Wings lose game two, successful season comes to a close.... Posted August 3rd, 2008

The Wings last night dropped game two of the best of three Divisional Playoff Series 6-1 to the Brockport Riverbats. With the loss the Wings 2008 season comes to an abrupt halt. The Wings knew the situation going into last night's game and knew they had to get things going against the 'Bats pitching early. The Wings would score first when John Sills (Holy Cross) would start the game with a solid hit to center, and then would advance on a passed ball and fielder's choice. Eddy Mendiola (Notre Dame) would then drive Sills on a base hit to left. The Wings looke like they were in business and it looked like they may have the 'Bats pitcher's number on the night, but those two hits were the only hits allowed by Brockport pitching the rest of the night. The Wings pitchers tried their best to hold Brockport back and with the series on the line all arms were available on the night. The Wings sent a total of 6 pitchers to the mound and the group combined to allow only 6 hits among them. Kris Mengle (George Mason) would get the start and take the loss on the night, and Kyle Eastham (South Florida) would keep his 0.00 ERA in tact striking out 3 in his 2 innings pitched. In the end the Riverbats would get the best of the Wings on the night and in the series. The Wings season ends and the Riverbats will now take on the winner of the Allegany County/ Hornell series which is tied at one game a piece.

Post-seaon All-Stars will be chosen in the next few weeks. We will post the list of All-Stars once the awards have been press released. In the mean time here are some statistics to keep you busy. Out of 14 teams in the NYCBL the Wings, as a team, ranked very high in several categories: 1st in batting (.292), 1st in Doubles (84, the next closest was 69!), 3rd in ERA (3.00), and 1st in earned runs allowed (111). Individual marks were also set this year by a number of players. Matt Perry (Holy Cross) won the league batting title, batting a softball like .427 on the season, including leading the league in hits (61). Perry would also finish in 2nd place with 13 doubles, 3rd in the league in slugging at .538 and 3rd in the RBI chase with 29. Within that .427 batting average Perry went on a 27 game hitting streak which now stands as the new NYCBL record. Speaking of records, Kyle Eastham (South Florida) tied a Red Wing and NYCBL record posting a perfect 0.00 ERA on the season. This the second year in a row the Wings have had a pitcher with 0.00 ERA, Eastham now shares that perfect mark with Kyle Bellamy (Miami) of the 2007 Wings team. Other highlights of the seaon included a 21 game hitting streak by John Sills (Holy Cross), which at the time was a new Red Wing record. The record stood for about two weeks before Perry would break it, and take it from his Crusader teammate. Ryan Uphouse (George Mason) would finish second in the league, tied with teammate Perry, with 13 doubles.

This morning our players begin the task of packing up and travelling home and will be returning to their respective schools in the next few weeks to start their Fall seasons. It's never easy ending the season on a loss in the playoffs and saying good bye to a bunch of terrific guys that we have come to know over the past 2 months. Especially after the successful seasons our players had. But...baseball will return to McDonough park in June 2009 and we will do this all over again. Hope springs eternal and so does baseball. The Red Wing Staff would like to thank all of our players for the contirbutions they have made to this organization ad community and wish them luck as they return to their respective schools. Thank you guys for everything you have done this summer and the effort you put forth everyday....and remember as we say around here, "Once a Wing, Always a Wing"! �