The Metrowest Orioles have clinched their second consecutive MetroWest 28+ Division title following a resounding 19-1 victory over the Northborough Cardinals in Game 3 of the best-of-three championship series, solidifying their legacy as one of the most formidable teams in BMBL history.

The Orioles become just the second team to repeat as MetroWest champions since the division's inception in the BMBL back in 2015. This is their record-breaking 15th overall championship as a franchise and their third title since joining the BMBL.

Led under the guidance of longtime manager Chris Currie, the Orioles put together another impressive campaign, boasting a division-best 16-1 regular season record — marking their sixth straight year finishing atop the MetroWest standings.

Offensively, they were an absolute juggernaut, dominating in nearly every statistical category. Their eye-popping .436 team batting average not only set a new franchise record but also tied for the highest team average in BMBL history.

Six members of the Orioles' roster hit over .400, including Bryan Curran, who took home well-deserved MVP honors in his inaugural season in the MetroWest Division.

Curran's debut with the Orioles was nothing short of legendary. The hard-hitting third baseman led the division in average (.643), slugging (1.071), OPS (1.752), doubles (7), and also co-led in both hits (27) and home runs (3). Curran scored 23 runs while also driving in 23, tying for second place in both of those categories.

On the defensive side, the Orioles' pitching staff was just as spectacular. Spearheaded by the veteran right-hander Brian Lindsey (8-1, 1.50 ERA) and the crafty southpaw Steve Cadoret (4-0, 0.68 ERA), the staff ranked first in ERA (1.17), runs allowed (35), and WHIP (.944).

The dynamic duo of Lindsey and Cadoret combined to produce a 12-1 record with a 1.21 ERA, and together, they shouldered a staggering 81% of the team's innings.

In terms of individual accolades, Lindsey narrowly missed claiming his third Cy Young Award, falling short by a mere four points, resulting in a second-place finish. Cadoret, just one point shy of his teammate Lindsey, finished in third.

After a dominant regular season, the Orioles secured the coveted No. 1 seed in the postseason, advancing directly to the best-of-three semifinal round, where they faced their long-standing rivals, the 4-time BMBL champion Metrowest Royals (9-8).

The rivalry between the Orioles and the Royals ran deep, and the tension was palpable as they squared off in the best-of-three series.

In the regular season, the Orioles asserted their dominance, outscoring the Royals 24-1 (16-1, 8-0) in their two meetings. The postseason, however, had previously favored the Royals, who claimed victory in both the 2020 and 2021 finals. The Orioles were determined to turn the tide.

True to their regular-season form, the Orioles continued their winning streak, defeating the 4th-seeded Royals in just two games, with scores of 3-0 and 10-3.

Leading the offensive charge were George Sergi (4-7, 2 R, 2 SB) and Alex Hall (4-5, 2 R, RBI, BB, 2 SB), combining to go 8-for-12 at the plate with 4 runs scored and 4 stolen bases.

Steve Cadoret (11.1 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 14 K, 4 BB) earned the win on the hill in both games, surrendering just five hits to go along with 14 strikeouts while not allowing a single earned run over 11 1/3 innings.

The Orioles advanced to the best-of-three championship series for a fifth consecutive season and the sixth time in seven years. Their opponent was the No. 2-seeded Northborough Cardinals (13-4), who last tasted championship glory back in 2019.

The Cardinals reached the finals for the first time in four years by virtue of a 2-0 series (7-0, 3-2) win over the third-seeded Medway Brewers (9-8), outscoring their opponent 10-2 in the series.

This set the stage for an exciting finals clash, pitting the Northborough Cardinals against the Metrowest Orioles, with the league's top two teams facing off in a best-of-three showdown.

The championship series kicked off with a spectacular pitcher's duel as Steve Cadoret (7 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 11 K, 1 BB) of the Orioles squared off against the 2023 Cy Young Award winner, Andrew Quinn (7 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 7 K, 3 BB) of the Cardinals, with both starting pitchers going the distance.

Quinn helped his own cause on offense, scoring the lone run of the game in the top of the 3rd. With two outs and Quinn stationed at third, a ground ball was sent traveling up the middle. The Orioles' shortstop, Rob Santilli, made a valiant effort to field the ball cleanly, but his throw to first veered slightly off target, allowing Quinn to score and the Cardinals to ultimately win Game 1 by a final score of 1-0. It was a gut-wrenching loss for Cadoret and the Orioles, marking the first time they were shut out since May 2, 2021.

Trailing 1-0 in the series with their backs against the wall, the Orioles showed their resilience and determination to stay in the series. They responded with a definitive 15-1 victory in Game 2 to stave off elimination and force a decisive Game 3.

Bryan Curran (4 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 4 K, 0 BB) earned the win with a solid performance on the hill, allowing just three hits over four innings while striking out four. George Sergi (3-5, 3 R, SB), Bryan Curran (3-4, 3 R, 3 RBI), and Paul Goodwin (3-5, R, 2B) were the offensive catalysts, collecting three hits apiece to lead the charge.

With the series tied at one game apiece, Game 3 presented a much-anticipated rematch of the Game 1 starters, Steve Cadoret and Andrew Quinn. However, due to unforeseen rainouts and scheduling conflicts, the teams would have to wait two weeks to play the series-deciding game, pushing it into mid-October.

Additionally, the game was to be played at night under the lights for the first time in MetroWest Division history, amplifying the excitement and drama surrounding this matchup.

The do-or-die game eventually got underway, and surprisingly, neither the prolonged delay nor the frigid temperatures had any chilling effect on the Orioles' red-hot offense. After getting shut out by Quinn in Game 1, the Orioles responded with an offensive barrage in Game 3.

Fueled by a 19-hit onslaught, including five doubles, the Orioles left no room for doubt, securing a commanding 19-1 victory and back-to-back MetroWest Division championships.

"I'm happy for everybody here," said Orioles' manager Chris Currie following the triumphant win. "We had our best going, and they had their best going, and it just worked out for us today."

Bryan Curran (4-5, 3 R, 2 2B, 5 RBI), Paul Goodwin (3-5, 2 R, 2B, 2 RBI), and George Sergi (3-5, 2 R, 3 RBI) paced the offense, combining to drive in 10 runs on 10 hits. Steve Cadoret (5 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 6 K, 5 BB) earned his third win of the postseason, giving up just 1 earned run on 4 hits to go along with 6 strikeouts.

Overall in the postseason, the 2023 champs produced a 4-1 record and averaged nearly 10 runs per game, outscoring opponents by a combined margin of 47-6. The offense, led by George Sergi (10-19, .526 Avg., 7 R, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 5 SB) and Bryan Curran (10-20, .500 Avg., 9 R, 9 RBI, 3 2B, 1 SB) batted a remarkable .401 with a .919 OPS.

At the forefront of their postseason campaign was Steve Cadoret (3-1, 23.1 IP, 14 H, 1 ER, 31 strikeouts, 0.30 ERA), the Orioles' workhorse, who took the mound in four of their five games, composing a 3-1 record with a minuscule 0.30 ERA.

Congratulations to the Metrowest Orioles on winning the 2023 MetroWest Division championship, and a tip of the cap to the runner-up Northborough Cardinals for a fantastic season and postseason run.