Home of Roswell Invaders Baseball Team! Roswell Invaders Professional Baseball Team
Here is the 2017 Roswell Invaders article rewritten into fuller paragraph format while keeping the headings, links, statistics, and `
` HTML structure.
2017 Roswell Invaders Season Recap - Bryan Kloppe's Final Season Ends with a Mountain Division Championship
The 2017 Roswell Invaders season marked the end of Bryan Kloppe's first era in Roswell, and it was also one of his best. The Invaders finished the regular season 41-22, returned to the Pecos League playoffs and finally broke through a postseason barrier that had stopped them one year earlier. Roswell defeated the Trinidad Triggers in the opening round and then went to Kokernot Field and defeated the Alpine Cowboys two games to one to become the 2017 Mountain Division Champions. That sent Roswell back to the Pecos League Championship Series for the first time since winning the league title in 2015.
The final step proved to be one too many. The expansion High Desert Yardbirds swept Roswell two games to none and won the Pecos League Championship. Still, the 2017 Invaders had accomplished plenty. They won 41 regular-season games, won two playoff series, captured the Mountain Division Championship and saw Bryan Kloppe conclude his two-year run managing Roswell by taking the Invaders all the way to the Pecos League Finals.
Bryan Kloppe had taken over the Invaders in 2016 and immediately produced one of the most memorable seasons in team history. Roswell finished second in the Southern Division, swept Alpine in the first round and then pushed the powerful Tucson Saguaros to a deciding third game before being eliminated. That would have been enough to define most seasons, but Roswell's 2016 team wasn't finished.
After the Pecos League season ended, the Invaders were invited to the World Baseball Challenge in Prince George, British Columbia as a replacement for the Cuban National Team. Roswell advanced all the way to the championship game before finishing second to Japan. The performance established Kloppe as one of the Pecos League's successful managers and gave Roswell plenty of reason to bring him back.
On January 8, 2017, the Invaders officially announced that Bryan Kloppe would return to manage the club for another season. At the time, Kloppe was managing and pitching for the Cheltenham Rustlers in Melbourne, Australia. He would return to New Mexico looking to take the Invaders one step further than they had gone in 2016.
The Pecos League landscape continued changing in 2017. Roswell competed in the newly configured Mountain Division, where Alpine remained one of the Invaders' primary rivals. Roswell again proved to be one of the stronger teams in the league, finishing 41-22 and entering the postseason as the second seed in the Mountain Division. The record represented a .651 winning percentage.
It wasn't quite enough to claim the top seed, but Roswell had positioned itself for another serious postseason run. Unlike 2016, this one would not end before the championship series.
Joey Miller continued to be one of the most important hitters in the Roswell lineup. Miller played 51 games and collected 91 hits in 206 at-bats. He scored 62 runs, hit 16 doubles and launched 16 home runs while driving in 46 runs and drawing 45 walks.
His combination of average, power and ability to reach base gave Kloppe a major offensive threat in the middle of the lineup. Miller had already been a major part of Roswell's record-setting 2016 offense, and he returned in 2017 and remained one of the team's most productive players.
Bobby Webb put together another huge season for the Invaders. Webb appeared in 59 games and collected a team-high 95 hits in 237 at-bats while also scoring a team-high 73 runs. He produced 20 doubles, one triple and 14 home runs while driving in 54 runs.
Webb also drew 42 walks and consistently gave Roswell opportunities to create big innings. Between Miller and Webb alone, the Invaders received 186 hits and 30 home runs.
Kaohu Gaspar Becomes Mountain Division Hitter of the Year
Kaohu Gaspar became another major piece of the Roswell offense. Gaspar played 51 games and collected 78 hits in 189 at-bats. He scored 52 runs, hit nine doubles, two triples and six home runs and drove in 38.
Gaspar also drew 40 walks and stole 11 bases. His performance earned him one of the league's highest individual honors when he was named the 2017 Pecos League Mountain Division Hitter of the Year. That honor reflected just how deep the Roswell lineup had become under Kloppe. Miller and Webb had huge seasons, and Gaspar added an award-winning performance of his own.
Kyle Peralta played 57 games and added another dangerous power bat. Peralta collected 65 hits, scored 52 runs, hit 14 home runs and drove in 52 while also drawing 30 walks and stealing eight bases.
Roswell could attack opposing pitching from several different spots in the lineup. Webb hit 14 home runs, Peralta hit 14, Miller hit 16, Ed Reichenbach added 10, Bradley Cuyos hit nine and Cody Bishop hit seven. The Invaders weren't dependent on one power hitter. They had home-run threats throughout the lineup.
Cody Bishop Remains Productive
Cody Bishop returned after being one of the central figures in Roswell's historic 2016 offense. Bishop played 45 games in 2017 and collected 50 hits in 140 at-bats. He hit seven doubles and seven home runs and drove in 36.
His presence gave Kloppe another experienced bat who already understood what it took to win in Roswell.
More Depth Throughout the Order
The Invaders had plenty of production beyond their biggest names. Tobias Moreno collected 58 hits, scored 44 runs and stole 14 bases. Louis Martini produced 42 hits, six home runs and 31 RBIs in 39 games, while Ed Reichenbach hit 10 home runs in 50 games.
Mitch Elliott drove in 26 runs in only 31 games, Bradley Cuyos hit nine home runs and drove in 30 in only 34 games, and Caleb Patterson added 28 hits and 20 RBIs. The Invaders had enough offensive depth to score with virtually anyone in the league.
Eric Gleese became one of Kloppe's most dependable starting pitchers. Gleese went 4-0 with a 4.32 ERA, made nine starts and threw 60.1 innings, including one complete game. He struck out 66 hitters while walking only 23.
In the offensive environment of the Pecos League, those numbers gave Roswell exactly what it needed - a starter capable of controlling games and giving the offense time to take over.
Mike Scimanico Leads the Staff in Innings and Strikeouts
Mike Scimanico provided Roswell with the largest regular-season workload. The left-hander went 5-2 with a 4.38 ERA, made 12 starts and threw 67.2 innings. Scimanico struck out a team-high 75 hitters, and his ability to take the ball regularly gave Kloppe a valuable anchor in the rotation.
Darrell Thompson Wins Seven Games
Darrell Thompson went 7-1 over 12 starts. He threw 63 innings and struck out 73 hitters, with the seven victories leading the Roswell pitching staff.
With Gleese, Scimanico and Thompson, the Invaders had three starters capable of carrying significant innings during a long Pecos League summer.
David Johnson Returns
David Johnson also returned to Roswell after being one of the key pitchers on the 2016 club. Johnson made five starts and went 3-1 with a 3.68 ERA, striking out 24 hitters while issuing only two walks in 22 innings.
Although his workload was smaller than the previous season, he remained highly effective when available.
A Flexible Bullpen
Roswell also had flexibility in relief. Devin Malone recorded two saves and struck out 19 in 11.2 innings. Lance Fairchild appeared in 27 games and worked 41.1 innings, while Dylan Porter appeared in 23 games and struck out 43 in 38.1 innings.
Conner Camacho also appeared in 23 games, and Ty Geary worked more than 50 innings in a hybrid role that included four starts. Even Kloppe himself made four pitching appearances, throwing three scoreless innings. That versatility helped Roswell navigate the long schedule and eventually the postseason.
When the regular season ended, Roswell had gone 41-22. The Invaders again found themselves in a familiar position: one of the best teams in their division, but not the top seed.
The official Roswell franchise history describes 2017 as the season when the Invaders finally "got over the hump." That description was appropriate. In previous seasons, Roswell had repeatedly found itself close to another championship run without finishing it. In 2016, Tucson had stopped the Invaders in an incredible three-game playoff series. In 2017, Roswell would finally break through the Mountain Division bracket.
First Round - Trinidad Triggers
The first obstacle was Trinidad, and the series was not easy. Roswell needed three games to advance, eventually defeating the Triggers two games to one. Toby Eigner helped Roswell win a wild 10-9 game, while Lance Fairchild starred as the Invaders defeated Trinidad 12-5 in another important postseason victory.
Roswell had survived the opening round. One opponent remained between the Invaders and the Pecos League Championship Series: the Alpine Cowboys.
The Mountain Division Championship - Roswell vs. Alpine
Few matchups carried more history for Roswell than Alpine. The Invaders and Cowboys had been meeting in important Pecos League games for years. Roswell had eliminated Alpine from the playoffs in 2015 and swept the Cowboys in the first round in 2016.
Now the two clubs were meeting with the Mountain Division Championship at stake. The series went three games. Alpine won one, Roswell won one and everything came down to the deciding game at Kokernot Field.
This time, there was no drama at the finish. Roswell dominated. The Invaders defeated Alpine 9-1, and the series belonged to Roswell. For the first time under Bryan Kloppe, the Invaders had won the Mountain Division.
The victory was significant for several reasons. Roswell had beaten Trinidad two games to one and then defeated Alpine two games to one despite entering the postseason as the No. 2 seed. Now the Invaders were returning to the Pecos League Championship Series for the first time since winning the entire league in 2015.
For Kloppe, it represented progress from 2016. One year earlier, his first Roswell club had been stopped just short of the finals. This time the Invaders had gotten through. The Pecos League officially declared Roswell the 2017 Mountain Division Champion on August 5.
The opponent waiting for Roswell was unlike any championship opponent the Invaders had faced before. The High Desert Yardbirds represented the Pacific Division, and because of the Pecos League's growing geographic footprint, Roswell and High Desert had never played one another.
The official Roswell history notes that the 2017 Championship Series became the first Pecos League Finals between two teams that had never previously faced each other. Roswell drew home-field advantage, which meant the Invaders would have an opportunity to win the championship at Joe Bauman Stadium.
The matchup looked fascinating. Roswell had a deep offense, High Desert had survived the Pacific Division and the two clubs had no meaningful head-to-head history to use as a reference. Everything would be decided on the field.
High Desert Takes Game 1
The Yardbirds immediately demonstrated why they had reached the championship series. High Desert defeated Roswell 5-2 in the opening game. Roswell managed only limited offense. Joey Miller collected two hits, but the Invaders couldn't generate enough production around him.
After the game, Kloppe praised High Desert's pitching and specifically described Yardbirds pitcher Culp as the best pitcher he had seen in the league that year. Roswell now faced an elimination game at Joe Bauman Stadium.
Game 2 was even more difficult. High Desert shut out Roswell 7-0. The Invaders' offense that had carried the team through so many games during the regular season and playoffs could not solve Yardbirds pitching.
The championship series was over. High Desert had swept Roswell two games to none. The Yardbirds were Pecos League Champions, and Roswell's season ended at Joe Bauman Stadium.
There was obvious disappointment. The Invaders had come within two victories of another league championship, but they had also accomplished something important. They were Mountain Division Champions.
Regular Season Record: 41-22 Winning Percentage: .651 Mountain Division Seed: No. 2 First Playoff Series: Defeated Trinidad Triggers, 2 games to 1 Mountain Division Championship: Defeated Alpine Cowboys, 2 games to 1 Pecos League Championship Series: Lost to High Desert Yardbirds, 0 games to 2 Final Result: 2017 Mountain Division Champions
Eric Gleese: 4-0, 4.32 ERA, 66 SO in 60.1 IP Mike Scimanico: 5-2, 4.38 ERA, 75 SO in 67.2 IP Darrell Thompson: 7-1, 73 SO in 63 IP David Johnson: 3-1, 3.68 ERA, 24 SO and only 2 BB in 22 IP
The championship-series loss also became the end of Bryan Kloppe's first run managing the Roswell Invaders. His two seasons had been remarkably productive. In 2016, Kloppe took over a successful franchise and immediately guided the Invaders through another outstanding season. Roswell finished second in the Southern Division, swept Alpine and pushed Tucson to three games before traveling to Canada and finishing second to Japan at the World Baseball Challenge.
In 2017, Kloppe brought Roswell back and went even further. The Invaders won 41 games, eliminated Trinidad, eliminated Alpine, won the Mountain Division Championship and reached the Pecos League Championship Series. Kloppe's Roswell tenure had produced consecutive playoff appearances and a championship-series berth.
His time with the Invaders would end after the 2017 season, but his Pecos League success was far from finished.
Kloppe Moves to Bakersfield
For the 2018 season, Bryan Kloppe left Roswell and became manager of the Bakersfield Train Robbers. The move immediately worked. Kloppe led Bakersfield to the 2018 Pecos League Championship, meaning the manager who had taken Roswell to the finals in 2017 returned to the championship series with a different franchise one year later and this time won it.
Kloppe later moved to the United Shore Professional Baseball League in Michigan for the 2019 season. His connection to Roswell wasn't permanently over, however. The Invaders announced in December 2019 that Kloppe would return to manage Roswell for 2020.
Kloppe's departure opened the door for another familiar figure in the Roswell organization. Relly Mercurio had served as an assistant with the Invaders during the 2016 and 2017 seasons and had been there for Kloppe's two postseason runs.
Mercurio had seen the record-setting offense of 2016 and had been part of the 2017 Mountain Division Championship team. With Kloppe moving on, Mercurio would take over the Invaders in 2018.
The transition helped provide continuity. Roswell wasn't handing the team to someone unfamiliar with the organization. Mercurio already understood the players, the league and the expectations at Joe Bauman Stadium. He would immediately prove capable of keeping Roswell near the top of the standings, leading the 2018 Invaders to a 41-19 record.
A Successful Final Season
Bryan Kloppe's final 2017 result in Roswell was not a Pecos League Championship. High Desert made sure of that. But judging the season only by the final two games would miss what the Invaders accomplished.
Roswell went 41-22. The offense featured Joey Miller, Bobby Webb, Kaohu Gaspar, Kyle Peralta, Cody Bishop and a deep group of productive hitters. Gaspar was named Mountain Division Hitter of the Year, while the pitching staff received strong seasons from Eric Gleese, Mike Scimanico, Darrell Thompson and David Johnson.
The Invaders survived Trinidad in three games, went into Alpine and won the deciding Mountain Division game 9-1, became Mountain Division Champions and reached the Pecos League Finals. That is an outstanding season by almost any standard.
From Roswell to Bakersfield
The 2017 season also became a turning point in Pecos League history beyond Roswell. Kloppe left the Invaders after taking them to the championship series and one year later won the league championship with Bakersfield.
Relly Mercurio moved from Kloppe's Roswell staff into the manager's role and led the Invaders to another 41-win season in 2018. In that sense, the 2017 Roswell team became the intersection of two successful managerial chapters.
It was the final season of Kloppe's first run and the final season before Mercurio took control. The official Roswell franchise history describes the 2017 Invaders as finally getting "over the hump." That is probably the best way to remember them.
They couldn't finish the final step against High Desert, but they got farther than the previous year's team. They got through Trinidad, got through Alpine, won the Mountain Division and, in Bryan Kloppe's final year with the Invaders, Roswell once again played for the championship of the Pecos League.
The core season arc is preserved: **41-22 in the regular season, playoff wins over Trinidad and Alpine, the Mountain Division Championship, and a two-game championship-series loss to High Desert.**
