Let's run it back! For the second straight year and fourth time in seven years, the Cambridge Spinners and Boston Sox (formerly Boston White Sox) squared off in the best-of-five MABL Championship Series.

Heading into the 2019 season, the Sox owned a 2-1 advantage in those series, after defeating the Spinners in last year's historic 4-hour, 13-inning Game 5 of the MABL Finals and walking off with the MABL title.

Following the heartbreaking loss, the Spinners were left reeling and forced to face a lengthy off-season full of what-ifs, but it wouldn't be long before their 2019 redemption tour would begin, and when it was over, redemption for the Spinners would be complete, in the form of the franchise's third MABL championship.

At the conclusion of the 2019 regular season, the Spinners (20-4) and Sox (17-7) owned the top two spots in the MABL standings for the second year in a row, earning themselves a first-round bye in the postseason and an automatic trip to the semifinals. For the Spinners, this was their tenth straight regular-season finish as a No. 1 or 2 seed.*

In the first of two best-of-five semifinal series, the top-seeded Spinners swept the No. 5-seeded Athletics in three games (9-4, 6-3, 7-2), quickly punching their ticket to the MABL Finals for the fifth straight year.

The No. 2-seeded Sox followed suit with a three-game sweep of the No. 3-seeded Grays (9-6, 7-3, 6-3) in their semifinal matchup, setting the stage for a Finals rematch between the 2018 defending champions and the 2018 runner-ups.

The Sox looked to successfully defend their title and pull off a repeat for the first time in the franchise's history, while the Spinners looked to take back the MABL title and avenge their loss in last year's Finals.

Game 1 of the 2019 Championship Series fell in favor of the defending champs, behind the arm of 2019 Cy Young runner-up Jon Shepard (6 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 7 K), who tossed six scoreless innings before giving way to Mark Blake, who closed out the game and helped secure the 5-0 win. Ryan Foley (2-4, RBI) and Rommel Peguero (2-4, 3 RBI) combined to go 4-for-8 with 4 RBIs for the Sox in the win.

In Game 2, the Spinners' offense, led by Alex Benson (3-4, 2B, R, RBI) and Mark Killoren (1-3, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI), broke out for 12 runs on 7 hits, while Game 2 starter Christopher Muse-Fisher (5 IP, 1 H, 0.00 ERA) held the Sox scoreless in 5 innings of work, giving up just 1 hit while striking out 7. The Spinners went on to win Game 2 by a final score of 12-5, evening the series at one game apiece.

The Spinners' pitching staff was again the storyline in the pivotal Game 3, as Pat Donohoe (7 IP, 3 H, 6 K, 0.00 ERA) earned the complete game shutout win, allowing just 3 hits to go along with 6 strikeouts.

2019 Rookie of the Year Nick Sieber (3-4, R, RBI) led the offense with three hits in the 5-0 Game 3 win. The Spinners took a 2-1 series lead and climbed within one win of the championship.

With their backs against the wall heading into Game 4, the Sox called upon Game 1 winner Jon Shepard (CG, 8 IP, 4 H, 9 K, 0.00 ERA), who once again answered the call, throwing 8 scoreless innings while giving up just 4 hits to go along with 9 strikeouts. Shepard did not allow a single Spinners' run to cross in either of his two outings. Luc Kocher (7.2 IP, 4 H, 7 K, 0.00 ERA) was equally impressive for the Spinners, as he too did not allow an earned run in his outing.

The sole run of Game 4 came in extra innings, on a sacrifice fly from Brendan Pounds in the bottom of the 8th that scored teammate Josh Valerio from third. The Sox walked off with the dramatic 1-0 win to keep their season alive and force a decisive Game 5.

The defending champs looked to ride the wave of momentum from their thrilling Game 4 victory into the 'series-deciding' game, but instead saw the Spinners quickly take the wind out of their sails.

In the very first inning of a cold and windy Game 5, the Sox' ace Seth Perkins (0.1 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, WP) struggled with his control and was touched up for 5 runs on 3 hits and 4 walks in an unusual start for the normally reliant ace. Perkins was pulled from the game after just ⅓ of an inning.

On the opposing side, the Spinners' Game 5 starter Christopher Muse-Fisher (7 IP, 4 H, 8 K, 0.00 ERA) was superb, tossing a complete game 4-hitter with 8 strikeouts while not allowing an earned run in his outing.

The Spinners' offense, led by Colin Sullivan (3-4, 3 R, 2 RBI) and Ryan Feeney (3-4, 2 R, 2B, 4 RBI's), tacked on an insurance run in the 2nd and six more in the 6th, to help secure the 12-1 Game 5 victory and the 2019 MABL 18+ championship.

Congratulations to the Cambridge Spinners on winning the 2019 MABL title, and hats off to the runner-up Boston Sox on a great season and a fantastic series. With the head-to-head Finals record now tied at 2-2 between these two powerhouses, perhaps a rubber match is in store in 2020.

*The Spinners have finished as a No. 1 or No. 2 seed in every season of their 11-year history, except for their inaugural season in 2009 where they finished in 4th place.