Page 16 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, August 4, 2023 Pilots Crowned 2023 Babe Ruth City Series Champs Ryan McMahon hurls a 3-hit gem with 14 strikeouts; Ruane and Rivera-Fuentes lead the hit parade in Finals win By Steve Freker T he first time was a charm for coach Nolan Bagley, who took over the reins of a veteran Pilots team and then rode the pitching of ace righthander Ryan McMahon and the hitting of David Ruane and Jaylen Rivera-Fuentes to the 2023 Malden Babe Ruth League City Series Playoff Championship. Bagley took over the reins as team manager and head coach for the Pilots in April this year and finished the season at the top this week as one of the Malden BRL’s longest-running teams won just its second title in history. Led by another brilliant pitching performance by McMahon and more clutch hitting from Ruane and Rivera-Fuentes, the Pilots rolled past regular season pennant winner Chiefs, 141, Wednesday in a winner-takeall Championship Final on Kezer Field at Pine Banks Park. For the second time in the 2023 double-elimination series, McMahon simply dominated on the mound for the Pilots. On Wednesday, McMahon went the distance, allowing just three hits on the night and striking out 14. The only run of the night allowed was unearned. Earlier in the playoff series, on July 24, McMahon was equally as solid, tossing a complete-game 2-hitter in a 12-1 win over the Flames. McMahon is a rising sophomore at Malden High School who was the second-leading hitter and an everyday starter for the Golden Tornado varsity baseball team this past spring. The Pilots had knocked off the Chiefs, 12-1, on Monday at Kezer Field to force Wednesday’s winner-take-all final. Righty David Ruane, of Everett, is a rising sophomore at Malden Catholic. Pilots righthander Ryan McMahon dealt on the mound for the Pilots in the Championship Final game on Wednesday night. (Advocate Photos) In Wednesday’s game, the Pilots raced out to a commanding, 6-0 lead and never looked back. It was billed as a matchup between two of the league’s top pitchers: McMahon for the Pilots and Ryan Bowdridge, a hard-throwing righty for the Chiefs. But the defense for the Chiefs went south and the Pilots were able to strike with all six runs being unearned as they built the 6-0 lead after four innings. ****
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