Mustangs

After 108 regular season games and 18 play-off games, the season now comes down to one game.  With a 5-4 victory, the Mustangs extended their season for the second night in a row, tying the Finals series with Floral Arts at two games apiece. 

Now this best of five series, and the season, comes down to one game.  Friday night.  7 PM.

Semi-final Round: Floral Arts Vs. Pro Sports Therapy: Floral Arts defeated Pro Sports Therapy in four games to reach the playoff finals for the fifth year in a row.

Game 1: Larry Mardany spun a gem in pitching Floral to an 8-5 victory in a tightly contested game. Jim Peloquin (HR), and Mike Alonardo (2-3, 3 RBI) led the Floral offense, which also got contributions from Ken Delaney (2-2), Mike Spanos (RBI), and Billy Luppold (RBI). Jeff Morse led the PST offense, going 2-3 with 2 RBIs.

Game 2: Floral chipped away in the late innings, but ultimately unable to come up with the timely hit or defensive play in a 13-12 loss. Greg Marchand, Mike Alonardo, Ken Delaney, and Simon Tripp homered in the loss. PST Jumped out to an early lead , then withstood the steady Floral Arts comeback thanks to the gutsy pitching performance of Dave Chirokas. Derek Donegan (2 RBIs) and Gordon Eddy both went 3-3 to lead the PST offense. Tim Schutt hit a 2-run HR in the 1st and Nate Frazee hit a late 2-run HR that proved to be the margin of victory.

Game 3: Floral rallied late for a walk off win thanks to the pitching of Larry Mardany and the clutch hitting of Jim Peloquin (2 HR), Larry Mardany (2-2, RBI), and Geoff Pavao (HR, 2 RBI). The PST pitcher remains a mystery to the once potent Floral offense.  PST led 7-6 going into the bottom of the seventh when Peloquin hit a walk-off 2-run HR to lead Floral to the 2-1 Series lead.  Keith Davighi led PST with 2 hits and 3 RBI.  Nate Frazee also contributed a 2-run HR.

Game 4: Larry Mardany threw another great game, and the dormant Floral bats finally awakened for a 7-run inning late in the game to win the game, 14-4, and to clinch the series. Greg Marchand (2), Jim Peloquin, Rob Beaudette, Ken Delaney, and Simon Tripp homered for Floral, and Dave Janowski, Tom Semeter, and Roger Whittlesey added hits in key moments. Mike Alonardo played a stellar right center field.  Jerry Cressman and Nate Frazee homered for PST.

Semi-final Round: Nashoba Valley Veterinarian Mustangs Vs. Shortcut Landscaping:  The Nashoba Valley Veterinarian Mustangs eliminated Short Cut Landscaping in three straight, including an exciting 11-inning game three.

Game one: Mustangs used timely hitting and excellent defense to defeat Shortcuts 9-6 in game one of their semifinal playoff series. Mark Cusano led the offense for the winners going 3-3 with 2 homeruns, 3 RBI's and 2 runs scored. Brian Foley and Don Cusano, who also got the win on the mound for the Mustangs, added homers to aid the winning cause. Dan Crogan and Paul Selfrige turned 3 infield double plays to snuff out multiple Shortcut rallies.

Game two: The Mustangs outlasted Shortcuts in a tremendous back and forth battle 18-14 in 8 innings in game two of the series. Bill Knute led the Mustangs offensive attack with 3 homers (4-5, 8 RBI's, 3 runs scored) including a three run blast in the top of 7th to give the Mustangs a two run lead heading into the bottom of the 7th. Shortcuts top two batters immediately launched solo homers to tie the game with the middle of the order up next. Mustang hurler Paul Ligouri, getting the start on short notice, battled the big guns tough as he had all night and the Mustangs escaped further damage. The Mustangs scraped together 4 runs in the top of the 8th on walks, singles, and a sacrifice fly. The Mustangs were able to hold on in the bottom of the 8th for the victory. Jim Ward threw out a key Shortcut baserunner at 3B from his outfield spot late in the game and added 4 hits and 4 runs scored to assist the Mustang cause. Mustang Jack Erickson also contributed an important three run homerun to go along with 3 hits, 4 RBI's, and 3 runs scored.

Game three:  The Mustangs completed the sweep with a 13-12 win in 11 innings.   

Championship Round: Mustangs Vs. Floral Arts:  These two teams are meeting for the fifth year in a row.  The Mustangs won in 2009 and 2010, Floral Arts won in 2011 and 2012.

Game one: In the first game of the best-of-five champion series, Floral Arts won 15-14. Ken Delaney made an incredible diving play to end the Mustangs half of the 7th, then singled leading off the bottom half of the inning in front of Jim Peloquin's walk off two run home run. Mustangs had rallied to take a one run lead in the sixth on a long grand slam by Brian Foley, but couldn't hold off the Floral bats. Simon Tripp (2), Mike Alonardo, and Frank Lancelotta homered for Floral while Don Cusano (2), Bill Knute, and Jack McGrath added long flies for Mustangs.

Game two:  Floral Arts defeated the Nashoba Valley Veterinarian Mustangs 24-21 to take a 2-0 series lead. Floral Arts hit 10 home runs in the contest, played some excellent defense, and pitcher Larry Mardany was key in getting the final batter of the game, a hitter who represented the tying run, to ground out to short with two men on. Mike Alonardo, Jim Peloquin, Mardany, Tom Semeter, Greg Marchand, and Simon Tripp hit home runs for the winners. Donny Cusano hit three bombs for the Mustang and Bill Knute and Paul Selfege each had one. Rob Beaudette and Dave Janowsky made great catches in the outfield. Billy Luppold was 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored.

Game Three is Tuesday night. 

With a thrilling win in 11 innings, the Mustangs defeated Short Cut Landscaping 13-12 to advance to the finals for the fifth year in a row and for the seventh time in eight years.

They will play the winner of the Floral Arts - Pro Sports Therapy series, which Floral leads 2 games to 1 after last night's walk off 2-run HR off the bat of Jim Peloquin.  Game 4 will be played tonight (Wednesday, September 4th) at 7 PM.  If PST can pull off yet another upset, Game 5 will be Friday night at 7 and the Finals series would open on Sunday at 7 PM.  If Floral wins tonight and advances, the Finals will begin on Friday at 7.

If Floral wins and advances to the finals it would be the fifth year in a row that these two teams have met for the title.  If PST advances, it will be their first appearance in the finals since losing to Healy Oil in 2008- the last Finals before the current run of Floral Arts - Mustangs match ups.

With tonight's win, PST and SCL advanced tonight, setting up match ups with Floral Arts and the Mustangs respectively. Games start on Tuesday and Wednesday. Friday is an off-day due to the holiday weekend.

Schedule is as follows:

8/27/13 6:30 PM -7:45 PM Floral Arts - Pro Sports Therapy

8/27/13 7:45 PM -9:00 PM Mustangs - Short Cut

8/28/13 6:30 PM -7:45 PM Short Cut - Mustangs

8/28/13 7:45 PM -9:00 PM Pro Sports Therapy - Floral Arts

9/3/13 6:30 PM -7:45 PM Floral Arts - Pro Sports Therapy

9/3/13 7:45 PM -9:00 PM Mustangs - Short Cut

9/4/13 6:30 PM -7:45 PM Short Cut - Mustangs 

9/4/13 7:45 PM -9:00 PM Pro Sports Therapy - Floral Arts

9/6/13 6:30 PM -7:45 PM Floral Arts - Pro Sports Therapy

9/6/13 7:45 PM -9:00 PM Mustangs - Short Cut  

As the regular season concludes, Floral Arts, a team that finished the season 21-3 and gained a first-round playoff bye, will attempt to win a third consecutive championship.  But there are five other strong teams standing in the way, including powerhouse Nashoba Valley Veterinarian Mustangs (18-6). The Mustangs finished the season in second place and also earned a first-round bye. Third seed Drew Farms (14-10) will finish in third place and will face sixth seed Pro Sports Therapy (10-14) in the best-of-three first round of playoffs. Fourth seed Shortcut Landscaping (14-10) will face fifth seed Willis Tent (12-12) in the first round of playoffs. Mario’s Restaurant (9-15), Healy Oil (6-18) and Gutcheck (4-20) all had good seasons but did not earn a spot in the playoffs.

Floral Arts 20 - Shortcut Landscaping 7 Jim Peloquin hit a three run home run, his third of the game, to cap an explosive offensive night for Floral. Geoff Pavao, Rob Beaudette, and Simon Tripp (2) also homered, and Billy Luppold, Larry Mardany, and Frank Lancelotta had multiple hit games. Larry Mardany pitched well to earn the victory, touched up only by home runs to Carl Dean, Chris Smith, and Brent Oakleaf, and three hits to Mike Gross.

Nashoba Valley Veterinarian Mustangs 6 - Pro Sports Therapy 5 The Mustangs won a low scoring contest over Pro Sports Therapy on Wednesday night, coasting out to a 6-0 lead, then withstanding a 5 run 6th inning outburst. Jerry Cressman led the PST offense, going 3-for-3 with two doubles and two RBI.

Drew Farms 6 - Mario’s Restaurant 5 In a low scoring game, Drews prevailed 6-5 over Mario’s thanks to three solo home runs from Tom Menicci. Jason Goldthwaite pitched in with a double and single, while Matt Chamberlain contributed three singles and Rob O'Neil two singles. Nice defense also helped Drews, as Mark MacAleese turned two double plays from third, and Menicci threw out a runner trying to take third on a long single.

Pro Sports Therapy 21 - Healy Oil 2 Sunday night Pro Sports Therapy offense broke out against an under-manned Healy Oil squad, scoring 9 runs in the 3rd inning and 11 runs in the 4th to take a 21-2 victory. A number of the PST squad had big nights, notably Jerry Cressman, who hit two home runs and drove in 7 runs in a 3-for-4 outing. Also having big nights were Derek Donegan (3-for-4 with 3 RS), Tom Coffey and John Bodi were both 3-for-3 with 2 RS and 3 RBI. Gordon Eddy was also 3-for-3 with 2 RS and 2 RBI.

Shortcuts Landscaping 18 - Nashoba Valley Veterinarian Mustangs 10 It was a game that, from afar, appeared like a home run hitting contest, as both teams banged out numerous tape-measure shots. Mike Kennedy hit two home runs for the Mustangs in the loss and knocked in five runs. Also hitting home runs for the Mustangs were Don Cusano, Bill Knute, Jack McGrath, and Dan Crogan. Craig Smith played well defensively in the outfield for the Mustangs.

Nashoba Valley Veterinarian Mustangs 23 - Mario's Restaurant 10 On national Lefthander’s Day, Mustang southpaws Bill Knute and Jack Erickson hit 2 homers apiece and combined for eleven RBI to lead the Mustangs over Mario's. Mike Kennedy and Don Cusano also homered to help the winners. Craig Smith added 3 hits.