2014 Mustangs Conclude Great Run in the 45+ in Nation’s Capital
DC MSBL 45+ Division
DC Mustangs Cap Successful Season as Runner’s Up
Submitted by Mike Lacomb, DC Mustangs manager
(team photo not available) THE 45+ DC MUSTANGS ENJOYED A TERRIFIC YEAR IN THE WASHINGTON-BASED DCMSBL, AND WISH TO THANK LARRY LOMBARDI, ROGER STANLEY, AND JERRY KLEMM FOR ORGANIZING AND RUNNING THE LEAGUE. WITHOUT THEIR LEADERSHIP AND HARD WORK WE WOULD NOT HAVE THIS WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO STILL BE PLAYING BASEBALL.
FOUR WORDS COULD BE USED TO DESCRIBE HOW THE MUSTANGS ENDED UP IN SECOND PLACE IN THE REGULAR SEASON, AND ALSO THE RUNNER UP IN THE FINAL PLAYOFF CHAMPIONSHIP. TEAMWORK, COMRADERIE, PITCHING, AND DEFENSE. WE ARE A BUNCH OF GUYS THAT BELIEVE IN SUPPORTING EACH OTHER ON AND OFF THE FIELD. WE ARE FRIENDS FIRST, AND BALLPLAYERS SECOND. BECAUSE OF THOSE VALUES WE LED THE LEAGUE IN PITCHING AND DEFENSE, AS WE GAVE UP THE FEWEST AMOUNT OF RUNS OF ANY TEAM IN OUR 45 BRACKET.
THE 2014 PLAYOFFS STARTED OUT WITH US WINNING OUR FIRST PLAYOFF GAME WITH A SCORE OF 16 TO 3 BEHIND THE STRONG PITCHING OF LONG TIME MUSTANG ACE, KEN PROHONIAK. AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE SCORE, PLENTY OF HITTING WAS PROVIDED BY MANY PLAYERS, WITH DAN CASSIDY, SEAN COHAN, TERRY LONJIN, HARRISON TOY, AND RON BARCKHOFF ALL BANGING OUT MULTIPLE HITS THAT NIGHT.
IN THE SECOND ROUND, TERRY LONJIN PITCHED A 7-0 COMPLETE GAME SHUTOUT TO SEND US ON TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH-UP. ONCE AGAIN, WE HAD SOME TIMELY HITTING FROM MIKE MCCONNELL, JOE WALSH, NICK ARICO, STEVE MUNDAY, AND THE DEAN OF THE MUSTANGS, RICK BEIZER, AT HIS YOUNG AGE OF 73. ALL OF THEM GOT TWO HITS APIECE AND DROVE IN OUR RUNS.
ONCE WE GOT TO THE FIRST GAME OF THE BEST OF THREE CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND, TERRY LONJIN, AGAIN TOOK TO THE MOUND ON ONLY THREE DAYS REST. WE FOUGHT THE BATTLE, AND HAD THE LEAD UNTIL LATE IN THE GAME, WHEN A COSTLY OUTFIELD ERROR THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE FINAL OUT OF THE INNING ENDED UP ALLOWING OUR OPPONENT TO EMPTY THE BASES AND TIE THE GAME. WE CONTINUED TO FIGHT ON INTO EXTRA INNINGS WITH THE SCORE TIED, BUT FINALLY LOST IN THE BOTTOM OF THE 10TH, WITH A FINAL SCORE OF 6 TO 5. KEN PROHONIAK, TERRY LONJIN, AND MIKE LACOMB HAD KEY HITS TO DRIVE IN OUR RUNS.
IN OUR FINAL GAME, WE HAD TO START ON ONE NIGHT, AND FINISH ON ANOTHER DAY DUE TO RAIN. WE WERE LEADING 2 TO 1 THANKS TO SOME GREAT DEFENSE AND BASE RUNNING, AND A CLUTCH HIT BY LARRY THOMPSON WHEN THE RAIN HALTED PLAY. BUT, WHEN THE SUSPENDED GAME WAS FINISHED, WE ENDED UP LOSING 5-2 TO THE BANDITS, THUS BECOMING THE RUNNER UP. BUT, HEY, THIS IS BASEBALL AND THERE IS ALWAYS NEXT YEAR!