Bowie Baysox Swept In Championship Series After Best Regular Season in Team History

AKRON, OH — The Akron RubberDucks swept the Bowie Baysox to win the Double-A Northeast League Championship last Friday. Akron won the first two games at Prince George's Stadium in Bowie by scores of 5-1 last Tuesday and 8-5 last Wednesday.

Facing elimination, the Baysox traveled to Ohio. Bowie held a 5-4 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth inning, but a leadoff home run and a walk-off single handed Akron a 6-5 victory and its sixth title.

The loss followed the franchise's best regular season ever. The 2nd-place Baysox went 73-47, finishing a half-game behind the 73-46 Rubberducks. That set a Bowie record with a .608 winning percentage.

The Baltimore Orioles minor league affiliate clinched a playoff spot on the last day of the season, defeating the Altoona Curve 7-5 in a must-win game on Sept. 19.

This was the Baysox's third time playing for a title in their 28-year history. Bowie won the Eastern League Championship in 2015.

Several Baysox earned honors Sunday for their performance this year.

Adley Rutschman, a catcher and a first baseman, won Orioles Minor League Co-Player of the Year. Rutschman's teammate Kyle Stowers, an outfielder and a first baseman, also claimed a share of the recognition. Baltimore promoted both players to the Triple-A Norfolk Tides late in the season, meaning they are each one step away from the MLB.

The Orioles named right-handed starter Grayson Rodriguez their Minor League Pitcher of the Year. Bowie Manager Buck Britton won the Cal Ripken Sr. Player Development Award.

Rutschman is the top prospect in all of baseball. Rodriguez is the No. 1 pitching and the No. 8 overall prospect in the game. He is also the 2nd-best player in Baltimore's system. Stowers is the Orioles' 11th-ranked minor league player.

The Baysox will open their 2022 season on Friday, April 8 against the Richmond Flying Squirrels.

Subscribe to your local Patch newsletter. Download our mobile application from the App Store or Google Play.

RELATED:

• Baysox Advance To Championship After Conquering Must-Win Game

Have a story idea? Please contact me at jacob.baumgart@patch.com with any pitches, tips or questions. Follow me on Twitter @JacobBaumgart and on Facebook @JacobBaumgartJournalist to stay up-to-date with the latest Anne Arundel County and Prince George's County news.