Lookouts Finish Historic Season as 2017 Southern League Champions

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By: Anna Grissett
After winning 91 regular season games and setting a new franchise record for the most wins in a single season, it is only fitting that the Chattanooga Lookouts ended their 2017 season as champions of the Southern League. The Lookouts were dominant all season long under first year manager, Jake Mauer, who was named Southern League Manager of the Year. The Lookouts also finished the regular season with the best record in the Southern League (91-49) and the third best record in all of Minor League Baseball. The Lookouts finished third just behind the Trenton Thunder (Double-A Affiliate of the New York Yankees) who finished with the best record in Minor League Baseball (92-48) and the West Michigan Whitecaps (Single-A Affiliate of the Detroit Tigers) who finished with second best record (91-45).
Lookouts third baseman, T.J. White, who was a major offensive contributor for the Lookouts all season long, proved to be a difference maker for the Lookouts during post season play. During the Southern League North Division Championship Series against the Montgomery Biscuits, White homered in each of the first three games of the series.
White's first homer of the North Division Championship Series came in the bottom of the fourth inning of game one, a solo shot which gave the Lookouts a 4-1 lead. White's homer proved to be key in the Lookouts 4-3 game one victory over the Montgomery Biscuits as the Biscuits rallied for two additional runs late in the game.
After being defeated by the Lookouts in game one of the series, the Biscuits showed some grit as they came away with a 3-2 victory in game two. After falling behind 2-1 early in the game, the Lookouts earned their first run of the game in the bottom of the second inning courtesy of a Max Murphy RBI double. Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning, the hottest hitter in the Lookouts lineup, T.J. White stepped to the plate and delivered a clutch game tying solo homer. After a solid seven innings of work in which he allowed just two runs while striking out seven, Lookout starting pitcher, Dereck Rodríguez, exited the game giving way to relief pitcher Cody Stashak. Times proved to be tough for Stashak in game two of the series as he gave up a solo home run to Biscuits center fielder, Nathan Lukes, in the top of the eighth inning on the first pitch that he delivered in the game. Lukes' solo homer proved to be the difference in the game, as the Biscuits came away with a game two victory, evening the series 1-1.
With the series tied 1-1, the Lookouts and the Biscuits hit the road and traveled to Montgomery, AL for game three of the series which was played at Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium, home of the Montgomery Biscuits. Game three was a pitchers duel as both pitching staffs brought their A+ stuff to the mound. Hits and runs were scarce for both teams in game three but in the end, it was the Lookouts who managed to produce the lone two runs of the game to earn a game three victory. White once again proved to be the hero for the Lookouts in game three after hammering a line drive two-run homer in the top of the fourth inning.
With a 2-1 series lead, the Lookouts returned home to AT&T Field the following night to host the Biscuits in game four of the series. Facing elimination, the Biscuits once again, found a way to rally with their backs against the wall. This time, it was the Biscuits who came away with a 2-0 victory to even the series 2-2 and force a winner take all game five the following night.
With the series tied 2-2 and a championship on the line, the Lookouts and the Biscuits returned to AT&T Field for what would be the final time of the 2017 season for game five of the series. Still carrying momentum from their 2-0 victory over the Lookouts the night before, the Biscuits literally hit the field swinging as they took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when leadoff batter, Joe McCarthy, smacked a solo homer, his second of the series. The long ball once again proved to be a friend to the Lookouts in game five as it had been all season long. In the bottom of the second inning, Lookouts slugger Andy Wilkins tied the game 1-1 after crushing a solo home run, his first of the post season.
In the top of the fourth inning, the Biscuits regained the lead after Nick Ciuffo ripped an RBI single to give the Biscuits a 2-1 lead. After struggling to score throughout the course of the game and trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth inning, it seemed as if the Lookouts championship hopes were in serious jeopardy.
The beautiful thing about baseball is that everything can change with one swing of the bat. After LaMonte Wade Jr led off the inning with an infield single, Jon Rodriguez, who led the Southern League in several offensive categories for the majority of the season but struggled during the postseason after returning from Triple-A Rochester stepped to the plate for the Lookouts with no outs and a runner on first. What happened next proved to be the fairytale ending to the fairytale season as Rodriguez absolutely crushed a no doubt about it two-run homer off of the Lookouts scoreboard behind the left field wall, giving the Lookouts a 3-2 game five victory in walk-off fashion and a share of the Southern League title.
Due to the effects of Hurricane Irma, the decision to cancel the 2017 championship series was made which resulted in a co-championship to be shared between the Southern League North Division Champions, the Chattanooga Lookouts and the Southern League South Division Champions, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos. For Chattanooga, their title in 2017 was their second in the last three years, after winning the outright title in 2015.