Congratulations to the 2022 Philadelphia Wolves on winning their second championship of the year!

(Standing: Greg Dellavecchio, Michael Samarco, Robert Walmsley, Zack Crosby, Matt Edelman, Mark Franchetti, Szymon Cymbalski, Geoff Smith, Samuel Oliver, James Clark, Ryan Austin, Bruce Leto, Dan Ciecka, Ryan Schaming
Kneeling: George Klein, Nick Nahrwold, Rob Grabel, David Fred, Mike Amoriello, Dylan Powlus, Steve Gallagher)

The Wolves completed the 2022 South Jersey Men's Semi-Pro Baseball season 11-1, including two playoff wins and a second consecutive championship! After falling in the 2021 SJMSBL Semi-Finals at the hands of Jersey Jays, the eventual league-runner up, the Wolves excorcised their demons of playoffs past and beat the Mount Ephraim Indians 12-2 in the Semi-Finals and the Clayton Angels 4-3 in the Championship!

Steve Gallagher toed the rubber in both games and delivered an excellent performance in Sunday's thriller of a 4-3 win. He spun a 4 hit gem over 6 1/3 innigns befgore giving way to equally impressive Dylan Powluis who finished the final 2 2/3 innings strong, allowing 2 runs (1 inherited) to score and keeping the Wolves in the game.

The real story of Sunday's win was the offense, particularly late in the game. Once the Angels' starting pitcher was lifted, the floodgates opened for the resilient Wolves, who scratched across a run in the 8th on a throwing error by the Angels Catcer which allowed Nick Nahrwold to score from third after David Fred, Jr. (pinch-running for James Clark, who pinch hit for Ryan Schaming, who pinch hit for Rob Grabel...it was a complicated 10 spot Sunday) stole second on the first pitch he was able to. This pulled the Wolves even after being held scoreless since the bottom of the 1st (Leto score on error). In the bottom of the 9th, with the deficit at 1, the Wolves clawed back into it and won. The inning began with Greg Dellavecchio reaching on an E6, continued with a Ryan Austin single and Rob Walmsley walk. Sam Oliver hit a chopper in front of the plate which turned into a double play. The Wolves, on their final of 9 lives, continued the rally on a scary Nick Nahrwold HBP, followed by a bases loaded HBP of Dylan Powlus and finally a pinch-hit, 2 out, full count, bases loaded game winning RBI single into left center off the bat of Matt Edelman, playing hero in the final game of his first season as a Wolf.

The Wolves dominance this season was aided by a division-best +68 run differential (107 Runs For, 39 Runs Against), made possible by the pitching staff and potent lineup. The staff, led by Steve Gallagher (1.72 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 6.63 K:BB) and Dylan Powlus (3.14 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 4.17 K:BB) had a league-best 2.61 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 3.52 K:BB ratio. They led the league in strikeouts with 109 and wins, of course, with 11.

Offensively, the Wolves slugged to a slash line of .318/.448/.422, which, if other teams correctly tallied H/FC/ROE, we'd be able to accurately rank, but are unfortunately unable to. I'ts best to assume the Wolves offense was the undisputed best unit in all of SJMSBL Fall Ball as they were second in runs scored with 107 to a team that played 8 more innings offensively than the Wolves did (due to mercy rule victories on the Wolves' behalf). Three Wolves hit .400 or higher (Brue Leto .459, Nick Nahrwold .444, Sam Oliver .407). An additional seven posted averages of .333 or higher (Ryan Austin .393, Greg Dellavecchio .387, Dyan Powlus .357, Michael Samarco .353, Rob Walmsley .353, George Klein .333). Eight Wolves posted an OPS of .900 or higher (Sam Oliver 1.151, Rob Walmsley 1.147, Nick Nahrwold 1.139, GregDellavecchio, 1.090, Bruce Leto 1.080, Dylan Powlus 1.071, Ryan Austin .933).

The Wolves slugged six home runs (Clark, Klein, Walmsley, Dellavecchio, Oliver, Samarco) and tallied 25 total extra base hits.

Defensively, the team had a .948 fielding percentage on 309 chances. Mark Franchetti, David Fred and George Klein led the way. George Klein was the only player with 10+ chances and 0 errors. There was only one error made by players who had fewer than 10 chances in the field.

As stated in the 2022 Summer championship post, many championships will follow, and the 2022 Fall Wolves are now enshrined in that territory forever. This Fall's champions are listed below

Congratulations to the 2022 Philadelphia Wolves Fall Roster

Manager Bruce Leto, Jr.
Bookkeeper Rob Grabel
Asisstants/Other Dan Ciecka, Ryan Austin, Mike Amoriello

#19 Mike Amoriello - C/OF
#99 Ryan Austin - 1B/2B/SS
#8 Andy Bender - C
#35 Dan Ciecka - P/1B
#7 James Clark - P
#4 Zack Crosby - P
#29 Szymon Cymbalski - 3B/OF
#12 Greg Dellavecchio - OF
#31 Matt Edelman - P/1B/OF
#44 Mark Franchetti - 1B
#11 David Fred, Jr. - SS/OF
#3 Steve Gallagher - P
#52 Rob Grabel - P/1B/2B/3B/OF
#6 Dave Harris - 2B/3B/SS
#45 George Klein - P/2B/3B
#27 Bruce Leto, Jr. - P/SS
#5 Nick Nahrwold - C/OF
#24 Samuel Oliver - 2B/3B/SS
#2 Dylan Powlus - P/OF
#10 Michael Samarco - OF
#34 Ryan Schaming - P
#36 Robert Walmsley - P/3B