MURPHY'S MAKES STATEMENT, ROLLS TO A PAIR OF CONVINCING VICTORIES IN PLAYOFF OPENER

Now that's a fucking statement.

Murphy's, the highest-seeded team in the eight-team Lower Bucks Softball League playoffs, opened the 2012 postseason in dominating fashion by steamrolling the Not So Athletics to the tune of a pair of mercy-rule victories Sunday at Bensalem Community Park's Lower Field.

Every player had multiple hits, nine of eleven players contributed multiple runs and Murphy's combined for nine extra-base hits in a 30-18, six-inning victory in Game One. Kevin Maloney went 4-for-5 and hit for the cycle and Colin Tosti, Jim Trochak and Mike Simpson each had four hits in the 35-hit barrage - besting Murphy's previous season high of 30 hits against Hot Movies back on April 29th.

Murphy's carried that momentum over to Game Two by pounding out 11 runs over the first two innings en route to a 19-6 triumph. Tosti went 4-for-4 with two doubles, a triple and a monster homer, Trochak was 4-for-4 with four RBIs and Graham went 4-for-4 with two doubles and a pair of RBIs in the win.

Top-seeded Murphy's (19-3) advances to take on third-seeded Pasquales (14-8), which defeated Schaffers, Sunday at 9 a.m. at Poplar Park for the South Division title. Murphy's swept Pasquales, 27-11 and 11-10, back on April 22nd.

No. 1 seed Harrington's Pub takes on No. 3 seed Paddywhack's for the North Division title Sunday at 9 a.m. at Core Creek Park. The winners of each games will meet next Sunday at a field to be determined for the LBSL Lower Division championship.

Murphy's wasted little time getting their prolific offensive day started. The 49 runs and 56 hits (in 11 innings) was by far their highest output thus far, surpassing previous totals of 41 runs and 51 hits.

Using eight consecutive base hits - seven of which were singles - to open the game, Murphy's pushed across six runs in the bottom of the first inning. They went right back to work their next trip to the plate using seven hits and two walks to throw an eight spot on the scoreboard. Maloney hit a two-run homer to left-center and Tosti and Yeager each had run-scoring doubles in the frame.

The Not So Athletics scored two times in the top of the third to pull within four runs, 14-10, but Murphy's stomped out any thoughts of an upset with a nine-run third inning. Maloney led the inning off with a triple and scored on Graham's double. Graham scored on Trochak's single and Simpson, Yeager, Sean Walker, Marc Rossi and Matt Harker each had RBI singles in the inning.

Walker and Rossi each had RBI doubles during a six-run fourth that effectively put the game out of reach for good. Tosti put the 12-run rule into place with a two-out single in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Harker went 3-for-3 with three runs and three RBIs, Tosti went 4-for-5 with three doubles, four RBIs and two runs, Trochak went 4-for-5 with four runs and an RBI and Simpson went 4-for-4 with four runs and three RBIs. Joe Faust Jr. went 3-for-3 with a run and an RBI, Yeager went 3-for-5 with two runs and three RBIs, T.J. Coles went 3-for-4 with four RBIs and three runs and Walker went 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs.

As a team, Murphy's put together perhaps the most impressive base running performance in the team's eight-year history. In what amounted to at least a dozen instances, Murphy's took the extra base and sometimes a pair of extra bases as Rossi did in scoring on Tosti's sacrifice fly from second base.

Kevin Maloney had a big day, hitting for the cycle in Game
One, as Murphy's pounded the Not So Athletics twice by
the mercy rule behind a 56-hit, 49-run onslaught. 

Game Two followed the exact blueprint from the first game with Murphy's parlaying six hits and two walks into a seven-run top of the first inning. Tosti, Maloney and Graham ripped three straight doubles for the game's first two runs, Trochak had an RBI single and Coles capped the inning with a three-run blast to right-center field.

Harker led off the second with a double and scored on Tosti's triple. Tosti scored on Maloney's single and Graham followed with a single. Trochak knocked in Graham with a single to right field.

Tosti launched a two-run homer to deep right-center field in the fourth inning and Murphy's scored six times in the top of the fifth. Rossi had an RBI single, Harker had a sacrifice fly and Rossi scored on Tosti's double. Maloney plated Tosti with a triple and scored on Graham's double. Graham would score on Trochak's eighth hit of the day.

The 21-hit attack in Game Two featured seven doubles, a triple and a pair of homers. On the day, Murphy's went a combined 56-for-83 (.675) with 16 doubles, two triples, three homers and 49 runs scored.

Trochak yielded just four hits - only one of which went for extra bases - in picking up his 19th win of the season in Game Two.

GAME ONE

Not So Athletics (11-10)   262       800         X_18 27 0

Murphy’s (18-3)                689       601         X_30 35 0

2B— NSA: Ed 3, Mike, Shawn, Darren; M: Tosti 3, Harker, Maloney, Graham, Yeager, Walker, M. Rossi.  3B— NSA: Kenny; M: Maloney. HR— NSA: Joe; M: Maloney. RBI— M: Tosti 4, Faust Jr., Coles 4, Harker 3, Maloney 3, Simpson 3, Yeager 3, Graham 2, Walker 2, Trochak, M. Rossi.

WP— Trochak (18-3). LP— Zeis (11-10).

GAME TWO

Murphy’s (19-3)                740        26X         X_19 21 0

Not So Athletics (11-11)    001       23X         X_ 6   4  0

2B— M: Harker 2, Tosti 2, Graham 2, Maloney. 3B— M: Maloney, Tosti. HR— M: Tosti, Coles; NSA: Wally. RBI— M: Tosti 4, Trochak 4, Maloney 3, Coles 3, Graham 2, Harker, Yeager, Walker.

WP— Trochak (19-3). LP— Zeis (11-11).