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Milonopoulos goes distance on mound with 4-hitter to lead champs to 3rd crown in 5 years
By Steve Freker
No one heard Flames manager Deano Summers asking Devin Milonopoulos to also sell popcorn and chase all the foul balls that were getting whacked out of the park at Kezer Field/Pine Banks Park. The third-year pitcher did just about everything else that it took to lead his team — the Flames — to an 8-2 victory in the Championship Final game versus the Chiefs. With the win, the Flames are your new 2025 Malden Babe Ruth League (age 13-16) Champions, at the top of the list for the third time in the last five years. It was a historic night in another way as well, as the Flames won the Malden BRL Championship for the ninth time in the team’s history, all under the guidance of manager Deano Summers (since 1993). With the ninth Championship, Summers matches the previous league record of nine titles held by Malden BRL icon the late Bob Rotondi and his Knights. The Knights captured their ninth title last season, topping the Flames, just weeks after Bob Rotondi’s passing in May of 2024.
In the championship game, Milonopoulos did everything but sell tickets. On the mound, he was dominating, allowing just four hits and striking out 11 in a complete-game gem. Equally as valuable as his pitching was Milonopoulos’ defensive performance on the mound. On three separate occasions, he made spectacular plays with his glove, twice snaring line shot missiles for outs — one turning into an inning-ending double play. A third time, with bases loaded and the Chiefs rallying, Milonopoulos made another great play in the fifth inning on a dribbler down the third base line, fielding the tough chance and throwing one of many “strikes” on the night to first base for the final out.
“Devin [Milonopoulos] pitched a great game, also fielded his position great, and we played very well defensively behind him as a team,” Flames manager Summer said after the game. “We needed a lot of different people contributing to this win and we got it: a real team effort.”
One of the biggest hits of the night was an infield single by Rebeth Calazarte, who knocked in a run to make it 3-1 in the third inning, his only hit of the playoff tournament. Tommy Cronin’s bases loaded, line drive triple into the right center gap broke the game wide open in the fifth inning for the Flames.
Malden Babe Ruth Playoff Series Recap
—In the playoff opener, the Flames got three hits and six RBIs from Joe Hatch and three hits and three RBIs from Nick D’Anna in a 13-7 win over the third-place Pilots.
—The Chiefs, who won the regular season pennant with a 13-1 overall record, were led by Arthur Sewell and Davante Layne in an 8-2 win over the fourth-place Knights.
—Jaylen Fuentes Rivera struck out 14 in a “stay alive” game for the Pilots, 4-3, over the Knights.
—Righthander Nick D’Anna struck out 12 in a 7-5 win over the Chiefs in the semifinals. Milonopoulos and Jacob Gisetto had big hits for the Flames in the win. Davante Layne scored three runs and had a pair of hits.
The Championship-winning Flames, managed by Deano Summers, include Rebeth Calazarte, Tommy Cronin, Nicholas D’Anna, Jacob Gisetto, Daniel Harr, Jason Harr, Joseph Hatch, Myles Martino, Devin Milonopoulos, Kevin Moura, Kyle Nickerson, Brendan Skerry and Justin Spadafora-Hurley.
The Chiefs, whose manager is Chris Kosuk, include Marc Colleameno, Joshua Dionne, Christopher Ferreria, Davante Layne, Nico LoConte, Jayden McGuffie, Matthew Murphy, Kendrick Noelsaint, Jamie O’Neil, Levi Perez, Jaelyn Santos, Nathan Schonton and Arthur Sewell.
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PILOTS: Manager, Nolan Bagley; Team: Antoine Alce, Ryan Brett, Coby Cook, Matthew Da Costa, Charlie Govostes, MJ Guida, Artemijs Jumutcs, Sean McAuliffe, Johnny Mei, Jaylen Rivera-Fuentes, Thai Spencer and Ryan Tienken.
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KNIGHTS: Managers, Tylor West and Shawn Nice; Team: Jackson Bell, Mason Campos, Chase Clough, Max Fernandes, Dennis Liu, Jax Marinko, Brayden McDougall, Leandro Ortiz, Eudy Paulino, Colin Rogers, Jackson Spignese-Smolinsky, Cole Turner, Kevin Turner, John Van Campen.
******SIDEBAR
Malden Babe Ruth League City Series History 1960-2025
Following is a complete list of all the Malden Babe Ruth City Series winners from the first year of the league — in 1960, when Seals defeated the Colts — until this year, when the Flames defeated the Chiefs in the Playoff Series.
Year Champion Runner-up
1960 SEALS Colts
1961 SEALS Comets
1962 ORIOLES Knights
1963 PADRES Orioles
1964 KNIGHTS Colts
1965 KNIGHTS Barons
1966 KNIGHTS Barons
1967 KNIGHTS Barons
1968 PADRES Barons
1969 PADRES Orioles
1970 BARONS Seals
1971 CHIEFS Seals
1972 PADRES Chiefs
1973 STARS Chiefs
1974 ORIOLES Knights
1975 STARS Colonels
1976 AZTECS Barons
1977 AZTECS Barons
1978 BARONS Knights
1979 BARONS Stars
1980 COLTS Padres
1981 STARS Orioles
1982 STARS Orioles
1983 ORIOLES Knights
1984 AZTECS Flames
1985 SEALS Chiefs
1986 PADRES Flames
1987 COLTS Knights
1988 KNIGHTS Colts
1989 STARS Flames
1990 COLONELS Knights
1991 STARS Flames
1992 SEALS Flames
1993 AZTECS Colts
1994 STARS Colonels
1995 AZTECS Flames
1996 FLAMES Aztecs
1997 FLAMES Aztecs
1998 ORIOLES Aztecs
1999 STARS Chiefs
2000 KNIGHTS Colts
2001 COLTS Seals
2002 FLAMES Aztecs
2003 COLONELS Knights
2004 COLONELS Pilots
2005 COLONELS Pilots
2006 SEALS Orioles
2007 FLAMES Seals
2008 KNIGHTS Orioles
2009 FLAMES Knights
2010 COLONELS Colts
2011 CHIEFS Seals
2012 COLONELS Seals
2013 FLAMES Knights
2014 PHILLIES Tigers
2015 PHILLIES Knights
2016 CHIEFS Phillies
2017 CHIEFS Knights
2018 PILOTS Flames
2019 KNIGHTS Pilots
2020 COVID-19 No Season
2021 FLAMES Chiefs
2022 FLAMES Knights
2023 PILOTS Chiefs
2024 KNIGHTS Flames
2025 FLAMES Chiefs
2026 ?? ??
