republictimes.smugmug.com<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\nThe Mon-Clair League playoff championship series took place Saturday at Borsch Park in Valmeyer, pitting the host Lakers against the rival Waterloo Buds.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After winning game one, 3-1, the Lakers sealed the deal in game two with an 8-0 victory. Valmeyer ace lefthander Jacob Thompson was dominant on the mound like he had been all season, securing the playoffs MVP honor.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The title was particularly special for Lakers manager Mike McCarthy, whose father passed away last Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\u201cI went from having a pretty low first part of the week to a high at the end,\u201d McCarthy said.<\/p>\n
Valmeyer advanced to the finals with a 1-0 shutout over the Belleville Rockies on Aug. 3, getting a nine-inning complete game from Thompson.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In game one on Saturday, pitching again dominated for Valmeyer as southpaw Philip Reinhardt went five solid innings and Luke Gasser secured a two-inning save.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kameron Hanvey, who led the Lakers in hitting during the regular season at .393, went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Jacob Rowold and Kenny Otero also had RBIs for Valmeyer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In game two, Thompson continued where he left off the game prior. He threw a seven-inning shutout to clinch the title for the Lakers.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was clearly the (playoffs) MVP,\u201d McCarthy said of Thompson, who pitched 16 scoreless innings in the postseason after going 5-1 with a 1.88 ERA in 41 innings pitched during the regular season. \u201cHe\u2019s been our best pitcher the past few seasons.\u201d<\/p>\n
At the plate in game two, Hanvey went 1-for-4 with two RBIs, with both Trevor Davis and Cole Juelfs going 1-for-3 with an RBI.<\/p>\n
Waterloo reached the finals by virtue of upsetting defending league playoff champion Millstadt on Aug. 3. The Green Machine won the regular season title with a record of 18-7 after also winning the Valmeyer Midsummer Classic over the July 4 holiday.<\/p>\n
McCarthy said Waterloo\u2019s win over Millstadt was huge for his squad.<\/p>\n
\u201cWithout a doubt, that helped us,\u201d he said. \u201cMillstadt has a great team and always plays us tough.\u201d<\/p>\n
In addition to the previously mentioned players for the Lakers, other key offensive contributors all season for Valmeyer included Matt Helm (.368, 24 RBIs) and Evan Davis (.352, 20 RBIs).\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Lakers were without the talents of infielder Evan Davis for the finals, as he had to leave for college. McCarthy said that forced a change in his defensive alignment, moving Hanvey from behind the plate to the infield.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe really can play anywhere,\u201d McCarthy said of Hanvey.<\/p>\n
This move led to longtime Lakers player Mark Nappier \u2013 one of Valmeyer High School\u2019s all-time best baseballers \u2013 catching all 14 innings Saturday in the searing heat. In addition to catching two solid pitching performances, Nappier collected a hit in each game of the finals.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe really stepped up for us,\u201d McCarthy said.<\/p>\n
The Lakers manager was also impressed by the play of former Gibault standout Brady Biffar, who came up with some big at-bats in the playoffs.<\/p>\n
The playoff title comes after Valmeyer won the league\u2019s trifecta in 2023, which is the Valmeyer Midsummer Classic title, regular season title and playoffs title.<\/p>\n
Valmeyer also won the playoffs title in 2022.<\/p>\n
McCarthy heaped high praise on his longtime assistant coach, Brad Juelfs, for a great deal of the team\u2019s success.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a smarter baseball guy than me and I consult him on every decision,\u201d McCarthy said.<\/p>\n
McCarthy was open with his team about the emotional roller-coaster he was riding due to his father\u2019s passing and was more than pleased with the positive ending to this season.<\/p>\n
\u201cI told the team how proud of them I was,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
McCarthy also felt there was a strong force up above guiding his team to victory.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019d been a Lakers fan for 35 years, and I know he was looking down on us Saturday,\u201d McCarthy said.<\/p>\n
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