The Hagerstown Flying Boxcars will face the Long Island Ducks in the Atlantic League North Division Championship Series after securing the first playoff spot in franchise history. Hagerstown clinched the North Division’s first-half championship, while Long Island won the second half.
Hagerstown enters the series having won six of its last 10 games and holds a 9-15 regular-season record against the Ducks. The series begins with the first two games at Long Island before moving to Meritus Park for Friday’s game, which will feature postgame fireworks and a rally towel giveaway.
Hagerstown Flying Boxcars Playoff Schedule
The first two games are scheduled for Long Island; then the series shifts to Hagerstown. The scheduled pitching matchups include Connor Curlis facing Leonardo Tavares on Tuesday, Eddy Demurias against Nick Margevicius on Wednesday, and Chase Chaney opposing Anthony Escobar on Friday.
- Tuesday: at Long Island, 6:45 p.m. — Connor Curlis vs. Leonardo Tavares
- Wednesday: at Long Island, 6:45 p.m. — Eddy Demurias vs. Nick Margevicius
- Thursday: Travel day
- Friday: vs. Long Island at Meritus Park, 6:30 p.m. — Chase Chaney vs. Anthony Escobar; postgame fireworks and rally towel giveaway
- Saturday: vs. Long Island at Meritus Park, 6 p.m., if needed
- Sunday: vs. Long Island at Meritus Park, 2 p.m., if needed
Fans can watch the series on DugoutTV, with Jordan Nicewarner providing the broadcast voice. The Saturday and Sunday games at Meritus Park are scheduled only if necessary.
Hagerstown Flying Boxcars Prepare for Long Island Ducks
Long Island won the regular-season series 15 games to nine. Hagerstown won the April 21-23 series, 2-1, and the May 5-10 series, 4-2, while the Ducks won the July 3-5 series, 2-1; the July 22-26 series, 5-1; and the Aug. 25-30 series, 5-1.
Hagerstown closed the regular season with a 3-0 victory over the Lancaster Stormers. Darick Hall pitched four scoreless innings, Greg Duncan added two scoreless innings with two strikeouts, and Clay Helvey earned his league-leading 16th save. Danny Ortiz went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs.
Curlis is scheduled to start the opener after his recent appearance at Lancaster, when he pitched five innings, struck out five, and allowed three earned runs. His most recent outing against Long Island was Aug. 29, when he threw four scoreless innings with four strikeouts. Tavares is listed at 4-0 with a 3.54 ERA, and Curlis at 2-1 with a 3.95 ERA.
Mark Minicozzi Oversees Hagerstown Turnaround
In Mark Minicozzi’s first year in charge, the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars completed a 36-win single-season turnaround, the largest in Atlantic League history. Minicozzi also was named a Mid-Season ALPB All-Star Co-Manager.
He oversaw the contract purchases of six Hagerstown players, including Cole Roland and Connor O’Hara by the Texas Rangers and Jackson Hauge by the New York Mets. Three of the players had their contracts purchased by MLB organizations during the season.
Hagerstown Flying Boxcars Leaders and Award Winners
Jared Carr led the league in runs with 130 and walks with 97 while ranking second in stolen bases with 71. He set Hagerstown single-season records for hits, runs, walks, and doubles, finishing with 130 hits, 130 runs, 97 walks, and 34 doubles. Carr was named the team’s MVP and Defensive Player of the Year.
Darick Hall was named the team’s Offensive Player of the Year after setting the single-season RBI record with 98. Robert Brooks set the single-season home run record with 23, while Helvey led the league in saves with 16 and received the team’s Pitcher of the Year award.
Maryland Sports Blog Take
The Hagerstown Flying Boxcars enter the North Division Championship Series as the first-half champion against the Long Island Ducks, who won the regular-season series. Hagerstown will look to build off recent good form before returning home to Meritus Park for Friday’s scheduled game.
The series gives Minicozzi’s team a chance to build on the first playoff spot in franchise history, a historic 36-win turnaround, and multiple individual and team records. Key pitching matchups, Helvey’s league-leading saves, and the production of Carr, Hall, Ortiz, and Brooks will be central to Hagerstown’s effort.
Source: Original report
