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| Stu Clark of the Dorian Grays with the backhand stop at 3b |
The season-long trend in the league this year was the considerable parity between the teams, and that was certainly borne out in the final standings. The ageless Wonders™ clinched the regular season crown by one game over the Grays, the Plug Uglies were a half-game behind the Grays, and the Phils were just 6 percentage points - a whopping .06 - behind the Plugs.
That, my friends, is parity.
The Wonders went into the final week needing to avoid a loss, because a loss to the Phils combined with a Grays win over the Plugs would mean second place. Needing to avoid a loss, they got... a tie.
And the Plug Uglies, needing to avoid a loss to the Grays to stay above the Phil and out of last place, got... a tie! There is some kind of baseball symmetry at work in a deadlocked season when the two final games end deadlocked. Now everyone go out and kiss your sister.
And, yeah, some imaginary strawman could argue that since both of the games in the final week ended in a tie they were basically meaningless to the standings. You would be logically fortified telling any such strawman to go get a brain because in the context of the playoff rankings, those tie games meant ... everything.
Wednesday: Wonderboys 2, Phillies 2 (8 inn.)
The Phils and Wonders put on a clinic for great pitching and good D in their final regular season game. Chris Ciepela went the distance, allowing just 2 runs but she was matched stride for stride by the Phillies lethal tandem of Miracle Max Strubel and Kenny Sloat. Strubel went 5, allowing 2 runs, and Sloat pitched a scoreless 6th, 7th, and 8th."Superlative pitching effort by Chris C., who scattered 7 hits over 8 innings giving up two walks and one hit batter," said Larry Pietras, Wonderboys manager. "Combined superlative pitching efforts by both Max S. and Ken S., who combined to give up only 5 hits, three walks and 8 K's."
"A bunch of double plays, crafty pitching and 8 innings later, the Wonders and Phillies end the season with a 2-2 tie," said Strubel. "Quite a game!"
With the Wonders leading 2-1 in the 4th, Strubel walked with 2 outs. He then stole second and moved to 3rd on a wild pitch. Paul "Kappy" Kaplan knocked a single to tie the score at 2-2.
In the top of the 7th, the Wonders threatened with a runner on 2nd with 2 outs after a double by Scott Taylor. Pietras hit a screamer to left that seemed certain to fall and drive in the go-ahead run -- only it didn't, thanks to an outstanding catch by Phils left fielder Sal Gionfriddo.
Gionfriddo ran a long way, stretched and made a spectacular backhanded diving catch, and then held onto the ball as he somersaulted on the ground. Pietras said afterward that it was "arguably the best defensive play in the four year history of our league."
Kaplan wondered aloud if his left fielder is related to Al Gionfriddo, the Brooklyn bench player made famous for robbing the great Joe Dimaggio of a home run in game 6 of the '47 World Series.
Thursday: Dorian Grays 6, Plug Uglies 6
The Plugs broke out to a 2-0 early lead off Grays' starter Jay Sadowski. The Uglies starter, Brian "Benji" Benjamin had a wild and rocky, but ultimately scoreless three innings.
The Grays caught up to him in the 4th, scoring 4 times, including once when Benjamin was called for a balk with a runner on third.
The Plugs took the lead 6-4 with a few of those sun-aided plays that Herlihy Field is famous for. Benjamin and Bill Evans had key hits to drive in runs.
Benjamin left with a lead, giving way to Jon Adolph, the Plugs' tough southpaw, in the 5th.
The Grays loaded the bases with one out, and Doc Lamond ripped a single to drive in 2 to tie the score.
The Grays loaded the bases with one out, and Doc Lamond ripped a single to drive in 2 to tie the score.
The Uglies got a lead off batter on in the 7th, but any designs on scoring a walk-off win ended when Stu Clark snagged a liner and stepped on 1st for the unassisted double play.
Playoff Schedule
Semifinals
Wednesday, Aug 22:
Phillies (#4) @ Wonderboys (#1) McKenzie Field, Holyoke, 6 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 23:
Plug Uglies (#3) @ Dorian Grays (#2), McKenzie Field, Holyoke, 6 p.m.
Final game
Saturday, Aug. 25, 10:30 a.m. South Hadley High School
Note about the final game: the league booked three games under the lights at McKenzie sometime in June. It had been confirmed by Holyoke Rec. and there was no indication that this would be a problem. This past Monday, the league was notified by Holyoke Rec. that they needed to shut down the field to do major landscaping work on the turf before the start of the Elms College fall baseball season, which starts in mid-September.
That means we were out of luck for the final game.
This set off a mad scramble to find a suitable field with lights for a mid-week game. None were available as they are already being set up for football or soccer. This necessitated the Saturday game at South Hadley. I know some of you made other plans on Saturday the 25th, and I realize a 2 or 3 day turn-around between games is not ideal. This is what we were trying to avoid by booking fields in June.
That means we were out of luck for the final game.
This set off a mad scramble to find a suitable field with lights for a mid-week game. None were available as they are already being set up for football or soccer. This necessitated the Saturday game at South Hadley. I know some of you made other plans on Saturday the 25th, and I realize a 2 or 3 day turn-around between games is not ideal. This is what we were trying to avoid by booking fields in June.
Not to sound trite but, as the expression goes, it is what it is.
Game photos Week 15 Grays v Plugs
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