Page 14 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, August 1, 2025 Flames top Chiefs for 2025 Malden Babe Ruth League Championship Milonopoulos goes distance on mound with 4-hitter to lead champs to 3rd crown in 5 years By Steve Freker N o 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, Nick D’Anna was steady at the plate, in the field and on the mound for the Flames in their championship run. 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 FLAMES ARE CHAMPS: On hand to congratulate the Malden Babe Ruth 13–16-year-old 2025 League Champion Flames and their manager Deano Summers (back row, far right) was Malden Mayor Gary Christenson (back row, far left). The Flames include (not in order above) 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. (Advocate Photos) 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 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. YearChampion Runner-up 1960SEALS 1961SEALS Colts Comets 1962ORIOLES Knights 1963PADRES Orioles 1964KNIGHTS Colts Malden Babe Ruth League City Series History 1960-2025 Orioles 1965KNIGHTS Barons 1966KNIGHTS Barons 1967KNIGHTS Barons 1968PADRES Barons 1969PADRES Orioles 1970BARONS Seals 1971CHIEFS Seals 1972PADRES Chiefs 1973STARS Chiefs 1974ORIOLES Knights 1975STARS 1976AZTECS Barons 1977AZTECS Barons 1978BARONS Knights 1979BARONS Stars 1980COLTS Padres Colonels 1981STARS 1982STARS Orioles 1983ORIOLES Knights 1984AZTECS Flames 1985SEALS Chiefs 1986PADRES Flames 1987COLTS 1988KNIGHTS Colts 1989STARS Knights Flames 1990COLONELS Knights 1991STARS Flames 1992SEALS Flames 1993AZTECS Colts 1994STARS Colonels 1995AZTECS Flames 1996FLAMES Aztecs 1997FLAMES Aztecs 1998ORIOLES Aztecs 1999STARS Chiefs 2000KNIGHTS Colts 2001COLTS Seals 2002FLAMES Aztecs 2003COLONELS Knights 2004COLONELS Pilots 2005COLONELS Pilots 2006SEALS Orioles 2007FLAMES Seals 2008KNIGHTS Orioles 2009FLAMES Knights 2010COLONELS Colts 2011CHIEFS Seals 2012COLONELS Seals 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 2013FLAMES Knights 2014PHILLIES Tigers 2015PHILLIES Knights 2016CHIEFS Phillies 2017CHIEFS Knights 2018PILOTS Flames 2019KNIGHTS Pilots 2020COVID-19 No Season 2021FLAMES Chiefs 2022FLAMES Knights 2023PILOTS Chiefs 2024KNIGHTS Flames 2025FLAMES Chiefs 2026?? ??
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