2024 54+

Boston Wolfpack 8, Pittsburgh Platinums 2

By Sterling Endicott

The Boston Wolfpack won the 54+ 2024 MSBL Sunshine Classic. The Pack combined good pitching and defense to go undefeated under sunny skies in Panama City Beach, Florida.

Boston won their three pool round games with wins over the Tri-State Orioles, Atlanta 54’s, and the Atlanta Bullies.  Edgardo Mercado, Mike Smith, and Jim Kearschner did the work on the mound, while Dave Benedict, David Oliver, Ahmed Rodriguez, and German Rivera led the Wolfpack offense.

In the semi-final, Dan Kopitzke pitched a complete game in route to a victory over the Mustangs Baseball Club. The leadoff hitters Eddie Fuller, Jose Ponce, and Rodriguez had multiple hits and Oliver crushed an opposite-field, bases-clearing double that secured the victory.

In the final, it was a rematch of the 2023 championship game against the Pittsburgh Platinums.   Sam Steed took the bump in a tight game until Boston scored four runs in the fourth on seven straight hits including RBIs on a double by Efrain Nieves and singles by Benedict, Russ Ward, and Rivera. Pittsburgh responded in the seventh when Ken Robbins and Joe Williams crushed back-to-back doubles to plate two runs. But the Pack got four insurance runs in the top of the ninth on hits by Benedict, Oliver, Ward, and Rivera to secure the victory, 8-2.

Efrain Nieves was named tournament MVP, contributing several important hits while catching all five games on the exceptional all-turf field complex at the appropriately named, Sunshine Classic.