2016 A’s Defeat Defending Champion Mets to Claim Rochester Championship

By Men's Senior Baseball League | April 10, 2016

Rochester MSBL

Rochester A’s 5, Rochester Mets 3

Bottom row L – R): Kyle Demers, Dave Merrill, Chad Hendy, Ryan Mapes. Back Row L- R: Rob Kraus, Eddie Lee, Bobby Phalen, Ed Urbanik, Mike O’Connor, Ken Urbanik. 

‘A’s Knock-Off Defending Champion Mets to Re-Claim Title’

Submitted by Vernon VanSkiver, Rochester MSBL League President

In a rematch of last year’s championship game, the A’s defeated the Mets, 5-3, to regain the title in the Rochester MSBL. As it should be in a championship game, there were many exciting moments throughout.

Vernon VanSkiver led off the game for the Mets with a single, advanced to third on a bunt single by Sandor Bors, and scored on a fielder’s choice by Mark Faulkner. Rich Kolmetz, Mickey Hyde and Loyd Denniston all singled as Kolmetz scored on Denniston’s hit to stake the Mets to a 2-0 lead after the top of the first. In the second inning Mike O’Connor singled, moved to second on a fielder’s choice and scored on a throwing error on Rob Kraus’ grounder, making it 2-1, Mets, after two innings. The A’s tied the game in the third as leadoff batter Ed Urbanik walked and later scored on Ryan Mapes’ sacrifice fly.

Kolmetz doubled and Hyde singled in the top of the sixth, but base running mistakes cost the Mets and they failed to score any runs. Bobby Phalen singled with two outs in the bottom of the sixth and scored on Eddie Lee’s single as he was stealing on the pitch, giving the A’s the lead 3-2. The Met’s Ralph Koons led off the seventh with a single, went to third on a double by VanSkiver, and scored on a single by Faulkner to knot the score at 3-3. The A’s pitcher, Chad Hendy, shut down the Mets the rest of the way.

In the bottom of the eighth with the score tied at three apiece, Ken Urbanik hit a double just inside the first base line and scored on a Ryan Mapes single. Mets pitcher Mark Faulkner hit the next two batters to load the bases and Dave Merrill hit a sac fly to plate Mapes with the final run, making it 5-3, A’s.

Mark Faulkner of the Mets and Chad Hendy of the A’s both pitched well and both were able to throw complete games. The game was very exciting and it was a pleasure to be in such a competitive game. Congratulations to the A’s for knocking off the 2-time defending champion Mets and to the A’s Manager/Pitcher Chad Hendy for winning the game MVP award.

Thank you to all the managers and players in the league for their participation this on another successful season.

Posted in League Champions