Wolff Stars align in Lakewood

Capitals outfielder Jake Kmiec (Mercer CC) scored the winning run on a wild pitch in the top of the 9th inning as the Wolff Division All-Stars posted an 8-5 win last night over the Kaiser Division All-Stars in the annual ACBL mid-summer classic at FirstEnergy Park in Lakewood.

The run made a winning pitcher out of Garrison LeGros (Capitals/Mercer CC) who pitched a hitless bottom of the 8th with the score tied. Gens pitcher Joe Sheets (Columbia) pitched an electric 9th, striking out two and wowing the scouts in attendance to earn the save.

Ryan Murphy (Generals/Rowan) and Chris Reeder (Capitals/TCNJ) represented the Garden State and the NJAC with pride as they split the co-MVP honors. Murphy earned the corresponding trophy bat graciously donated by Tucci Lumber by winning a spirited game of Rock, Paper, Scissors.

Murphy drove in two runs for the Wolff squad in the top of the first and gunned down a runner at the plate with a hellacious throw from right field in the bottom of the 2nd. Reeder doubled in a key insurance run in the 9th and threw out a runner trying to steal with the score tied in the 8th.

Ryan Ford (Eagles/Penn State) won team MVP honors for the Kaiser Division with a three-run laser beam over the right field fence in the 4th. Ford earned himself a custom glove from Emery Glove Co., which gained attention for the awesome glove it made Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at this year's All-Star game in Denver.

Quakertown's star center fielder Ben Watson (Blazers/Elizabethtown) was the only player in the game with two hits, including a long double in the 5th inning. Jersey's heavy-hitting DH Kyle Richards (Pilots/Caldwell) smacked a triple into the RF corner in the 9th, showing off his wheels with a head-first dive into the bag.

Standout pitchers for the Wolff Division early in the game include Winston Allen (Pilots/Richmond) who tossed a 1-2-3 frame in the first and now has gone 27 innings this year without allowing an earned run. Gens pitcher Hunter Curley (Arcadia) looked sharp with a perfect 3rd inning.

Murphy's first-inning single scored Chase Conklin (Generals/Richmond) who started the game with a single and Kenny Tagliareni (Capitals/Dickinson) who was hit by a pitch.

Ben Petrone (Generals/Lafayette) tripled in the second and scored on a hit from Vinny DiNicola (Pilots/Siena). Watson's double drove in Mark McNelly (Generals/Seton Hall) who had walked.

You can watch any or all of the game by clicking the following link. Note that LeGros provided commentary in the 3rd inning, while the team of Conklin and Murphy handled the microphones - and announced their future Podcast - in the 8th.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mkS7neKcnw&t=10039s