Today was an historic day for Winter Haven Senior Softball. For the first time two women seniors came to play ball and play ball they did, and better than quite a few of the guys, too. Richie was smiling, he figured that finally there was someone that might listen to his imitation Elvis crooning. Ok the Elvis jokes are getting stale, I get that, but it's still funny.
We also had several other new players today. Keep it up guys & gals the more the merrier.
Field B
The day was cold and windy with many players, assuming they are still around, deciding to sit this one out after a long season. The game was primary a National League game with each team picking up 2 American Leaguers and 1 woman (yes woman) each.
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Giselle lines one up |
The hitting team (or visitors) got off to a quick start scoring 3 runs in the first, 5 in the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th innings. They were led by the torrid hitting of Zelazny, Duchan, Altemust and Sequin, combined they went 18 for 19 including a triple, Homerun and a pair of doubles.
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Penny takes the field |
The fielding team (or home) started slowly, only scoring 1 run in the first two innings, but did score 5 in the 3rd, 6 in the 4th and 9 in the 7th. It was a balanced attacked that got the home team back into the game with every player getting at least one hit and 10 players getting 2 or more. Butler led the team with 2 doubles and Hector blasted a home run to right.
When the game was done, it finished as it had started, in a tie. Both teams plated 27 runs while trying to stay warm.
Leading Hitters:
Duchan 5 for 5
Sequin 5 for 5
Mundy 3 for 5
Zelazny 4 for 4, 3B, HR
Sullivan 4 for 6
Bess 4 for 5, BB
Butler 3 for 4, BB, 2 2B
Henwort 4 for 5
Submitted by
Bob Hite
Field C
Dorothy
said, “I don’t think we are in Kansas anymore”, when she arrived in Oz. I was
beginning to wonder if we were in Florida anymore, as cold and windy as it was,
on Tuesday morning, in Winter Haven. I
don’t know about a house falling from the sky, but there were several balls
that fell in for hits due to the windy conditions.
I can tell
you my team played defense in black and white, while the Russ King squad played
the game in Technicolor. Defense was the deciding factor in the game, as the King
squad came up with big plays when they need to do so. The Matta squad, at times,
treated the ball like it was made of water and they would melt if they came in
contact with it.
For the sake
of this write up we will call Russ’ team the Tin Men, because they played with
lots of heart. The Tin Men scored five runs in the 1st, 4th
and 8th innings. They had a different set of heroes in each inning. In the first inning, the top of the Tin Men line
up performed like a well-oiled machine. Sam
Cuscovich, Steve Hill, Mike Wiltshire, Don Keller and Ron Pepin all scored. In the 5th inning, Tom Wise, Russ
King, Scott Sequin, Larry Wells and Sam Cuscovitch crossed the plate. In the 8th inning Pat Lopiccolo,
Larry Wells, Steve Hill, Mike Wilshire and Don Keller followed the yellow brick
road to scoring.
Nick’s team,
we will call the Lions, because they played with great courage. That fortitude
was on display in the 1st, 4th and 8th innings,
as we scored 4 runs, 5 runs and 6 runs in those innings. In the bottom of the 1st inning,
the top of the order was ferocious. Kirk
Coffman, Juan Toro, Greg Denny and Pat Drouilard all scored. In the 4th inning, Pat Drouilard,
Robert Ayers, Larry Powell, Nick Matta and Steve Tero roared across the plate. In the 8th inning, Juan Toro, Greg
Denny, Don Scarbrough, Pat Drouillard, Larry Powell, Dave Hartley and Steve
Tero were kings of the jungle, they all scored.
Both teams
scored 15 runs in those three innings (1st, 4th and 8th).
But even in the land of Oz, the game is 9 innings long, not three innings long.
Thus the difference, the Tin Men had a few more innings where they performed
better than the Lions and they won the game by a score of 24-17.
Even though one team won and one team lost, this story has a happy ending for everyone
because we are all friends, we had a good time playing ball together and we
will get to do it again. Now click your spikes together and repeat after me……there
is no place like the ball field, there is no place like the ball field, there
is no place like the ball field.
Leading
Hitters
Tin Men
Sam
Cuscovitch, 3 / 4 with a triple, double and a walk.
Steve Hill,
5 / 5 with a HR and a double.
Mike Wiltshire,
3 / 5 with a triple.
Don Keller,
3 / 5 with two doubles.
Ron
Pepin, 5 / 5 with a double.
Tom Wise, 4
/ 5 with a HR.
Larry Wells,
3 / 4 with two doubles.
Lions
Greg Denny
3/ 4 with two doubles.
Pat
Drouilard 3/ 4 with two doubles.
Bob Ayers, 3
/ 4 with a triple.
Steve Tero, 4 /4
Submitted by
Nick Matta