2024 Glen Mills Rays Claim Fifth Title in Past Six Years in Delco-Chester County MSBL
Delaware-Chester County MSBL
Glen Mills Rays 12, Aston Mauraders 11 (Game three of best-of-three championship series)
Submitted by Michael Coleman, Rays manager
This Rays season was a very emotional season for us because we unexpectedly lost our founder and leader in the off season. Don Pizzo was our manager for about 10 years and was also commissioner of our league for several seasons. He passed due to Lung Cancer shortly before the season started. None of us even knew he was sick. I took the team over in an effort to keep all of our guys together, many of us who have been playing together for at least six or seven seasons. (Don Pizzo shown below with 2022 league champion trophy)
I inherited a winning tradition. Under Don’s leadership we had won four of the last five championships. We were all surprised and thrilled when the Delaware County MSBL presented us with the newly minted “Don Pizzo Memorial Championship Trophy”. This was a really nice touch from Juice and the rest of the Delco MSBL officers.
The regular season went pretty smoothly for us. We lost our first game to the Aston Mauraders but went on to go 17-2. Both losses came against the Mauraders, where we went 2-2 for the season series. We had a 143 Run Differential, 93 runs ahead of the next best team. Offensive statistical leaders for the team were my brother right fielder Kevin Coleman (.440 / .500 / .1.060), shortstop Anthony Monzo (.411 / .460 / .925), and myself (.367 / .507 / .1.120).
For the staff, we truly have two aces in Carson Rebel, who led us with (32.1 IP, 3-1 record, 1.732 ERA, 1.206 WHIP), and John Millison (31 IP, 3-0, 1 SV, 1.581 ERA, 1.129 WHIP). Bill Marriot chipped in with 21.1 IP as a 2-way player, and newcomer Andrew Moldower came in as the #1 arm out of the bullpen, shining with a .114 BAA & .947 WHIP.
As for the playoffs, we had a first-round bye. In the second round we swept the Orioles. The Championship was a hard-fought battle against the two best teams as well as mother nature. It took us three weeks and three weather delays to get the series in.
In Game 1 the Rays got out to a lead with an RBI triple from Kevin Coleman before the rain came down and delayed us for a day. We tried to come back the following day and gave up a few base runners in the top of the seventh before being delayed for about an hour. The Mauraders officially took the lead in the top of the seventh after a Dwight Picket double and Ivan Sciupac single.
We were then delayed again before we had a chance to come back in the bottom of the seventh. Two weeks later we finally got the bottom of the seventh and game one completed. The Rays threatened with a leadoff single by Pat McCaffrey, an RBI single from Anthony Monzo, another single by Mike Coleman, but ultimately fell short and the game finished 5-4, Mauraders.
Game 2 was all Rays. Chip Sherer and Adam Beyers collected three hits and five RBI each and John Millison was dominant and went all six innings, giving up two earned runs and seven Ks enroute to a 16-2 victory. Dom Nardini & Kevin Coleman also had 2two hits each. It was crucial that John Millison went all six innings as we were without key pitching depth after the series was rescheduled.
Deciding Game 3 was a back-and-forth slugfest. Bill Marriot took the ball for the Rays who were without ace Carson Rebel & closer Andrew Moldower for the rescheduled series. The Rays got out to an early 1-0 lead after getting the first two batters on and a SAC fly from Mike Coleman. The Mauraders tied it up in the second on a Matt Shaw RBI single, but took the lead in the top of the third with a -RBI double from Matt Broadbent and a Bill Langdon RBI single.
Their lead was extended to 5-1 in the fourth with an unearned run. The Rays fought back in the bottom of the fourth with a leadoff home run from Mike Coleman, and 2-RBI singles from Chip Sherer and Dom Nardini. 5-4 Mauraders after four.
Frank LeGrady hit a 2-RBI double in the top of the fifth for the Mauraders, ending Bill Marriot’s day. Mike Bonagura came in, induced a groundout that scored Bill Langdon, extending the lead to 9-4. In the bottom of the fifth, Max Fortuna led off with a HBP, stolen base and scored on an RBI single from Anthony Monzo. After a single from Randy Milia, Kevin Coleman doubled to right scoring two runs, closing the gap to 9-7, Mauraders.
Three quick strikeouts from Bonagura highlighted the top of the sixth. Chip Scherer led off the bottom of the sixth for the Rays with a triple and scored on an Adam Beyers ground out. Max Fortuna tied the game with an RBI single before the key kit came from leadoff hitter Bruce Williams, lacing a 2-RBI single to center after being hitless previously in the series.
Randy Milia extended the lead after Mike Coleman was intentionally walked, scoring Bruce Williams. That made the score 12-9 going in to the top of seventh. A single, a strikeout, and a walk started the inning before a double from Will Fantroy cut the Rays lead to 12-11. Matt Shaw was then hit by a pitch, then Bonagura shut the door with two dominant strikeouts, blowing fastballs by Mauraders hitters to secure the championship.
Key championship series contributors:
Chip Scherer – 5-7, 6 RBI, 3B, 2B
Kevin Coleman – 5-9, 3 RBI, 3B, 2B
Adam Beyers – 4-8, 8 RBI, 2B
Randy Milia – 4-9, 2b
Anthony Monzo – 4-10
John Millison – 10 IP, 3ER, 10K
Mike Bonagura – 2.2 IP, 2 ER, 5K, SV