“It’s a dream come true. That’s what you dream about as a kid,” Anderson said of his first walk-off home run in six seasons in the Atlantic League.

“It couldn’t have happened to a better guy,” post season Most Valuable Player Brandon Larson said. “We knew it was going to be someone who wasn’t in the limelight all season who was going to come out and win it for us.”

“(Alec Zumwalt) threw me a fastball early. I saw it really well. I don’t think he wanted to throw that pitch,” said Anderson.

Anderson made such solid contact with the ball, his teammates were out of the dugout to congratulate him before the ball left the stadium.

Late into the game, it seemed inevitable a decisive game five would be needed. Camden’s starting pitcher Jake Dittler pitched seven shutout innings, allowing only three hits and two walks to a Patriots offense that scored 14 runs the night before.

Somerset received five-plus innings of solid pitching from their starter, Kip Bouknight. Bouknight gave up one early run on six hits and two walks.

In the top of the eighth inning, the Riversharks took the air out of the Somerset home crowd when center fielder L.J. Biernbaum scored against relief pitcher John Hunton on a double by designated hitter Ron Davenport and a throwing error by left fielder Elliott Ayala.

Biernbaum was 3-3 with a walk, a run and a run batted in Monday night for the Sharks.

Up 2-0 in the bottom of the eighth, the Riversharks sent in major league veteran Felix Rodriguez to wrap up the game.

With one out, centerfielder Sean Smith took Rodriguez deep into the pitch count before hitting a double to the warning track in left field.

“I’m the sparkplug on the team,” Smith said of his energizing hit. “I know what my job is.”

Shortstop Teuris Olivares then hit the ball just to he left of second base and into the outfield, scoring Smith for the first Patriot run of the game.

Rodriguez then walked Josh Pressley and struck out Larson, bringing up Jason Belcher. On a 1-2 pitch, Rodriguez hit Belcher to load the bases and, moments later, hit Matt Hagen in the chest to walk in the tying run.

Camden pulled Rodriguez in favor of Zumwalt (L, 1-1), who struck out Ryan Radmanovich to end the rally. But the Somerset crowd had been woken up and the scene had been set for Anderson’s series-ending blast.

Closer Brian Reith (1-0) was awarded the win for the Patriots. Reith also had three saves in six post season games.

Despite going 0-4 Monday, Larson won playoff MVP for hitting 11-24 (.458) against the Riversharks and the York Revolution. Larson hit three home runs and drove in seven RBI in six post season games.

“You live for these moments as a baseball player,” Larson said in the jubilant locker room.

The 29 runs scored by the Patriots broke the Atlantic League record for most runs plated in a Championship series, breaking the Atlantic City Surf’s 1998 mark of 27.

This was the first championship won by the Patriots at home. The Patriots are now 8-0 in series clinching games in the team’s 11 year history.

Wednesday night, the Pats closed out the York Revolution in game two of a best-of-three division championship series with a 6-4 win at Commerce Bank Park.

Fans that came out to the game saw it all Wednesday night: home runs, double plays, stellar pitching and meltdowns, comebacks and errors.

“I couldn’t have scripted that,” Patriots manager Sparky Lyle said after the game.

The Patriots struck first, breaking through against Rolando Viera when third baseman Brandon Larson singled first baseman Teuris Olivares home from third base in the top of the first inning.

Viera had stifled the Pats offense during the regular season, allowing one unearned run in 15 innings over two starts.

Somerset tagged Viera for two more runs in the second and third inning, including Larson’s 31st home run of the year.

“We were patient with Viera,” Lyle explained.

York’s starter was pulled in the fourth inning, and finished with three earned runs on nine hits and four walks. He struck out three.

The Revs were not going to let the Patriots walk all over them, though. Center fielder Kennard Jones hit a home run deep to dead center in the sixth inning against Patriots starter Kip Bouknight.

“He caught a spike and still threw it,” Lyle said of Bouknight’s pitch to Jones.

Bouknight had gone five scoreless innings before Jones’ bomb, but seemed to lose confidence after the bomb.

In the seventh, York tied the game on a two-run home run by Jason Aspito. Left fielder Matt Esquival, who reached on a Bouknight throwing error, also reached home on a double play ball hit by designated hitter Matt Padgett, giving the York a 4-3 lead.

Jason Richardson (W, 1-0) relieved Bouknight for the final out of the seventh. Bouknight finished with four runs, three earned, on six hits and no walks over six and two-thirds innings.

The Revolution’s lead did not last long. In the bottom of the seventh inning, DH Jason Belcher singled to left field and reached second on a fielding error on Esquival. Matt Hagen sacrifice bunted Belcher over to third, but Anthony Granato struck out for the second out.

The inning looked like it was over when Travis Anderson grounded to second baseman George Sandel, but Sandel did not set his feet before throwing to first base, and threw wide of Chris Ashby’s outstretched glove, allowing Belcher to score and tie the game at four.

Sandel made 31 errors during the regular season, but none proved to be as costly as the one that kept Somerset’s rally alive.

Capitalizing on York’s misfortune, the Patriots retook the lead when Anderson scored from second on a double by Elliott Ayala.

The Revolution would not score in the top of the eighth, and in the bottom of the inning, Larson doubled in Olivares for his third RBI of the game, going 3-4. Olivares scored five of the Patriots nine runs in the series.

The two run lead did not ensure a Somerset victory, though. Closer Brian Reith allowed a leadoff double to Ashby, making any batter he faced a potential tying run. Reith then struck out Aspito, got Esquival to fly out to left field and struck out Kenny Perez to end the game and the Revolution’s season.

“It wasn’t easy,” Lyle said. “We’ve got Camden now, and that’s what we’re looking forward to.”

The Atlantic League Championship will begin Friday in Camden, where game one and two will take place. The Patriots will have a chance to clinch a championship on home turf for the first time starting with game three Sunday night, with game four and five also at Commerce Bank Park, if necessary.

The victory gave Brian Tolberg (1-0) his first win of the season. Tolberg pitched six innings, allowing two runs on two hits and no walks. He struck out three in only his second start of the season.

Somerset made sure early on that its pitcher would not have to worry about run support. First Baseman Josh Pressley tied teammate Brandon Larson for the league lead and the team record for home runs with a three-RBI blast in the first inning. Pressley has 29 home runs this season and has tallied eight RBI so far in this series.

Barnstormer pitcher Ben Fritz (3-1) gave up six earned runs in his five-plus innings of work. Fritz allowed nine hits and three walks before being pulled in favor of Eric Ackerman.

The Patriots tacked on five more runs in the sixth, including two unearned against Ackerman on a throwing error by short stop Mike Caruso.

Lancaster’s only runs came in the third inning on catcher David Castillo’s two-run homer to center field.

Jason Richardson, Steve Kelly and Casey Cahill combined for three innings of shutout relief pitching for Somerset, but no save was awarded.

The offensive output by the home team was assisted by right fielder Ryan Radmanovich and catcher Tyler Anderson, who combined for two runs and two RBI. Third baseman Matt Hagen was 1-3, adding two stolen bases (30) for the Patriots.

Somerset closes out the home portion of the regular season Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. against the Barnstormers. The team finishes out the schedule in Newark starting Thursday. Wednesday is “Fan Appreciation Night” at Commerce Bank Park, featuring an appearance by the Zooperstars.

The Somerset Patriots jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning and, with pitcher Brian Adams (W, 11-7) on the mound for eight solid innings, never looked back through the 10-5 victory.

Adams, in his longest start of the season, faced 34 batters and gave up three runs on 10 hits. He walked one and struck out five.

His Lancaster counterpart, Mac Nelson (L, 1-1), did not fare as well. Nelson was pulled in the third inning after giving up five runs and loading the bases. In his two and two-thirds innings of work, Nelson walked four, struck out one and gave up six hits that lead to six earned runs.

The Patriots began the evening when Nelson walked lead off man Elliott Ayala and second baseman Teuris Olivares. Designated hitter Joe Burke, a new addition to the team, bunted the runners over for first baseman Josh Pressley, who doubled into right field for two RBI. Pressley went 3-4, with two runs and five RBI. Third baseman Matt Hagen singled to left, scoring Pressley. Hagen then stole second base, and recent Somerset addition Anthony Granato looped a single into right field, sending Hagan home. Catcher Travis Anderson ended the inning when he slapped a single off of the short stop’s glove and left fielder Mike Woods threw Granato out at the plate.

The Barnstormers refused to take a dive, though. Lancaster threatened in the third inning, sending four base runners against Adams, but none were able to score. In the fifth inning, center fielder Gary Harris hit a fielder’s choice single, bringing Argenis Tavarez in for the first Barnstormer point of the evening.

Lancaster tacked on two more runs in the sixth, including an RBI triple by second baseman Lloyd Turner. With the hit, Turner set the Atlantic League single season record for triples with 12.

The Patriots answered back with a four-run eighth inning. Somerset recorded four hits and four runs (three earned) off relief pitcher Wes Wilkerson, making the score 10-3.

John Hunton came in the ninth to close the game for the Patriots. Lancaster instead rallied when Hunton walked Tavarez and Wood. DH Matt LeCroy doubled off the right field wall, scoring both runners. When he crossed the plate, Woods set the single season record for runs scored at 114, besting Billy Hall’s former record of 113. The rally ended when the next batter, right fielder Bryan Sabatella, grounded into a 6-3 double play. Hunton did not qualify for a save.

The Barnstormers were led by Woods, who was 3-4 with a walk and a run. Along with Pressley’s big performance, the Patriots were helped by Olivares, who went 2-4 with one walk, two runs and one RBI. The RBI came with the bases loaded in the third, extending Olivares’ streak to nine RBI in his nine appearances this season with the bases loaded.

Tuesday, the two teams match up again in Bridgewater. The 7:05 p.m. start features Ben Fritz (3-0) for the Barnstormers against Brian Tolberg (0-0) of the Patriots on “Irish Night,” “Halloween Night,” and “Rally Towel Night.”

In the last game of a seven game home stand, the York Revolution won 3-2 behind seven shutout innings of pitching by Rolando Viera (1-0).

Viera allowed three hits and one walk and struck out three batters, stymieing the Somerset batters.

The Revolution put up just enough runs early in the game to give Viera the win. The third and fifth innings mirrored each other, with catcher Sandy Aracena leading off with walks, followed by sacrifices by second baseman Jose Enrique Cruz to advance Aracena to second.

In both innings, shortstop Keoni De Renne then singled, allowing center fielder Kennard Jones to hit sac flies to the outfield, which scored Aracena. Jones finished the day 0-2, with two RBI. First baseman Chris Ashby then grounded out to end both innings.

Patriots pitcher Aaron Fultz (3-4) gave up all three runs earned by the Revolution, including the go-ahead home run by designated hitter Matt Dryer in the top of the ninth. Casey Cahill replaced Fultz after the home run.

Fultz finished his eight innings pitched with six hits, three earned runs, three walks and five strikeouts.

Somerset scored their first run in the eighth inning, on an RBI single by designated hitter Josh Pressley against relief pitcher Juan Padilla, who pitched just one-third of an inning, giving up a run on two hits and a walk.

In the ninth, the Patriots started their rally with a double by catcher Jason Belcher down the left field line. First baseman Travis Anderson also doubled in almost the exact spot of Belcher’s hit, allowing Belcher to come around and score. With no one out, down 3-2, Anderson was the tying run and on second base.

Shortstop Elliott Ayala hit a grounder to the second baseman, and was thrown out at first, but Anderson was able to advance to third.

Third baseman Gera Alvarez then tipped a ball foul, right into the hands of the catcher. He was tagged out before he thought about running to first.

With two outs, center fielder Sean Smith worked relief pitcher Franklin Nunez deep into the count, but was called out looking at a third strike. Nunez earned his third save of the season.

Anderson was 1-1 with an RBI, and Pressley was 1-4 with the other Patriot RBI.
The Patriots begin a seven game road trip Monday, beginning with a three game series at the Long Island Ducks. They return to Bridgewater Tuesday, August 26 for eight straight home games.

Camden pitcher and former major-leaguer Jose Lima (2-4) lasted only one and one third innings, his shortest outing in several years. Lima was blasted for eight runs, seven earned, on eight hits and three walks.

Designated hitter Brandon Larson, first baseman Josh Pressley and left fielder Vito Chiaravalloti hit back-to-back-to-back home runs in the fifth inning off of Lima’s replacement, Jeremy Lewis. It is the first time the Patriots achieved the feat since May 2002.

Patriots starting pitcher Kip Bouknight (2-0) threw five up and down innings, giving up two earned runs off nine hits and a walk, with at least one base runner each inning.
Riversharks center fielder Sheldon Fulse led off the game with a single to right field. Fulse was singled home by right fielder L.J. Biernbaum with one out before first baseman Tyler Von Schell hit into a 5-4-3 double play.

Somerset responded with a five-run inning. Smith was walked, followed by a single by shortstop Teuris Olivares. Larson doubled the two runners home, but was thrown out on his way to third base after Camden catcher Korey Finer mishandled a throw home.
Pressley and Chiaravalloti reached base with one out for catcher Kevin Kotch to drive home with a home run to right field, just under the scoreboard.

The Patriots scored at will in the second inning, as well. Smith doubled to right field, and advanced on an Olivares single down the right field line. Smith scored on a Larson double, extending the Somerset lead, 6-2. Lima intentionally walked Pressley to load the bases for Chiaravalloti, who promptly hit a broken bat single into left field, scoring Larson. Camden went to its bullpen, handing the ball to Lewis. Kotch was walked, allowing Pressley to cross home plate.

The Patriots went through the batting order before second baseman David Housel popped out to center field. Somerset led 8-1 heading into the top of the third inning.

In the third, the Riversharks scored a run on an error by right fielder Elliot Ayala, advancing a Von Schell single to second base and allowing Bierbaum to score from second. Smith scored his third run in the third inning when Pressley knocked a single into left center field. Smith reached on a walk and advanced to third on an Olivares double.
The next round of scoring came from the home run barrage in the fifth inning. All three long balls came after two outs. Larson’s out-of-the-park hit was his 25th of the season, leading the Atlantic League by just one over Pressley’s 24 homers.

Lewis pitched three and two-thirds innings, giving up four earned runs on four hits and three walks. He was replaced by Julio Guerrero after the fifth inning.

The Riversharks added a home run by Fulse in the ninth inning, but 12-3 would be as close as Camden would get to the Patriots.

Larson led the Patriots by hitting 3-5, with two runs and four RBI. Chiaravalloti also went 3-5 with two runs and two RBI. The Riversharks were led by Fulse, hitting 3-4 with two runs and one RBI.

The Patriots relievers Aaron Fultz, Rich Asadoorian and Brian Reith combined for four innings pitched, two hits and one earned run to close out the game.

Tying up the season series between the two teams, the victory ends a three-game losing streak and improved the Patriots day game record to 13-4. The four game series will be wrapped up Thursday night, a 7:05 p.m. first pitch, matching Camden pitcher Jake Dittler against Patriot lefty Brian Adams.

The Camden Riversharks used an early lead and consistent relief pitching to defeat the Somerset Patriots 7-5 for the second straight game Tuesday night.

Left fielder and leadoff hitter Sheldon Fulse set the pace for the game with a single to left field. Fulse went 3-4 against the Patriots including two doubles, two runs batted in and a stolen base.

Patriots pitcher Josh Brey (6-2) then walked shortstop Damian Jackson. A ground out to the first baseman by centerfielder Nic Jackson advanced the runners for L.J. Biernbaum, who singled in the two runs.

Catcher Alberto Castillo popped up to the third baseman, bringing up first baseman Tyler Von Schell.

Von Schell, hitting .346 with runners in scoring position this season, then singled to deep right field, bringing in Biernbaum from second. Von Schell went 1-5 during the game, with one RBI.

The Riversharks early three-run advantage would not last, though. The Patriots’ centerfielder Sean Smith leadoff the bottom of the first with a homerun to left field near the light pole. It was the third home run Riversharks pitcher Kevin Walker (0-0) has given up this season, and Smith’s twelfth hit to leave the park this season.

The re-energized crowd at Commerce Bank Park then roared for third baseman Brandon Larson’s single to dead center. Then, designated hitter Josh Pressley fulfilled his role, hitting a single out to right field. Both Pressley and Larson advanced on passed ball by Castillo.

Vito Chiaravalloti struck out, bringing catcher Jason Belcher to the plate. Belcher is fourth on the Patriots in batting with runners in scoring position. He increased his average by hitting a single towards the shortstop, bringing in Larson.Shortstop Teuris Oliviares ended the inning with a ground out to his counterpart, Damian Jackson.

Despite a rocky first inning, Brey kept the Riversharks scoreless through the second and third innings. In the fourth inning, though, Brey gave up three more runs, extending Camden’s lead to 6-2.

Fulse visited home plate for the second time and drove in two runs with a double into left field. Both third baseman Gabe Suarez and designated hitter Cody Collet scored on Fulse’s hit after the pair each singled to get on base.

The evening was over for Brey after 91 pitches, six hits, six earned runs, three walks and three strikeouts.

Somerset staged a comeback in the fifth inning, beginning with left fielder Gera Alvarez’s single to center field, off of the pitchers’ mound and passed second baseman Tim Johnson. Pitcher Mike Flannery then walked Larson, and gave up a single to Pressley to load the bases. Chiaravalloti could not capitalize, striking out and making him 0-3 with runners in scoring position for the game.

The next batter, Belcher, hit a broken-bat dribbler back to the pitcher, giving Alvarez enough time to score. Oliviares followed by doubling in Larson and Pressley on an exciting play where a throw was made at home in attempt to catch Pressley then fired back at second to nab Olivares, both unsuccessful. Pressley went 3-4 during the game, scoring a run off of two singles and a double.

With the shortstop at second and two outs, right fielder Elliott Ayala stuck out to end the rally and the scoring for the Patriots. Camden’s relief pitchers Federico Baez (1-1), Felix Rodriguez and Alec Zumwalt combined for one hit, no walks, no runs and five strikeouts in the final four innings. Zumwalt earned his league-leading 20th save by shutting down the top of the Patriots’ order in the bottom of the ninth, and Baez got his first win of the season.

The Riversharks added an insurance home run by Damian Jackson in the ninth inning, off Jason Richardson, giving them the 7-5 final score. Tuesday’s game lasted three hours and 17 minutes, and 5,095 fans were in attendance.

The loss drops the Patriots to 1.5 games behind the York Revolution for first place in the Freedom Division. Somerset and Camden will face off again on Wednesday, with the Patriots hoping a rare day game means a change in luck. First pitch is scheduled for 11:05 a.m., with Jose Lima (2-3) on the mound for the Riversharks and Kip Bouknight pitching for the Patriots.

Riversharks pitcher Ryan Dittfurth (1-3) kept the Patriots hitless through four innings and scoreless for five, earning his first win since being brought to Camden earlier this season.
Dittfurth faced 24 batters and allowed four runs on four hits, one walk and three hit batsmen in five and two-thirds innings.

Patriots pitcher Steve Kelly (5-9) was scoreless also through four innings, but was shelled in the fifth, allowing five runs on five hits.

First baseman Tyler Von Schill started the fifth with a single bounced past third baseman Brandon Larson. Rob Gandolfo followed with a well-placed bunt down the third base line, and was able to beat the throw.

With runners on first and second, Gabe Suarez attempted to advance the runners but struck out on a third foul bunt.

Cody Collet then worked Kelly deep into a pitch count, fouling off several balls before knocking a hit out to centerfield to load the bases.

Kelly walked a run in by putting Sheldon Fulse on base at the top of the order. Damian Jackson popped out to first base, then Nic Jackson hit a double out to the warning track at centerfield that scored all three runners. After L.J. Biernbaum reached base, Alberto Castillo hit a single that drove in Nic Jackson, but the inning ended when Biernbaum was caught in a rundown between second and third.

Kelly left after the fifth, allowing five runs on five hits and three walks. He faced 23 batters and struck-out six.

The Patriots did not answer in the bottom of the fifth, but after relief pitcher Chris Buglovsky kept the Riversharks scoreless in the top of the sixth, Somerset found its offense.

Sean Smith led off the inning with a stikeout, then Elliot Ayala hit a ball to the shortstop but reached base when Damian Jackson was unable to make a play.

With a runner on first, Larson hit his 24th home run out to the flag pole in centerfield. The Patriots had new life at 5-2.
Josh Pressley grounded out, then Jason Belcher reached base on Dittfurth’s third hit-by-pitch. Teuris Olivares singled to centerfield, and Camden went to their bullpen.

Relief pitcher Julio Guerrero inherited the two runners, and recent-acquisition Kevin Koch pushed home both runners by knocking a ball past a diving Gandolfo up the middle.

Vito Chiaravalloti ended the inning by popping up to left field, but Somerset had climbed back within one run, 5-4.

The Riversharks extended their lead by two more runs in the seventh off of Guerrero, scoring unearned runs on a double-error by Ayala and a passed ball by Belcher.

The Patriots countered with a Larson double down the left field line that scored Smith, making the score 7-5 at the end of the seventh inning.

The relief pitchers for both teams then took over. Rick Asadoorian and Jason Richardson combined for two inning of scoreless relief for the Patriots, and Alec Zumwalt closed out the game for the Riversharks, earning the save.

The Patriots were led by Olivares, who went 3-4 with a double, two singles, a run and was caught stealing, and Larson, who was 2-3 with a home run, a double and two RBI.

The Riversharks were led by Von Schill, who went 2-4 with two singles and a run, Fulse, who was 1-4 with a single, a walk and two runs, and Collet, who was 1-2 with a single, two walks and two runs scored.

The loss dropped the Patriots a half-game behind the York Revolution for first place in the Freedom Division for the second half.

The second game of the series is 7:05 Tuesday night at Commerce Bank Park. Starting pitchers are expected to be Josh Brey for the Patriots and Tony Peguero for the Riversharks.