2022 Giants Sweep All-Stars to Capture Another 45+ Championship at Capital District (NY)
Capital District MSBL, 45+ Division
Giants 8, All-Stars 2 (Game two in best of three championship series sweep)
‘Giants Notch ‘Three-Peat’
(Slingerlands) – On a crisp Saturday Morning/Afternoon the Giants left no doubt who is the best team in the CDMSBL 45+ division. On the way to their third consecutive championship, the Giants beat All-Stars 13-0 in game one and 8-2 in game two! The Giants finished the season 20-2-1 and had a dominant playoff run going 6-0 and running their three-year record in the postseason to 18-0!
The Giants came out HOT in game one……..however, the tone was set early in the bottom of the first when All-Star leadoff hitter Frank Owens lined a single to center and was promptly thrown out attempting to steal second base, which effectively halted the All-Star running game. Then the Giants bats got to work.
Leadoff man Will Brouwer drew a walk, stole second base, advanced to third on one of Mick Novak’s five hits on the day, and was driven in when Joe DeMarco dumped an RBI single to right. DeMarco stole second and scored when Doug Reisinger lined a triple over the centerfielder’s head. Mike Harbour, who was a tremendous addition to the Giants squad, then singled in Reisinger.
The Giants’ first five hitters all scored in the first and the Giants were up 5-0 and turned things over to Paul Moore, who threw an absolute gem! The Giants were not done! Brouwer again led things off with a single and stole second base. Novak lined another single and DeMarco drove both in with a 2-run double. Reisinger then walked, Jim Hicks singled, and then Jim Shook crushed a 2-run double. The Giants finished the scoring when another rookie and tremendous addition, Jay Mavrides laced a 2-run double, and that about sealed game one.
Moore went on to throw a complete game shutout and the Giants used the mercy rule to win 13-0! Novak led the way going three for three while DeMarco, Reisinger, Hicks, Shook, and Mavrides all had 2 hits apiece.
On to game two, where the Giants rolled Paul Moore out to continue his dominance while the All-Stars called on Travis Rosencranse to pitch. Rosencranse was battling all day and was exceptional, however, the Giants used the same playbook that worked in game one. This time DeMarco singled, stole second base, and was driven in by Reisinger to jump out to a 1-0 lead. ‘Big Game’ James Shook got the second going with a walk, stole second base, and later came around to score on a 2-run single by Mick Novak, who was battling his own health issues! Shook was on fire all weekend totaling five hits, stealing four bases, and coming up big in every spot as the Giants cruised to an 8-2 victory behind another fine start from Paul Moore.
Moore went four and a third innings in game two, allowing two runs on the entire day which encompassed a game one shutout win and the victory in game two. Jimmy Johnson came in to quiet a potential rally in the fifth and threw a solid two and two-thirds innings allowing no runs on two hits as the Giants finished off a dominant season!
CONGRATS to Gene Hallenbeck and Hall of Famer Joe Burns for pulling off a double championship, as earlier in the week their Whiz won the 55+ title!
On a sad note, early last week the Giants found out that a genuinely wonderful man, Lalo Reyes passed away suddenly. Lalo was a dear friend, teammate, and one of the sweetest guys you will ever encounter…and man could he play the game! A number of Giants had the good fortune to call Lalo a teammate (in other age divisions) and some of us were fortunate to call him a friend also. We will all miss him and we send our thoughts and prayers to his wife and children.