B North Finals- 6/23/24
Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2024 1:23 am
Spring B North Championship Wire 2 Wire vs Purple Cobras
We started with nine teams and now we are down to the final two to decide a champion. The #1 seed Purple Cobras takes on the #2 Wire 2 Wire in what is sure to be a defensive battle as both teams allowed the fewest runs in the league. Let’s get into the action.
Game 1:
Wire 2 Wire got first at bats in the championship match and then came ready to play as they scored three runs in the top of the 1st on a two-run homer by Tom Signore followed by a Gene Walczak RBI single to go up 3-0 early. Wire 2 Wire would follow up their hitting with some great defense and held Purple Cobras scoreless in the first two innings. Wire 2 Wire could not add anymore on in the second as the score stood 3-0 Wire 2 Wire after two. Wire 2 Wire added three more runs in the top of the 3rd on RBI singles by Jacob McDevitt and Bill Capper as well as an RBI double by Signore to push their lead to six. Purple Cobras was able to get on the board in the bottom of the 3rd and get back in the game scoring four runs on an RBI double by Carman Brancato, a two-run homer by Dan Roman and an RBI single by Bill Brancato to make the score 6-4 Wire 2 Wire after three. In the fourth, Purple Cobras played a little defense of their own and shut down the Wire 2 Wire offense in the top of the 4th. Purple Cobras tied the game in the bottom of 4th after a two-run homer by CJ Brancato. Wire 2 Wire answered back in the top of the 5th scoring four runs on a grand slam by Derek Acker to regain the lead. In the bottom of the 5th Ty Allen cut the deficit to three runs for Purple Cobras after his RBI fielder’s choice as the score stood at 10-7 Wire 2 Wire after the fifth and time running out in game number one. Wire 2 Wire looking to extend their lead in the sixth pushed across another three runs on an RBI sac fly by Sean Butrica and RBI singles by Alex Metz and Matt Godfrey to go up six runs. The Purple Cobras knew they had to at least cut the lead in half if they wanted to have a chance to walk it off in the 7th. After a leadoff walk and a double, CJ Brancato delivered again and scored two on his RBI single. Tom Friedman would have his own RBI single to score CJ as Purple Cobras cut the lead in half 13-10 as we enter the final inning. Wire 2 Wire’s offense came through again in the top of the 7th as they added two insurance runs on an RBI fielder’s choice by McDevitt and an RBI single by Capper to give a five-run cushion with 3 outs to go. Purple Cobras needing six runs to win got the bottom of the 7th started with a single by Dan Roman. Unfortunately for them Wire 2 Wire’s defense shut them down after that as they were not able to push any runs across. Wire 2 Wire takes game one 15-10.
Game 2:
Wire 2 Wire looks to close this championship out in two games while Purple Cobras looks to even it up and force a winner take all game 3. Purple Cobras had first at bats in the top of the 1st this game and were looking to get the offense going early. Sadly, they replayed the way game one ended after a leadoff single by Dan Roman and went down in order scoring 0 runs. Wire 2 Wire would start off the same way as game 1 and scored four runs on an RBI single by Jacob McDevitt, RBI double by Tom Signore and an RBI sac fly by Ben Vitelli to give Wire 2 Wire a 4-0 lead after the 1st. Purple Cobras’ Mike Corrigan jumpstarted the offense in the top of the 2nd with his leadoff homer to get the Cobras on the board. In the bottom of the 2nd Brett Anker led off the inning with a leadoff single but was left stranded as Wire 2 Wire went down in order leaving us at 4-1 Wire 2 Wire after two. In the top of the 3rd Purple Cobras knew they had to get the offense going if they wanted to give themselves a chance to force a game 3 and the top of the order did just that. An RBI double by Dan Roman and a two-run RBI single by Steve Gardner gave life to Purple Cobras and tied the game at 4 apiece. The tie would not hold long as Wire 2 Wire pushed a run across in the bottom of the 3rd on an RBI fielder’s choice by Joe Dimezza. In the fourth, both teams came up big defensively and shut their opponent down quickly as the score remained 5-4 Wire 2 Wire heading into the 5th. In the top of the 5th, Purple Cobras still struggled at the plate and hit into a double play to end the inning after only three batters. Wire 2 Wire took advantage and increased their lead scoring three runs on RBI singles by Anker and Matt Godfrey and an RBI fielder’s choice by Matt Morgan to put Wire 2 Wire up 8-4 after five. In the top of the 6th Dan Roman stayed hot at the plate and hit a two- run homer to cut Wire 2 Wire’s lead to 8-6. In the bottom of the 6th, Wire 2 Wire would answer again and put up five runs on RBI singles by McDevitt and Anker and RBI doubles by Vitelli and Gene Walczak to give Wire 2 Wire another big lead heading into the 7th and three outs away from a championship. This brings us to the top of the 7th, Wire 2 Wire up 13-6 with Purple Cobras’ backs against the wall. Brandon Roman and CJ Brancato got the comeback started with leadoff singles. Andrew Coates hit an RBI single to cut the lead to 13-7 with 0 outs. Another single by Jordan Roman loaded the bases with Tom Friedman coming to the plate. Tom Friedman shoots the ball deep into the outfield and it’s over the outfielder’s head, one run scores, two runs score, three runs score and here comes Friedman and he will score, it’s a grand slam for Friedman. Purple Cobras only trails Wire 2 Wire by 2 runs and still no outs. Purple Cobras had all the momentum at this point, but Wire 2 Wire took a deep breath and got back to doing what they do best and that is defense. A flyout and two ground outs ended the comeback and secured a championship for Wire 2 Wire. Wire 2 Wire wins a close game 2 13-11 and the Spring Championship. Congrats Wire 2 Wire!
We started with nine teams and now we are down to the final two to decide a champion. The #1 seed Purple Cobras takes on the #2 Wire 2 Wire in what is sure to be a defensive battle as both teams allowed the fewest runs in the league. Let’s get into the action.
Game 1:
Wire 2 Wire got first at bats in the championship match and then came ready to play as they scored three runs in the top of the 1st on a two-run homer by Tom Signore followed by a Gene Walczak RBI single to go up 3-0 early. Wire 2 Wire would follow up their hitting with some great defense and held Purple Cobras scoreless in the first two innings. Wire 2 Wire could not add anymore on in the second as the score stood 3-0 Wire 2 Wire after two. Wire 2 Wire added three more runs in the top of the 3rd on RBI singles by Jacob McDevitt and Bill Capper as well as an RBI double by Signore to push their lead to six. Purple Cobras was able to get on the board in the bottom of the 3rd and get back in the game scoring four runs on an RBI double by Carman Brancato, a two-run homer by Dan Roman and an RBI single by Bill Brancato to make the score 6-4 Wire 2 Wire after three. In the fourth, Purple Cobras played a little defense of their own and shut down the Wire 2 Wire offense in the top of the 4th. Purple Cobras tied the game in the bottom of 4th after a two-run homer by CJ Brancato. Wire 2 Wire answered back in the top of the 5th scoring four runs on a grand slam by Derek Acker to regain the lead. In the bottom of the 5th Ty Allen cut the deficit to three runs for Purple Cobras after his RBI fielder’s choice as the score stood at 10-7 Wire 2 Wire after the fifth and time running out in game number one. Wire 2 Wire looking to extend their lead in the sixth pushed across another three runs on an RBI sac fly by Sean Butrica and RBI singles by Alex Metz and Matt Godfrey to go up six runs. The Purple Cobras knew they had to at least cut the lead in half if they wanted to have a chance to walk it off in the 7th. After a leadoff walk and a double, CJ Brancato delivered again and scored two on his RBI single. Tom Friedman would have his own RBI single to score CJ as Purple Cobras cut the lead in half 13-10 as we enter the final inning. Wire 2 Wire’s offense came through again in the top of the 7th as they added two insurance runs on an RBI fielder’s choice by McDevitt and an RBI single by Capper to give a five-run cushion with 3 outs to go. Purple Cobras needing six runs to win got the bottom of the 7th started with a single by Dan Roman. Unfortunately for them Wire 2 Wire’s defense shut them down after that as they were not able to push any runs across. Wire 2 Wire takes game one 15-10.
Game 2:
Wire 2 Wire looks to close this championship out in two games while Purple Cobras looks to even it up and force a winner take all game 3. Purple Cobras had first at bats in the top of the 1st this game and were looking to get the offense going early. Sadly, they replayed the way game one ended after a leadoff single by Dan Roman and went down in order scoring 0 runs. Wire 2 Wire would start off the same way as game 1 and scored four runs on an RBI single by Jacob McDevitt, RBI double by Tom Signore and an RBI sac fly by Ben Vitelli to give Wire 2 Wire a 4-0 lead after the 1st. Purple Cobras’ Mike Corrigan jumpstarted the offense in the top of the 2nd with his leadoff homer to get the Cobras on the board. In the bottom of the 2nd Brett Anker led off the inning with a leadoff single but was left stranded as Wire 2 Wire went down in order leaving us at 4-1 Wire 2 Wire after two. In the top of the 3rd Purple Cobras knew they had to get the offense going if they wanted to give themselves a chance to force a game 3 and the top of the order did just that. An RBI double by Dan Roman and a two-run RBI single by Steve Gardner gave life to Purple Cobras and tied the game at 4 apiece. The tie would not hold long as Wire 2 Wire pushed a run across in the bottom of the 3rd on an RBI fielder’s choice by Joe Dimezza. In the fourth, both teams came up big defensively and shut their opponent down quickly as the score remained 5-4 Wire 2 Wire heading into the 5th. In the top of the 5th, Purple Cobras still struggled at the plate and hit into a double play to end the inning after only three batters. Wire 2 Wire took advantage and increased their lead scoring three runs on RBI singles by Anker and Matt Godfrey and an RBI fielder’s choice by Matt Morgan to put Wire 2 Wire up 8-4 after five. In the top of the 6th Dan Roman stayed hot at the plate and hit a two- run homer to cut Wire 2 Wire’s lead to 8-6. In the bottom of the 6th, Wire 2 Wire would answer again and put up five runs on RBI singles by McDevitt and Anker and RBI doubles by Vitelli and Gene Walczak to give Wire 2 Wire another big lead heading into the 7th and three outs away from a championship. This brings us to the top of the 7th, Wire 2 Wire up 13-6 with Purple Cobras’ backs against the wall. Brandon Roman and CJ Brancato got the comeback started with leadoff singles. Andrew Coates hit an RBI single to cut the lead to 13-7 with 0 outs. Another single by Jordan Roman loaded the bases with Tom Friedman coming to the plate. Tom Friedman shoots the ball deep into the outfield and it’s over the outfielder’s head, one run scores, two runs score, three runs score and here comes Friedman and he will score, it’s a grand slam for Friedman. Purple Cobras only trails Wire 2 Wire by 2 runs and still no outs. Purple Cobras had all the momentum at this point, but Wire 2 Wire took a deep breath and got back to doing what they do best and that is defense. A flyout and two ground outs ended the comeback and secured a championship for Wire 2 Wire. Wire 2 Wire wins a close game 2 13-11 and the Spring Championship. Congrats Wire 2 Wire!