2013 Championship Match

Tomorrow morning will begin the eleventh installment of the North Shore Animal League Final. Only one owner, defending champion Sean Meskill, has won the NSAL title more than once. He has accomplished this feat four times. Sean won the regular season title for the third consecutive year and fourth overall, both NSAL records as well. However, he ran into 2006 NSAL champion Gerry Meskill in the semifinal, the first playoff meeting between the league's two winningest owners. The latter won in emphatic fashion, posting a 14-5 mark over the defending champion. Meanwhile, Mike Knudsen stormed into the playoffs, winning 17 of his last 19 matches before outlasting 2011 NSAL champion Parag Goyal in a semifinal for the ages.


No. 2 MIKE KNUDSEN - 244-162-44 (17-5-0)
Mike Knudsen entered the tournament as the second seed, earning his first North Division championship and a first-round bye. Mike narrowly missed winning his first NSAL regular season championship, finishing one game behind Sean Meskill. Like Gerry, Mike entered the playoffs on a hot streak, winning his last seven matches of the regular season, and going a remarkable 17-2 after starting the season on a three-match losing streak. Mike's appearance in the semifinal marked his third Final Four appearance. Of the Final Four participants, Mike is the only owner without a NSAL title, a fact he hopes to change in 2013. His semifinal matchup with Parag Goyal (2011 NSAL champion) will be remembered as one of the best in NSAL playoff history. Mike needed eleventh-hour hitting on Sunday Night Baseball to clinch a spot in his second NSAL final.

No. 4 GERRY MESKILL - 205-192-43 (9-10-3)
Gerry Meskill entered the tournament as the fourth seed. However, he spent most of the season outside of the playoff race before making a late push. Gerry went 5-1-2 in his last eight matches to soar from ninth to fourth down the stretch. In the final three weeks of the regular season, he defeated Sean Meskill and Chris Meskill. In his quarterfinal match, he trounced Chris Meskill again, 13-6, to improve to 6-1 all-time in quarterfinal matches and earn his record-tying seventh Final Four appearance. As mentioned above, he then defeated Sean Meskill, who also was making his seventh Final Four appearance, to reach his third career NSAL final.

BY THE NUMBERS

• This is the third playoff meeting between Mike and Gerry. Gerry holds the series advantage, 2-0.
• Overall, Mike and Gerry have met 18 times. Gerry holds the series advantage, 11-7.
• Mike is 0-1 all-time in NSAL Final matchups. His last appearance was in 2005.
• Gerry is 1-1 all-time in NSAL Final matchups. His last appearance was in 2006, with his other coming in the inaugural season in 2003.
• Gerry is the second owner in NSAL history to appear three times in the NSAL Final. Sean Meskill has appeared six times.
• This is the first time since 2010 that Sean Meskill is not participating in the NSAL Final.
• The last time the No. 2 seed has won the NSAL title was in 2011 (Parag Goyal).
• The last time the No. 4 seed has won the NSAL title was in 2008 (Sean Meskill).
• The Last Shall Be First: the underdog/lower-ranked team is 8-2 against the favorite in NSAL final history. The only two victories for the favorites have been by No. 1 seeds.
• The No. 1 seed has won the NSAL title twice and is 2-3 overall in the Final.
• The No. 2 seed has won the NSAL title three times and is 3-5 overall in the Final.
• The No. 3 seed has never appeared in the NSAL final, a streak that will continue with the elimination of Parag.
• The No. 4 seed has won the NSAL title twice and is 2-1 overall in the Final.
• The No. 5 seed has won the NSAL title twice and is 2-0 overall in the Final.
• The No. 6 seed has won the NSAL title once and is 1-1 overall in the Final.