(Mt. St. Michaels, Bronx, NY) After heavy rain washed out the first day of action, the Midville Dodgers Senior team (18 and under) opened the AABC Regional Playoffs on Friday July 20th.
Midville Opens Playoffs With Some Noise, Rout Long Beach Giants 16-3.
Midville’s Michael McCann went 4 for 4 with two homeruns and 5 RBI and Dennis O’Grady went 3 for 5 with 2 runs scored as the Midville Dodgers opened the playoffs with a convincing win over Long Beach. Every Dodger player picked up at least one hit in the 17-hit onslaught.
Photo: Ian Leisenheimer, Midville Dodgers
Midville Tames NY Colts, 19-1
Ian Leisenheimer went 4 for 4 including 2 triples and double and 3 runs scored and Mike McMann continued his hot hitting going 3 for 4 with 3 runs scored as the Midville Dodgers won their second straight playoff game in convincing fashion with a 19-1 drubbing of the colts. The game was stopped in the 5th due to the mercy rule. Once again every Dodger player picked up at least one hit. Pat Sheehan, Dennis O’Grady, Anthony Carnacchio all went 3 for 4. Brendan Regan went 2 for 2 with two runs and 2 RBI.
Photo: Robert O'Neill, Midville Dodgers
Staten Island Rebels Stop Dodgers, 5-2.
After an explosive first day where the Midville scored 35 runs on 41 hits in two games the Dodgers could only manage 5 hits and 2 runs against the Staten Island Rebels and dropped their first playoff game in two years in a 5-2 loss. The Dodgers had won 9 straight post-season games since winning the NABF World Series last year in straight 7 wins.
Staten Island’s Alan Carey hurled a masterpiece in stopping Midville. The Rebels broke through with 3 runs in the 6th inning to put the game on ice. The Dodgers loaded the bases in the last inning with none out but only managed to plate one of the runners.
The Dodgers moved into the loser’s bracket in the double elimination playoff format so there is no room for error.
Photo: Brendan Regan, Midville Dodgers
Midville Stops South Shore 17-8 to Advance
With their backs to the wall after a loss to Staten Island, the Midville nine exploded for 17 runs en route to victory over the South Shore Rebels. Ian Leisenheimer smacked two triples and a double with 3 runs scored and Greg Conway belted 2 doubles and a singe with 3 runs scored to lead the offense. Jared Macchirole reached base all four times with a triple, single and walk and reached on an error by the shortstop. John McManus also picked up 2 hits with a double and single and 2 RBI. Mike McCann continued his hot hitting picking up 5 RBI with a single and a triple a walk and a sacrifice fly.
Roger Pfeffer and Tom Matera, both Holy Cross pitchers shared the mound duties.
MV Dodgers Advance to Finals. O’Grady blanks Bronx Condors, 8-0.
Before the game Midville shortstop. pitcher Dennis O’Grady said that he could give coach Anthony Macchirole 60 pitches in the semi-final round of the AABC regionals. O’Grady, the gritty team leader, did just that. He threw 59 pitches of which 37 were strikes, allowed only 2 hits, no runs while fanning 2. The Midville offense did the rest scoring 8 runs on 7 hits. Anthony Carnacchio singled and tripled scored 2 runs and drove in 2 more and O’Grady helped hi own cause with a run scoring triple in the first. Mike McCann continues to be valuable in the 6th batting order position reaching base all three time and scoring 2 runs on a double, walk a reaching base on an error.
Photo: Pat Sheehan, Midville Dodgers
Justin Leisenheimer’s Blast Sends Midville to East Regional Finals
Midville slugger Justin Leisenheimer cracked a solo home run in the top of the 7th inning to break a 6-6 tie as the Dodgers captured the Westchester AABC championship with a 7-6 victory. The win avenged the loss to the Rebels the previous day.
Midville’s pitching ranks were depleted due to several injuries to Dodger hurlers. As a result Midville elected to try to pitch by committee. Rob O’Neill, who is always ready willing and able, started for the Dodgers. He hurled 5 innings on Friday allowing only 1 run.
The Dodgers scored in the first inning on a double by Pat Sheehan and a two base throwing error by the Staten Island right fielder. But the Rebels answered in their half of the first on a leadoff walk, a single to right pushed the runner to 3rd but Dodger right fielder Brendan Regan threw out the runner trying to stretch his hit into a double. After a sac fly scored the runner from 3rd O’Neill worked out the inning. The Dodgers went ahead I nthe 3rd on a leadoff walk to Sheehan, a single by Dennis O’Grady and a sacrifice fly by Justin Leisenheimer.
Photo: Justin Leisenheimer, Midville Dodgers
But the Rebels answered back with two runs in the 3rd off Mike McCann In relief of O’Neill. In the top of the 4th, Midville took the lead. With one out Mike McCann walked on 4 straight pitches. Mike McCann singled to right on a 3-2 pitch with McCann scampering to 3rd base. Anthony Carnacchio smacked a tripe to tie the score. He scored on a clutch 2-out single by John McManus.
But once again the Rebels answered back pushing across a run in the 4th.
Midville went ahead yet again scoring a pair of runs in the 5th on a one-out triple by Ian Leisenheimer and singles by Greg Conway and Rob McCann.
Pat Sheehan relieved McCann in the 5th and hurled a scoreless inning before running into trouble in the 6th. He walked the leadoff batter followed by a single to right. A single to right and the Dodger rightfielder bobbled the ball allowing a run to score and allowing the batter to more from 1st to 3rd. After a hits batsman the Rebels looked like they might have a big inning. But catcher John McManus threw out the Staten Island runner trying to steal second. But a fielder’s choice plated the tying run with a 6-6 tie.
In the top of the 7th the Midville magic reappeared. On a 1-0 pitch Justin Leisenheimer cracked a 450-foot drive over the right field fence. Mike McCann tripled with two out but Anthony Carnacchio lined out to short.
The Rebels put up a minor threat in the bottom of the 7th. After a single with one out Dodger hurler Pat Sheehan fanned the next Rebel and induced a grounder to 2nd baseman Dennis O’Grady who assisted on the final out giving the Midville nine the Westchester crown.
Midville will now advance to the Eastern regionals in Troy, New York with games against 9 other opponents from the Eastern United States.
