Leones de Léon win 2022 Nicaragua Professional Baseball League title

Leones de Léon win 2022 Nicaragua Professional Baseball League title
31/01/2022
After trailing 2-0 in the series, the Leones earned two of the four wins they needed in extra innings. U-23 National Team hurler Dilmer Mejia earned MVP honours.

The Leones de Léon defeated the defending champions Gigantes de Rivas in seven games to claim the 2022 title of the Nicaragua's National Professional Baseball League (LBPN, Liga de Béisbol Profesional Nacional).

The Leones lost the 2021 final in six games.

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It's the fifth league title in the history of the Leones, the third in the last four editions.

After falling 2-0, the Leones staged a series come back. Two of their four wins came in the extra innings. In the sixth game, the Leones were trailing 4-0 after five innings and 7-6 in the bottom of the tenth.

Dilmer Mejia earned the win in game seven, going seven innings and allowing two runs on three hits while walking five. The left-hander, who started two games for Nicaragua at the WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup, pitched seven scoreless innings in game three but left with a no-decision. He was voted the series MVP.

First baseman Leonardo Ortiz, who appeared in five games for Nicaragua at the WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup, including three as the starting catcher, went 2-for-3 with two runs batted in.

Left fielder and leadoff hitter Jandido Tromp, who represented the Netherlands at the WBSC Final Olympic Qualifier, was instrumental as he batted in the tying run in the bottom of the tenth in game six. He went 2-for-5 in game seven.

Ronald Medrano, the Gigantes' starter, suufered the loss. He left after allowing four earned runs in two innings.

All the results

Gigantes de Rivas-Leones de Léon 5-1
Gigantes-Leones 4-2
Leones-Gigantes 2-0 (10 innings)
Leones-Gigantes 9-7
Gigantes-Leones 7-2
Leones-Gigantes 8-7 (13 innings)
Leones-Gigantes 4-2

It was the 17th edition of the LBPN. Five teams played a 40-game regular season. The top four advanced to a 12-game round robin. The Gigantes (8-4 record) finished the round robin in first place. The Leones (6-6) finished second ahead of the Tigres de Chinandega and Tren del Norte (both 5-7)

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