2025 Bombers Win Third Title in a Row and Fifth Overall in Capital District MSBL

Capital District MSBL, 18+ Division

Bombers 4, Ducks 3 (Game three in best-of-five championship series sweep)

Submitted by Rick DiJohn, Bomber’s manager

The Ducks went into the playoffs after a yet again strong regular season with a 17-2 record, while the Bombers finished 16-3. These matchups would prove how even the two top teams were, as all three games were one-score games.

Championship game 1 recap: Game one kicked off at Dutchmen Field, while all the other games were at A Diamond. The Game One starters were potential 2025 regular season MVP Pat McGuire versus the Ducks’ ace Ryan Nagengast. This game would feature great pitching and lights-out defense, including an up-the-middle diving stop and put out by Dan McGuire to keep the score the same late.

Pat McGuire would throw a complete game for the Bombers with 11 Ks, shutting down the potent Ducks lineup. The Bombers would hold on to win a close 2-1 game.

Championship game 2 recap: The Ducks, in a must-win game, would send long-time ace and 2025 Cy Young candidate Dan Jones to the hill, while the Bombers would send 2024 Cy Young winner Eric Agan to the mound, hoping to take a 2-0 series lead.

Things would start with a bang for the Bombers! In the bottom of the first, Will Gorman would blast a 2-run home run, deflating the Ducks team. The Ducks, however, were brought back to life after Steve Martino hit a line drive back to Eric Agan in the second inning, hitting his hand and knocking him out of the game.

The Bombers would need to gather themselves and show resilience. Nigel Gorman stepped up and would enter the game pitching, and after a shaky start in his first inning, he settled down and only allowed one more run the rest of the game.

The same could be said for Dan Jones, who settled in after his slow start in the first, to allow only one more run. Tied 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh, Kyle Macalonie would lead off the inning with a triple, and eventually Kyle Tedford would single in the game-winning run, just like he did with the game-five walk-off in 2024.

Championship game 3 recap: The Bombers would turn to pitcher Henry Flint to try to close out the series, while the Ducks would send pitcher Spencer Brown to pitch to keep them alive.

After an early Bombers 1-0 lead, the Ducks would take a 2-1 lead with hits by Anthony Mantova, Tony Poveda, and Cam Myers. The Ducks and Bombers both would play some small ball to grind out additional runs, as the Bombers back-to-back doubles by Dan McGuire and Nigel Gorman would give the Bombers a 4-2 lead in the fifth.

Henry would settle down until the fifth, where he gave up a few more hits. After the Ducks scraped out one more run, the Bombers would turn to excellent relief pitcher Matt Jung to close out the game and series. He did and earned the save, preserving the 4-3 win.

The Bombers would win their third championship in a row, and fifth overall, surpassing the Colonie Knights (4) and Titans (4), and tying the Mets (5). Pat McGuire earned playoff MVP with a 2-0 pitching record, only allowing three runs, two earned, in 14 innings, and finishing with 21 Ks. Pat also had seven hits and scored six runs.

Thanks to everyone for another great year!