Marc My Words!

Marc Maturo’s official sports column

Boulders swing away, roll into postseason play

The Rockland Boulders, who have brought the area an entertaining and reasonably priced professional baseball team, have now brought their loyal fans a chance to see postseason competition in the Can-Am League.

The Boulders, led by veteran skipper Jamie Keefe, and Can-Am League mainstay Jerod Edmondson, clinched the first postseason berth in franchise history with a 5-4 victory against Trois-Rivieres. Fittingly perhaps, it was Edmondson’s sacrifice fly that drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the 12th inning. Chad Robinson got the win by pitching two scoreless innings in relief.

Rockland, which climbed to 52-37 with that victory, will take on the New Jersey Jackals in the Can-Am League Championship Series beginning on September 3.

The Boulders and Jackals, embroiled in a season-long battle for first place in the regular season, will provide a playoff preview at Provident Bank Park in Pomona with a season-closing three-game set that opens on August 29.

The teams meet at 7 p.m. on August 29, at 6:30 p.m. on August 30, and at 5 p.m. in the finale on August 31.

Championship pass

Fans are now able to purchase a “Championship Pass” which will guarantee admission to every home game that Rockland will play in the postseason. For $24, fans can buy home plate or infield box seats to each game. The Boulders are guaranteed at least two home contests and as many as four.

Individual game tickets can also be purchased at revised prices: outfield box seats, grandstand tickets and seats in sections 100 and 101 will be $10 per game, while home plate and infield box seats will be sold for $14.

Fans who purchase tickets for playoff games will also receive a voucher to Opening Day 2015. Fans who received 2014 vouchers as part of previously purchased ticket packages will also be allowed to redeem those vouchers for postseason tickets.

Season-ticket-holders can take advantage of the “No Ticket Goes Unused” policy for the Championship Series. All unused season tickets can be exchanged for tickets to one of the remaining regular-season games or a championship contest.

Group of 10 or more can purchase tickets at $12 per person for home plate or infield box seats.  For those groups wishing to have their outing catered, the price is $20 per person for group locations such as the Budweiser Short Porch and the Sunset Deck.  Group pricing will not be offered for outfield box seats, grandstand tickets and seats in sections 100 and 101.

For more information, or to book a group, call (845) 364-0009, or access:  www.rocklandboulders.com.

                ON YOUR MARK:   The annual South Nyack 10-Miler, which comes around for the 26^th time on September 7, is often used by veteran roadrunners as a tune-up for upcoming marathon attempts, and it always features a high-quality field from Rockland County and nearby communities.   The event, which includes a children’s fun run, is sponsored by the Rockland Road Runners. The start of the 10-miler, scheduled at 8:30 a.m., is preceded by the children’s run at 8:15 a.m. Check-in begins at 7 a.m. at Franklin Street Park, located at S. Franklin Street in Nyack. The course is USATF-certified and offers a scenic run out and back along the Hudson River. Proceeds will benefit the South Nyack and Piermont Volunteer Fire Departments, Rockland Road Runners’ Scholarship Fun and Nyack Soup Kitchens. Also, Captain Lawrence Brewing Company will have a keg for attendees to sample its craft beer. For information contact Kristen Lowenwirth at 845-596-1207 or at [email protected].

QUICK HITTERS: Junior Samantha D’Andrea of Stony Point and sophomore Shannon Biehle of Tomkins Cove, both graduates of North Rockland HS, are prepping for the season opener on the women’s tennis team at St. Thomas Aquinas College in Sparkill. The Lady Spartans start the fall portion of the campaign with back-to-back home matches against the University of District of Columbia on September 5 at 2 p.m. and the University of the Sciences on September 6 at 1 p.m. … Senior forward Peter Park of West Nyack and sophomore midfielder John-Fritz Julien of Spring Valley are members of the men’s soccer team at St. Thomas Aquinas College. Coach Graham Brown’s Spartans open the season with three straight matches on the road, beginning on September 4 at 3 p.m. against Bloomsburg (Pa.) University and continuing against The College of St. Rose in Albany on September 10 at 7 p.m. and on September 13 at East Stroudsburg (Pa.) University at 11 a.m. … John Greeley of Stony Point has verbally committed to play baseball at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.  Greeley, who will formally commit during the early signing period in November, was recruited as a pitcher. Greeley is entering his senior year at St. Joseph’s Regional High School in Montvale, N.J., where he excelled last season as the team’s starting second baseman. Greeley helped St. Joseph’s finish 24-6-1 and win the NJSIAA North Non-Public A state sectional championship before falling to the South Non-Public A champ in the state final. He was named all-League in the Big North United League and honorable mention all-County. … MacKenzie McIndoe of New City, who was a four-time all-Section selection at Clarkstown North HS, is back for her senior year on the women’s soccer team at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Last season, McIndoe started all 18 games on defense and helped the back line record eight shutouts, the most since 1994. The Colonials visit Loyola University in Baltimore, Md., on August 29 for a game at 7 p.m., and then come home on August 31 to meet William & Mary at 5 p.m. … Pace University in Pleasantville is bringing back former lacrosse head coach Dan Mulholland to join the staff of Tom Mariano for the 2015 season. Expected to return for the Setters is attack Vincent Barbetto of New City, an alum of Clarkstown North H.S. … The men’s soccer team at Dominican College in Orangeburg will be in North Andover, Mass., on September 4 to open the season against Bentley University at 4 p.m. The men stay in North Andover on September 6 to meet Merrimack College, also at 4 p.m. The women’s team also opens on September 4, against Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, N.H., at 7 p.m. The women stay in Rindge on September 6 to take on Southern New Hampshire University at noon. … Sam Roberts of Nyack, a junior forward, is a member of the men’s soccer team at Nyack College, which opens its season in Syracuse on September 4, meeting Le Moyne College at 4 p.m. The Warriors travel to Rochester on September 6 to meets Roberts Wesleyan University at 3:30 p.m. … The Nyack College women’s soccer team, including midfielder Brittany Cruz of Suffern, gets under way on September 4, visiting The College of St. Rose in Albany at 4:15 p.m. The Warriors travel to Rochester on September 6 to meet Roberts Wesleyan University at 1 p.m. … Emily Betts of Congers is a freshmen member of the women’s cross country team at Roberts Wesleyan University in Rochester. The Redhawks, who open the season on September 6 at 1 p.m. at the Le Moyne Alumni Invitational in Syracuse, have been selected to capture the East Coast Conference title as voted on by the league’s coaches. St. Thomas Aquinas College was rated third, with the Spartans’ men’s team ranked fourth.

THIS & THAT: “Football Passport,” a soon-to-be released web application that lets you track every pro and FBS college football game you’ve ever attended, is looking for several more beta testers. Preview images here: http://imgur.com/a/O2KWx. If interested, please email [email protected].