2019 Holiday Classic: 54+ Wood Bat
Boston Wolfpack 14, Maine Diamond Dogs 4
‘Wolfpack Plays Two Divisions Simultaneously, Wins 54+ Division’
By Sterling Endicott
The Boston Wolfpack, playing in its 19th straight Holiday Classic, utilized 24 guys to play 12 games over four days, plus an extra inning that made 109 total innings. With the debut of the 54+ age division at the Holiday Classic, the Boston Wolfpack took on the challenge of competing in both the 45+ and 54+ division at the same time. This meant playing 18 innings on Friday, 27 innings on Saturday, 36 innings on Sunday and 27 (+1) innings on Monday.
Monday was the only scheduling overlap when the 45+ Championship game was at the same time as the 54+ Semi Final Game. With half a squad, no manager, and five more prior games played, the Wolfpack took the final to extra innings before succumbing in the 45+ final 6-5 in 10 innings to the Vituro Cardinals. They bounced back to win the 54+ Championship over the Maine Diamond Dogs in their twelfth game of the tournament.
“It was a lot of fun but I’m really sore,” said Eddie Fuller who along with David Oliver played over 90 innings in the field. Chris Arconti pitched two complete games over the weekend giving up one run in the semifinal victory over the Diamond Dream Mustangs.
Russ Ward had four hits in the game as the Pack, with only 10 guys that weren’t playing in the 45+ championship game, won 10-1. In the final, Jim Kearschner in relief scattered six hits through the final seven innings to earn the win in the Championship. The Wolfpack has now won the MSBL Holiday Classic 13 times in 19 tries reaching the final 17 times, twice in the same tournament.