2016 Top Lumber Expos Claim 25+ Title in First Year in Delco (PA) MSBL
Delco (PA) 25+ Division
Top Lumber Expos 19, Glen Mill Rays 11
‘Total Team Effort Produces 19 Runs in Title Game’Contributed by Carlos Law, Top Lumber Expos
First year team Top Lumber Expos’ journey to the 25+ Delco MSBL League Championship started with Player/Manager Len Montano, owner of Top Lumber Wooden Bats Company, recruiting a quality competitive team. Len started with the core players from the Delco Tigers, who won the Delco MSBL Championship in 2013. Len enhanced his team by recruiting two more pitchers and improved depth offensively and defensively across the diamond. Finally, he asked longtime teammate and outfielder Carlos Law to assist with the coaching duties. Like every first year team we went on a roller coaster ride and ended the season in fourth place at 11 – 8. However, the Top Lumber Expos believed we had a solid foundation to make a run at a Championship.
In the Quarter-Finals the Top Lumber Expos beat the Morton Red Sox in two straight out of a best of three format. In Game one Barry Blundin pitched a complete game, which the Expos won 9 – 2. Pete Alex led the attack with three hits and two RBI along with Len Montano, Kevin Archer and Champ Sanchez with two hits and two RBI. In Game two Johnny Gonzalez pitched a complete game which the Expos won 8 – 4 and Champ Sanchez, Kevin Archer and Pete Alex each had two hits and two RBI.
In the Semi-Finals, the Top Lumber Expos faced the first place Clifton Orioles, who won all four head-to-head games in the regular season. In Game one Barry Blundin took the mound for seven innings and Johnny Gonzalez pitched the last two innings for a hard fought 8-6 victory that ended with two Clifton players stranded on the bases due to a tremendous catch by third baseman Vince Gallagher down the left field line. As for offense, lead-off hitter Anthony DiGregorio set the tone with three hits and two RBI followed by Vito Valerio with two hits and two RBI. Andrew DeGaetano and Mike
Kitzinger chipped in with two hits and an RBI. To complete the sweep Matt Wilcox pitched seven innings for the win and once again Johnny Gonzalez closed out the last two innings for the 11-7 victory. Offensively, Matt Nelson led the attack with three hits and two RBI supported by Larry Greenwich Jr. with two hits and two RBI. Vince Gallagher contributed two hits and an RBI.
The Championship showdown for the 25+ Delco MSBL Championship best of three series was between Top Lumber Expos and the Glen Mill Rays. In Game one Matt Wilcox pitched seven innings for the win while Johnny Gonzalez closed for the 10 – 7 victory for the Top Lumber Expos. Once again, Matt Nelson led the way with three hits and three RBI while slugger Len Montano kicked in two hits and three RBI and Mike Kitzinger contributed two hits and an RBI. In Game two the Glen Mill Rays bounced back with a 13-5 victory behind the complete game pitching of Dave Shell, who also stroked four hits and three RBI. Max Fortuna’s also had four hits and Jared Fassnacht’s three hits and two RBI helped pace the Rays.
The stage was set for Game three and the Top Lumber Expos responded in a big way with a 19-11 total Team effort to win the 25+ Delco MSBL League Championship. Again Matt Wilcox led us to victory on the mound while Kevin Archer’s monster five hits and four RBI, along with Vito Valerio’s four hits and three RBI’s and Larry Greenwich Jr. three hits and three RBI. Anthony DiGregorio and Champ Sanchez each with three hits while Larry Greenwich Sr., Andrew DeGaetano, Vince Gassbaro, Carlos Law, Greg Jabkowski and Phil Moses added a hit apiece for the Expos. Now Len Montano can savor the Championship and produce more quality and affordable wooden bats for his Top Lumber Company that continues to grow…