June 4, 2012
ML Playoff Game 1
Baker Printing 5
Moppert Brothers 4
The ML
playoffs opened Monday night with one of the best played games this entire
season! The game featured spectacular defensive plays, fantastic pitching,
aggressive base running, timely hitting, a rain delay, a ton of excitement along
with another come from behind "walk off" victory for first place Baker Printing.
Ryan Duplicki and Danny Maguire both started on the mound for their teams.
Duplicki held Moppert hitless for 2 innings while striking out 4 batters.
Maguire did the same through 2 innings yielding just 1 hit and stranding a few
Baker runners. In the top of the 3rd, Mike Matteo and Chris Rosini hit singles
off Duplicki. Jimmy Bauwens then delivered a 1 out single to score Rosini and
Matteo to give Moppert a 2-0 lead. Baker responded in the bottom of the 3rd.
Brendan Schramm crushed a sure line drive double to left center when short stop
Chris "J Roll" Rosini stretched out and caught the ball going toward center
field in what may have been the defensive play of the season! It looked like it
wasn't going to be Baker's night as Ryan Duplicki stepped up with 2 outs and
nobody on. He drilled a double to left and then Baker got its 1st break of the
night when Justin Ross hit a line drive to right field that got past the right
fielder and went to the fence. Duplicki scored and Justin used his speed and
long strides to beat out a close relay play at the plate to tie the score at
2-2.
After a scoreless 4th inning, the rain started and the game was delayed for 30
minutes. Brendan Schramm relieved Duplicki on the mound. He struck out the 1st
batter and struck out leadoff hitter Chris Rosini when he chased a curve ball.
However, the ball scooted away from catcher Brian Virbitsky and Rosini was safe
at 1B thanks to the new drop 3rd strike rule. Danny Maguire delivered a single
to left field. Jimmy Bauwens then high a foul ball pop up near short right field
that Ryan Duplicki managed to catch with an over the shoulder grab. Rosini
aggressively tagged up and headed for 3rd. The ball came back in and scooted away
from 3rd base allowing Rosini to score and Maguire to alertly move up to 3B. A
single by Evan Fooks brought home Maguire for a 4-2 lead.
Baker came back in the bottom of the 5th to tie the game thanks to back to back
RBI singles by Zak Summy and Jeffrey Lunger. Brendan Schramm struck out the 1st
two batters in the 6th and Jeffery Lunger snared a sharply hit line drive by
Mike Matteo to leave Michael Hussey stranded at 1B. Chris Rosini took the hill
in the bottom of the 6th to try to keep the game tied. He struck out the 1st
batter but Luke Lombardi and Brian Virbitsky both reached base. Brendan Schramm
then drilled another rocket line drive that was caught with a great defensive
play by Jimmy Bauwens at 2B who nearly turned a double play on Lombardi who
alertly scampered back to 2B. That set the stage for Ryan Duplicki to be the
hero as he stepped up and delivered a walk off single to right field scoring
Lombardi with the winning run.
Duplicki and Schramm combined to strike out 13 Moppert batters while not
allowing a single walk. Danny Maguire pitched a fantastic game as well holding
the Baker offense to just 5 hits in 5 innings. Maguire made 3 nice plays at the
mound that helped keep Baker from scoring.
Pitch Counts:
Baker
Duplicki – 62
Schramm – 34
Moppert
Maguire – 88
Rosini – 10
Umpires: Holland & Holland