The Broadway Bruins escaped the cellar of the Rockingham County Baseball League standings in recent years erasing the futility with a remarkable crew to create history by claiming their first regular season pennant since 1931 this summer and are now on the cusp of obtaining the championship in a deja vu semifinal battle against the Bridgewater Reds pitting two former East Hardy teammates against each other which started at James Madison University’s Eagle Field on Saturday night with the Bruins pacing around the bases for a 7-1 victory in the best of five series.
Broadway Bruins second baseman Bryce Strawderman (Ohio Valley University) and Bridgewater Reds second baseman Brett Tharp (Bridgewater College) were high school teammates for the Cougars and now face off as league opponents in the playoffs.
“It is something else after having played with each other for years,” Bridgewater Reds 2B Brett Tharp commented.
“We’d rather have them in the championship, but we didn’t get lucky.”[private]
“It’s a different look,” Broadway Bruins 2B Bryce Strawderman quipped.
“This is a best of five, so we’ll be seeing each other again.”
Last season, Tharp and the Reds edged out Broadway to reach the championship series finishing as the RCBL runner-up and this time the Bruins are the top ranked team looking to dispel previous misfortunes with a title run.
Strawderman has been the designated leadoff batter for the Bruins this season, but has struggled at the plate with only four hits, but has been patient enough to draw 16 walks and scored 13 times.
Being a part of this historic season, Strawderman is thrilled to be a contributor and to share in the glory with hopes of capping it off with a league championship.
“It’s very exciting to be a part of history. It just doesn’t happen here all the time. It’s good to see the team build as the years have gone on,” Strawderman remarked.
The Bruins are the top ranked team winning the regular season pennant with a record of 16-5, while Bridgewater entered the playoffs at 11-10.
Broadway eliminated eighth seed Stuarts Draft in two games during the quarterfinals including a 14-0 shutout, while the Reds took care of business against defending champion Clover Hill with a 2-1 series win (11-0, 6-4 loss, 3-2) to setup this rematch.
“It is kind of like deja vu, but it is a little bit of a different look this year looking into it,” Strawderman added.
The Bruins traveled to Montezuma Ruritan Field for the second game against the Reds on Monday, then the third game was scheduled at JMU Eagle Field on Tuesday, the fourth game was back to Ruritan Field on Thursday and returned to Harrisonburg on Friday, if necessary.
Tharp has connected six times and scored ten runs along with seven stolen bases plus only one fielding error during the season (ball caromed off the first baseman’s glove).
Strawderman and Tharp have shown their speed chasing down the ball and making the scoops and throws necessary for outs during the games to keep the momentum going.
Throughout the year, Broadway has seen the benefits of the West Virginia talent of the team as six players from the Mountain State typically were in the starting lineup with others rotating into the games.
Strawderman loves to travel with his fellow West Virginians on the team as the camaraderie of the team continues to grow and being able to play right now has been fun, but noted he needs gas money particularly from that carpool crew.
“It is really nice playing with them, but they need to help me pay for gas,” Strawderman remarked.
Tharp has enjoyed playing with the Reds and having some Eagles teammates on the roster helps them bond and playing during the summer shakes off the rust in preparation for the following collegiate season.
“I like playing for the Reds. It has been good to have some playing time this summer,” Tharp said.
A third East Hardy alumnus, Austin Whetzel, was in the starting lineup as an infielder during the regular season and last year was an outfielder before departing the team for work related reasons.
Moorefield alumni and brothers Jake Ours (Potomac State College) and Lane Ours (Waynesburg University) played as outfielders along with rising high school senior pitcher/infielder Isaac Van Meter competing on the Bruins roster for part of the season before leaving for various reasons.
Broadway Bruins triple crown leader Chase DeLauter from Hedgesville, has a .545 batting average with 26 hits, 36 runs scored, 39 RBI’s and 13 home runs which led him to be selected as the RCBL Player of the Year.
DeLauter’s (James Madison University) stellar presence at the plate has earned respect in the playoffs being walked 12 consecutive times over two series.
Elkins native Adam Riggleman (Glenville State College) was selected as the RCBL Pitcher of the Year throwing 24 strikeouts with an 0.78 ERA.
Hampshire High School alum (Eastern Mennonite University) John Judy has been contributing as a catcher and a pitcher with last season’s numbers on the mound featuring a 2.31 ERA with 65 strikeouts and this season tossing 23 strikeouts with a 5.72 ERA.
In the semifinal game on Saturday against the Reds, Judy allow only two hits and hurled eight strikeouts in six innings of work.
Tharp drew a walk in the third inning, but Strawderman wasn’t going to let him steal second base or remain on the base path purposely letting an infield pop-fly drop to the ground in front of him to force Tharp out.
In good natured fun when leaving the field, Tharp asked Strawderman if he knew the rules of baseball and Strawderman responded saying he knew the rules and just didn’t want him to be on the bases.
“I didn’t want you on that bag,” Strawderman informed Tharp after the game and Tharp responded “I wasn’t going to steal.” Strawderman laughed at that response telling him ‘you would have taken off on the next pitch’.
“I just wanted him off the bag,” Strawderman said.
Tharp appeared to have another walk later in the game, but it was called back and eventually struck out.
Strawderman didn’t reach the base in the semifinal with a couple strikeouts, a flyout and one chopper down the first base line was snagged for an out.
Tharp made a swan style dive in shallow center field to save a potential hit as the Reds ended an inning.
Judy made an impact in the sixth inning at the plate hitting a two-run producing single and scored on a passed ball as did fellow Trojans teammate Tyler Ault (walk).
In the seventh inning, DeLauter was issued a free pass for the 12th consecutive time to put two runners on the bases and Josh Jones followed with a two-RBI single.
Ault singled before Cole Holsinger plated Jones on an RBI single for the 7-1 final score.
Ault and Strawderman chased for a fly ball trying to catch the last out of the game shouting each other off before DeLauter made the final call and catch as his hat flew off in the process.
“It is good to get at-bats during the summer and play with friends here. It was rough at the start of the season for everyone in the league due to rest from the pandemic, but halfway through the season they started to pick back up and got into a groove going into the playoffs,” Strawderman concluded.
“Playing ball in the summer helps so that you aren’t rusty coming back into the season,” Tharp noted.
Strawderman and Tharp had a good conversation after the game, but look to duke it out the rest of the series as their respective squads fight for a championship berth in the oldest amateur baseball league in the nation founded in 1924.[/private]
