B North Championship
The upstart Birdgang team has had a meteoric rise through the Sunday softball divisions after a monster outing at the first men’s one pitch. Could they use that momentum to steal a title from the Spring Champion Wire 2 Wire? Let's find out?
Game 1: Wire2Wire v Birdgang
The Wire2Wire team got in front early in game 1 and never looked back. Greg Guarino doubled and scored in the 1st inning, Jason Falcone doubled and scored in the 2nd, 7 singles plated four runs in the 3rd, and in the 5th four more runs would cross by way of a handful of singles and a monster two RBI double from Geno to blow the game open. The Birdgang battled back in the 3rd inning as they plated 3 runs via a James McLaughlin double. They would follow that up with 4 runs in the 5th inning on doubles from McLaughlin and Shawn Collins, and cap their scoring on the day Joey Pittman launched a solo homer in the 7th. Game 1 to the champs 11-9.
Game 2: Birdgang v Wire 2 Wire
The men in Green got the party started early as they scored one in the first on a Jason McLaughlin double and two in the 2nd on singles. Wire 2 Wire showed their championship mettle in the 3rd as they would knot the score with singles and a Jacob McDevitt two-bagger. The Birdgang would once again take the lead in the 4th as brawny Shawny Collins doubles in a run. Plot twist… another lead change in the 5th as W2W smacked home 3 more runs highlighted by back to back doubles from Greg Guarino and the mighty McDevitt. Birdgang showing great resilience would tie the game once again in the 6th as Joey Pittmann played hero and cranked a homer. In the 7th a dramatic error would cost Wire2Wire as Birdgang would push a run across and play solid D to lock up a win.
Game 3: Wire 2 Wire v Birdgang
The Birdgang came out swangin” in this one as they plate 4 in the first on doubles from Anthony Gilberto, Jason Mclaughlin and James Mclaughlin. The W2W squad would cut into that lead in the 2nd as Geno cranked a triple and funny man Tom Segura smacked a double. The 4th inning is when the green birds onslaught began. They would hammer home 3 runs in the 4th on a Joey Pittmann homer and singles, 6 runs in the 5th highlighted by a James Mclaughlin homer and a triple from Mark Rothenberger, a run in the 6th on singles and 3 runs in the 3 runs in the 7th on walks and sac flies. Wire to Wire being the champions that they are would battle back in the 5th inning with a triple from Segura and a double from Matt H plating two runs. They would also plate two in the 6th on singles and walks. Unfortunately for the Spring Champs that would be all they could muster in this one.
CONGRATS TO THE NEW KINGS OF THE NORTH, who left ASAP, The BIRDGANG!
A look ahead:
In a strange turn of events due to football season and many other issues the B North Division will be a 5 horse race in the fall.
Wire2Wire will look to compete for their 3rd championship on the year with a veteran roster who is hungry to recapture the title of King of the North.
Dark Horse returns after an injury plagued Spring to make a run for the title as well. A perennial contender with an incredible offense, the horses will be a better favorite in Vegas for the B North title.
The pesky Bulldog team looks to recapture some of their past glory as winners of B North. With the mantra “we don’t rebuild we reload” they will look to hammer the yellow ball all over the yard this fall.
The One Hit Wonders are one of the great enigmas of sunday softball as they have had many seasons as a number 1 seed and a few as a “what the heck happened” team. All signs point to another run for the title for the Stepnowski lead studs.
The Ball Busters join the party as a relative unknown. Can this wildcard become the best in the North? I am excited to find out!