Pennsylvania Midstate Baseball League

League Championship
New Berlin, PA., Sept. 20, 2008 -- The Mifflinburg Phillies won their 11th title in 16 years of existence by defeating the Roxbury Red Sox 5-3 and 8-7.
The defending champions showed why they have a stranglehold on league titles by overcoming deficits in each game.
Down 3-2 in the fourth inning of game one, the Phillies roared back with three runs. Starter Chuck Sponhouse, roughed up early, grew more effective as the game went on and finished the game. Steve Russell was the hitting star for the Phillies going 3-for-3 with a double and two RBI.
The Phillies scored seven runs in the final two frames of nightcap to claim the championship. Mark LeValley's two-run, sixth-inning homer - his only hit of the playoffs -- highlighted a three-run rally that pulled the Phillies to within three runs. Down 7-5 with two outs in the seventh inning, the Phils were on the receiving end of a miracle small miracle. With the bases loaded, Mark Levalley's towering fly ball clanked off the glove of a camping Brian Ramsey in left field allowing two runs to score. With the winning run on third base, Sponhouse delivered a two-strike single to right field to win it for the Phillies.
Phillies reliever John Hockenbrock allowed just one hit and no runs in four and two-thirds innings in relief of Levalley. He finished the playoffs with two wins and one save and allowed no runs.


Semifinals:
Sept. 14, 2008 -- Red Sox, Phillies advance to Championship Game
The Red Sox defeated the visiting Yankees 4-2 behind the pitching of Toby Souders to earn return trip to the championship.
The Phillies, meanwhile, swept two straight (4-3, 6-2) from the Hummelstown Naturals to earn the right to defend its title.


YANKEES VS. RED SOX SEMIFINAL
Sept. 7, 2008, East Pennsboro -- The Yankees and Red Sox split forcing a deciding game three in Roxbury on Sept. 14. The winner will play the winner of the Naturals versus Phillies semifinal set to begin Sept. 14.
Jim Smith threw a three-hit shut out for the Yankees in game one. Jim Egolf got the win for the Red Sox in game two with Toby Souders earning a save.

A'S VS. NATURALS QUARTERFINAL
Sept. 7, 2008, Kennedy Field, Dauphin -- The Hummelstown Naturals defeated the Dauphin A's 6-1 in the deciding game of the quarterfinals. Doug Hummer went the distance for the Naturals. Shane Lenker took the loss for the A's.
The teams split a doubleheader on Aug. 24 in Hummelstown. Game three, slated originally for Sept. 6, was rained out. As a result, the league championship was postponed and is not set to begin Sept. 21.
The Yankees swept the Orioles in two straight games in the quarterfinals, while the Red Sox Swept the Astros.

CHAMPIONSHIP
Phillies 5, 8
Red Sox 3, 7

SEMIFINALS
Red Sox 0, 4, 4
Yankees 1, 3, 2

Phillies 4, 6
Naturals 3, 2

Quarterfinals
Yankees 11, 5
Orioles 1, 4

Red Sox 7, 2
Astros 3, 1

Naturals 7,2,6
A's 1, 4, 1