rubicon. Clyman finishes the RRL season with a 17-3 record.
