Wizards Baseball

Each year, there is one team which makes a surprising run during the West Warwick Cal Ripken playoffs.  This past season, that team was the Richard’s Oil Marlins (6-11 regular season record), who finished in third place in the Eastern Division, yet won three games in the WWCRL Double Elimination tournament.

WWCRL Playoffs:  First Round – Marlins10 Dodgers 6

Led by the pitching of Jake Roy and Ben Roy, the Richard's Oil Marlins came from behind to defeat the Coventry Glass Dodgers, 10-6.  Jake Roy struck out five and allowed only one hit in three innings, while his twin brother, Ben, came into the game in the fifth inning to prevent a Dodger late game rally.

Offensively, the Marlins received contributions from Ben Roy (2/4, triple, one run scored, and 3 r.b.i.'s), Joe Maynard (two runs scored), and Brian Moretti (two runs scored).

Offensively, the Dodgers were led by Rich McNeil (2/4, two runs scored) and Seth St. George (2/3, one triple).

WWCRL Playoffs:  Loser’s Bracket Quarter-finals – Marlins 7 Athletics 4

After losing to the Red Sox in the Winner’s Bracket Semi-finals, the Richard’s Oil Marlins got revenge from last year’s championship loss by knocking the WW PIC Athletics out of the playoffs with a 7-4 victory in the Loser’s Bracket Semi-Finals. 

Leading the way for the Marlins was 12 year old All Star Tom Pecchia, who went 4 for 4 in the game. 

In the top of the first inning, the Marlins took advantage of two errors and two walks to take a 3-0 lead.  After Ben Roy reached on an error, Joe Maynard walked and Jake Roy reached on an error, scoring his brother Ben.  Tom Pecchia, then laced a single to centerfield scoring Maynard.  After Jon Skurka walked to load the bases again, Brian Moretti reached on an infield single to score Jake Roy.

In the bottom of the first inning, the Athletics tied it up a 3-3 with three runs on Kyle Baxter’s bases clearing double to right center field.  Scoring on the timely hit were Mike Carley (hit batsmen), Matt Grenier (fielder’s choice), and Andrew In (walk).

In the top of the second inning, the Marlins made it 4-3 when Joe Maynard singled and scored on Tom Pecchia’s second hit of the game.

In the top of the fourth inning, the Marlins scored three more runs to build a 7-3 lead.  Jake Roy walked, advanced to second on a passed ball, moved to third on a wild pitch, and scored on Tom Pecchia’s third hit of the game.  After Jon Skurka walked , reliever Andrew in got the next two batters on a ground out and strikeout.  Nine year old Nick Pecchia, then, singled to centerfield, scoring his brother Tom and Jon Skurka.

Although there were six walks and one hit batsmen issued in the contest, the Marlins pitching trio, Jake Roy, Ben Roy, and Joe Maynard, allowed only three hits and struck out 11 batters.

WWCRL Playoffs:  Loser’s Bracket Semi-finals – Marlins 6  Dodgers 3

In the Loser’s Bracket Semi-finals, the Marlins continued their magical playoff run with a 6-3 victory over the Coventry Glass Dodgers. 

Pitching well for the Marlins, once again, were Jake Roy, Ben Roy, and Joe Maynard. 

WWCRL Playoffs:  Loser’s Bracket Finals – Orioles 8 Marlins 3

In their fifth game in a row, the Richard’s Oil Marlins could not hold off the Titan Sports Orioles in the Loser’s Bracket Finals.   

Falling behind 8-0, the Marlins valiantly came back in the top of the fifth inning, scoring three runs on hits by Ben Roy (single) and Joe Maynard (3-run bases clearing triple to left field).  For the game, the Marlins were led by Ben Roy (2/3, one run scored) and Joe Maynard (1/3, 3 r.b.i.’s).

Pitching well for the Orioles were the trio of Trevor Lawton, Ray Zincone, and Hunter Dean.  The trio allowed only three hits and struck out nine in five innings of work. 

Offensively, the O’s were led by Cullen Kirchmeyer (2/4, 2 runs scored, and 2 r.b.i.’s), Nick Morel (2/2, 2 runs scored), and Hunter Dean (2/3, 3 r.b.i.’s).

West Warwick Cal Ripken Playoff Results

First Round Games:  Athletics 7 Yankees 2; Marlins 10 Dodgers 6

Second Round Games:  Red Sox 6 Marlins 1; Orioles 4 Athletics 3

Loser's Bracket Q-Finals:  Dodgers 6 Yankees 3; Marlins 7 Athletics 4

Winner's Bracket Final:  Red Sox 6 Orioles 5

Loser's Bracket S-Final:  Dodgers 6 Marlins 3

Loser's Bracket Final:  Orioles 9 Marlins 3

League Championship:  Red Sox 11 Orioles 10

Ten years ago, the 14 year old West Warwick All Star team came out of loser's bracket to take 2 games from Warwick PAL and win the Rhode Island State Championship. Jeremy Reisner pitched the championship game with a broken nose which was sustained while saving the game the night before at third base.

Players:

David Alves

Erik Brouillard

David Fitzgerald

John Gates

Tom Kelly

Chuck Kennedy

Tyler Legault

Matt MacKillop

Jarod Marsocci

Adam Molnar

Anthony Politelli

Nick Ray

Jeremy Reisner

Note:  Players in bold print later played on State Championship teams at WWHS.

Coaches:

Harry Rotenberg

Bill MacKillop

Jack Kelly

Slocum (NK) 6 West Warwick 4

On Wednesday night, Slocum of North Kingstown defeated West Warwick, 6-4. 

Both teams are now 1-1 on the season.

Led by the hitting and relief pitching of Michael O’Connor, Slocum was able to hold off a late game rally by West Warwick. 

After allowing three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, O’Connor (3/4, double, home run, two runs scored, and one r.b.i.), settled down in the seventh inning to hold on for the save.

Down 1-0 in the bottom of the second inning, West Warwick tied it at 1-1 when Nathan Lacroix walked, moved to second on an infield hit by Dillon Coffua, advanced to third on Ross Coffua’s fielder’s choice, and scored on Rich Grenier’s r.b.i. groundout to shortstop. 

After falling behind 6-1, West Warwick scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning on hits by Ryan Lawton (single), Matt Grosso (r.b.i. double), Chris Franklin (infield single), and one two run error. 

Offensively, West Warwick was led by Chris Viveiros (1/3, double), Ryan Lawton (1/4, one run scored), Matt Grosso (1/3, double), Chris Franklin (1/1, one run scored), Dillon Coffua (two infield hits, Rich Grenier (one r.b.i.), and Nick Carney (one double).  Pitching well for West Warwick in relief were sophomore to be Ryan Lawton and freshman to be Matt Masse.  Lawton allowed one earned run on three singles while striking out five in two innings of work.  Masse worked a scoreless seventh inning. 

Flood Auto 15 West Warwick 5

Flood Auto, Bishop Hendricken's Connie Mack nine, took advantage of several early inning walks and defeated West Warwick, 15-5.

Offensively, West Warwick received contributions from Chris Viveiros (one run scored), Dillon Coffua (3/3, two runs scored), Ryan Lawton (one run scored and one r.b.i.), Matt Grosso (1/2, one run scored), Charles Parent (one r.b.i.), and Nathan LaCroix (2/3, two r.b.i.'s).

Although West Warwick walked seven batters in the first three innings (four of six runs scored via walks), West Warwick received steady relief pitching from freshman to be, Rich Grenier Jr.  The burly right hander pitched two innings of one hit relief.  Out of the 28 pitches he threw in the fourth and fifth innings, 17 were strikes.