Twilight playoff championship notes ... Winning pitcher Steve Booker had a 132-pitch outing in Wednesday's game, struck out nine and only walked three. His record for the season was 3-0 with a 1.33 earned run average, and he had an outstanding 37 Ks in the 27 innings he pitched. … Nolan Shaffer, Valley View’s pitcher, was a tough cookie for Linglestown batters to crack in the final series. He only gave up one run in winning game #2 at Valley View last Friday, and made Twilight work extremely hard to scratch out three runs last night. … A.J. Granito, who retired after last season, got the itch to play again after finishing some classes this summer and accepted coach Econ’s invitation to play halfway through the season. The decision turned out to be a good one – Granito got the call to pitch hit in the eighth inning and delivered the winning hit! … Linglestown Gazette’s playoff MVP goes to first baseman Sean Frailey, who stroked a double in the seventh inning that led to the tying run being scored. In the five official games of the final series (one game was thrown out due to a tie), Frailey went 8-for-14 (.571 avg.) with three singles, two doubles, three knocks that went back, back, back, outta here and five runs batted in. He also was rock solid in the field at first base. Awsome job, Sean! … Where’s Rhys? Secret weapon Rhys Wolford came up big in the season finale. He scored the tying run as a pinch runner for first baseman Sean Frailey in the seventh inning when Jason Kelly singled up the middle, and then made a clutch diving catch while playing first base in the eighth on an attempted bunt. Way to go, Rhys! ... Coach Steve Econ said Valley View not only was a good ball team, but they also showed a lot of class when some of their players came over after the game to personally congratulate a number of Twilight team members. … The game was one of the few in team history that was covered by a local TV news crew – WHP TV-21 sent a cameraman who filed a great video report. (A bootleg copy of the report is posted below.) ... According to former Twilight coach and longtime fan Bob Kemmler, the last time Twilight won both the regular season and playoff championships was way back in 1969. … The team’s season record was 35 wins, 11 losses and 4 ties. … Bill Di-space-Santo (Di Santo) had a dream come true – he showed up in a photo published in today’s Patriot-News, and his name was spelled correctly. BB made sure the photographer knew about the all-important space. … BB had a wanna-get-away moment while making the rounds high-fiving and hugging players after the big win. When I congratulated catcher Bryan Stovall, who is soon headed back to classes at Millersville University, he got one of those hurt-puppy-dog looks on his face. It turned out that I had mindlessly called him Frailey. Oops! Source:WHP TV-21

Linglestown Twilight needed an extra inning and clutch hits Wednesday by Brian Zellers and A.J. Granito to defeat Valley View 3-2 and win their second straight East Shore Twilight League playoff championship. For game details, jump over to a story by Bob Black of The Patriot News, and check out the paper's The Sports Blog for a great photo by Patriot-News photographer John Whitehead. A monster-sized set of Twilight notes is located in the post above this one. Back row, left to right: Sean Frailey, Bryan Stovall, Josh Muscalus, A.J. Granito, Jason Kelly, Sam Phillips, Sean Kelly, Bill Di Santo, Brad Sanders, Pete Hayden, Steve Booker, Nick Barbera, Brian Zellers Front row, left to right: Jim Miller, Scott Montgomery, Rhys Wolford, Jack Muscalus, Ken Connor, Shawn Berwager, Coach Steve Econ Missing from photo: Aaron Confer

In a replay of Monday's tied game, Linglestown Twilight soundly defeated Valley View 9-4 Tuesday at Valley View Gun Club in Schuylkill County. The win gives Twilight a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven East Shore Twilight League final series. For a game summary, jump over to a report published published in today's Patriot-News. Twilight can wrap up their second straight championship this evening at Koons Park, 5:45 pm game time, FREE admission. Twilight notes … Brad Sanders got the mound assignment and came through with a clutch complete-game win. (9 hits allowed, 3 strikeouts, 1 walk allowed). … Middle infielders Sam Phillips (shortstop) and Nick Barbera (second baseman) turned a beautiful double play in the seventh inning to defuse a potentially big Valley View rally. … First baseman Sean Frailey’s torrid streak at the plate continued with a two hit, one RBI game that included a two-bagger. … Also heating up this week has been Jason Kelly who matched Frailey with two hits and a run batted in. In Monday’s game, Kelly swatted a triple in the final inning that plated two runners in Twilight’s stunning four-run final inning that tied the score and forced a replay Tuesday. … Hopefully Steve Booker, who operates a FedEx route, will deliver a win tonight as the scheduled hurler. To get to the game on time, he plans to drive to the game in his truck. … Where’s Rhys? All-world hurler and utility player Rhys Wolford was preparing to begin fall classes at Shippensburg University and missed last night’s game. Bummer! … BB snagged a line drive and caught an infield pop-up during batting practice Tuesday at Valley View. This was the first time that I did this since playing teener ball in 1971. Gotta tell ya, that liner was a stinger. OUCH! ___ Photo: Linglestown Twilight players celebrate after winning the league championship last August in Middletown. Come out this afternoon, game time 5:45 pm, to see Twilight try to make it two in a row.

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY (Aug. 18) – Linglestown Twilight scored four runs in the last inning of regulation play to tie Valley View at five runs apiece in the seventh inning Monday evening at Valley View Gun Club. Twilight reliever Josh Muscalus retired the hosts in order in the bottom half of the seventh inning, and then play was suspended due to darkness. The game will be replayed from scratch Tuesday at Valley View. Linglestown has a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series to determine the East Shore Twilight League championship. Action is tentatively scheduled to return to Koons Park on Wednesday, 5:45 pm game time.

Talk about no-questions-asked exciting baseball. The situation: Game #3 of the East Shore Twilight League title series, game tied at two and lightning hot Linglestown first baseman Sean Frailey (pictured), who homered in the second inning, stepped into the batter’s box in the home half of the first extra inning with two outs and no one on base. On the one ball, one strike offering from Valley View pitcher Mike Toomey, whaaaaack! Frailey sent a towering shot to the power alley in right field. Valley View right fielder Randy Dengler gave chase and appeared to have a shot at making the play, but no ... the darn thing stayed in the air and landed on the Koons Park basketball courts for a walk-off roundtripper, and just like that Linglestown grabbed a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series for all the marbles. Holy cow! “[Toomey] threw a slider up and down the middle, the same pitch I hit earlier,” said Frailey. “It just came right into my wheelhouse.” Frailey, a staff accountant at Members 1st Federal Credit Union, has been on a big-time roll in the championship series, going an eye-popping five-for-seven with three homers and two singles. He attributed his hot streak to making a change to his stance to avoid stepping too wide into the ball. Others say his recent engagement to be married has sharpened his reflexes to a razor's edge. Whatever it is, here's hoping it continues for a few more days. Lost in the hoopla of Frailey’s offensive fireworks was an outstanding 122-pitch effort by lefty Rhys Wolford, who was making his first start since rehabbing an injured shoulder. Brad Sanders relieved Wolford and picked up the win by pitching out of a jam in the seventh inning, and then retiring Valley View in order in the eighth and final inning. Patriot-News sports writer Jeremy Elliott has more details on Linglestown's hard-fought victory. Twilight notes ... Twilight coach Steve Econ made it into the scorebook by going in as a courtesy runner in the sixth inning. He made a head-first slide trying to avoid being forced out at second base. … Second baseman Nick Barbera displayed amazing speed and quickness by covering first base and just beating the runner to the bag on a grounder fielded by first baseman Frailey. … No need to do a “Where’s Rhys?” segment this time around. … Action returns to Koons Park on Tuesday for game #5 of the series, 5:45 pm first pitch. If you haven’t attended a game this season, what the heck are you waiting for? Come out Tuesday night to see two talented teams do battle for the league crown, FREE admission.

Valley View topped Linglestown Twilight 2-1 Friday evening at Valley View Gun Club to knot the best-of-seven East Shore Twilight League championship series at a game apiece. Twilight played a solid game, actually a great game considering they were on hostile soil – shotgun blasts rang out throughout the contest and the umpires seemed to give the hosts the benefit of the doubt on a regular basis. The game was in large part decided by a couple key plays and Twilight: – With the gamed tied at one apiece, Twilight loaded the bases to start the third inning, but a potential big rally was short-circuited when a rocket down the third base line off the bat of right fielder Shawn Berwager was snagged by Valley View’s third baseman and he then doubled up Brad Sanders who was at third base. – The second key play was a two-base error given up by Twilight on a pickoff play at first in the third inning that led to Valley View’s game-winning second run. Our friends at The Patriot-News have a game summary in today's sports page. The news article misidentifies Linglestown shortstop Sam Phillips as Shawn Phillps. Twilight notes … Jim Miller pitched a solid game for Twilight, allowing two runs on nine hits and an error. … Giving credit where credit’s due, Valley View pitcher Nolan Shaffer, the team’s top hurler, was tough down the stretch, giving up no hits and striking out three during Twilight’s last two at-bats. … Catcher Bryan Stovall gunned down Valley View catcher Randy Dengler when he attempted to steal second base in the third. … Where’s Rhys? Rhys Wolford (played left field; 0-3 at bat) and BB (I was on the bench filling in as the team’s scorebook guy) went with the rally-hat look during the team’s last at-bat, but the move had no magic this time around. ... Game #3 will be played today at Koons Park, first pitch at 3 pm, free admission. As always, I'll be operating the electronic scoreboard. Please stop by and say hello between innings or after the game.

Linglestown Twilight spotted visiting Valley View two runs early on before kicking into gear to snag a convincing 7-2 win in the first game of the East Shore Twilight best-of-seven finals. Valley View got off to a fast start on a soggy night at Koons Park against Twilight’s ace Jack Muscalus (pictured), scoring a run in both the first and second innings, including a home run by Frank D'Agostino on the game’s third pitch. Musclaus found his form as the game progressed and only allowed one hit the rest of the game to pick up the win. Twilight’s big sticks were Sean Frailey with a solo homer in the third inning, and Sam Phillips who doubled to jumpstart the team’s two-run second inning. For in-depth coverage that includes numerous quotes from Twilight players, check out an article entitled "Linglestown starts strong" by Jeremy Elliott of The Patriot-News. Twilight notes ... The game was shortened by an inning due to darkness. ... The win was a gift of sorts for Steve Booker who celebrated his 29th birthday with cake and ice cream after the contest. ... Based on chatter after the game, Twilight's biggest challenge with game #2 of the series today could be getting to Valley View's field located in the wilds of Schuylkill County – traffic jams on I-81 due to highway construction could make the trip a slow-go. Coach Steve Econ better fire up his GPS unit and renew his OnStar subscription. ... Where's Rhys? Super-sub Rhys Wolford sported a dry uniform and scored a run in one of his two pitch-running assignments for catcher Bryan Stovall. ... Sean Frailey ended his season-long media blackout by giving an interview to a newspaper reporter. If the team wins the series, Linglestown TV's BB has vowed to find a way to get the first baseman on YouTube. ... The series returns to Koons Park on Saturday for a 3 pm game.