Cinderella Orioles Win It All
The Insight Orioles borrowed a page from the storybook season of the 2008 World Champion Boston Celtics by marching all the way from last place to first in the SYBS Cal Ripken majors league playoffs.
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The saga began when the top-seeded Metropolitan Linen Cubs hosted the eighth-seeded Insight Orioles in a first round game at Robert J. Nutile Field. Orioles’ pitcher Rob Nadel hurled a gem, shutting out the powerful Cubs for the 8-0 win. The Orioles struck early on a single by Mike Marotta (2 hits) and an RBI double by Jack Cassidy (2 hits, 5 RBI’s). After singles by Ryan Fitzgerald and James Shattuck, Nadel was able to avoid further trouble by neatly fielding a hard grounder back to the mound. The Orioles scored more two runs in the second on stinging doubles by Alec Bejakian and Nadel, which were followed by Jack Ryan’s RBI single. Five more Orioles crossed the plate in the 3rd, on hits by Bobby Reardon, Kevin Irish, Marotta, Nolan Redler, and a towering grand slam by Cassidy. For the Cubs, Brendan Greene, Conor Delaney, and George Kassabji each had hits. But solid Oriole defense kept the Cubs from scoring. Orioles’ catcher Nolan Redler and first baseman Adam Reynolds paired up for two inning-ending pick-offs to preserve the shutout.
In the second round, the Orioles faced the fifth-seeded Michienzi Law Cardinals. Excellent defense and stellar pitching by Oriole Mike Marotta and Cardinal Brandon Walls kept the game scoreless until the 4th inning when the Orioles rallied. The Birds scored three when Kevin Irish singled and Marotta and Nolan Redler followed with RBI doubles. The Cardinals quickly answered with a run of their own on a single by Dan McGurl and a crushing RBI double by Walls. In the bottom of the 6th, the Cardinals rallied for another run on a single and heads-up base running by Zach Samson. But two solid fielding plays by Jack Cassidy ended the threat and advanced the Orioles into the championship round. The Orioles’ Alec Bejakian (double) and Cardinals Jake Kneebone, Mike Morris, Stephen Michienzi, and Nick Valdario each had hits in the game.
In the finals, the Orioles won a hard-fought, seven-inning dazzler under the lights at Nutile Field to beat the second-seeded Parkman Lodge Athletics 10-5 in a game that went back and forth. During the visitors’ first at bat, A’s pitcher Ben Johnston retired the first two Orioles. Nolan Redler then slapped a single, but the Birds were unable to capitalize. In the home first, Johnston wasted no time helping his own cause as he launched a towering two-run home run over the center field fence that scored Billy Christopher, who had doubled to right center.
The Orioles cut the gap in half during the third inning on a single by Mike Murphy (3 hits, 2 RBI’s), a double by Jack Ryan (triple, double, single), and an RBI groundout by Alec Bejakian. The A’s quickly responded to make it 4-1 on doubles by Johnston (3 hits, 3 RBI’s) and Jordan Darby and a walk to Billy Christopher (2 hits, 2 runs).
In the Orioles’ fourth, Mike Marotta cut the lead to 4-2 with an opposite field home run to left. The Orioles then seized the lead in the fifth when Trevor Hamilton was hit by a pitch and Rob Nadel (3 hits), Bobby Reardon (2 hits, 3 RBI’s), Adam Reynolds, Murphy, and Ryan followed with key hits.
After the A’s went quietly in the fifth, Johnston mowed the Orioles down in order in the top of the sixth. The crowd roared with excitement as the A’s grabbed their bats in the bottom of the sixth. Jordan Darby led off with a single and came around to score the tying run as Christopher, Johnston, and Marshall Pontrelli each followed suit. With the score knotted at 5-5 and facing a bases loaded, no-out jam, the Orioles’ right-handed reliever Trevor Hamilton dug deep for all he had and got the next batter to hit a soft liner to right. From his drawn-in position, right fielder Jack Ryan then made an incredible shoe-string catch and gunned the ball to home to hold the winning run at third base. The next two batters popped out to the infield, and the game moved to extra innings.
In the visitors’ seventh, the stars were aligned for the Orioles, as Jack Cassidy (starting pitcher, 7 Ks), Trevor Hamilton, Rob Nadel, Bobby Reardon, Mike Murphy, Jack Ryan and Jay Ryan each hit safely to generate 5 more runs and secure the championship.
Congratulations to both teams for a gutsy performance that was marked by commitment, competitiveness, and great sportsmanship.
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