Reading Bulldogs

Reading vs. Andre Chiefs 8-16-13 at Maplewood Field (Game Three)

Reading (3)– Catado 4-1, Oringer 3-1, Talis 2-0, Taylor 3-2, Padovani 2-1, Sitarz 2-0, Levine 1-0, Wolfsberg 1-0, Crehan 3-0, Z, Conti 2-0, N. Conti 1-1 Totals 24-6

Andre Chiefs (9) Serino 3-2, Yanacopulos 2-2, Portes 4-2, Copa 3-1, Witkowski 3-1, Barbati 4-1, Andre 4-1, Mi. DiCato 3-0, Boleski 3-2 Totals 31-12

Reading 200 001 0 -3

Andre    130 050 x   -9

Doubles: Portes, Andre

Triples: Serino

Home Run: Taylor

WP- Ma. DiCato LP- Church

Wrap: By Jeff Pierce Daily Times Chronicle

The Bulldogs season ended on Friday at the hands of the Andre Chiefs 9-3, in a three game semi-final series sweep. The Bulldogs entered the post season down to three starting pitchers, including veteran ace Nick Kelley, and with only two other healthy relievers it was a tall task for the Bulldogs to take on in the game every night format. But despite the air of inevitability surrounding the team's semi-final exit there was still a cloud of disappointment after the game on what could have been. " I told the guys that this game can humble you" said Matt Morrison, " we were riding high through up to the final two weeks then things turned around on us". Reading came out of the box strong for the second straight night taking a 2-0 lead in the first on Mike Taylor's two run single. But as was the case the prior game the Chiefs limited the damage in an inning that looked like it could be much more and it seemed to take a little life out of the offense. Andre cut the lead in half in their next at-bat then as they did the night before posted a demoralizing crooked number on the Bulldogs with a series of unlucky plays. A leadoff blooper landed between the mound and the second baseman who was playing deep on the speedy turf for the left handed batter. Three walks followed, two of them occurred after Kevin Church had appeared to record a strikeout but the umpire disagreed. A Juan Portes single then brought in the fourth and what turned out to be the winning run. The game was still in the balance through the middle innings but the Chief defense which was strong all series flagged several squared up baseballs to the outfield and second baseman Mike Barbati started two double plays, in a series in which he stood out both offensively and defensively. The Bulldogs had one final highlight for the season came when power hitting lefty Taylor hit a 400 ft home run to right field. For Taylor who regularly puts on a pregame batting practice power display it was his fourth home run in his two career putting him on top of the Bulldog all-time list. As the defending champion Chiefs move to their third straight league final the Bulldogs fail to get over the hump that they came so close to two years ago in the epic five game Blue Sox showdown. "The pitching and defense were lights out for three quarters of the season. But In the end those were the two areas that killed us (4-9 to end the season), it put us in too big of a hole in most all of our later season losses" noted Morrison. For Bulldog owner John Halsey it was an enjoyable summer nonetheless. "This is the best talent we have had here in the four years and the chemistry was outstanding. This is as much fun I have had in the game of baseball as an adult, yet we still have not put ourselves in the class of the elite teams yet. The organization is still driven to get to the pinnacle and we will get right back at that task in the off-season".