2023 Gloucester Phillies Outslug Montgomery Yankees for South Jersey 55+ Division Championship

South Jersey MSBL, 55+ Division

Gloucester County Phillies 19, Montgomery Yankees 15

Sunday, August 20, 2023 – The #3 seed Gloucester County Phillies, led by manager Wayne Baker, took on the #1 seed Montgomery Yankees, led by manager Mark Greenspan. The Yankees were the heavy favorites to win the game as they had players on their roster who had played together for years, whereas the Phillies were in the middle of a rebuilding season with a lot of new players on the roster. This was a winner-take-all for the 55+ Division Championship.

In a game that lasted well over four hours, the Yankees led most of the way as the Phillies hit into some bad luck and the Yankees made some great fielding plays. But in the end, the Phillies came back and shocked the Yankees by winning the game 19-15 to become the South Jersey Men’s 55+ Division Champs.

After two innings, the Yankees led 6-3. Each team scored one run in the third inning and in the fourth inning, the Yankees tacked on two more runs, making it 9-4, Yankees. It didn’t look good for the Phillies but things would change soon.

In the fifth inning, the Phillies scored a run to make the score 9-5 after five. The sixth inning saw the Phillies score one run but the Yankees scored four so at the end of six innings the Yankees led 13-6. The Phillies scored one run in the seventh inning to close the gap to 13- 7.

Things were soon to change for the Phillies, who seemed to be in a fog most of the game. Something clicked and in the top of the eighth inning, the Phillies scored nine runs, which seemed to shock the Yankees. But the Yankees answered with two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, making it 16-13 Phillies after eight.

In the top of the ninth, the Phillies scored three insurance runs and as it turned out, they needed them, making the score 19-15. In the bottom of the ninth, the Yankees almost took back the game. Phillies pitcher Gabe Mastrangelo got the first two outs then had some control issues, as he walked a batter and hit the next two batters.

Now the Yankees had the bases loaded and two outs and catcher Paul Gassman was summoned to pitch and hopefully end the game because I couldn’t bring back Mark Crecelius to pitch after using him twice. Gassman got the Yankee’s Bobby Creedon to hit the ball right back to him and Paul threw him out at first base to end the game and give Gloucester County the upset Championship win!  Manager Wayne Baker also picked up career win #328 as a manager after 31 years.

Phillies

WP- Gabe Mastrangelo

Save- Paul Gassman

Doubles- Paul Gassman, Jim Nottingham, Bruce D’Agostino

Mike Fanelli went 5-5 and 3 rbi’s

Miles Reader 3-4 3 rbi’s

Tom Kinney 3-3

Todd Smick 3-4 4 rbi’s

Yankees

Tony D’Aulerio 3 rbi’s

John Clark 4 rbi’s

Mark Greenspan Doubled, walked twice, and scored 3 runs

Joe Lynn HBP 3 times.