2021 Bears Cop Classic Division Championship with Ninth Inning Double-Play in Greater Philadelphia

Greater Philadelphia MABL, Classic Division

Bears 7, Colts 6

‘Nifty 5-2-3 Double-Play Seals the Deal in the Ninth’

Submitted by Brett Mandel, Bears manager

While the skies were cloudy and threatening for the Greater Philadelphia MABL Classic Division Championship Game, the Bears got out of a bases-loaded threat in the ninth to claim the 2021 title.

Hector Rodriguez for the Bears and Jason Bonder for the Colts were both dominant early on the mound, but the Bears broke through for three runs in the third with big hits by Tom Starrett and Nick Weisheipl.  The Colts fought back and took the lead thanks to some Chuck Lovell small-ball and a big double by Suresh Swaminathan, before the Bears tied things up leading into the late innings.

Terry Rooney came on in relief for the Bears and Ian Downes took the ball for the Colts and it looked like rain might come before the game could be decided, but a two-out rally in the eighth gave the Bears a two-run lead after Russel Kessinger singled and Jason Pendergast doubled in a run and then scored on a Patrick Logan single.

In the ninth, the Colts loaded the bases and pushed across a run before Ken Racowski came to the plate with one out.  He hit a hard ground ball to third that turned into a 5-2-3 double play to earn the Bears a 7-6 win and the GPMABL Classic Chalice!  

Our team celebrated their second championship in three years as the storms held off and the beer showers rained on the victorious Bears!