Connie Mack
'Major' Dodgers win title, DeAngelo, Mergler hit home runs

The Connie Mack Dodgers beat the Giants, 11-8, to win the "Major" title. Members of the team, pictured from left, are: front row - Connor Mergler, Bryan Smith, Rich Banning, Eric Gorenflo, Carmen DeAngelo; second row - Josh Downs, Lauton Rushford, Gavin Cummings, Cam Rosenecker, Jake Ederer, and Connor Rosenecker; third row - coaches Mark DeAngelo and Scott Mergler.

On a hot and humid night last Tuesday evening, the Connie Mack "Major" Dodgers battled the Giants to an 11-8 victory.

The visiting Giants got off to a fast start off Dodgers pitcher Eric Gorenflo. Leadoff batter Brad Pohlman walked and Henry Frome tripled him home. Frome scored on a single by Zach Plewa.

The Giants' effort resulted in a two-run inning but that was all Gorenflo would allow, pitching the first three innings, yielding two runs and striking out five.

Giants starting pitcher James Roehl was on his game in the first inning, facing only four Dodgers.

The second inning for the Dodgers was their best. Carmen DeAngelo started things off with a line drive home run over the center field fence to get the Dodgers on the board.

Jake Edere walked, Connor Rosenecker hit a single, and Lauton Rushford reached base on a infield single. Cameron Rosenecker, the youngest player on the Dodgers, then lined a shot to center field that hit the fence on a bounce, resulting in a double and driving home three. Rich Banning walked and Gavin Cummings ripped a ball to right center all the way to the fence, earning a triple and scoring Banning and Rosenecker. The Giants cut the score to 7-6. Plewa and Peter Masters reached base on singles, Jaelin Marong walked and Alex Tyrecki lined one to right center for a double, scoring Plewa, Masters and Marong.

Giants pitcher Plewa quieted the Dodgers' bats in the third and fourth innings, facing only seven batters.

The Dodgers brought in their closer, Connor Rosenecker, for the last two innings. In the fifth, the Giants took the lead on two errors and a double by Masters, driving in Frome and Plewa. Connor Rosenecker shut the door after that, striking out the next two batters to end the Giants rally.

The Dodgers showed why they were 14-3 in the regular season in the bottom of the fifth. Rich Banning started with a single, Bryan Smith hit a double to score Banning, then scored on an error. Connor Mergler then hit a long home run over the left field fence. The next batter, DeAngelo, lined a shot to left center for a double then scored while Rosenecker reached base on a error.

The Dodgers had the lead back 11-8 but the Giants still had another turn at the plate.

Dodger Connor Rosenecker was all business forcing a ground out to first and striking out the last two batters to help the Dodgers to the win. Dodgers Edere, Smith and Josh Downs all made great defensive plays, Edere and Smith made running catches in the outfield and Downs made two ground out plays at second base.