At the start of the current American Legion baseball season, George Kinsman thought he had the best team in all of District 15.

Dime Bank’s rookie skipper liked everything about his roster...from a ridiculously deep pitching staff, to Gold Glove defenders to a stable of bona fide power hitters.

The Pythons made Coach Kinsman look awfully good in the early going, brushing aside their competition with alarming ease. However, the Red & Black suffered a nasty mid-season slump that left archrival Hawley sitting all alone atop the division standings.

“This is by far the best team I’ve ever coached,” Kinsman told TWI Sports Wednesday night. “Talent-wise, I think we can play with anybody. We have a hard time getting motivated sometimes, though. That’s really our only problem.”

Fortunately for Maple City hardball fans, the Pythons seem to have caught fire at the perfect time. Honesdale reeled off three straight wins to close out the regular season and sew up a #3 seed in the play-offs.

On Monday evening in Milford, Dime Bank continued its winning ways with a 3-0 victory over Delaware Valley in Game One of the semifinals. Honesdale was then back on the diamond just 48 hours later, this time at Keith Sutton Memorial Field.

Once again, the Pythons had their hands full. DV leapt out to a three-run lead in the top of the first against Dime Bank ace Anthony Matacchiera. Luckily for the big hometown crowd, Bobby Kinsman was a one-man wrecking crew on this particular day.

Honesdale’s veteran third baseman crushed a double and two homeruns in leading the Pythons to an impressive 11-3 victory. With the win, Dime Bank closed out a sweep of the semifinals and punched its ticket to the District 15 title tilt.

“I’m very happy with how we played tonight,” said Coach Kinsman. “We got some big hits and played error-free defense. That’s the kind of baseball I expect at the American Legion level.”

The Pythons will now take on archrival Hawley in the finals. The opener of this  best-of-three championship series is slated to begin Saturday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. on the shores of The Big Lake.

On Their Way
Entering this summer’s semifinal series, Honesdale had a score to settle with Delaware Valley.

The Pythons had absorbed a twinbill sweep at the hands of the Warriors midway through the regular season. DV took two from a shorthanded Dime Bank squad and seemed to have the upper hand on Monday.

However, Trevor Taylor and his teammates sprung a surprise on the homestanding Warriors. Taylor pitched one of his best games of the season as Honesdale posted a 3-0 victory. Trev even contributed to the offensive attack, ripping a sixth inning double.

On the heels of that win, the Pythons returned home looking to close out the series. Coach Kinsman called on Anthony Matacchiera as his starter, but the fireballing righty dug himself a deep early hole.

DV batted around in the top of the first, scoring three quick runs. Matacchiera finally found his rhythm late in the frame, fanning three straight Warriors to staunch the bleeding.

“That was probably my fault,” explained Coach Kinsman. “Anthony got here a little bit late and didn’t have enough time to warm up. He wasn’t ready and I probably shouldn’t have started him. Luckily, he got loose as the game went on.”

Honesdale’s big bangers wasted no time coming to Matacchiera’s aid. The Pythons mistreated DV starter Mike Pena right from the start. Dime Bank erupted for four runs in the home half of the first, taking the lead once & for all.

Erik Sandercock ignited the offense with a lead-off single. Jake Schilling joined him on the basepaths just moments later with a safety of his own.

After Kinsman worked a walk, Joel Watson got Honesdale on the board with an RBI single. Matacchiera helped his own cause with a run-scoring basehit. Mike Callahan just missed a three-run homer when he crushed a high fastball off the top of the Metal Monster in left.

Pena finally escaped the first via a pair of grounders, but the damage was done.
The Pythons added to their lead in the bottom of the third, pushing three more runs across the plate and taking command of the game.

Kinsman got things going with a bullet double up the alley in left center. Bobby scurried home when Watson followed with his own two-bagger. Joel came around when Matacchiera slapped his second hit in as many at-bats.

Taylor made it 7-3 with a towering flyball to dead center that missed clearing the wall by just a few feet.

Power Surge
The last three innings were owned by Matacchiera, Kinsman and Mead Sandercock.

Anthony completely recovered from his early-game troubles and went on to earn the decision. Matacchiera worked five innings and allowed just three hits. He walked six and struck out seven.

Kinsman crushed a pair of towering homeruns in consecutive at-bats. Bobby blasted a solo shot to left center in the fourth, then hammered an opposite field two-run shot in the sixth. All told, Kinsman went 3-for-3 with a walk, four runs scored and three RBIs.

“Bobby is really swinging the bat well right now,” said Coach Kinsman. “It seems like every time he’s up there, he hits the ball hard somewhere. He’s driving the ball to all fields and hitting for power.”

Sandercock came in from the bullpen to close the game out. Mead pitched the final two frames and didn’t surrender a run. He issued two free passes and fanned a pair.

Score by Innings...
DV     3  0  0  0  0  0  0 -  3
HON  4  0  3  1  0  3  x - 11