A five-run fourth inning helped The Wanderers catapult to an American Legion Baseball NorCo Division three-peat after defeating Nazareth Summer Eagles-Legion Post 415, 7-2, on July 15 at Nazareth Borough Park.

“Total other level,” said The Wanderers manager Paul Walsh. “For me, this is the one you didn’t expect. I don’t know the last team that didn’t get a bye and had to play all nine games of all three playoff series, lose the first one in every series, and win the championship. I don’t know if anyone’s ever done it. They may have, but that’s pretty intense, and that’s a testament to the belief these guys have in our team. I’m just really proud to be a part of it.”

In the first game of a best-of-three final, The Wanderers lost to Nazareth, 2-1, but won the second contest, 7-0, forcing a third game.

Game 3 winning pitcher Rocco Sciarra (6 strikeouts, 2 walks) threw an almost-complete game with Kyle Brandt pitching the last two outs of a one-two-three seventh inning.

“It took a little bit for me to settle in there in the first inning,” Sciarra said. “I wasn’t working with the fastball and curveball as well. I wasn’t locating it as well, so they weren’t off-balance as much, and then in the later innings, I settled in, I was keeping them off-balance well, and they were hitting it to our players, and our players were making great plays.”

A double play from shortstop Willie Cruz to first baseman Jacob Matthews held Nazareth to one run in the bottom of the first inning, and The Wanderers outfield held Nazareth to singles all night.

“That one big inning was a momentum switcher, and it was looking good for us then, but they’re a good team, and they could come back,” Sciarra said. “It’s the game of baseball. You could walk guys, and runs could come in real quick. It’s crazy. We just made history.”

In the top of the fourth inning with two outs and a 2-1 lead, The Wanderers Cruz smashed a 2 RBI double to the left field corner.

Jacob Strong followed Cruz with an RBI single to right field, Jaxon Horvath had a base hit, and Brayden Kashner knocked in The Wanderers’ sixth run on a single.

“I knew I had to get the barrel on the ball, put it in play, score some runners. We needed a bigger lead,” Cruz said. “I watched it for a second, and I knew it was down, so I started sprinting, and it got past them, so I went to second. It felt amazing. I’ve been in a little slump lately, so it really felt great.”

Sciarra continued to work the Nazareth batters who scored one run in the top of the fifth inning on Ryan Lichtenberger’s RBI single to left field.

Dimitri Condoulis scored The Wanderers final run on Dylan Metzgar’s RBI in the top of the seventh inning.

Coach Walsh had a huge hug for Sciarra as Brandt took over in relief.

“I had him as a JV player last year at Liberty,” said Walsh, “and at the end of the season, [Sciarra] was one of the kids who sent me the nicest message and said, ‘One of my favorite seasons ever was playing JV for you this year, and I can’t wait to be a Wanderer.’ And I said, ‘Remember when you sent me that text message? This is the moment. This was meant to be.’”

Sciarra recounted the same text message after the game.

“I knew he had The Wanderers team, and I always wanted to play for them,” said Sciarra. “He said great job and he was proud of me.”

The Wanderers’ roster includes Dylan Metzgar, Willie Cruz, Jacob Strong, Jaxon Horvath, Rocco Sciarra, Brayden Kashner, Jacob Matthews, Christian Hackett, Kameron Kensicki, Jackson Donatelli, Colin Peacock, Andrew Erfle, Fikire Conway, Ezekiel Frack, Kyle Brandt, Colin Panik, Dimitri Condoulis, and Brady Heffernan.

Coach Walsh is assisted by Ryan Bell and Roy Armbruster.

The team and coaches were awarded championship medals at game’s end.

“Every summer, I get to do something that I care about because The Wanderers do a really good job of tricking people into thinking we’re a baseball team, but really, we’re a second family,” Walsh said. “If you don’t have that attitude, I don’t know how you win a three-game series and have to play nine games in eight days. Talent doesn’t do that. Belief in something bigger does that. It’s really special, and as far as I’m concerned, it’s the most special season I’ve had coaching here by a long shot, and it couldn’t have happened to a better group of kids.”