By Steve Smull
LVBL News

SCHERERSVILLE – The global pandemic devasted many local adult leagues this summer, not to mention legion and youth leagues. The Lehigh Valley Baseball League (LVBL) was a whisker away from canceling their season in mid-June. However, things slowly began to turn around, and suddenly a glimmer of hope provided a spark, and the 2020 season was born on July 5th. 

There are a lot of good stories that have emerged during this unique LVBL season. A pair of current pro pitchers, many former pros, several college players, and many players who came over from other leagues all joined the LVBL this summer. 

One story that has flown under the radar until late in the regular season is the Lehigh Valley Bandits. The Bandits only have one player over the age of 19 and a few players younger than 18. Despite their youth, the Bandits were able to secure the final playoff spot in the AA South Division with a 6-9 regular-season record. Their fourth-place finish earned them a matchup against the top-seeded Landsharks BC in the AA South Division semifinals. After being blown out 15-1 in Game 1 on Saturday, the Bandits (6-11) had chances to win Game 2, but could not avoid the sweep to the Landsharks (15-2) as they eventually lost 2-0.

Game 2 was a pitcher’s duel between Nick Mazzella of the Landsharks and Blake Viola of the Bandits. The game was briskly paced and finished in 94 minutes. 

Viola only allowed three hits in the game and struck out seven, but he had one stretch where he lost the strike zone in the bottom of the third. Zach Stopay ripped a single down the left-field line to start the inning for the Sharks. After a flyout, Viola just lost the zone for four batters. He walked Tom Byrnes and Luke Fox to load the bases and then walked Mazzella to give the Sharks a 1-0 lead. He hit Noah Adams on the next pitch, and the Landsharks led 2-0.

That would be all the offense the Sharks would muster on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Mazzella, a Freedom high school and Moravian College product, was dealing for the Sharks. He cruised through four innings, only giving up a walk and a hit batter while striking out six. However, the Bandits would threaten to score in the fifth inning. Anthony Viola walked to leadoff the frame. After a strikeout, Blake Viola was hit by a pitch for the second time in as many at-bats. After another strikeout, TJ Geist walked to load the bases. However, Mazzella was able to strike out the side with the next batter to end the threat.

Mazzella had a no-hitter through five innings, but his 29-pitch fifth inning brought his pitch count to 82. So despite the no-no, Mazzella would call it a day on the mound after five strong innings, striking out nine.

Exit Mazzella. Enter Josh Nales.

Nales had a 1-2-3 sixth inning, but the Bandits would rally in the top of the seventh to make this game really interesting. After a ground-out, Anthony Viola ripped a single to center field for the Bandits first hit of the game. Luke Deschenes singled five pitches later to put runners first and second. Then Blake Viola walked on four pitches to load the bases. However, Nales would settle down and strike out the next two batters on seven pitches to end the threat and the game.

The Landsharks are moving on to the AA South Division finals.

The Bandits are going home but should be holding their heads high on what is a successful inaugural season in the LVBL, considering their average age is about 18 or 19. 

“About half our kids are from South Parkland, and the half is from Lower Macungie,” said manager Bill Viola. “My sons Blake and Trent and nephew Anthony and four other players are the core of this team and have always played for me.”

“We were looking for a place to play this year as several of our players aged out of legion,” added Viola. “Trent was supposed to play for Lehigh Carbon Community College, but they ended up disbanding the program. This league (LVBL) was the only game in town this summer.” 

The Bandits’ final record of 6-11 is a little deceiving. They have three one-run losses and a pair of two-run losses.

“Our record does not show how well we have played at times,” continued Mike Viola. “We played great today, and we played a lot of good games this year. As far as today goes, it was unfortunate they scored their two runs on a walk and a hit batter. Blake lost the zone for a couple of batters. That’s baseball.”

The Landsharks are 4-0 in games decided by two runs or less this season. Nick Mazzella did not allow a hit in his five innings of work on Sunday. Mazzella had a groin injury earlier in the season, but he looked fine on Sunday. 

“I don’t have a pitch count anymore,” said Mazzella. “As long as I feel good, I won’t have limitations on innings pitched or a pitch count for the playoffs.”

Landsharks manager Jeff Trexler was delighted with his 15-1 win in Game 1 in this series. However, he was not exactly thrilled about scraping by with a 2-0 win in Game 2.

“We certainly didn’t have the offensive game that we had Saturday,” Trexler said. “This has been an Achilles heel for us all year long. It seems that we cannot put back to back big offensive games together. I am not sure why. We just didn’t come out with the same energy that we had yesterday. It didn’t work out for us offensively today.”

Trexler was ecstatic about Mazzella’s performance on the mound.

“We planned to throw Nick three innings today,” said Trexler. “But when he had not given up a hit, I couldn’t take him out after the third inning. And I still didn’t want to take him out after the fifth inning, but he was gassed at that point. I didn’t want to take any chances with the game that close, so I took him out.”

The Landsharks will face the Angels in the AA South Division finals. The Angels swept them in a doubleheader on August 1st, the only two losses the Sharks have all season. The Sharks have won nine straight games since being swept by the Angels.

“I expect a 3-game series. It will be a grind,” said Trexler. “We know when we play Landsharks baseball that we are tough to beat. As long as we play our game, we will always be in the game. We have the pitching and defense to win a lot of 2-0 games. Usually, our bats are good enough, but today we only had three hits.”

“The kid pitched a helluva game,” continued Trexler, referring to Blake Viola. “He had a lot of our hitters crossed up. He has a good future ahead of him.”

Trexler also hopes his Landsharks team has a good future ahead of them for this upcoming series against the Angels next weekend.

“We will show up and give it our best,” he said.