The Yogi Berra Division Championship came down to powerhouses Wee Willie’s (17-6) and Arsenal (16-7).  As expected by the records, this was the closest bout of the group, with a net score of 41-38 in favor of Wee Willie’s.  The top seeded (via tiebreaker) Wee Willie’s was put in an early hole with opponent Arsenal taking a 1-0 series lead.  The two teams exchanged blows early before Arsenal pulled out to a seemingly comfortable 8-run lead.  However, Wee Willie’s wasn’t handed this position; they earned it.  Down 8 in the bottom of the 7th, they would make a final push but fell just short, scoring 7 runs and losing by 1.  Wee Willie’s would answer right back to their defeat and outlast their opponent in game 3 to take the series 2-1.  Game 2 saw big scoring innings from both teams and another comeback that fell just short.  This time, it was Arsenal’s turn to claw back.  They would make up 4 of their 5 run deficit, but Wee Willie’s shut the door on the comeback bid in the 7th.  That one run loss may haunt Arsenal, who saw their opportunity at the crown slip away.  However, this day belonged to Wee Willie’s.  The flares for the dramatics died off in game 3, where Wee Willie’s came back in the 5th and shut their opponent out over the final 3 frames.  The outcome was despite the efforts of Arsenal’s Alex Aitkins, who went a combined 9 for 12 with 2 doubles, 1 homerun, and 4 RBI’s.  Jared Fowler also led Arsenal with 9 RBI’s.  As for Wee Willie’s, key contributions came from Brian Reaper (7 for 11, including 3 doubles and 5 RBI’s), Brian Fischer (6 for 10, including 3 RBI’s), and Daniel Rufolo (7 for 12, including 1 double and 3 RBI’s).

            NJ Lightning (17-6) and Boggsmen (13-10) collided to determine the Brooks Robinson Division Championship.  This would be the only series where the higher seed failed to close the deal.  It was also the only series that failed to see a home team win.  Underdogs Boggsmen took it to their championship opponent early, throwing records out the door.  They would build a comfortable lead in game 1 by a score of 13-6 after 4 and a half innings of play.  However, you can never expect NJ Lightning to roll over and give up, especially with what was on the line.  NJ Lightning came back in a flash, plating 6 runs in the bottom of the 5th inning to pull within 1 run.  Seeing their lead shrivel to nothing, Boggsmen showed no panic.  The bats sealed the deal, scoring 4 runs over the final two innings, and the defense matched the effort, giving up just 1 run in return.  Boggsmen took game 1 by a score of 17-13.  Game 2 looked gloomy again for NJ Lightning, who fell behind 8-4 after 4 innings.  This time, however, they would succeed in their comeback attempt and claw their way back into the series.  NJ Lightning finished the game on an 8-0 run over the final three innings, stealing the 12-8 victory and momentum.  The stunning loss after being in control letting a potential championship clincher slip away could have derailed most teams.  Boggsmen proved, however, that they are not most teams.  The bats woke up again, scoring 10 runs over the first 3 innings, including 9 runs in the 2nd.  NJ Lightning seemed to just have nothing left in the tank at this point on the scorching day, struggling to earn baserunner and plate the ones that they had gotten aboard.  Boggsmen took advantage with their rangy defense and held their opponent to just 2 runs in the game.  The offense tacked on 6 more runs in the 6th, ending the game early and clinching the championship by a score of 16-2.  In the loss, NJ Lightning’s Dale Greenberg went 5 for 8 with 1 RBI and Grant Greenberg, Albert Leshinsky, and Mike Leshinsky all went 6 for 10.  Grant Greenberg added 2 RBI’s, Albert Leshinsky drove in 1 RBI, and Mike Leshinsky included 2 doubles and 4 RBI’s.  For the champion Boggsmen, Chris Lisowski went 7 for 10 including 1 double and 7 RBI’s, Mark Vesce went 6 for 10 with 2 doubles and 2 RBI’s, and Adam Rudin and Pete Kraljic each went 5 for 9.  Adam Rudin had 1 triple and 5 RBIs.  Pete Kraljic finished with 1 double, 1 homerun, and 3 RBI’s. 

            Congratulations again to our three Division Champions Wee Willie’s, EC Hawks, and Boggsmen, and good luck as these titans clash in the Diamond Cup.