Sun
Devils Blank Mets To Claim Original Division Title
February
26, 2012 (Federal League Wire Service)
The South Florida Sun Devils won
their third Original Division title in club history as they
whitewashed the Parkland Mets, 10-0 in the fifth and deciding
game of the Senior Circuit's Championship Final Series.
Jason Lipoff pitched a complete game five hit shutout for the
Solar Satans. The cagey lefty walked three and fanned two.
Brandon Noe started for the Parklanders and took the loss after
allowing six earned runs on nine hits in four innings.
The Devils took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on an RBI
single by Andres Vengoechea. They increased the lead to 2-0 on
an RBI single by Jose Zabala in the second.
An RBI single by Anthony DeFilippis and a two run double to left
center by Jeff Wenger stretched the lead to 5-0 in the third.
In the top of the fourth, Devs' left fielder Dave Perry turned
in a defensive gem as he climbed the wall to rob Garrett
Rogers of a home run with a sensational catch. Perry then drove
in a run in the bottom of the inning after Sean Grove had drawn
a bases loaded walk and Frankie LaRuffa singled in a run.
With the Sun Devils ahead 8-0, Lipoff continued to mow the Mets
down. When the Mets did put runners on base, the Sun Devil
defense erased them with double plays in both the fifth and
sixth innings.
Ryan Stuart's RBI double and Bryan Greer's RBI single in the
bottom of the seventh closed out the scoring.
Stuart, who hit .571 in the post season with four home runs and
16 runs scored, was named the Original Division's Playoff MVP,
edging teammate Sam Miller for the honor.
While the Sun Devils celebrated the newly won crown, manager
Anthony DeFilippis confirmed rumors that he will step down from
that position. Current Solar Satans Bryan Greer and Chris Snevel
are the leading candidates to become the third manager in Sun
Devil history.
Game 4-Mets 9th Inning Rally Ties Series: Trailing by two runs, and with three
outs left, the Parkland Mets staged a three run rally in the
bottom of the ninth in Game 4 of the Original Division's
Championship Final Series and defeated the South Florida Sun
Devils, 6-5, to force a fifth and final game on Sunday.
A two run, two out, single by Garrett Rogers, off of reliever
Kenny Gray, capped the three run outburst.
Rogers pitched a complete game, as well, picking up the win.
Andres Vengoechea took the loss in relief of Sun Devil starter
Sam Miller. Rogers permitted three earned runs on 10 hits,
walking four, hitting two, and striking out eight. Miller worked
six innings, yielding two earned runs on seven hits. Vengoechea
was charged with three runs on a walk and three hit batters in
two and a third innings.
The Mets opened the scoring in the bottom of the first as Rich
Pepio drew a leadoff walk, went to third on a double by Michael
Taylor, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Rogers. The Mets took a
2-0 lead in the second on an RBI single by Chris Sowa. Earlier
in the frame, Solar Satan centerfielder Jeff Wenger robbed Ken
Brown of a possible RBI hit with a diving catch in centerfield,
preventing the Mets from enjoying a big inning.
In the top of the third, the Devils took a 3-2 lead. Two Mets'
errors, an RBI double by Vengoechea, and a run scoring single by
Bryan Greer put the Devs in front.
The Sun Devils added another run in the fourth on an RBI single
by Wenger, but the Mets countered with a run in the fifth as
Rogers reached on a fielder's choice, stole second, went to
third on the overthrow, and scored on a ground out by Travis
Wilson.
In the top of the ninth, the Sun Devils added, what appeared to
be at the time, an important insurance run. Ryan Stuart singled
and then eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Sean Grove.
Needing just three outs to clinch the third championship in team
history, the Sun Devils edged closer to the title as Grove made
a great play at short on Eric Sabido's grounder to record the
first out. Vengoechea then loaded the bases by hitting Jerry
Nava with a pitch, walking Ken Brown, and then plunking Chris
Sowa. When Vengoechea hit Pepio, forcing in a run, Sun Devil
manager Anthony DeFilippis brought in Kenny Gray to pitch.
With the bases still loaded and the Devils leading by a run,
Gray struck out Taylor for the second out, but Rogers lined a
single to right center that scored Brown with the tying run and
Sowa with the winning run.
As the Mets erupted in joyful celebration, the Sun Devils
recoiled in frustration and disappointment.
Taylor's three hits paced the Mets. Rogers had two hits and
drove in three runs. Wenger, Stuart, and Greer had two hits each
for the Sun Devils.
Neither team has named a starter for Sunday's championship
deciding Game 5.
Game 3-Sun Devils Mash Mets: The South Florida Sun Devils
moved one win away from the third Original Division championship
in their history with a 9-2 triumph over the Parkland Mets in
Game 3 of the best of five Championship Final Series. The
victory gave the Solar Satans a two games to one edge.
Sam Miller pitched six solid innings to register his second win
of the series. Ryan Stuart hit a pair of two run home runs to
drive the offense.
Stuart's two run blast in the bottom of the first out the Sun
Devils in front, 2-0. The Mets countered with a run in the top
of second as Travis Wilson singled and stole second. Wilson also
swiped third and then scored as the throw bounced into left
field.
Ahead by a 2-1 count, the Devils added two more runs in the
third. Jeff Wenger opened the inning and reached on an error. A
sacrifice bunt by Anthony De Filippis moved Wenger to second.
After Andres Vengoechea drew a two out walk, Bryan Greer singled
home Wenger. Another Mets error permitted Vengoechea to score
and the Devils led, 4-1.
Stuart, the Sun Devil catcher who misfired to third on Wilson's
steal attempt, atoned for his miscue with another two run blast
as part of the Sun Devils' four run fourth inning. A two run
double by De Filippis preceded Stuart's rocket to right.
The score remained 8-1 until the Mets dented the plate in the
top of the seventh. Rich Pepio drew a leadoff walk against
reliever J.J. Russell and moved to second on a single by Michael
Taylor. An RBI single by Garrett Rogers drove Pepio home.
The Sun Devils capped the scoring with a run in the bottom of
the eighth on an RBI single by Staurt.
Miller scattered five hits in six innings of work to earn the
win. Rogers, who allowed seven earned runs on nine hits in eight
innings, took his second loss of the series.
Stuart led the Devs with three hits and five RBI. De Filippis
had two hits and a pair of RBI. Rogers, Wilson, and Eric Sabido
contributed two hits each for the Mets.
While the Sun Devils stand one win away from claiming the title,
the Mets are hoping to knot the series with a win in Game 4 and
send the series to a fifth and final game.
Game 2-Sun Devils Knot Series:
The
South Florida Sun Devils knotted the Original Division's
Championship Final Series at one game a piece with a 12-1 win
over the Parkland Mets in Game 2 of the best of five series.
After losing Game 1 by the slimmest of margins, the Solar Satans
left little doubt as to the outcome of the second contest by
scoring early and often. A four run rally in the fourth and a
six run outburst in the sixth provided the Devils with security,
as well as a measure of scoreboard symmetry.
Sam Miller went the distance for the Devils, scattering nine
hits. The lithe lefty walked five, while fanning eight.
Garrett Rogers started for the Mets, but it was clear that the
Parklanders' ace lacked his best stuff. Rogers was lifted with
two out in the fifth after permitting six runs on 10 hits.
Rogers walked one and struck out seven.
An RBI single by Anthony DeFilippis in the third broke a
scoreless tie in the Sun Devils' favor.
In the fourth, Andres Vengoechea led off with a home run to left
to put the Devils ahead, 2-0. Bryan Greer followed with an
opposite field double and, after a one out infield hit by Sean
Grove, scored when Frankie LaRuffa bounced to third. Greer's
deft slide at the plate ahead of Mets' third sacker Travis
Wilson's throw gave the Devs a 3-0 advantage.
Later in the top of the fourth, an RBI ground out by Jeff Wenger
and a run scoring single by DeFilippis increased the lead to
5-0.
An RBI double by LaRuffa in the fifth put the Devils ahead 6-0
and knocked Rogers off the mound.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Mets loaded the bases with none
out, but were only able to push across one run. Other than
yielding a sacrifice fly to Jose "The Other" Morales,
Miller was able to escape the jam.
A six run top of the sixth by the Devils rendered the
contest to a state of non-competitiveness. Kenny Gray had an RBI
double, Greer had a two run double, and Ralph Consiglio had an
RBI ground out in the frame. LaRuffa raised the ire of the Mets
by executing a safety squeeze bunt with a 10 run lead. LaRuffa
wound up with a bunt single, the Sun Devils wound up with a 12-1
advantage, and the series wound up with its first bit of
controversy.
The victory may have been a Pyrrhic one for the Sun Devils as
their leading hitter, catcher Ryan Stuart, was injured. Stuart,
who stretched his streak of consecutive plate appearances
reaching base to 16 with a first inning single, injured his hand
while batting. The streak ended in the third inning as Stuart
struck out. Unable to grip the bat properly or flex his left
hand, Stuart was removed from the game at that point. It is
unknown at this time if Stuart will be fit to play in Game 3,
scheduled for Saturday.
Game 1-Mets Edge Sun Devils: The Parkland Mets opened the
Original Division's Championship Final Series by holding on for
a 12-11 win over the South Florida Sun Devils in Game 1.
Brandon Noe started for the Parklanders and pitched six innings
to earn the win. Noe permitted five earned runs on five hits and
seven walks, while striking out five. Jason Lipoff started for
the Solar Satans and took the loss after allowing 11 runs on 13
hits in five and a third innings.
In the top of the second, Lipoff issued consecutive one out
walks to Peter Pappas, Jerry Nava, and Lou Montalvo. Chris
Sowa's RBI single and Rich Pepio's sacrifice fly scored Pappas
and Nava, respectively to give the Mets a 2-0 lead. An RBI
double by Andres Vengoechea in the bottom of the fourth brought
the Devils to within 2-1.
In the top of the fifth, Garrett Rogers hit a three run homer
and Jose "The Other" Morales singled in a run as the
Mets increased their advantage to 6-1. Dave Perry's bases loaded
walk and a sacrifice fly by Jeff Wenger in the bottom of the
fifth made it 6-3.
The Mets poured across six more runs in the top of the sixth to
take a 12-3 lead. Nava led off with a bunt single and was
followed by one out singles by Sowa, Rich Pepio, and Michael
Taylor. After Lipoff walked Rogers, he was lifted in favor of
Sam Miller. Travis Wilson greeted Miller with an RBI single.
Miller then committed an error trying to begin a double play on
a bouncer to the mound.
Ralph Consiglio's two run home run in the bottom of the sixth
brought the Devils back to within 12-5. A sacrifice fly by
Alvaro Gomez and a two run opposite field home run by Ryan
Stuart helped to make it 12-9 after seven innings.
In the bottom of the ninth, Anthony DeFilippis led off with a
single to center. Gomez fanned for the first out. A passed ball
moved DeFilippis to second, but DeFillipis was out at third
after attempting to advance on another pitch in the dirt.
With the Sun Devils down to their last out, Staurt doubled to
center and scored as Vengoechea drilled a round tripper to left,
but Bryan Greer grounded out to short to end the rally and the
game.
Third base umpire Moe Moge was taken to an local hospital after
being struck behind the ear by an errant throw in the seventh
inning. Despite severe swelling to his head and neck, tests
revealed that Moge was not seriously injured.
The Sun Devils will look to rebound from their opening day loss,
and the Mets will seek to take a commanding lead, as the series
continues with Game 2, scheduled for Thursday.
