Gleason State Farm Captures Lower Senior League

Summer activities can result in meaningful and rewarding experiences for young people and working adults. School is out and moms and dads must juggle their employment with warm weather time off and transporting the kids to various places and events.
While perhaps not as hectic as the academic year, June, July and August present an array of challenges to fill the time and absorb the energy of youngsters who may not quite be ready for full-time employment. Perhaps unfortunately, TV and other electronic devices dominate the landscape when the final school bell rings.
But the tradition of summer baseball lives on and while the slower moving America’s pastime may not consume as many folks as it once did, the game manages to endure.
Another season of Lower Cape May Senior League baseball concluded recently with Rob Gleason State Farm taking the title.
The roster of 13 to 16-year-olds included Ryan Armbruster, Nick Douglass, Bradley Fournier, Stephen Horan, Michael Laing, Josh Pennington, Billy Riedel, Nick Smith, Rich Snow, Dan Whalen, Nick Will, Damon Richardson. Manager Bruce Fournier was assisted by coaches Mike Laing, Steve Pennington and Fred Riedel.
“We had a very talented team, however, it was difficult for the coaches and players since many were juggling school work, school baseball and in some instances other baseball leagues,” said soft-spoken Fournier, NAS Wildwood Aviation Museum education collections manager. “Early in the season the team lacked leadership but by mid-year several on the team accepted that role.”
The manager credited Will and Richardson with on-field leadership by example. The pair was also vocal leaders in the dugout.
Will, the catcher, used a strong arm and overall athleticism to turn in a solid season behind the plate.
“Nick worked well with the veteran pitchers as well as some of the 13-year-old players who recently moved up to the big field,” said Fournier. “Not much passed by him at catcher.”
Richardson defended the hot corner and worked his way into the clean-up position in the batting order by the fourth game of the season.
The pitching staff was lead by the craftiness of 16-year-old Whalen and the fastball of 14-year-old Pennington.
Lefty Smith became the team’s southpaw closer while the 13-year-old Laing provided three solid wins as a starting pitcher.
Whalen pitched game one of the championship series against defending title holder Atlantic Shell Fish. The big man struck out nine in five efficient innings for a surprising 10-0 victory.
The often fired-up Pennington hurled his team to victory in the title clincher with a dozen strike outs despite an aching back as Gleason State Farm wrapped it up with a 6-4 margin.
Young Fournier, a 13-year-old, sparked the offense from his batting slot at or near the top of the order on a squad laden with 15 and 16 year olds.
“We had strong team defense and that was a key to our success because we kept errors to a minimum,” said Fournier. “As coaches we really enjoyed seeing the team come together, learn more about the game and have some fun.”
Gleason State Farm Captures Lower Senior League