It seemed only fitting that the man who started the summer on the mound for the Chico Heat went the distance in the Great West League championship deciding game to bring the title to Chico in the league’s inaugural season with a 1-0 road victory.

“I’ll never forget that first game and how far he’s come since then, it’s funny how the baseball gods work sometimes,” said Heat manager Fred Ludwig. “Tonight was his night to do it, all the weight was on his back and he carried us to the title here on the road.”

Stuart Bradley, who was roughed up by Marysville to start the summer threw a complete game shutout vs the GWL regular season champs, the Medford Rogues, as the Heat completed a two games to one victory in the GWL championship series.

“I’m in shock right now, I can’t even find the words to describe that one,” said Bradley. “I couldn’t have done it without all these guys behind me and Kyle coming through with that key RBI knock in the third. It just feels amazing right now.”

Bradley allowed four hits, all singles, and didn’t walk a batter while striking out six in the decisive game as the road team won each of the three games.

Chico took a 1-0 lead in the third inning with Grant Dragmire reaching on a Rogues error, Brock Bell advanced Dragmire to second with a sacrifice bunt. Kramer went the opposite way with an off speed pitch from the Rogues starter Dylan Pearce, lining one into left field to score the game’s only run.

Kramer, a teammate of Bradley’s at Chico State, singled twice in three at bats to finish the night with half the teams hits, giving his pitcher plenty of support while also playing a clean game at second base.

“Felt great, just came out and gave it my all in the last game with the boys and couldn’t ask for much more as a result,” said Kramer

Both of the nights starting pitchers lasted more than eight innings before Pearce exited after walking Keaton Kringlen to lead off the top of the ninth. Pearce allowed the one unearned run on four hits and one walk while striking out five. He also came over to shake Bradley’s hand after the Heat’s celebration in an act of true sportsmanship.

Bradley completed the championship with a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth against the Rogues 2-3-4 hitters with a pair of groundouts before a fly out to left field that was caught by the third Chico State Wildcat on the team Josh Falco.

His teammates rushed out of the bullpen and dugout as soon as the ball settled in Falco’s glove as the entire team dogpiled on top of Bradley on the infield grass before the GWL trophy presentation.

Bradley, Ludwig and the Heat’s general manger Hunter Hampton all were soaking wet by the end of the ceremony as the team dumped buckets of water on all three as a part of the celebration.

“The people surrounding me this year from the players to my fellow coaches were amazing,” said Ludwig. “That’s how it needs to be year in and year out for the Heat. The core of players we kept for the entire year is who won the championship for us.”

The Rogues took game one in the series 12-4 on Friday in Chico before Luke Soroko, a university of Arizona pitcher through a complete game Saturday night in Medford as the Heat took game two with a 9-3 victory to force the deciding game three.