BATTING CHAMPION--George Calderon, Brooklyn Bonnie Jays

TOURNAMENT MVP--Christopher Moreno, Brooklyn Bonnie Jays

by Jack Butler
jbutle58@lakers.mercyhurst.edu

Struthers, Ohio – The Brooklyn Bonnie Jays and Troy American Legion Legends played in the Championship game of the Senior NABF World Series at beautiful Bob Cene Park in Youngstown, OH. Brooklyn narrowly defeated Avalanche Baseball 4-3 in the first semifinal and Troy was victorious against Athletix 6-3 in the other semifinal. So a team from New York and Ohio faced off in the championship and it was a blowout for the Bonnie Jays.

Frosty Brown, manager of Troy Am. Legion,  penciled Conner Carver to pitch the championship game for Troy and managed to get of the first without any damage. However, trouble came in the second when the Bonnie Jays plated six runs, all with two outs. Bryan Abraham drilled a bases clearing double to center. Then, George Calderon and Hayden Bernard lined back-to-back run scoring singles making it an 6-0 advantage.

Garrett Lenaster finished the Bonnies inning and attempted to get back to into the game. But, Chris Moreno had other ideas as he dominated on the pitching slab the whole afternoon. Moreno struck out five Legends in the first two innings.

Troy kept Brooklyn off the scoreboard in the third and Moreno did the same in his half striking out two more in the process. The Bonnie Jays scored two in the fourth while Troy let their best chance go by the wayside in that inning. With runners on first and second and two out, Moreno stuck out Aiden Haffner swinging to end the threat.

The Bonnie Jays put an exclamation point when four crossed the plate in the fifth. Two of them were driven in on a Abraham single making him have a 5 RBI game. Moreno finished off Troy in the fifth with a scoreless inning and got Gavin Martin to pop up in the infield where the celebration began for the Bonnie Jays. Water bottles were being shaken and players were going wild behind the pitchers mound. The Brooklyn Bonnie Jays handily defeated Troy American Legion Legends 12-0 as it ended in five innings due to run rule.  

Following the game, both teams were given some trophies and each ball clubs players and coaching staffs received medals. Also, two special players for the Bonnie Jays were named the Batting Champion and Tournament MVP. George Calderon had the highest batting average with help from his four hit performance in the championship and Chris Moreno was the most valuable to his team winning the Senior NABF World Series. Moreno tossed 5 scoreless innings, allowed only 4 hits, walked 1, struck out 8, and faced 22 batters.