Author: Men's Senior Baseball League

Puget Sound Senior Baseball League, 55+ Adirondack Division

Osprey 16, Mavericks 5

‘Undefeated Season Dedicated to Richard Harris and Bruce Morrison’

Submitted by Carl Gleason, Adirondack Division Commissioner 

The Osprey of the Adirondack Division capped off an undefeated regular season by grabbing the 55 and over rec title with a 16-5 playoff win over the Mavericks.  Eric Johnson and Ed Anderson were the hitting stars going 4 for 5 and 4 for 4 respectively.  Mike Lindberg added two hits and two RBI while pitching a complete game for the win.  He gave up a single earned run while scattering 10 hits over nine innings.  Lindberg finished the season with a stellar 13-0 record on the mound.

The core of the Osprey has been together for several years.  The team excelled on offense throughout the 2019 campaign and their defense was key.  The Osprey had several games in which they turned five or more double plays.  The combined regular season and playoff record for the squad was an amazing 21-0.

One of the Osprey, Richard Harris, passed away a few weeks before the season started.  GM Bruce Morrison missed the season recovering from an illness as Ed Anderson stepped up to run the team, which dedicated the season to Harris and Morrison.

Of note for the runner-up Mavericks, their regular season batting leader was Tom Layson, who finished the year with a gawdy .607 average while posting an OPS of 1.466.

Atlanta MABL, Saturday League

Expos 13, Clowns 0

‘Concevitch and Bartlett Seal the Deal on the Bump’

Submitted by Kenny Asaro, Expos manager

The Expos put an exciting end to their Cinderella story by winning the Spring Saturday League championship in the Atlanta MABL.  Only two years removed from being the worst team in the league, the Expos swept the former 5-time Champion Clowns in the best of three series.  The Expos, who took the hardest road to the championship as a wildcard team, defeated the reigning league champions Reds in a tough fought 4-2 victory in the semifinals.

The Expos came into the championship series as heavy underdogs and without one of their ace starters and cleanup hitters JD Shields, who was out due to injury.  Game one was a close game until the Expos broke out to a 6-0 lead in the fifth inning and then added another seven runs in the top of the seventh to take a commanding 14-0 lead.  The win was a combination of patience at the plate, heads up base running, and a spectacular pitching performance by Ian Concevitch, where he pitched a complete game shutout, striking out 10 and scattering only four hits.

In the second game of the double header, designated hitter Spencer Iacovone, led off the scoring in the bottom of the second with a 2-run homer to left centerfield giving the Expos an early 2-0 lead.  A ravaged Clowns pitching staff was shorthanded after using four arms in game one, including their scheduled game two starter.  The Expos took game two and the series sweep with a 13-0 victory.  We were again led by a spectacular pitching performance by long time work horse David Bartlett, who also threw a complete game shutout while racking up six K’s and giving up only three hits.

Games one and two starters, Ian Concevitch and David Bartlett, were named co-MVPs.  Combined they threw two complete game shutouts while racking up 16 K’s while only surrendering seven hits.

DCMSBL, 50+ Division

Potomac River Bandits 14, DC Nationals 3

Bottom L-R: Michael McGlaughlin, Dave Treherne, Rick Weissenstein, Patrick Ferry, Steve Jaekle, Garland Cooper. Top L-R: Scott Engle, Pete Cressy, Jim Villa, Luke Thayer, Matt Mohay, Dave Thune, Jake O’Neill, Tim Sullivan, Frank Cappello, Jay Dennis, Ray Auble. Not pictured: Glenn Gulyas

‘Jaekle Shines on the Bump and at the Plate’

Submitted by Tim Sullivan

For the fifth straight season, the Potomac River Bandits won the DCMSBL 50+ tournament championship.  In a rematch of last year’s 14 inning championship game, the Bandits were able to score early and often to take an insurmountable lead over the DC Nationals in route to a 14-3 victory.  Steve Jaekle threw a complete game, giving up three runs, two earned, while striking out seven.  Jaekle also had three hits and two RBI in the game to pace the offense.  Mike McGlaughlin scored three runs, while Pete Cressy and Dave Thune chipped in with two hits and two RBI each in the victory.

The Bandits jumped out to an early 5–0 lead off Nationals ace Terry Lonjin, then exploded for nine runs against a series of relievers over the next two innings to build the insurmountable lead.  Ron Barckhoff, Dan Cassidy and Lonjin started a rally in the fifth but Jaekle was able to hold the Nationals to just two runs.

“This was the toughest season thus far for the Bandits,” said Coach Frank Cappello.  “The talent in this league is always improving and there were at least three teams who could have ended up champions this day instead of us.”

“Jaekle was amazing today.  This Nationals team beat us twice in the regular season so that makes his performance today even more impressive.”

Chicago North MSBL, 24+ American

Chicago Rippers 5, Chicago Aces 0

‘Two Hit Shutout by Committee Seals 2019 Championship’

The 2019 season was the Chicago Rippers fifth year of operation under the leadership of Jake Mills and Mike Martin and finished the 2019 season with the best record in five years, 32-7-1. In CNMSBL play they finished with a 27-5 record and went 7-1 in postseason play. They defeated the Chicago Aces 3-1 in a best of five Championship series. This would be the third time in three years they have faced off the with the Aces in the Postseason. In 2017 they beat the Aces in their first year in the CNMSBL, 3-1 games again in a best of five match up. In 2018 the Aces swept the Rippers in the Semifinals 2-0 games to advance to the Championship to face the Chicago Finest.

In Game one of the Championship they gave the ball to Nick Mazzone. Nick was their workhorse this season finishing with a team best seven wins and 84 strikeouts in 56 innings pitched. Nick threw a complete game with 13 K’s, five hits and one walk. Offensively, Andrew Brauer went 2-3 with a double, a walk and three RBI.

In Game two the Rippers dropped the contest 11-2 and were dominated by one of the league’s best all-around players Justin Stawychny. Justin walked off versus them in the semi’s last year with a 2-run home run in the bottom of the seventh to send the Aces to the championship series.

Game three saw the Rippers bounce back with a 3-2 win with Nick Mazzone again with a complete, eight strikeout, two walk, four hit night. Nolan Bennett’s pinch hit RBI single in the bottom of the sixth tied the game at two. Karl Lundholm had a walk-off fielder’s choice in the bottom of the seventh.

Game four saw the Rippers win the League title with a 5-0 victory, as four pitchers teamed up for the 2-hit shutout. Phillip Andersen, the Ripper’s ace pitcher, took the ball in game four to exit the game after 1.1 innings pitched due to soreness in the throwing elbow.  They then turned the ball over to a well-rested Steve Lewis, who went 3.2 innings giving up one hit with four strikeouts and one walk. Karl Lundholm pitched a clean sixth Inning and Josh Kwasnzy got the final three outs to win the league title. The Aces Randy Dunnett went 2-2 for the only two hits of the game.

The Ripper’s key team leaders in 2019 were rookie Greg Ludwig, who finished with a .377 BA, 17 RBI, and a team high five home runs. Benji Rodriguez logged a team high 23 RBI, 29 hits, two homers and 22 runs scored.

Next up for the Rippers is teaming up with Nassau Pirates in Arizona for the 2019 MSBL World Series in the 25 Mountain Division.

Puget Sound Senior Baseball League, 19+ Adams Division

Mets 10, Saints 2

‘Smith Dominant on the Bump in Championship Series’

Submitted by Tom Evans Krause, PSSBL League president

The Adams Division Mets under the guidance of manager Kyle Smith enjoyed a truly dominant year, going 21-1-2, scoring more runs and allowing less than any other team. They faced the only team that had beaten them in 2019, the Saints (14-10 in the regular season) in a best of three championship series to finish off the year.

The Mets took Game one of the series 7-0 behind a dominant outing from Devin Smith, who threw a complete game shutout, striking out 12, throwing 128 pitches.

After rain washed away the scheduled doubleheader finale, the Saints came back to take Game two by a 7-4 margin, jumping out early with one run in the first and three in the third, and their own pitcher spinning a complete game to even the series.

Due to the rain, the Game one starters were able to come back on three day’s rest. The Met’s Sean Gilman, the losing pitcher of game two, hit a 3-run homer in the first inning to give the Mets a lead they would not relinquish. Devin Smith pitched another complete game, throwing 147 pitches and scattering nine hits while striking out 13 to give the Mets a 10-2 victory and the Adams Division title.

Jersey Shore MSBL, Midweek Division

Pig’s Heaven 7, Galloway Cards 3

The Pigs Heaven team became the ‘Three-Peat’ champions in the Midweek Division of the Jersey Shore MSBL.  Below is the summary of the championship series with the Galloway Cards:

Game 1: Galloway Cards won 10-6, coming from behind while being six runs down.
WP Mark DeBlasio.

Game 2:  Pigs win 7-1.
WP Gregorio Ortega

Game 3: Pigs 7-3 win
WP Steve Rivera

Fresno MSBL, Pat Monreal 18+ National Division

Siana 2, Pirates 0

‘Pena Notches Shutout for Championship Victory’

Submitted by Kenny Reyes

After a tough matchup win the week before against the number one seed in the division, Tribe, Siana’s Coach, Kenny Reyes, was asked throughout the week before the championship weekend, “what does the lineup look like?” by his players and teammates. “The same as every week,” he responded. The team with fifteen on the roster, twelve eligible to play in the playoffs and where 90% of the games just had the necessary nine to play, would keep the same lineup. The same lineup, the same positions that started out 2-5 in the beginning of the season. The same lineup, the same positions that won ten straight to lead them to the number two seed with a 13-6 record in their respective division. The same mentality, the same grit, the same toughness, the same players that over the season became a family that would pick each other up on the field no matter how grim things looked. The lineup would stay the same, no time for second guessing. This team had greatly improved from the year prior, with just three additions to the team, the confidence was there to take it all this year. Siana had lost the 2018 divisional playoff game to the same Tribe team Siana overcame this year, on a gut-wrenching walk-off lost in the bottom of the 9^th. Siana was ready, was determined to take the next step and win the Championship.

Siana felt good going into the championship game, even though during interleague play, Siana had lost to a good Pirates team, 8-4. Both teams would be putting everything they had, putting their best chances to win the first game on the mound and in the box. With a better record, Siana was home for the first game and placing their ace Felipe Reyes, Jr. on the mound, who throughout the year did exceptionally well and with one of the best defenses behind him, Siana knew they had a good chance of taking game one. With nerves and excitement flying in the air, the butterflies were ridden once the umpire yelled “PLAY BALL!”

In the first inning the Pirates jumped out to an early lead scoring three runs. After gaining his composure, Siana’s pitcher got out of a bases loaded jam that inning. Siana struck back scoring three runs themselves in the bottom of first with four base hits. After the rough first inning, Siana’s pitcher shook off the three-run first and went for a strong 4 1/3^rd. Keeping to the game plan, Siana’s manager handed the ball over to Felipe’s’ younger brother Oscar Reyes to finish the race and going the remainder 5 2/3rds and just giving up 2 runs. Siana finally broke the game open scoring three runs in the bottom of the 4th and adding four more runs in the bottom of the 5th. Siana would go on to win the first game 10-5 and one game closer to winning the championship.

At the start of the second game Siana felt as if they had taken the momentum but knew they could not lay off the pedal versus this Pirates team. Siana, as visitors for the second game, were up versus the game one closer for the Pirates. Siana was hoping to use this to their advantage, and strike early, but that was not the case. The Pirates pitcher continually got himself out of jams and Siana’s starting pitcher, Lyle Peña, was pitching a brilliant game through sixth as well.

By the top of the 6th the game was flying by but still 0-0. As the top of the sixth opened up, the eleventh hitter, veteran hitter and self-proclaimed “Mr. Clutch”, Godfrey Reyes, started the inning off with a single. Next up was Siana’s catcher and leadoff hitter, Josh “The Italian Stallion” Conigliaro, who smacks a double to right-center field, moving the runner to 3^rd. Next up, Matthew Miranda, came through with an RBI single scoring the game’s first run. But that would be it for the inning as the Pirates pitcher got himself out of that jam once again.

With a 1-0 lead in the top of the 7^th, the game was still up for grabs, however, Siana’s sixth hitter and center fielder, Leroy Travis Jr., ledoff the inning with a double and with the help of the eight spot, Pablo Garcia, singled Leroy in and added on an insurance run making the game 2-0. As every out was being recorded, Siana’s hopes of becoming Champions were creeping up. With every out the shouts and hoorays of the family and friends that showed up to support Siana’s players were getting louder and louder. 22, 23, 24 outs recorded, just praise and assurance that Siana’s pitcher, Lyle, was ok after getting a hamstring injury in the first game. With no healthy players on the bench anymore, after two other Siana players getting injuries in the game earlier, Lyle was still good to go for the ninth.

25, 26 outs recorded. Silence on the field with one out to go…*smack*…. groundball hit to the 2^nd basemen… step and throw to first…. game over. Siana stormed the mound, jumping for joy, the fans going wild. The celebration had begun. As Siana walked over to shake hands with the Pirates, nothing but respect and love was shown between the two teams, hugs and congratulations were given. These two teams had a mutual respect for each other, symbolizing the values of the league and the game. Siana thanks the league and Fresno league president, Bob Schiotis, for the work they do to keep this league going and Siana will be ready to defend their title in the 2020 season.