Scrappers do Valley proud in return to the postseason

Three months ago in this space, we predicted an exciting 20th anniversary season for the region’s boys of summer, the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.

Three months later, the boys did not let us – or its community – down.

With two victories over the weekend over the West Virginia Black Bears, the Short Season Single A affiliate of Major League Baseball’s Cleveland Indians did us all proud yet again.

For the second consecutive year, the Scrappers clinched the championship of the Pinckney Division of the New York- Penn League of Minor League Baseball.

Now it’s off to the postseason tonight when the Mahoning Valley’s most beloved Dawgs travel to the Hudson Valley to square off against Troy, N.Y., ValleyCats in the best-of-three series.

The Scrappers will return to their home base at Eastwood Field in Niles for Game 2 on Thursday and Game 3, if necessary, on Friday.

We wish the “Team With Bite” success against the ‘Cats toward securing the Scrappers’ second league championship of its two-decade history. Avid fans should fill the stadium to the gills to show their pride and appreciation.

After all, there’s much to appreciate. This year marks the team’s sixth appearance in postseason play. This past season, the team rarely fell out of its first-place perch in its six-team division.

As a proud sponsor of The Scrappers, The Vindicator will be rooting right alongside its legions of fans this week toward a league-championship finale to this summer’s sizzling season to remember.