Gens Grab Top Seed for Playoffs
ACBL Championship week is upon us.
The Gens survived a grueling final week to the regular season - including back-to-back-to-back road doubleheaders on the last weekend to earn the top seed in the Atlantic College Baseball League postseason tournament.
In the off-season, the league set up a point system to make sure the teams did everything possible to play their games. So it's not a total surprise that the Gens (25-15) - the only team in the league to play all 40 games - snagged the top spot by playing two more games than the Jersey Pilots (25-13).
Regardless of finish, expect the Wolff Division playoffs to be a slugfest among three league heavyweights.
Tuesday, the Quakertown Blazers (21-17) travel to the Pilots in a one-game wildcard play-in. That winner advances to face the Gens in a best-of-3 division series. The first two games will be played Thursday in a 4 pm doubleheader at Moody Park, with the Gens serving as home team in Game 1 and the visitors in Game 2.
The series will conclude with an if necessary game Friday, at the site of the wildcard winner. The Gens will be the home team for the game.
So many players stepped up for the Gens over the weekend, as the team finished with its best regular-season mark since 2014, also the team's only championship season. Chase Conklin played every inning of the six-in-three weekend in the middle of the field, combining the best defense in the ACBL with invaluable leadership and an innate ability to battle pitchers. He shook off some early-season rust and hit .310 for the season.
Lorenzo Repack hit .377 and was among the league leaders in walks with an on-base percentage over .500. Mark McNelly batted .363 with 13 extra-base hits and earned himself a scholarship to Seton Hall to continue his career.
Paul Cooke led the team in stolen bases, Ryan Murphy provided fire at bat and on the mound. When the team needed a quality start Sunday to clinch the top spot, Murphy shined on the bump, pitching into the 5th inning with the heart of a champion.
Danny Melnick and Jedier Hernandez both hit over .300, Melnick rock solid behind the plate and Hernandez showing off a cannon that should be illegal in all 50 states.
On the mound, Joe Sheets capped a fantastic season by leading the league with 44 strikeouts. Eric Cartafalsa was one of the best pitchers in the league in July (and yes, he almost went yard Sunday), Hunter Curley was an all-star all-season, and intriguing late-season addition Mason Keller struck out 10 in four innings in his debut Sunday.
But now the playoffs begin. And the Gens will need some new heroes to achieve their ultimate goal. Join us and find out who those heroes will be.
