Can the Burrilville Broncos Win Another State Championship in 2015 ?

        Posted by Wayne G. Barber & Photos by Wayne G. Barber

Bronco #15 Taylor Chamberlins stinging single to left !

On a rare Sunday game I decided to cover a high school baseball playoff game on the Cinderella ride for the 2015 Division III Burrillville Broncos high school baseball team. The years class of 2015 boys has earned the football, hockey and are now one win away from duplicated the feat in baseball. Not to be ignored the girls teams had an outstanding 2015 season also.
 The regular season led by #2b #8 Chad Stone at .453 ave. .552 obp, and a whopping .679 slg., 1hr. 17 rbi's and 18 runs scored. Throw in  8 stolen bases for Stone.
He led the hockey team and hopefully the baseball team. Stone collected two hits today.
 The second spark in the line-up is #10 Sylvestre Slade at a .353 ave.,obp .410, .463 slg. and  15 rbi 5 sb. Catcher #30 Greg Carlson came through with a outstanding .324 ave.,10 rbi .435 obp, and a .459 slg. and calls a good game.

Bronco starter righty Justin DesChamps

 The Broncos finished 12 -6 and 12-7 overall in a tie with Wheeler for third in their class III division. The team jelled at the correct time starting on 5/20 with a 6-1 win over Paul Coffe. Next on 5/22 a 1-0 win over regular season division champ 15 win, Exeter/W.Greenwich. On 5/26 a nice 8-0 victory over Shea and then kept the streak alive at Central Falls with a lop-sided 13-2 victory. For the season 6-3 home and 6-4 away.

 2015 Playoff Run;  Wins, First, Rogers, 2nd, Jaunita Sanchez, 3rd Mt.Hope 3-1
 Now the teams waits for the championship game against the losers bracket winner of Mt.Hope and Jaunita Sanchez who destroyed Rogers yesterday 13-2. The championship game will be at RIC.

Game 3 Playoff at Harrisville;

 Burrillville handed the ball to crafty right handed ace #41 Justin DesChamps who has had a outstanding high school career. Regular season a 3-1record,  2.89 era 19 k's and 10 bb's and a 1.50 whip and 2 complete games. DesChamps always helps himself at the plate with a .302 ave,.351 obp and a .358 slg. ave. and a nice total of 13 rbi's in 17 games. When not pitching he is the teams regular 3rd baseman. His opponent on the mound for Mt.Hope was young freshman right hander #22 C.J Casalino who pitched a 5 hit complete game in a third round must win game. The Mt. Hope team out hit the broncos 6-5.
 Scoreless through two innings and then in the last of the third inning Burrillville's late season starter right fielder #15 Taylor Chamberlin lashed a rocket single to left field to ignite the home crowd and his team mates. The smart ball player who loves the game then took a wide turn after touching the first base bag just in case of any bobble by the defense in the scoreless game. Chamberlin then set his GPS settings on second base to get his team into scoring position. First pitch Chamberlin timed the pitchers wind up and on the second pitch his after burners were on. Close play at second and when the dust settled the umpires call was Safe !
  The batter up was #14 Antwain J.Dearden who came into the contest at .385 ave, a .432 obp and a gaudy .569 slg.% team high 24 rbi and 1 hr and speed too at 11 sb. Dearden then crushed the third pitch he saw for a sure rbi and the entire crowd thought a two run homer. The umpires after a discussion with both team managers on ground rules determined a ground rule double and sent Dearden back to second. End of three 1-0 Broncos.
  Top of fourth the Mt.Hope ballclub responded and tied it up at 1-1. The bronco defense gave up a total of 4 errors in the contest that most of the time in the play-offs come back to bite you, but not today. The broncos then countered with scoring the decisive two runs to make it 3-1 the final score in their half of the fourth inning. A scoreless fifth and then in the sixth inning the Mt. Hope came back with their final push of putting runners at third and first with one out. Coaches had a pow-wow and made the decision to remove the starter DesChamps and place him at third and hand the ball over to #35 Mark Stead who was 16th out of 100 players reported by the coaches who responded at 8 games 34.2 innings and 4-2 record with sparkling 2.86 era, 1.27 whip with 23 'ks and 10 bb. This was the crucial moment of the contest. Mt. Hope pulled it's first blunder by sending the runner from first and the bronco pitcher threw to first to force a base running pickle. All the time the broncos were watching their second base runner at third who was timing a break for home on the double straight steal. The broncos executed the pay text book style and took out the runner going to second then a perfect throw to home to force that runner back who was tagged out at third.
 Josh Lee smacked two hits for Mt. Hope and the Bronco's DesChamps and Dearden had a rbi each

Stead throw one pitch and gets two outs to squelch the up-rising. Broncos fail to score in thier last half of the inning. Top of the seventh the Broncos hold the lead at 3-1. Broncos right fielder Taylor Chamberlin was the intangible in the contest with his igniting single to get it going when being scoreless and then with the bases loaded Chamberlin then launches a cannon on line throw to home plate

SAFE !Bronco's Chamberlin's putting his team in scoring position steal in a scoreless game !

Bronco Town Wide Pride !

with the bases loaded to get the potential second run for Mt.Hope. Just like a goalie stoning the opposition. Chamberlin reminded this scribe of the late great Roberto Clemente stealing wins for the Pittsburg Pirates with his right field defense.
 Championship should have the Bronco's #34 Colin Murphy at 3-0 35.1 innings pitched, 1.27 era 1.50 whip with 38 k's to represent the team on the mound with everyone else available.
   Win ,Lose or Draw in the Championship Round, on this day in Harrisville, Rhode Island the Burrillville Broncos played like Champion Players they are. Thank You, is was my "Privledge" to cover the game ! Wayne. G. Barber