|
|
|
|
|
| Game 23 | Reds 11, Wolfpack 7 | September 26, 2004 |
| The Reds advanced to the South Finals with an 11-7 victory over number one seed Moorestown on Sunday. The Reds jumped to an early 3-0 lead courtesy of RBI's from Pete DiLorenzo and Christian Banfer. Moorestown then battled back to tie the game 3-3 after three innings, but the game would turn in the top of the fifth. An RBI double by John Biasi and two-run doubles by Bob McGeehan and Mark Kraus were the key blows in an eight-run inning, lifting the Reds to an 11-3 lead. All of the scoring occurred with two outs. George Lovett pitched his second complete game of the playoffs, allowing 10 hits and striking out eight. The Reds now meet Margate in a rematch of last year's South Final. Game time for the doubleheader is 9AM in Margate. |
| Game 24/25 | Reds 7, Margate 0 (Gm 1) Reds 7, Margate 2 (Gm 2) |
October 3, 2004 |
| The Reds received two outstanding pitching performances on their way to a surprisingly easy sweep of number three seed Margate on Sunday. Brad Zerbe picked up his second win of the 2004 playoffs in a 7-0 whitewash of Margate in Game One. Zerbe went the distance, yielding only three hits. Margate got more of the same in Game Two, as George Lovett pitched a complete game six-hitter, striking out seven in the 7-2 clincher. Two RBI's apiece from John Sawn, Christian Banfer, and Jay Silver supplied Zerbe with more than enough offensive support. In the nightcap, Darin D'Andrea and Pete DiLorenzo rapped RBI hits in the first inning to help send the Reds to their second Finals appearance in three years and third in the last six. They'll face the Caldwell Marlins who finished with an overall record of 8-9 in the North. They were the number 10 seed. The Reds were fourth overall in the South. The doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 9AM at Mercer County Park. |
| Game 26/27 | Reds 3, Marlins 2 (Gm1) Reds 12, Marlins 2 (Gm2) |
October 10, 2004 |
| The Collingswood Reds swept the best-of-three championship series versus
the Caldwell Marlins and took home the 2004 USOTB championship. Scores of 3-2 and 12-2 gave
the Reds their second title in three years. Game One turned into a tight pitching duel, with
the Reds trailing 2-0 entering the bottom of the fifth inning. But two runs in that inning, which
included Pete DiLorenzo's RBI single, tied the game. The Reds would take the lead for good in
the next inning when Christian Banfer doubled and Ray Rose (3-4) singled him in with the
eventual game winner. Brad Zerbe once again came through with a terrific effort. He threw his
second consecutive complete game, yielding just four hits and striking out seven. With Game
One in hand, the Reds turned things over to ace George Lovett who twirled a complete game of
his own (7 H, 2 ER, 7 K, 1 BB). Mark Kraus' run scoring single opened the scoring in the second.
A shaky Caldwell defense led to three more runs before Banfer (1-2, 3 RBI) homered in the sixth
to make it 6-0. Jay Silver's two-run triple capped off the scoring in a seventh. The sweep ended an 8-1 jaunt through the playoffs in which the Reds averaged 9.8 runs per game. Manager Tim Goldschmidt had nothing but praise for his squad. "This team found ways to win all year with contributions from everyone. If one guy struggled, two guys picked him up," said Goldschmidt. "The key was the pitching performances down the stretch. Brad was terrific against some very good hitting teams and George was as good as ever. We knew we were in every game and that helps the offense...seven guys raised their average in the playoffs and that was another key to winning eight of nine." |