2014 Royals Sweep Braves in 45+ Finals in Capital District (NY)
Capital District (NY) 45+ Division
Albany Royals 13, Braves 5
Submitted by Brad Buchan, Royals manager
The Capital District MSBL Royals in Albany, NY captured the 45+ B Division Playoff Crown by sweeping thru three weekends of playoff rounds and the finals on a great baseball day for the Braves and Royals on Saturday September 27th at New Scotland Town Park. In game one, Jim Bonaparte and Jon Atwell went to the mound for their Braves and Royals. Both teams threatened in the first with pitchers getting out of jams. The Royals struck for eight in their second on singles by Koster, Atwell, Deblasiis, Hallenbeck, Hinman and Hulbert. The Braves answered with two in the third on singles by Trinchillo, Hogan and Gouglar, but Atwell was able to hold them for the rest of the way with the Royals adding four in the fourth on singles by Corrigan and Atwell and three in the sixth with a single by Finelli. Dave Reed relieved in the fifth to finish for the Braves with a final score of Royals 15, Braves 2.
In game two, the Royals sent Erik Samarija to the mound and the Braves went with Mark Dinicola. Both teams were held scoreless in the first by good pitching and defense. Royals pushed three runs across with Koster, Hinman and Atwell providing singles and a double by Corigan in the second with another run in the third on doubles by Fiacco and Riley while holding the Braves scoreless in the second. Braves put up a solid third inning plating four runs on singles by Trinchillo, Hogan, Dinicola, Bonaparte and McNab which tied the score at 4-4. The Royals started their fourth inning slow, but Koster singled and with two out and bases loaded, Buchan doubled to bring in three runs to open the gap, with another two runs scoring on a single by Fiacco. Samarija settled in to hold the Braves in the fourth, fifth and sixth. The Braves did bring in a fifth run in the seventh on singles by Dinicola and McGuire. The Royals scored four runs in the fifth on singles by Corrigan, Hinman and a double by Atwell. Final score Royals 13, Braves 5.
It was a good finish for the Royals at 13-3 for the regular season and 6-0 in the playoffs. The Braves finished the regular season at a very respectable 11-5.