Game 2: Wednesday, September 5th @ 6:30 PM
Southside Tavern 6 - Kekambas 4

Kekambas came out firing. They scored three in the top of the first, with league batting champ Phil Sciretta driving in one and Pete Kelich's two. Sammy "Ballgame" MacDonald got two of them back for Southside Tavern in the bottom half with a long home run to right center. It looked like this might be a shootout. But both pitchers worked their way out of jams thereafter, with Kekambas scoring one on David Kurey's third inning homer (his seventh in five games) and Southside scoring two in the fourth, noe on a bases loaded walk by Gio Colon and the other on Kevin "K.O." O'Hara's single. That made the score 4 - 4. It stayed that way until the bottom of the sixth. With two outs and a runner on first, O'Hara singled. MacDonald singled to score the go-ahead and Miguel "Lenky" Dupree provided some insurance for himself with a single that made it 6 - 4, Southside. Kekambas put a man on in the seventh, but that was all. Southside Tavern wins, 6 - 4, knotting the series at one game each. Both teams left 10 on base, so the opportunities for more were there. Lenky had inning-ending strikeouts in the fourth, fifth and sixth, with six Ks overall.

It was umpire Mikey Lydon's 61st birthday and his gift was a very easy game to work insofar as M Street playoffs go. There were a few of your usual gripes about balls/strikes, but no other controversies. As far as game play itself, it was a bit sloppy. Both teams made five errors, but Southside Tavern benefited more from those by Kekambas than the other way around. Kekambas are usually a solid defensive squad, but two errors in the top of the first allowed Southside to eventually score four in the inning and the defending champs never trailed after that. After the greensleeves got two back in their half of the first, Southside had six consecutive singles to begin the second, four scoring, then a sac fly brought in a fifth, making it 9-2. Kekambas rallied a bit in the fifth, getting the deficit down to 10 - 6, but Southside plated another two in the top of the sixth. Pete Kelich homered to lead off the bottom of the seventh for Kekambas, but that was the last scoring. Southside wins, 12-7, and takes a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series. Doubleheader scheduled Monday to finish things one way or the other.

This one was over early, with little doubt left as to which team deserved the championship. The Kekambas had a nice run in their first year of “A” competition, and they’ll be back to compete strong again next season, but Southside Tavern spanked them tonight, 23 – 2, and took the series, 3 games to 1.

Mike Selig started the onslaught with a two-run homer in the bottom of the first. By the time his night was finished, he had crushed three home runs and driven in seven. He added another in the second inning, making it 8 – 1, then John Manning (4-for-4) added a round-tripper of his own, over the left field fence, that made the score 10 – 1.

The closest Kekambas got after that was 10 – 2 in the top of the third when David Kurey plated one via a single (Kurey had a swell playoff run – 7 HR in 8 games). After that, however, Southside put another seven across to make it 17 – 2. Pitcher Eric Mercedes was cruising and another six Southside runs in the bottom of the fourth just added insult to injury.

This was an odd series and the MVP decision is an odd one also. It’s split five ways because we couldn’t come to a clean decision between them: Miguel Dupree (6K and a win in a tight game one, 7-for-11 with power in the series); Mike Selig (monster game three, including 3 home runs, 7 RBI, and he drove in 4 of the first 8 runs, pretty much ripping their hearts out early); Eric Mercedes (2 wins, including a one-earned job in the clincher); Johnny Manning (went 10-for-11 in the series - made ONE out in three games) and Kevin O’Hara (more runs scored than anyone, on-base more times than anyone besides Manning, just solid both offensively and defensively, and hustle all the way.)

2018 "A" Champs - Southside Tavern

Southside Tavern wins series 3-1

The Kekambas beat Roza Lyons, 15-10, in the first game of the "A" semi-finals. The Greensleeves scored in every inning, collecting 25 hits. including two home runs from Will Kiriazidis and one from David Kurey. Jake Brawley drove in four on a couple of clutch singles. No Pete Kelich on the mound tonight for Kekambas, but Phil Scirreta limited the potent Roza Lyons bats enough to keep his teammates in the lead all the way.

After a dispute and lengthy back-and-forth email exchange, The Kekambas decide to forfeit game two. The series will resume with a doubleheader on Tuesday starting at 6pm [Senna].

David Kurey's two home runs and four RBI power Kekambas one step closer to the "A" division finals. Roza Lyons had a 5-1 lead early, but Kurey's three-run blast in the third gave Kekambas a 6-5 lead and his solo shot in the sixth added some insurance. Pete Kelich allows one hit over the final four innings to shut the door. Final, 7-5, Kekambas, for a 2-1 series lead.

Game 4: Tuesday, August 28th @ 7:30pm
Roza Lyons 13 - Kekambas 10

Roza Lyons is the team that refuses to die. They have now faced three elimination games in the playoffs overall and are still kicking. Connor Hayes's three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth provides the winning margin, 13-10. The deciding game goes at 6:45 on Thursday.

Game 5: Thursday, August 30th @ 6:45 pm
Kekambas 13 - Roza Lyons 1

Home runs by Andrew Moynihan, David Kurey and Will Kiriazidis powered Kekambas to a series-clinching victory, 13 - 1. Kurey's was his fifth in three games, while Kiriazidis's two-run shot in the fifth closed out a mercy. The only run against pitcher Pete Kelich came on a top of the fifth solo shot home run by "Toast" Malatos. Kekambas now move on to the championship round against Southside Tavern.

Kekambas win series 3-2

In an exciting back-and-forth game, the Loco Pirates tied the score at 8-8 in the top of the seventh. However, with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Danny Ekasala delivered a bases-loaded single to give Southside Tavern a 9-8 victory and a 1-0 lead in the best of five semi-final.

In a slow-moving game filled with way too much testosterone, the Pirates held a 9-7 lead after four complete, but Southside Tavern explodes for four home runs, and 16-9 lead, in the top of the fifth. The final was 20-10, giving Southside a 2-0 advantage in the series. The victory was overshadowed by the poor sportsmanship displayed by both teams.

The Pirates complain about the umpiring, don't get their way, then decide to take the low road by forfeiting the game/series. [Senna]

Southside SWEEPS series 3-0

Lincoln Tavern took out a very game Roza Lyons in game one of their series, 7 – 6. Roza had the power – home runs by Joe Eule, Derek Richards and Nick “Toast” Malatos provided most of the scoring – and it was knotted at six into Lincoln’s last call. The first seed got a walk-off double from Max Vigliotti, scoring Mike Kent, in the bottom of the seventh. Some truly fine defense by 3B Marshall Chick and SS Jake Yajgian saved Lincoln a few times.

Game 2 - Tuesday, August 14th @ 9:00 PM
Roza Lyons 12 - Lincoln Tavern 11

Lincoln Tavern leads, 9-6, into the bottom of the sixth, but Roza Lyons comes to life and scores six for a 12-9 lead. Lincoln's rally falls just short in the seventh and Roza takes the game, 12-11 and forces a deciding game three, on Monday @ 7:30.

Game 3 - Monday, August 20th @ 7:30 pm
Roza Lyons 17 - Lincoln Tavern 14

Roza Lyons shocked the softball world! A full house of M Street spectators saw the eight seed take down #1 Lincoln Tavern, 17-14, in extra innings. Lincoln held a 10-4 lead after three complete, and looked as though they were finally asserting some dominance, but Roza kept chipping away until they took the lead, at 13-12, in the top of the sixth. Lincoln responded by plating two runs in the bottom half to re-take the lead, 14-13, but the boys in the gold shirts were something special tonight. With two out in the top of the seventh, they rallied to tie the game, 14-14. Then in the bottom of the seventh, Lincoln put the lead runner on via a single, but emergency starter Rob Caggiano set down the next three to send it into extras.

"Toast" Malatos singled to lead off the eighth. A fielders choice and a walk brought coach Connor Hayes to the plate. He singled to load them with one out. Brendan Collins broke the tie with a single, 15-14. A fly out was followed by a two-run single by Chris Warren, 17-14, Roza! Lincoln was able to put two on, with two out, in the bottom of the eighth, but Caggiano got the final out on a line drive to left. Oh my!

Roza Lyons wins series 2-1

Dylan Britton’s three-run homer gave STATS a 5 – 4 lead in the third, but they failed to score thereafter. Kekambas got a home run from Will Kiriazides, and Will’s sac fly in the fourth tied it. Then R. J. Roman’s double scored Cam Armstrong with what would prove to be the winning run. Both pitchers put up zeroes in the fifth and sixth, and Kelich finished with a zero in the top of the seventh to end things.

Game 2 - Thursday, August 9th @ 6:00 PM
STATS 10 - Kekambas 9

With their season on the line, Tad Gold of STATS singles home Kevin Miller in the bottom of the seventh for a 10 - 9 victory. The series is tied at one each

Game 3 - Thursday, August 16th @ 7:30 PM
The Kekambas 11 - STATS Sluggers 7

The Kekambas did all of their scoring in one inning - the second, when they plated 11 runs. That was enough to take game three, 11 - 7, over the always-troublesome STATS Sluggers. Late home runs by Cody Hill and Robb Scott made it respectable, but Pete Kelich only allowed four earned and he was backed up by Will Kiriazidis (HR, 3 RBI), Phil Scirreta (HR), and R. J. Roman (3-for-3). Pete also drove in two to help his own cause. Kekambas move on to the semi-finals in their first year in the "A" division.

The Kekambas win series 2-1

Loco Pirates lead, 8 - 5, going into the bottom of the sixth, but the Pat Simpson Club scores six (the big blow being a grand slam by Brian Goodman) for an 11 - 8 lead. In the top of the seventh, the Pirates claw back to a tie via five walks and one hit, but Simpson Club takes it in the bottom of the seventh on a bases loaded walk-off single by Pat "Trigger" Triggs. Pat Simpson Club wins the game, 12 - 11, and leads the series, 1 - 0. Mercy!

Game 2 - Thursday, August 16th @ 9:00 PM
Simpson Club 2 - Pirates 9

The Leader, Charlie Connors, had two clutch hits, while Brian "Cheeks" Pacheco stranded 11 Pat Simpson Club baserunners, in a 9 -2 Loco Pirates victory. It was a tight 2 - 1 game, Simpson Club in the lead, heading into the bottom of the fifth. Mike Bulman had homered in the third, to knot the score at one, then drove in the second run in the top of the fifth via a single that scored Pat "Trigger" Triggs, but that was all Cheeks gave up. In the bottom of the the fifth, Connors singled, with two on and two out, to give the Pirates the lead, 3 - 2. Then, with the score at 6 - 2 in the bottom of the sixth, Connors tripled in two more and scored on an error, making it 9 - 2 and effectively ending it. The series is even at one game apiece, with the deciding game three scheduled for Tuesday at 8:35.

Game 3 - Tuesday, August 21st @ 8:35 PM
Pirates 6Simpson Club 1

Pat Pickup's two-run home run in the second inning gave Brian Pacheco all the run support he would need on this night. Cheeks allowed a lone Pat Simpson Club score in the sixth inning and that was all. It was championship-caliber form from the Pirate ace. Pirates win the game, 6-1, and advance to the semi-finals.

Pirates win series 2-1

Miguel "Lenky" Dupree was the story. Lenky did what Lenky does - he walked six, struck out six, and hit a three-run homer early that provided all the run support he would need. Southside Tavern wins, 14 - 2, over Berkshire Hathaway, for a 1 - 0 lead in the best of three.

Game 2 - Tuesday, August 14th @ 6:00 PM
Berkshire Hathaway 9 - Southside Tavern 4

Berkshire Hathaway scores five times in the second inning and never trails after that, taking a 9-4 win and forcing a winner take all game against Southside Tavern on Monday at 9pm.

Game 3 - Wednesday, August 22nd @ 930pm
Southside Tavern - Berkshire Hathaway

In boxing's heydays, a challenger would have to knock out the champion to win the fight. Well, Berkshire Hathaway had the defending champs on the ropes but couldn't land the final knockout blow. B-H held an 11-1 lead after the top of the fourth and Southside Tavern was a defeated team. The newcomers had knocked Miguel Dupree out of the box and there was little noise from their bench until Kevin "K.O." O'Hara changed that. He rallied his team by opening the bottom of the fourth with a double, then he never stopped talking. It worked. Southside came to life with three in the fourth, closing the gap to 11-4. Relief pitcher Eric Merces set down Berkshire 1-2-3 in the top of the fifth. Then Southside showed why they're the defending champs. Dupree led off the bottom of the fifth with a frozen rope of a home run to left. The ball never rose more than twelve feet and took the brown wall across East First on the line. Mike Selig fouled out, but then O'Hara walked and yapped his way around the bases, never giving the Berkshire boys a moment to think of anything other than possible doom. There were two outs, with O'Hara on, when the floodgates opened. Single. Walk, Error. Single. Error. Bases clearing triple by Sammy MacDonald. Dupree singles to score MacDonald and Southside's comeback was complete, 12-11. Selig singles to keep it going.

The lights then went out and play had to be halted. It was supposed to resume two days later on Wednesday, but rain. So now, we come back to the game at 9:30 on Friday, two on, two out, bottom of the fifth, Southside up by one.

The momentum wasn't broken by almost four days off. O'Hara stepped to the plate again and delivered a single to score Dupree. Patsy Dolbeare followed with a two-run hit. Finally, a third out was made. However, Southside had a 15-11 lead and Eric Merces was throwing gas. He retired Berkshire 1-2-3 again in the sixth. Then Southside scored seven more times in the bottom of the inning. They had now gone from trailing, 11-1, to a lead of 22-11. They had scored 21 runs since the last time Berkshire plated one. And that was all worth writing about. Berkshire gets a couple (unearned against Merces) in the seventh, but it was a knockout - or, if you want to call it a K.O, O'Hara won't mind.

Southside wins series 2-1