By Steve Svetovich
McGinty’s, managed by former Dunmore baseball player Tyler Chulvick, fought against the odds to earn the Dunmore Freedom League baseball title after entering the playoffs as the number four seed.
McGinty’s finished 5-5 during the regular season. The Dunmore Freedom League at Sherwood Park is run by Charlie Ehnot.
There were six teams in the Dunmore Freedom League this summer.
McGinty’s entered the playoffs as the number four seed against Prep.
McGinty’s beat Prep, 5-4, in extra innings. Robert Seprish pitched the first six innings and Dave Chromey, who plays for the University of Scranton, pitched the final three to gain the win in the nine-inning contest.
Danny Capwell, a West Scranton graduate and third baseman, singled to right to score Zach Foley-McGinty to win the game as McGinty’s advanced to play Dunmore, the number one seed at 9-2.
Alex Terrery, who played baseball for Dunmore and Penn State Worthington, fired a complete game while striking out 10 in a 6-3 win to upset Dunmore, coached by veteran Mark Simko. Tony Ricci, a Scranton Prep graduate, hit a double for McGinty’s in the win.
McGinty’s then entered the finals of the playoffs in a best of three series against a team called Best.
The finals were played at West Scranton’s Battaglia Field.
Riley Sullivan, who played baseball at Dunmore, hurled two shutouts in one day to defeat Best, 11-0 and 3-0. The first game went five innings with McGinty’s winning 11-0 due to the 10-run rule. Sullivan, with his rubber arm, pitched a complete game seven-inning shutout, 3-0, in the second contest as McGinty’s advanced.
Sullivan struck out 11 batters in each game. He walked only one batter in the two games combined while giving up only one hit in the first game and two hits in the second contest. He totaled 22 strikeouts while walking only one in the two wins.
“An amazing pitching performance all in one day,” said Chulvick, a player-manager.
Capwell, who coaches the West Scranton senior American Legion team, had two hits, including a two-run double in the first contest. Terrery, whose dad Charlie is also a key member of the team, had two hits. Justin Magistro also had two hits for McGinty’s.
McGinty’s scored the three runs on just four hits in the second contest. Capwell, who played baseball at Marywood University, hit a two-run single in the first and scored on a passed ball in the sixth.
And McGinty’s, a resilient club, became the 2016 Dunmore Freedom League champions.
“This is one of the most enjoyable teams I ever coached or played with,” said Chulvick, a senior at Keystone who also coaches junior high baseball at Old Forge High School.
“It is simply one of the most fun and enjoyable teams I was ever associated with.
“And personally, it was my first championship at any level. I had never won a championship before, so it was a great experience.
“Our team never wavered entering the playoffs as the number four seed and coming together as a team at the end to win a championship. It is absolutely incredible how we came together at the end and picked up big wins. It’s a great group of guys.”