Herstory Made

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.   

Giselle lines one up

The hitting team (or visitors) got off to a quick start scoring 3 runs in the first, 5 in the 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th and 6^th 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. 

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 3^rd, 6 in the 4^th and 9 in the 7^th. 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 1^st, 4^th and 8^th 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 5^th inning, Tom Wise, Russ King, Scott Sequin, Larry Wells and Sam Cuscovitch crossed the plate.  In the 8^th 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 1^st, 4^th and 8^th innings, as we scored 4 runs, 5 runs and 6 runs in those innings.  In the bottom of the 1^st inning, the top of the order was ferocious.  Kirk Coffman, Juan Toro, Greg Denny and Pat Drouilard all scored.  In the 4^th inning, Pat Drouilard, Robert Ayers, Larry Powell, Nick Matta and Steve Tero roared across the plate.  In the 8^th 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 (1^st, 4^th and 8^th). 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