‘JAKE and BAKE’: Simpson slams the door shut in Malden’s title win

Malden Bambinos win Middlesex League Senior BRL Championship over Peabody, 8-2; first crown since 2011

By Nick Toscani

Before this game, Jake Simpson had already established himself as one of the top performers ever in Malden Bambinos’ history. That is truly saying something, when you’re talking about former MLB professionals from Malden High School like Carmine Cappuccio (Chicago White Sox, Philadelphia Phillies), Richie Barker (Chicago Cubs) and a fireballing righthander who pitched in the 1999 World Series for the Atlanta Braves, Kevin McGlinchy.

After Monday night’s lockdown, slam-the-door-shut pitching feat – four innings of scoreless relief with no walks, one hit and 10 strikeouts in an 8-2 win over Peabody – Simpson was missing one item from his Bambinos’ portfolio that all those former Malden greats had on their resumes but he did not – a ’Ship. Consider Monday night’s result the last box checked, as Simpson’s dominating performance clinched Malden’s first Middlesex Senior Babe Ruth League Championship since 2011.

“Lights out is an understatement for Jake in this one,” said Steve Freker, who has seen all of the championship series games for the Bambinos for over 40 years, since 1984. “ It was one of the most impressive pitching efforts ever in the years I have seen with this team.”

Freker said it was one of the best outings Simpson had put together in the past four years, period, including four seasons with the Malden High varsity baseball team, which capped its best season in 30 years this past spring (16-5).

“Jake was one of the best players in the Greater Boston League (GBL) this past season, on the mound and at the plate, and he just kept it going this summer,” said Freker, heading into his 9th season next spring in his second tour as Malden High baseball Head Coach.

Malden Catholic rising junior and Everett resident David Ruane started the game on the mound for the Bambinos and allowed just one earned run and scattered four hits over his three full innings of work. Ruane, who worked his way into a regular starter for first-year Head Coach Dave Valdez’s Lancers this past spring, was the beneficiary of some solid defense by his infield of Ryan McMahon at third base, Simpson at third, Billy Gavin at second and Chris Macdonald at first, as well as Joe D’Orazio behind the plate, to keep Peabody to no runs in the first two innings.

After Malden had taken a 2-0 lead with a pair in the second inning on a couple of walks and some wild pitches, Peabody tied the game with two hits for one run and a costly error for a second run in the third inning. Malden came right back and scratched out a go-ahead run on a clutch, opposite field line drive single by rookie Devin Milonopoulos in the bottom of the third inning, to make it 3-2, Malden. That turned out to be the eventual game-winning run as the top of the fourth inning signaled the arrival of Simpson on the mound. Milonopoulos would go on to ring up two more hits and go three-for-three on the night with a whopping four RBIs out of the number 9 slot in the batting order. Right behind him at number 10 was Chris Macdonald, who had two clutch hits and two RBIs to make the bottom of the order the offensive stars of the day.

Back to the top of the fourth inning, that loud “Boom” everyone heard at Howard Park/Rotondi Field when Simpson took the mound was the Malden High All-Star slamming the door shut for the Bambinos. All he did was strike out the side for two straight innings – in the fourth and the fifth – and the first two batters of the sixth inning, eight straight K’s, before a hitter managed to get a base hit. A fly ball out ended that threat.

Meanwhile Malden scored another run in bottom of the fourth, two more in the fifth for a 6-2 lead and two in the sixth for an 8-2 lead, mostly on the continued heroics of Milonopoulos and Macdonald, as the pair drove in most of the rest of the runs. Simpson continued to own it in the last inning, with strikeout, groundout and strikeout in order in the seventh to seal the deal and cause a celebration and dogpile on the mound for Malden.

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Simpson sensational, Coggswell, Curcio rip it up in 14-4 semifinal win over Bedford

Jake Simpson went the distance with a three-hitter and 12 strikeouts in a 14-4 win over Bedford in a run rule-shortened, five-inning win over Bedford in the semifinals at Pine Banks Park on August 1. Leading the way at the plate for Malden were veterans Ryan Coggswell and Justin Curcio, each with two hits and two RBIs. Simpson and Brayan Jose also had two hits and two RBIs – and two stolen bases apiece.

Peabody knocked off Bedford, 6-2 in the other semifinal game on Sunday at Howard Park/Rotondi Field.

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Malden Bambinos 2024 Middlesex Senior BRL Champs

The Malden Bambinos 2024 Middlesex Senior Babe Ruth Championship Team is coached by David Milonopoulos, Brandon McMahon and Phil Cook. The team is sponsored by Malden Babe Ruth League and its board members. Team members include: Ryan Coggswell, Jake Simpson, Justin Curcio, Joe D’Orazio, Zeke Noelsaint, Bo Stead, Ryan McMahon, Chris Macdonald, Brayan Jose, Billy Gavin, Devin Milonopoulos, Colin Okoth, Aidan Brett, Matt Candelario Da Costa, Eudy Francisco, Tommy Cronin, Gino Spadafora, Jordan Caplis, Nick D’Anna, Jayden Rivera.

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Malden Bambinos Championship History

1986 – Malden defeats Cambridge for Middlesex Championship (MVP – Carmine Cappuccio and David Marsters)

1991 – Malden defeats Arlington for Middlesex Championship (MVP – Richie Barker and Henry Dorazio)

1994 – Malden defeats Arlington for Middlesex Championship (MVP – Kurt Gaudet and Kevin McGlinchy)

1995 – Malden defeats Cambridge for Middlesex Championship (MVP – Kevin McGlinchy and Rich Griffin)

2001 – Malden defeats Cambridge for Middlesex Championship (MVP – Mike Hudd and Jason Sablone)

2008 – Malden defeats Lexington for Middlesex Championship (MVP – Nate Witkowski and Pete Copa)

2009 – Malden defeats Cambridge for Middlesex Championship (MVP – Nate Witkowski)

2011 – Malden defeats Lexington for Middlesex Championship (MVP – Jeremy Roberts and Paul Yanakopulos)

  2024 – Malden defeats Peabody for Middlesex Championship (MVP – Jake Simpson and Ryan Coggswell)

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Malden Bambinos records through the years

2024: 12-3; 2023: 11-4; 2022: 8-5; 2021: 9-5; 2020: 8-7; 2019: 12-8; 2018: 10-8; 2017: 9-9; 2016: 11-7; 2015: 10-7; 2014: 13-5; 2013: 14-6; 2012: 16-5; 2011: 17-5; 2010: 11-10; 2009: 15-4; 2008: 16-4; 2007: 15-7; 2006: 16-7; 2005: 15-7; 2004: 17-4; 2003: 13-9; 2002: 14-7; 2001: 13-10; 2000: 16-7; 1999: 12-10; 1998: 14-9; 1997: 13-11; 1996: 12-12; 1995: 24-4; 1994: 33-5; 1993: 23-22-4; 1992: 25-17; 1991: 24-11-3; 1990: 19-12; 1989: 12-11; 1988: 19-6; 1987: 18-5-2; 1986: 21-6; 1985: 19-4-2; 1984: 15-5-1 – TOTALS: 749-294-12 (.714)