LIBERTY BELL MEN'S BASEBALL LEAGUE

Kyle Werman wins back to back Cy Young Awards, putting a bow on one of the more dominant two year runs of pitching this league has ever seen. Werman outdid himself in 2024, leading the league in ERA (0.72), tying Julio Viera of the Padres for the league lead in WHIP (0.76), and finishing second to Jason Ferrie of the Red Sox in strikeout rate (6.9 K/7) and total strikeouts (38). His versatility was on display again notching 6 Wins, 1 Complete Game, and 1 Save as he scattered his 5th in the league Innings Pitched (38 2/3) over five starts and three relief appearances.

There is no better example of Werman's combination of versatility, rubber arm, and effectiveness than the 2024 Championship Series, as he toed the rubber in all three games of the series against the powerhouse #1 seed Dirt Dawgs, notching a win in Game 1, a save in Game 3, and 15 total innings pitched to lead the Marlins to a second consectutive championship.

2024 Qualified Pitchers Leaderboard

While the ballot for 2024 CYA was not as deep as the ballot for MVP, it was all quality in the top five. The remaining four vote-getters all turned in pitching seasons worthy of the award in any given year, but Kyle Werman at the peak of his powers was a cut above. Congrats to all vote getters on outstanding seasons on the mound!

Kelly hit .404, with 21 hits, 12 RBI, 14 Runs Scored, and a 1.119 OPS. He hit 2 HR on the season – and had a flare for the dramatic with the long ball. The most exciting was a come-from-behind 3 Run Homer to push the Dawgs ahead of the defending Bux-Mxont Champion Cannoneers in their June interleague matchup. Hitting in the middle of an offensively loaded Dirt Dawgs lineup, Kelly’s offensive production led the way. While his bat won him the league’s top honor, he also toed the rubber when needed for the Dawgs, notching 2 innings of scoreless ball in the regular season before taking the ball as the ‘opener’ in game 1 of the semi-finals, doing his part to send the Dawgs back to the Championship series. 

The 2024 season resulted in one of the most diverse ballot outlays in recent memory with 11 different players receiving votes, including two three-way ties after the first and second place!

2024 Qualified Hitters Leaderboard

Congratulations to all who received votes on their impressive seasons!

The Marlins are your 2024 Liberty Bell Champions! Nick Sun's squad won a 10 inning thriller 6-5 in Game One before dropping Game Two 4-2 to the always dangerous Dirt Dawgs. The 2023 champs defended their title, however, winning the decisive Game Three 9-4 and cementing their legacy in the Liberty Bell League. The now two-time champs have been a consistent force in the league, winning titles in 2024 and 2023, and making championship series appearances in 2021 and 2020. 

COLLEGEVILLE, PA- The 2024 Liberty Bell Men’s League Championship series was a rematch of 2023 with the #1 seed Dirt Dawgs facing off against the #2 seed Conshy Marlins.  

Game One matched up the Marlins’ Tyler Leonard, fresh off a shut out of the Red Sox in the semi-finals and Ryan Levito of the Dirt Dawgs, a strong candidate for the 2024 Cy Young. Both pitchers threw very well into the middle innings, before giving way to relievers Kyle Werman and DJ Newby with the Dirt Dawgs leading 4-3. Big time defensive plays were made by the JJ Booth of the Marlins and Dirt Dawgs first baseman Dan Gavlick, preventing either team from pulling away.

With the Dirt Dawgs up 5-4 in the top of the 7^th and the Marlins down to their final out, veteran Scott Seiple singled to center field scoring Mark Gervasi and tying the game at 5-5.  

Newby and Werman remained in the game, dueling into extra innings and holding the opposing lineups scoreless. In the top of the 10^th with a runner on second and two outs, Kyle Leone hit a line drive to left field to give the Marlins a 6-5 lead. Werman held the Dirt Dawgs scoreless in the bottom of the 10th, earning him the win after only allowing 1 ER in 5 innings of relief and giving the Marlins a 1-0 series lead. 

Game Two was set up with two of the best pitchers in the league taking the mound: Kevin McGovern and Kyle Werman, rolling right into the start from his Game One relief appearance. In what many assumed was going to be a low scoring game, a lead off triple by Rob Zinsmeister who was later batted in by Mark Gervasi gave the Marlins an early 1-0 lead. The Dirt Dawgs answered right back in the second inning with a solo homerun by Ant Kelly.  

Heading into the top of the 6th, the Marlins were winning 2-1 and only five outs away from securing the championship. However with one out and nobody on base, the Dirt Dawgs put together a big three run inning lead by Kelly to give them a 4-2 lead. Kevin McGovern blanked the Marlins the rest of the way to complete Game Two and tie the series at 1-1.  

Long time veterans Dan Stauffer and Matt Edmondson were handed the ball for a winner take all Game Three. The Dirt Dawgs got off to a quick start, taking an early 4-0 lead through the first two innings helped in part by a solo homerun by Dan Gavlick. Stauffer settled in after his early trough and kept the game scoreless over the next two innings.

Nick Sun and Kyle Werman lead off the top of the third inning with back to back singles, setting the table for Mark Gervasi, who launched a three run homerun to left field. With the Dirt Dawgs’ lead whittled down to one run, Kyle Werman entered the game for his third pitching appearance in three separate games, a seemingly impossible feat even for the rubber-armed Werman, to try and prevent the Dawgs’ offense from adding to their lead. The Marlins tied the game in the top of the 5th inning, then took the lead shortly after on a 2 out RBI by Gervasi and sac fly from Jameson Cooper.  

With the Dirt Dawgs still in striking distance, the Marlins loaded the bases in the top of the 6th inning and looked to add some insurance, a necessity against this dangerous Dawgs offense. Scott Seiple gave the Marlins what they needed, lacing a bases clearing double to left center field and extending  the Marlins’ lead to 5 runs.  As expected, the Dawgs’ offense continued to put pressure on the Werman and the Marlins’ 9-5 lead over the final two innings. The Dirt Dawgs threatened but couldn’t cash in, with an incredible diving play from Sam Plaugher and an over the shoulder catch by Seth Reigner helping Werman finish his third outing of the day and lock down the save, the Game Three win, and the second championship in as many years for the Conshy Marlins.

Co-MVPs: Kyle Werman and Mark Gervasi 

Mark Gervasi: 7-10, 1 HR, 2 2B, 3 BB, 5 RBI, 4 R, 3 SB

Kyle Werman: 15 IP, 4 ER, 1 W (G1), 1 S (G3) / 3-7, 2 2B, 2BB, HBP

The championship series is set, and it's a rematch of the 2023, 2022, and 2020 finals - Dirt Dawgs vs Marlins!

The Dirt Dawgs took home the title in 2020 and 2022, but the Marlins got revenge (and their first LBMBL championship) in 2023. 

Best of 3 series at Cardinal O'Hara HS, Sunday August 18th, 10am.

The 2024 Liberty Bell Playoffs are here. With the Comets and newcomer Lions eliminated after regular season play, the top four teams are the Dirt Dawgs, Marlins, Red Sox, and Padres. Playoffs start Sunday, August 11th with the #1 Dirt Dawgs hosting the #4 Padres at Arch Bishop Ryan High School and the #2 Marlins hosting the #3 Red Sox at Collegeville Community Park.

The Dirt Dawgs returned to the top spot in the standings in 2024 with another 20+ win season and an impressive +150 run differential. The Padres made a strong push for the #3 seed, going 5-2 in the final month of the season to try to catch the Red Sox, but fell just short needing one more win, or a stronger run differential to win the seecond(!) tie break after splitting the season series with the Sox two games apiece.

The defending champion #2 Marlins will host the #3 Red Sox in a rematch of the 2022 first round, when the #6 Red Sox upset the #3 Marlins with a sweep. This year the season series was all Marlins, as they went 3-0 vs the Sox (8-5, 4-3, 10-7). They will look to advance and defend their title, while the Red Sox will try to make their first championship series since joining the league in 2020.

The 2024 Liberty Bell – BuxMont League All Star Game was a thriller, with the Liberty Bell Division All Stars hanging on for an 11-10 victory last Thursday night at Trenton Thunder Ballpark. Northampton Angels Outfielder Brady McNabb hit a three-run homerun off Matt Raws of the Dirt Dawgs in the top of the 8^th inning to bring the Bux-Mont team to within a run, but 2023 LBMBL Cy Young Award winner Kyle Werman of the Marlins came in for a 1-2-3 top of the ninth to lock down the save and the win.

This year’s game featured top players from all six teams in each of the two “younger” Bux-Mont Divisions: the Liberty Bell and the Bux-Mont 28+ and it seemed to be a format that was enjoyed by all.

Prior to the late game heroics of McNabb and Werman, it was all Liberty Bell in the middle innings. Brandon Newcomb, the 2023 MVP and fixture at second base for the Dirt Dawgs was 2 for 2 with a walk and two runs batted in. He was backed up by the trio of Red Sox brothers – George, Jim, and John Armentani who combined to go 2 for 4 with three runs scored, three runs batted in, and three walks. John’s RBI base hit in the 4^th put the Liberty Bell team up for good.

Another former MVP, Comets outfielder Adam Oddo, recorded a perfect day going 2 for 2 with two runs scored starting in the two-hole and his teammate First Baseman Fareed Mizelle might have had the hardest hit ball of the night for the Liberty Bell team, a laser double to right field in the bottom of the second inning. Lions left side infielders Julian Lopez and Tre Allen combined to go 2 for 4 with a run scored, run batted in, a walk, and numerous big defensive plays on the dirt. All four Padres representatives, Catcher Matt Sompel, Outfielder Kevin Sompel, Outfielder Matt Dekker, and Manager/First Baseman Steve Drake all reached base at least once, with Kevin Sompel stealing a base and Drake picking up an RBI on a pinch-hit single to right field in the 5^th inning.

Dan Stauffer, the longtime stalwart of the Marlins rotation, got the nod as the starting pitcher, throwing to his battery mate Kyle Werman (before his relief heroics). Dirt Dawgs Ryan Levito, Lions Devin Mood, and Comets Stosh Tunney all provided clutch relief pitching, combining for four strikeouts and only one earned run in the middle innings.

For the second year in a row, the Liberty Bell Men’s League All Star Game will be at Trenton Thunder Ballpark, home of the MLB Draft League Trenton Thunder.

This year’s game is Thursday, July 11^th and will matchup All Stars from all six teams of the Liberty Bell league vs their Bux-Mont division counterparts.

First pitch at 7:00 PM, admission is free for all fans!

Opening Day is upon us, and the 2024 season of the Liberty Bell Men's Baseball League brings some new wrinkles. After 7 seasons, the Wookies have moved on from the LBMBL to the Bux-Mont 28+ League. Matt Gill managed his squad to an overall record of 92-78, making the playoff Semi-Finals every year from 2018 to 2023. The LBMBL salutes them, and their players, on nearly a decade of fun and competitive baseball.

However, it won’t be the last we see of the Wookies! The LBMBL has merged with the Bux-Mont League, added a team to replace the departed Wookies, and will be playing as the Liberty Division of the Bux-Mont League. The 2024 season will include four “interleague” games for each LBMBL team against members of the Bux-Mont League’s 28+ division!

Additionally, the league will be using a four team bracket this year, which means the standings and seedings matter even more! In previous years top teams would gun for a first round bye or the #1 overall seed to take advantage of the re-seeding bracket each round, but now with only the top four of six teams making the playoffs we should see an extra emphasis on regular season wins, week in and week out, leading to a more competitive and engaging regular season for players and fans!

On that note, we welcome the Lions to the LBMBL. Managed by Devin Mood, the Lions are a young team out of Lower Moreland, PA comprised almost entirely of newcomers to the league. We are excited for this infusion of new and exciting talent and can’t wait to see what they can do against the returning Comets, Dirt Dawgs, Marlins, Padres, and Red Sox.

Opening Day Schedule:

Comets vs. Dirt Dawgs @ Arch Bishop Ryan HS

Marlins vs. Padres @ Collegeville Community Park

Red Sox vs. Lions @ Liberty Bell Field

The 2023 Cy Young Award winner is the Marlins’ Kyle Werman! The men’s league stalwart had another impressive season in all three facets of the game, but his year on the mound was equal parts dominant and unique. While only started three games, he was tied for second in the league in appearances (9) and went multiple innings in all but one of those outings. Kyle led qualified pitchers in ERA (1.75), WHIP (0.81), and tied for first Win % (a perfect 5-0 record) and his versatility and availability on the bump was a key cog in the Marlins’ 1^st place season and undefeated post season run.

While it did not factor into voting for this award, the league would be remiss if it did not mention Werman’s two-way success. Similar to 2022 CYA winner Pat Reilly, Kyle also posted a .333/.511/.485 batting line with 10 Stolen Bases (and 0 CS) while playing Shortstop and Catcher!

Congrats on your Cy Young Award and another remarkable year on the diamond, Kyle!

Kyle Werman, Marlins, #10, P/SS/C

As we gear up for the 2024 season let’s take a look back at our 2023 LBMBL award winners:

The 2024 Liberty Bell Men’s Baseball League MVP is Brandon Newcomb! The Dirt Dawgs Second Baseman was a consistent offensive force throughout the season while also playing top notch defense at the keystone. Brandon led all qualified hitters in batting average (.481), Hits (25), On Base Percentage (.554), OPS (1.208), and Total Bases (34) and was second in Runs Scored (18) and tied for second in Homeruns (2).

Congratulations Brandon on an outstanding season!

Brandon Newcomb, Dirt Dawgs, #12, 2B

The Conshy Marlins captured their first LBMBL title Sunday, defeating the reigning 5-time champion Dirt Dawgs 3-1 and 8-2. The sweep in the championship series completed an undefeated run through the playoffs outscoring their opponents 26 to 7. The Marlins avenged previous losses to the Dirt Dawgs in 2021 and 2020, proving the third time was the charm for manager Nick Sun and his squad.

Kyle Werman pitched a complete game in the first game of the series, allowing only one run in against a potent Dawgs offense. Then as he has done so many times in his career, rolled straight into Game 2   and threw 5 1/3 innings of 2-run ball and allowing the Marlins bats the time they needed to come alive for 8 runs. Werman helped himself out at the plate as well. going 2-6 with an RBI and 2 HBP.  

 Jordan Lee went 6-7 at the plate throughout the series.  In the clinching Game 2 Jordan powered the offense’s 8-run attack, coming up clutch in every at bat he had.  He went 4-4 with 5 RBI, two doubles, and two runs scored.  

 Rob Zinsmeister had 4 hits on the day from the leadoff spot for the Marlins, including a double in Game 1 and a huge two run home run early in Game 2 to extend the Marlins lead. 

 Sam Plaugher had the best overall day defensively for the Marlins.  He made multiple big plays at third base to keep the Dirt Dawgs from putting together any big innings.  

 As we’ve seen in years past, the final three outs against the Dirt Dawgs sometimes seem impossible.  Dennis Higgins’ boys once again threatened in the bottom of the 7th of Game 2, putting men on first and second with nobody out.  Matt Seiple then robbed Cody Clarke of a would-be base hit up the middle with a diving stop, converting it into a double play.  Tyler Leonard then shut the door and secured the formerly elusive first championship for the Conshy Marlins.  

(Sean Jones, Padres #11)

Another week, another impressive two-way performance in the Liberty Bell League! This time it was Sean Jones of the Padres whose 5 hit 9 RBI day and 4 1/3 IP on the mound powered the Padres to a sweep of the Red Sox. Jones came on in relief of Kevin Sompel in Game 1 of the double header and settled in after allowing the go-ahead runs, locking down the Sox bats through extras into the bottom of the 10th. That set the stage for his heroics in the box, ripping a walk off single to right field for the win. Sean stayed hot for Game 2, going 2 for 3 with a double, 4 RBI, and 2 Runs scored to lead his team to a decisve sweep! 

(Pat Reilly, Wookies, #11)

Wookies Lefty and reigning Cy Young Award Winner Pat Reilly earned Player of the Week honors after a dominant two-way Sunday against the Red Sox. Reilly threw 6 shut out innings while striking out 9 batters in Game 2 of the double header to secure the win and the sweep for his squad. Entering the 4th inning with the game tied 0-0, he blasted a pitch to deep right field for a go ahead, game deciding two run homerun. The Wookies are off to a hot 3-1 start behind the strong pitching of Reilly, 2020 CYA Winner Zach Welsher, and Pat Carney.

(Matt Bull, Comets, #6)

Heavy rain Saturday morning     and overnight into Sunday led to the cancellation of games for the Dirt Dawgs, Marlins, Red Sox, and Padres but some hard work from Comets manager Pete Harper meant the LBMBL would not be shut out on Opening Day. The Comets took on the Wookies at John Boyce Field, and while the teams split to earn a win apiece the big story was Game 2 starting pitcher Matt Bull. The former Ursinus Bear authored a dominant outing to start the league's, and his team's, season with a Complete Game 18 Strikeout effort that led to a 3-2 Comets victory. Matt allowed only 5 hits as he went the distance, while adding a double and a single at the plate for good measure.

Meanwhile, the Wookies welcomed back two players who were absent for the 2022 campaign: Zach Welsher and Pat Doheny. Welsher, the 2020 Cy Young Award winner, led the Wookies from the mound with a Complete Game Shutout powered by 8 Strikeouts and only 4 total baserunners and each player had a double to pace the offense in the 3-0 Wookies victory. 

PHILADELPHIA -- The Dirt Dawgs bounced back from a Game 1 loss to take Games 2 and 3 from the Muckdogs at Arch Bishop Ryan High School, claiming their fifth straight league championship. Their unprecedented run was put to the test early when the Muckdogs, led by MVP Finalists Seth Regensberg and Kyle Jackson, blew out the defending champs 13-3.  The Muckdogs jumped ahead early, putting up a seven spot in the second inning highlighted by a Mark Gervasi homerun, his first of two on the day, but what looked like a possible knock out punch only seemed to wake up the battle tested Dawgs.

The Dirt Dawgs came right back in Game 2 and returned the favor with a blowout win of their own. The Dawg bats were quiet the first time through the order vs Muckdogs starting pitcher Kevin Elwell, but came to life to score eight runs in the  4^th inning in which they sent 12 batters to the plate. When the dust settled the series was tied at one game apiece with a total of 16 runs scored in each game.

Of course, Game 3 was a 5-3 nail biter. The Dirt Dawgs scored three runs in the first, keyed by the veteran trio of Stanton Tentnowski, Dan Gavlick, and Wes Baylor, each of whom scored in the inning. After the Muckdogs responded with a run of their own in the bottom half of the second inning, the Dawgs got it right back with Baylor crossing the plate again, this time on a RBI single by Mike Kerns.  The Dawgs then held off a potential Muckdogs comeback, with a run scored in the 4^th and 5^th inning as well as traffic on the bases in the 6^th and 7^th. In fact, the Muckdogs sent the tying or go ahead run to the plate in the last four batters of the game, but just could not come through with the big hit. Meanwhile, Dawgs showed their championship mettle, inducing two fielder’s choice groundouts to second base and getting the final out on a groundout to shortstop Shane Albertson with the tying runs on base to lock up Championship #5. The final out was fitting, as Albertson was voted MVP of the Championship Series. The infielder was involved in numerous run saving, and even game saving, plays throughout the three game set as well as contributing a big RBI double in the Dawgs Game 2 rally.

After four seasons of being pushed to three games in the semifinal round each year, most notably by these same Muckdogs last year which required a walk-off grand slam in Game 3 by 2021 League MVP Wes Baylor to survive and advance, the Dirt Dawgs were pushed to the brink in the Finals. The Muckdogs gave them their best shot two years in a row, but the championship pedigree of the Dawgs won out.

Congratulations to the Dirt Dawgs, Muckdogs, and all LBMBL teams on a fine 2022 season! See you in the Spring!

Pat Reilly, 2022

While the 2022 MVP was a closely contested race between four different players, the Cy Young Award this season was a landslide in favor of the left handed ace of the Wookies, Pat Reilly. The second CYA winner from the Wookies in three years (Welsher, 2020) Reilly was a workhorse in 2022 as he led the league in Innings Pitched with 71 - a full 18 innigs more than number two on the list, and third place CYA finisher, Julio Viera of the of the Padres. En route to throwing a Complete Game in eight of his nine starts, Reilly also led the league in ERA (0.89) and was second in WHIP, but first among Starting Pitchers (0.75).

Congratulations to Pat on a phenomenal season on the mound, he was in a league all his own in 2022!

Adam Oddo, 2022

Outfielder Adam Oddo of the Comets took home the league Most Valuable Player award in 2022, edging out two-way dyanmo Seth Regensburg and slugger Kyle Jackson of the Muckdogs in a ballot that saw nine different players get at least one vote. Oddo was an offensive force out of the leadoff spot for manager Pete Harper's club as he led the league in Batting Average (.544), On Base Percentage (.644), Hits (37), and Plate Appearances (87) while only striking out once all season. A true on base machine, he was quite literally the toughest out in the league, and you were going to have to earn it in the field!

Congratualtions, Adam, on an incredibly impressive season - and congratulations to all other candidates for their great production on the diamond in 2022.