2012 Washington Nationals vs 2016 Washington Nationals
The top-seeded team in this tournament takes on the number four seed in a clash of squads with top rotations. Pitchers duels are what was expected, and pitchers duels are what we received.
Only one time in this six-game series did a team score more than four runs in a game. Which team did it? The 2016 Nationals, who put up two touchdowns and two extra points in game two to steal home field advantage.
That game turned the tide of the series. In the next game, Wilson Ramos (’16) hit a three-run bomb off of quarter-finals MVP Edwin Jackson (’12) to surge his team ahead 2-1 in the series.
In game four, both teams had a flair for the dramatic. In the top of the ninth, Ryan Zimmerman (’12) hit a game-tying two-run double off of Marc Rzepczynski (’16). However, in the bottom of the inning, Danny Espinosa (’16) sent the home crowd home happy with a walk-off solo shot off of Mike Gonzalez (’12).
Up 3-1 in the series, quarter-finals MVP Max Scherzer (’16) shut the door. He threw eight innings of one-run ball en route to a 4-1 victory.
The 2016 Nats upset the top seed and move on to face the winner of the 2017 Nats and 2011 Nats.