Pilgrims' one-two punch unbeatable

Jankins pitches at Quinnipiac /QSports

This entire season, the entire NECBL has been subject to the Plymouth Pilgrims dominant one-two punch on the mound. One night, teams would have to contend with Thomas Jankins, and the next it would be Nicholas Berger. Team's are lucky you rarely play the same team back-to-back, because an offense can really hit a slump when they get shutout twice in a row.

It was right around Jankin's move from the bullpen to the rotation that the Pilgrims won nine of ten to blaze through everyone in the league and claim the best record (they were already 7-2). If Plymouth, a year off of one of the worst seasons in NECBL history, were to draw up a formula for league dominantion- it would of been exactly what they did by signing Jankins and Berger.

Force team's to contend with not one but two Robin Roberts candidates in punishing succession. It was a strategy built for the season, and it was as good as of a slump buster as you can get because the duo have never lost back-to-back starts.

Jankins went seven strong innings against Mystic in game one last night, allowing a pair of runs- tying his regular season total in terms of earned runs- while striking out a pair in the Pilgrims 4-2 win that puts the Southern Division finals within reach for the second-year franchise.

He's cruising towards a top pitcher award, but Berger has been dominant as well. His ERA is 0.75 to Jankins 0.41. He's struck out 47 guys. Jankins has struck out 41. Berger has throw 48 innings, Jankins is at 44 1/3.

For those counting at home, that's almost 93 innings of misery for opposing hitters.

Berger starts tonight against a Mystic squad that is up against the wall and on the brink of elimination. The Schooners are looking to return to the division finals for the second straight year but have history against them, as best-of-three series are hard to comeback against, especially in the NECBL.