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      DENVILLE - Two one-sided games and a game that went down to the wire highlighted the 2011 Denville Little League's Major League post-season playoffs that was won by the Chamber of Commerce over the Firemen, two games to one, after Chamber had lost the first game of the three-game championship series.
    The Firemen opened the series with a 15-0 victory on Wednesday, June 15; Chamber tied the series at a game each with a 6-5 victory on Sunday, June 19; and then it was Chamber's turn for a big victory as it defeated the Firemen, 16-0, on Monday, June 20, in the championship game.
    All three games were played at Gardner Field here.
    The championship game turned into a runaway as Chamber hammered out 17 hits, scoring three runs in the first inning, four in the second, six in the fourth and three in the sixth and final inning.
    Ian Stempert pitched the first five innings and Danny Porth pitched the sixth and held the Firemen to only one hit - a second-inning single by Nick Rupp.
    The Chamber hitters backed up their pitchers with a 17-hit attack that included three runs in the first inning; four in the second, six in the fourth and three in the sixth inning
    David Kaiser, Will Kenny, Danny Porth and Stempert each had three hits in the championship game. Jared Badalamenti finished with two hits; and Chris Carey, Robert Plumb and Conner Eppel each had one.
    Defensively, Damon Latgugga, Mike Kaiser and Jon Reh had solid games and were able to contribute to the offense by drawing key walks in perfect situations.    
    In the second game, the Firemen jumped out to a 3-0 first-inning lead with Kispert, Rupp and Jack Griffin doing the most damage and then made it 4-0 in the second inning on two walks and a fielder's choice.
    Chamber tied the score 4-4 in the bottom of the second inning, taking advantage of four walks and a base-loaded, bases-clearing double by Will Kenny. Chamber came right back and took a 6-4 lead with Jared Badalamenti, Kenny and Kaiser coming up with the big hits of the inning.
    The Firemen scored their final run in the top of the fifth on a double by Boyle and an RBI single by Rupp.
    The Fireman also threatened in the top of the sixth inning and had the tying and go-ahead runs on second and third with two outs when Connor Eppel, who relieved starter and winner Badalamenti with two outs in the fifth inning, got the final batter on a strikeout.
    In the first game, the Firemen jumped out to a 7-0 first-inning lead as home runs by Richard Boyle, Andrew Kispert and Nick Rupp were the big hits of the inning. Rupp hit his second homer of the game in the third inning and then added a triple in the fifth inning.
    Boyle got the win, pitching a complete-game three-hit shutout. David Kaiser had two of the three hits for Chamber.