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The RBRL Summer Rockets won the first outright MSBRL title in RBRL history with an epic run out of the losers bracket.
The team was forced to win six straight games in 6 days after losing the opener of the double elimination tournament in 9 innings to Lexington and Graham Seed..
They accomplished this by beating older teams (20U league) from Woburn, Medford, Cambridge (#1 seed), Lexington and twice versus the Malden Marlins.
The Summer Rockets featured players returning to HS next year. Their opponents rosters included graduated players and some with freshman/sophomores in college and many of the teams have players from 2 or more towns essentially AAU teams .
The pitching of Connor Duggan, Tim Sahagian, Pat Harrigan, and Chris Shin led the way as they accounted for 42 of the 50 pitched innings.
Cole Tully had 15 RBI and hit .500 in the tournament.

Regulars: Dan Weston, Cole Tully, Tim Sahagian, Logan Nowicki, Timmy Ryan, Matt Koury, Alex Dean, Steven Webb, Nick Marshall, Connor Duggan, Cullen McCadden, Charlie Presho, Pat Harrigan, Chris Shin

Alternates: Brian Marshall, Andrew Croteau, Nate Heithaus, Mike DiPietro, Anthony Picano, Billy Beneke

Coaches: Dave Clivio, Kevin McCadden, Pat Barbera

Contributors: Brian Nowicki, Dan Webb, Greg Sahagian, Patrice Kwet

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Mariners vs. Marlins Game Three World Series 6-14-19, at Symonds Field

READING- The 2019 RBRL World Series was decided on Friday evening at the Symonds Field venue with the Marlins being crowned the new champions by a score of 7-2 over the Mariners.
This is the first Marlins title since 2007 when the defeated the same opponent on the same field.
The Marlins championship video could have two different titles; “Promise Fulfilled” or “Redemption: The Josh Blumenshine Story”.
The elite Marlin draft class of 2017 were just a few outs away from the title as 13’s and after last year’s disappointing quick playoff exit they came back in 2019 to fulfill their promise and the expectations of many.
For Coach Blumenshine it was his redemption after seeing titles slip away from his teams in the final inning of championship games both as a Little League and Babe Ruth Manager.
These setbacks never escape the minds of even the most well-balanced coaches who have their lives in proper perspective as often the memories can haunt you for a lifetime.
Blumenshine has been known to recall specifics of those late heartbreakers in uncanny detail, some of those times just talking to himself in a corner.
The two opponents in the final game were both built with large draft classes of “8” two years ago. Both classes flourished in their final season though the Marlins were down to 5 and the Mariners down to 6 of the original draft class.
But in the end it may have been the 2018 Marlin draft class that put them over the top as the 1-2 pitching rotation of Ryan Miller and Ryan Mulvey pitched in 17 of the 21 defensive innings and were their most effective in the decisive game three.
The series was most likely decided in the first inning of game three.
The Mariners had a chance to put multiple runs on the board out of the gate when Michael Fabiano led off with a walk and Ben Costa singled to right center field.
With one out Ben McGilvray singled to load the bases bringing up Matt Gerardi.
Gerardi’s hard grounder to first base was fielded cleanly by Mulvey who threw home for the force out.
The next batter Colin Williamson grounded to Zac Arnold at shortstop who hesitated long enough that he had to sprint to the second base bag to force out McGilvray on a very close call.
The Marlins used the momentum of their first inning escape to jump on the Mariners for three runs.
In the end the three runs were all the Marlins would need to secure the victory.
Arnold walked to start things off and the Brenden Walsh doubled to deep left field to score the run.
Nick Zannino singled and stole second base.
Then on the throwback to the pitcher Walsh came home on a delayed steal.
Zannino scored after the next batter Mike DiPietro lined out to the infield but on an attempt to double Zannino up at third base the throw was got by third baseman.
The Mariners cut into the lead in the top of the second effort on an infield error and some more Marlin’s “keystone cops” base running defense that brought Matt Jones home (who had walked).
Eric Pettorossi was thrown out at the plate during the same crazy sequence which tempered the damage.
In the fourth inning the Marlins scored three more runs to essentially put away the championship.
Arnold singled to start the inning and then Walsh singled, but Arnold was thrown out at home on an aggressive dash to the plate.
Zannino walked and then stole second base after Walsh had advanced to third base.
That set the stage for series MVP Mike DiPietro singled in two runs with a line drive single to left field.
As was the case during the entire playoff season, DiPietro could not be contained on the bases and moved his way around to score on two steals and a wild pitch.
The Mariners dented Mulvey for an unearned run in the fifth after an infield error and a Gerardi bomb to dead center for an RBI double.
From there it was all Mulvey and the defense with the Miller/Arnold middle infield duo making all the plays and Tyler Nohl making a nice catch on the left field foul line.
The workhorse Mulvey retired the last 8 batters of the game and only allowed two baserunners in his 4 innings of work.
The Marlins had their championship and if you listened closely you could hear “ease his pain” emanating from the woods deep in the outfield.

MARINERS (2)- Fabiano 1-0, Costa 2-1, Vedder 2-0, McGilvray 2-1, Gerardi 2-1, Wlliamson 2-0, Jones 1-0, Pettorossi 2-0, DeCourcey 2-0, Nowicki 2-0, D’Ambrosio 2-0, Diranian 2-0, Reid 2-0, Angelou 1-0.Totals 25-3

Pitching:

McGilvray 5 IP 6 ER 5 H 6 K 4 BB
Gerardi 1 IP 1 K
Vedder 1 IP 1 ER 1 H 2 K 3 BB

MARLINS (7) – Arnold 2-2, Walsh 2-2, Zannino 2-1, DiPietro 2-1, Mulvey 1-0, Miller 3-0, Branson 3-0, Bailey 2-0, Nohl 1-0, Whitmer 1-0, Champlin-Scharff 2-0, Du 2-0.Totals 23-6

Pitching:

Miller 3 IP 0 ER 2 H 1 K 2 BB
Mulvey 4 IP 0 ER 1 H 1 K

MARINERS 010 001 0 -2
MARLINS 300 301 x -7

Doubles: Walsh, Gerardi

WP- Miller
LP- McGilvray

GAME NOTES:

The Marlins 2007 team was one of the most dominant teams in RBRL history who won both WS games in slaughter rule like fashion. Included were future varsity players Steve Ratacik, Ryan Carter and Chris Welch as well as all time RMHS Football point scorer Tino Perrina (350 pts, that is 58 TD’s and he was hurt half his senior season).

After losing their talented 15 year old class the Marlins re-upped when they won the Scott Tully sweepstakes the next year and also drafted Drew Zaccardi in the second round. They ended up being the number 1-2 pitchers on the RMHS varsity in 2012. They were back in the Series by 2009 but lost to the Royals (in the first of their back to back titles). The series is famous for having Scott Tully being held out for a possible game three by his coach (father) for a game that never happened.

The next year in 2010 the team was taken over by Joe D’Alessio followed by Jack Malley and then John Gill.

And this tidbit for Coach Costa: The Manager of the first Marlins championship team was one our umpires Peter Marfione

The Mariner 2007 WS appearance was a Cinderella story as they got the AL championship after finishing last in the regular season. They were right back in the Series in 2008 where they lost a classic to the Phillies in 3 games. They were led in both years by future RMHS baseball captain Tom Crowley.

The Mariners have had a line of our most colorful and prominent names starting with John Halsey in 2003, Tom Crowley, Jay Burke, Pat Barbera, Peter Lenox, Gary D’Entremont and longtime Summer Rocket coach Dave Clivio was an assistant there.

Marlins vs. Mariners Game Two World Series 6-12-19, at Morton Field

READING- Game Two of the 2019 RBRL World Series was played on Wednesday evening and with the Marlins 11-7 victory they forced a deciding game with the Mariners on Friday.
For the sixth consecutive year the RBRL Championship series will go to a third game.
The last team to sweep was the 2013 White Sox in their series versus the Padres (this was also the last WS completed at Symonds Field).
As seems to be pattern of the last several years the middle game of the Series was not pretty and the game film will not be sent to Cooperstown for the historical archives, in fact Abner Doubleday probably did a couple of turns in his grave last night.
The Marlins broke open a 2-2 game in the third inning benefitting from 6 walks and a clutch two-out two RBI single from Ryan Miller to take a 8-2 lead.
In the middle innings Josh Blumenshine tried to steal a couple of innings with thirteen year old Marcus Champlin-Scharff (a strike machine) and save innings for one of his aces (Ryan Mulvey).
“MCS” proved effective at letting his fielders make the plays and not giving the Mariners any gifts, as Coach Blanchard likes to say it is “one against nine”.
The Mariners were stirring a bit in the fifth with Ben McGilvray doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly from Matt Gerardi and then Michael Fabiano (2 hits) singled.
But the RBRL World Series is where heroes are made, and on this night it was fourteen year old Jordan Whitmer filling that role.
The Mariners Matt Jones hit a short fly down the left field line and Whitmer broke on the ball hard and with full extension dove and made the catch to prevent another run from scoring.
In the top of the sixth and holding a 9-4 lead the Marlins tacked on two more runs sparked by Series MVP candidate Mike DiPietro who doubled to start the inning.
If DiPietro was “flying under the radar’ for the past three years those days are over as the swift centerfielder has been dominant in every aspect of the game fielding, throwing, running and hitting.
No hit up the middle of the diamond has been safe harbor with DiPietro in the outfield as he threw out his fourth runner at first base from centerfield during the playoffs in the second inning to limit a Mariner rally.
Miller’s sacrifice fly brought home DiPietro and later in the inning Ryan Branson scored on a wild pitch after singling.
Miller’s hitting (2 H, 3 RBI) along with several nice plays at shortstop and two effective pitched outings is making a run at MVP himself.
As noted by another coach at the press table “not so fast on the DiPietro for MVP talk”
The Mariners not be slighted in the accolades department never gave up despite the 11-4 deficit and put on a late charge in the sixth.
The three run rally was aided by walks and by out smarting the Marlins on the bases once again (as they did in Game one), and suddenly the lead was down to four runs with a runner on base.
The Marlins were then forced to burn an inning from Mulvey to get out of the jam.
Mulvey’s appearance calmed down the Mariner excitement and they went down easily in the seventh after a Colin Williamson lead-off single.
Game Three sets up to be a classic and hopefully we will see both teams best baseball which we have not seen yet.
The Marlins appear to have an edge in the pitching with both of their top two pitchers having innings left, Miller (3) and Mulvey (5).
Whereas Chris Costa went all-in with his best Jon Vedder in game one and he only has two innings left.
The game might very likely come down to coaching strategy between bitter rivals Costa and Blumenshine.

MARLINS (11) – Arnold 2-1, Walsh 2-0, Zannino 3-1, Du 2-0, DiPietro 1-1, Mulvey 2-0, Miller 2-2, Branson 2-1, Bova 3-1, Bailey 3-0, Nohl 1-0, Whitmer 2-0, Champlin-Scharff 2-1.Totals 28-8

Pitching:

Miller 3 IP 3 R 3 H 1 K
Champlin-Scharff 2 IP 1 R 2H
Du 1IP 3 R 3 BB
Mulvey 2 IP 2H 1 K

MARINERS (7)- Williamson 3-1, Costa 3-0, Vedder 3-0, McGilvray 3-2, Gerardi 1-0, Fabiano 2-2, Jones 2-0, Peterossi 2-0, DeCourcey 1-0, Nowicki 1-1, D’Ambrosio 1-0, Diranian 2-0, Reid 2-1, Angelou 2-0.Totals 28-7

Pitching:

McGilvray 3 IP 5 R 3 H 3 K 5 BB
Gerardi 1 IP 3 R 1 H 1 K 3 BB
Williamson 3 IP 3 R 4 H 3 K

MARLINS 026 102 0 -11
MARINERS 021 013 0 -7

Doubles: DiPietro, McGilvray

WP- Miller
LP- McGilvray

1.Mariners (10-3-1)- The only team to achieve double-digit wins which is unusual where we may have a few in most years. The team did not put out their top lineup in the end otherwise they may have had only one loss. The team was built by picking in the top 3 for three straight years (the last two years draft positions were assigned just to save my mental health). How many speeding tickets do you think Costa has talked his way out of? Pitching and overall depth is what could get them to the World Series.

2.Phillies (9-3-1) – Tom has had a nice couple of drafts to offset a small 15-year-old class of just two (but good) players. Pitching and defense a key component of their success, this always seems to be the Phillies’ formula even with Jack gone (or is he?).

3.Angels (9-4-2) – They finished strong winning their last four games and only giving up 12 runs. They have most of the arms returning that pitched in last year’s World Series. A coaching advantage cannot be underestimated, Roy has been here 8 years with as much playoff success as anyone.

4.Marlins (7-6-1) – Disappointing let me count the ways. They have the roster to do it but just didn’t finish off a lot of close games. All six of their losses were by one run and they had tie. They need to learn small ball or be more cunning or the pre-season favorite will go home very disappointed.

5.Astros (7-7) – Betting on Chuck’s teams are always a crap shoot. He drafts for size so the team always looks good walking into the stadium. He did have a big injury loss and never had his whole team present. Would be nice to see Jackie in the World Series!

6.Padres (8-6) – Jonathan finds a way to win I can’t deny that, his Babe Ruth record is pretty strong and even lost his top pick from last year. The Shin factor helps, the kid is a difference maker and a leader. Jon is piecing together enough pitching to win games and coaching his brains out.

7.Pirates (7-7) – In the third year of the Picano-era the planning (?) finally won out as the team is a 6+ wins over last year with 3 less games played. He and Gorski, and maybe Costa, would be battling for COTY, pending playoff results. For the past two years I have pleaded with Joe to win some games to no avail. Now this week he needed 2 straight wins to force two Sunday makeups that no one wanted to play but him, and I was kind of rooting against him and guess what he wins both and the makeup.

8. Cubs (6-7-1) I still like the roster and maybe the team best positioned to come from the back of the pack to the World Series. The Ronayne injury killed them no denying that.

9.Royals (5-9)/Athletics (4-9) – Neither team performed to their pre-season ranking, each had a key loss of a 15-year-old that was planned to be a big factor. Matching up in the first round seems to be appropriate.

11. White Sox (2-13) – This one we could see coming but they made a lot of fans with how they played and competed. I was recently berated by last year’s manager Pat Barbera for letting Vieira be taken in the expansion draft. Yeah, we should have figured out a better way there.

AL Champ: Astros over the Mariners
NL Champ: Marlins over the Phillies

World Series: I am going with the two teams with the best rosters assuming they will have 100% attendance which they probably didn’t get too often. Plus Marlins lost all of their games by a single run that’s how close to undefeated they were (a stretch). I see this matchup as a battle of whose 15’s perform better. With Belezos hurt I see the Marlins taking the series in 3 games.

All Star Day Itinerary

Posted by Jeff Pierce at May 23, 2019 9:05AM PDT ( 0 Comments )
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Hello All:
I am letting you all know about the All Star Day activities for Reading Babe Ruth this Saturday (which looks the great weather day that we deserve).

9:00 * 13/14 All Star Game * 4 IN , AL Coach Roy Sletterink , NL Coach Josh Blumenshine
Participants have been notified, MVP awarded

10:00 (approx.) Graduate All Star Semi-Final * 4 IN Gualtieri vs Robinson
Wood Bats, Players notified

11:00 (approx.) Graduate All Star Semi-Final 4 IN Costa vs Picano
Wood Bats, Players notified

12:30 (approx.) Skills open to all RBRL players: Baserunning, Golden Arm OF Throw, Fastest pitch
Prizes awarded

1:30 (approx.) Home Run Derby (by invite only) sponsored by Reading Orthodontics
Prize awarded

2:30 (approx.) * Graduate Bat Ceremony* (15 year olds)

3:00 (approx.) Graduate All Star Final 4 IN
Wood Bats, MVP awarded

This is a more aggressive time line then we usually run but we are hoping that everything stays within a reasonable time from when it is scheduled.

Concessions stand, 50/50 raffle, music and PA

Please try to join us for the best day of baseball in town every year!

-Jeff Pierce, President
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