Highlife repeat as Twi League Champs

Published in the August 22, 2018 edition

By DAN BYRNE

WAKEFIELD — It was a bit of déjà vu for fans of the Wakefield Twi-League that remember the way last season ended, with the Highlife defeating the Brewers in the finals on Monday. The 2018 version was no different, as the Highlife knocked off the Brewers by a 6-4 final score, reclaiming the Twi-League Championship for the second consecutive year.

It was a matchup of two previous winners facing off as the Highlife’s game one starter Nick Dettorre went up against Brewer’s game two man Tom Leahy.

Leahy struggled to get into a groove, and the Highlife started things out with a hit parade in the top of the first inning. Three straight hits to start the game, and five total in the inning led to a three-run top of the first for the Highlife.

Dan Concessi, Ryan Doyle and Jason Federico had back-to-back-to-back singles to load the bases with nobody out. Highlife cleanup hitter, Matt Davis hit a grounder to Mike Fiore at second, but the Brewers were unable to turn two, and Concessi came in from third to make it 1-0 Highlife.

After Anthony Caracciolo lined out to Matt Fiore at shortstop for the inning’s second out, Cliff Silva and Mark Sullivan each singled to score Doyle and Davis, making it 3-0 in the top of the first. Leahy got Nick Kaddaras to strikeout ending the threat.

The Brewers wouldn’t go down without a fight, and they made sure to make Highlife starter Nick Dettorre work for every out.

John Zagaria led off the bottom of the 1st with a base hit. After Matt Fiore popped out to his counterpart, Ryan Doyle at shortstop, the Brewers got back-to-back hits from catcher John Halsey and second baseman Mike Fiore, to plate Zagaria making it 3-1.

Some bad base running and a caught stealing led to the Brewers running out of their half of the inning before they could get a rally going.

In the top of the 2nd, Leahy made quick work of the Life, despite allowing a two-out single to Doyle. He came right back and got Federico to ground out to end the inning.

Dettorre made similar quick work of the Brewers in their half of the 2nd, despite giving up a two-out rocket-shot double to Mike Greer. The Highlife starter, who would go 2-0 in the Finals, came back to strike out Brewers’ third baseman Brian DiRuzza to end the inning.

The Highlife loaded the bases in the top half of the 3rd inning, but were unable to come through with a clutch hit to break the game open. After Davis flew out to lead things off, Caracciolo, Silva, and Sullivan all singled to load the bases for Kaddaras. Leahy got the Highlife DH to pop to third for an infield fly, and then he got second baseman Jake Vezga to pop to the pitcher’s mound, ending the jam.

Dettorre settled in for the bottom of the 3rd and got the Brewers to go down in order as Zagaria popped back to the mound, Matt Fiore grounded out to shortstop, and Halsey flew out to left.

Onto the top of the 4th and Highlife leadoff man and centerfielder Dan Concessi got things started with a line drive down the leftfield line for a double. He moved to third when Doyle grounded out, and came in on a Federico sac-fly to left, making it 4-1 Highlife. Matt Davis just missed launching a ball onto Albion St. but got just under it and hit a mile-high pop up to Joe Greer in left field. It was up for so long, Greer had some trouble with it coming down, but he stayed with it and made the snag to end the inning.

Nick Dettorre was comfortable with a three-run lead, and held the Brewers off the board in the bottom of the 5th, despite a one-out double by Drew Betts. The recently, as of this weekend, engaged Dettorre got his counterpart, Tom Leahy, to bounce out to shortstop, before striking out DH Steve Cambria to end the inning.

Leahy was still going strong, and got the heart of the Highlife order, Caracciolo, Silva and Sullivan to go 1-2-3 in the top of the 5th, sending his team to bat chasing three runs.

Three was what they needed to tie, and three is what they got in the bottom of the 5th as the Brewers tied the game at 4 runs apiece. Three straight singles started the inning off, as Mike Greer, Brian DiRuzza, and John Zagaria all singled as the Brewers cut the lead to 4-2 before the first out of the inning. Matt Fiore followed with a deep fly to right, which Silva ran down but it was deep enough for pinch runner Zach Thomas to tag and move to third. John Halsey worked a walk to load the bases, but Dettorre came back and got a big strikeout of Mike Fiore for the 2nd out of the inning.

That brought Drew Betts to the dish, and the Brewers’ right fielder laced a two-RBI double tying the game at 4-4. The next batter, Tom Leahy threatened to do more damage as he ripped a line drive down the third baseline. Highlife 3rd baseman Matt Davis had to use every inch of his 6’3 frame to lunge and stab the screaming liner sent his way by Leahy.

The big defensive play by Davis set the stage for the Life to get back on top when they came to bat in the 6th inning. Leahy was dealing, doing his job, but his defense let him down behind him. After Kaddaras grounded out to Matt Fiore to start the inning, the Highlife No. 9 hitter Jake Vezga sent one Fiore’s way again. This time Fiore botched it and couldn’t recover in time to get the speedy Vezga. With one away, the top of the Highlife order came to bat, but Concessi couldn’t come through as he flew out to left. With two away, Vezga made a Dave Roberts-like play to steal 2nd base and move into scoring position with two down and Doyle at the plate. The Highlife shortstop worked a walk to bring up Jason Federico with two on and two out. Federico ripped a one-hopper in the hole between third and short. Matt Fiore made a tremendous diving play to get to the ball, but his throw to third base was not in time to get Vezga and the inning continued.

That brought up Matt Davis with the bases loaded and two down. The Highlife sent in Chris Dettorre to run for the hobbled Doyle at second base, just before Davis ripped a single back up the box. Vezga was in easily from third giving the Highlife the essential one-run lead, but Dettorre came charging home as well, sliding in just before the tag by Halsey, and the Highlife led 6-4. Caracciolo flew out to end the inning but the Life were back on top by two.

The Brewers weren’t going quietly, and with one away Mike Greer launched another of his patented moon-shots, this time taking some leaves off one of the trees in left-centerfield. Dettorre came back and got the last two outs as DiRuzza flew to center, moving Greer to third, but Zagaria grounded to Davis at third to end the inning without any runs coming home.

The Highlife threatened to add to their lead in the top of the 7th, as a tiring Leahy got the first two batters he faced, he labored before nailing Kaddaras with a two-strike pitch.

A two-out single by Vezga made it a legitimate threat as Concessi stepped in, but Leahy threw him a tough breaking ball that he could only ground to shortstop. A strong throw by Fiore ended the inning with the Life still leading by two runs.

Going to the 7th, Dettorre would face the heart of the Brewers’ order as Matt Fiore led off. The first out was made as Jake Vezga squeezed a sinking liner to put Fiore away.

Next up, Dettorre got John Halsey to bounce to Doyle at shortstop, before getting Mike Fiore to ground out ending the game, and starting the celebration.

It was a historic, and hard fought season for the Highlife, as they toasted their accomplishments and lit a victory cigar or two after the win.

Highlife Manager Mark DiNocco spoke about how it felt to be crowned champs in back-to-back seasons.

“It’s awesome,” he said. “We have such a strong, young team. We’re going to be back here next year going for a three-peat.”

“I want to just thank our guys for their commitment and putting in such a great effort, every game for the whole season,” DiNocco added. “Thanks to our family, friends, the fans that showed up and supported us, and of course our sponsor, The Dockside Restaurant for their support as well. I also want to thank the other five teams. This was one of the most competitive seasons we have been a part of.”

With the 2018 Twi Series in the books, the Twi League trophy stays with the Highlife for another year.