2009

MOHAWK VALLEY “WOOD BAT” LEAGUE (MVL)
MEN’S ADULT BASEBALL LEAGUE (MABL) 

The 2009 MVL - MABL Championship game was held at Delutis Field in Rome Sunday Aug 23^rd.
The contest ended up being two season rivals  with everything to play for….
“Utica vs Rome",“New Kids on the Block” vs “The Old Veteran Team”, “Young Guys” vs “Old Guys”,
… Bragging Rights!!!!  [Heat Avg. player age 21 …. Bombers Avg. player age 32]  

This season, the 2^nd year team Utica Heat finished as Division Winners in the MVL’s regular
season with an overall regular season record of 14 wins 3 losses, beating the veteran
Rome Bombers once in an early season exhibition and twice in Regular season play.
The Rome Bombers,in their 11^th season, were 2000 and 2006 League Champs…. ended their
2009 regular season in 4^th place with a .500 win % going into playoffs. 

Bombers and Heat met again in the “Winners Bracket”, second round of the Mohawk Valley Leagues’
Double Elimination Playoffs. This game went into extra innings, tied at 1-1 and the Heat came out
of it the victor with a 2-1 win. The Heat won their next two contests to say in the Winners bracket
for the Championships. 

After losing to the Heat in the second round, the Bombers blew threw the playoffs beating their
next three opponents by a 4:1 (run) ratio securing a birth into the Championship game vs the
#1 seeded Utica Heat. Coming into the 2009 Championship Game from the losers bracket,
the Rome Bombers needed to win twice against the unbeaten Utica Heat in order to capture the title. 

The Bombers used their Ace, Adam Ruszkowski, the night before to beat the NY Mills Rebels in the
final playoff game posting a 10-0 shut-out
of the Rebels with Ruszkowski throwing a 4-Hitter and 6 K’s. The Bombers Aaron Linder went 3 for 4
with a 2B and 4-RBI’s and Joe Mazzara went 2 for 2 with 2 BB – 1.000 OBP… Bombers advance
to Championships. 

Game #1 of the Championships, the Heats’ starter “lefty” Brian Gaskell and Bombers starter
Jason Anguish both went complete games.
Gaskell threw 6-K’s, 4-Hits and 5-BB while Anguish hurled a 8-K, 5-Hittter with 2-BB. The
Bombers capitalized with Justin VanGorder reaching base 3-times on 3-walks, scoring twice.

Bombers slugger Ted Black went 2 for 3 with a go-ahead RBI triple in the third inning.
Bombers win forcing a second game!  

Game #2 The Heat went with their Ace, Eric Giovannone and the Bombers choose hurler
Aaron Linder both throwing complete games.
The Heat scored one in the top of the 4^th with Giovannone holding the Bombers through
4-innings recording 4-K’s, 1-Hit and 0-Runs.
In the middle of the 4^th inning the Bombers bats came alive with 5-streigh hits scoring 3-runs.
The Bombers success came with help from sluggers Ted Black going 2 for 2 and Chris LaRocco
going 2 for 3 with a double and triple, putting the Bombers up 3-1 into the 7^th inning.
Linder stayed strong maintaining a 10-K’s - NO-HITTER till the top of the 7^th inning when the
Heat’s Anthony DeSarro broke up the no hitter singling with one out and a guy on base in the
7^th. Linder shut the door striking out the last two Heat batters to give the Bombers their
3^rd MVL Championship in 11 years!   Linder finished with 12-K’s, 2-BB and 1-Hit & 1 non earned run!  

Post Season Scores:    All Higher seeded Teams are home Team ….

Aug 9^th            First Round    

#5 Blue Sox (1) vs #4 Bombers (2) in extra innings
               #4 Bombers (1) vs #1 Utica Heat (2) in extra innings
               #6 Rebels (6) vs #3 Hubs (3)
               #6 Rebels (10) vs #2 Wildmen (3)
               #7 Mustangs (0) vs #2 Wildmen (7)
               #7 Mustangs (3) vs #3 Hubs (7)             

Aug 16^th         Second Round

#4 Bombers (7) vs #3 Hubs (3)
               #5 Blue Sox (4) vs #2 Wildmen (0)
               #6 Rebels (1) vs #1 Heat (2) in extra innings
               #5 Blue Sox (4) vs #4 Bombers (9) 

Aug 22^nd         Third Round  (Final Round)

#6 Rebels (0) vs #4 Bombers (10)
               #1 Heat …. Has a Bye to the Championships

Aug 23^rd  Championships (Double Elimination for the Heat)

#4 Bombers (3) vs #1 Heat (1)
               #1 Heat (1) vs Bombers (3)  

                           ~ ROME BOMBERS BEAT THE HEAT! ~

                        Rome Bombers - 2009 MVL League Champs
                         [BOX SCORES FOR CHAMPIONSHIP BELOW]

                                            Men’s Adult Baseball League
                                      2009   MOHAWK VALLEY “Wood Bat” LEAGUE 

                             “MOHAWK VALLEY LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS”
                                            Sunday AUGUST 23^rd
                                    Delutis Field @ Griffiss -  ROME, NY

Game #1

3Bs:
BOMBERS                (V) -    Ted Black
HEAT                      (H) -      

RBIs:
BOMBERS                (V) -    Ted Black(2)
HEAT                      (H) -    Anthony DeSarro

 Co-Offensive MVP’s :
Ted Black -2 for 4 w/ 2rbi’s   &   Justin VanGorder – with 3-BB scoring 2 times 

GAME MVP:
Jason Anguish pitching a complete game (7-innings) w/ 9K’s, 3BB,  allowing only
5 hits and 1-ER   

Game #2 below….

 Game #2

2Bs:
BOMBERS                (H) -    Chris LaRocco    

3Bs:
BOMBERS                (H) -    Chris LaRocco  

RBIs:
BOMBERS                (H) -    Chris LaRocco, Aaron Linder, Mike Hammon

Co-Offensive MVP’s :
Ted Black -2 for 2 w/ 1.000 OBP, Chris LaRocco – 2 for 3, 2B, 3B & 1-rbi

GAME MVP’s:
Aaron Linder complete game (7-innings) w/ 12K’s, 2BB, allowing only 1 hit
2-outs short of a No-Hitter!!!!  

                     ~ ROME BOMBERS BEAT THE HEAT! ~

                         Rome Bombers - 2009 MVL League Champs