ATHLETICS BEST SEASON IN TEAM HISTORY CONCLUDES IN NORTH ATLANTIC REGIONALS
Albany posts 46-7 record and falls to Easton, MA in North Atlantic Regional Championship; A’s capture 2nd straight League and State crowns
The #7 ranked Albany Athletics capped of an incredible 2007 campaign by falling one game short of the AABC National World Series in Houston Texas. The A’s dropped a 12-4 decision to Easton, MA in the North Atlantic Regional championship in Farmingdale, Long Island closing out the season 46-7 overall and 20-3 in the Twilight League.
In the Regional event, the A’s used 7th inning heroics to defeat Bethlehem, CT by a 3-2 score behind James Pacifico’s complete game. Later in the day, Albany lost 9-1 to Providence, RI moving them to the loser’s bracket. However, the A’s notched a pair of victories over Tarrytown by an 8-1 score behind Dan Sausville and Rob Duell’s pitching, and a 13-4 win over Torrington, CT where Tony Cipolla and Matt Simone collected two hits and two RBI each.
On Championship Sunday with just four teams remaining out of a 16-team field, the Athletics edged Bergen, NJ 5-3 to advance to the Regional championship for their first time in team history.
Less than a week earlier, the Athletics captured their second straight—and seventh overall—Upper New York State championship by going 4-1 in the four-day event held at Bleecker Stadium. Nick Paniccia (7-for-16, 6 RBI) and Dan Barbero (7-for-13, 6 RBI) earned Tournament Co-MVP awards while pitcher Scott Chambers picked up two wins in the tournament to guide the A’s.
Prior to their State Tournament run, Albany swept through the Twilight League playoffs posting a two-game semifinal sweep of All-Stars Academy and a three-game championship series sweep of Davies AC. Playoff Co-MVP’s Mike Medici (3/10, 5 RBI, 2 HR) and Tony Cipolla (7-for-14, 4 RBI) led the offensive charge over the five-game stretch which helped the Athletics capture its second consecutive league title. During the regular season the Athletics reached the 20-win plateau in the league (20-3)—just the second time since the late 1980’s that a team has won 20 games in the regular season. The 2001 Athletics were the last team to do it with a 22-2 record.
The Athletics finished the 2007 season ranked #7 by the National Amateur Semi-Pro Baseball Association (NSAPBA) national poll. Albany started the season at #21 and ascended all the way up to the #4 spot at one point (July 23rd) before settling into #7 to close the year. The NASPBA named several Athletics All-Americans in its annual awards: First Team-Dan Barbero, Scott Chambers; Second Team-Bill Lawton; Third Team-Tony Cipolla, James Pacifico, and Craig Mastroianni.
The Twilight League banquet is slated for Saturday, January 12th where several Athletics have been voted by league managers as All-Stars, and one member of the A’s captured the League Most Valuable Player award. The League will also present the prestigious Twilight League Championship Trophy and the State Tournament plaque to the Athletics that night.