(YYL) The 2023 YYL senior boys championship featured an intriguing matchup between the Camp Shalom Phillies and the Embrace Family Orthodontics Mets.
The #1 seeded Phillies survived a 4-1 win in their semifinals matchup against the Wiss & Co. LLP Brewers in a well-pitched and well-defended contest that ended on a rally-breaking double play initiated by left fielder Abie Chouake. The Mets got there on the strength of a well rounded squad that staged an unlikely 10 run comeback in their semifinal game against the Renewal #KidneyKindness Braves.
The Mets jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the championship, with Elnatan Mayefsky, Zach Field (off the DL) and the Rosenthal brothers (Shai and Noam) making big contributions. The Phillies responded with three of their own, thanks to patient at-bats by Yaakov Herrmann, a single by Solomon Dykman and a walk by Shai Kessler. Ephraim Frankel and Aharon Isenberg then got and Yosef Finkelstein drew on for a bases loaded walk. The third inning saw YYL Rookie Fred Roth and veteran Levi Yitzchak Yaish of the Phillies both scoring. Perhaps the offensive highlight of the day for the Phillies was the tape measure home run off the bat of lefty Shai Kessler, a ball hit so hard rolled across another junior boys championship way down the right field line. The Mets threatened again in the last inning, but could not overtake the Camp Shalom Phillies, who won the YYL senior boys championship before both teams raided the ice cream truck.
