It Ain't Over Until It's Over (Friday 3/15 Games)

Field D

The three team game on Field D was as close as you can get with the Tigers pulling out the win in the bottom of the seventh inning. The game started with the league leading Angels scoring five runs in the top of the first inning. The Tigers answered with five runs of their own in the bottom of the first inning. The Red Sox, who were held scoreless in first inning, began their run to the top in the second inning. The score flip flopped back and forth between the Red Sox and the Angels until the sixth inning when the Tigers decided to get back into the game. At the bottom of the sixth inning, the score was Angels-15, Red Sox-16 and the Tigers-15. In the top of the seventh inning, The Angels went down three in a row. The Red Sox followed by going down three in a row. It looked like the Tiger were going to do the same thing. With two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, Raul Torres hit a line drive down the first base line for an "in the park home run". Mike Wiltshire followed with a single, Jimmy Laffoon had a single and cleanup battter Herb 'O' got the game winning hit. As usual, Herb's hit was to right field.

There was a lot of good softball played during this game. Pat Drouilard made a running catch from right center filed to snag a ball that no one thought could be caught. Les Jacobson caught four in a row playing middle infielder. Scott Sequin made several great plays at shortstop. Keith Linton, as usual, caught everything hit to the right side. Steve Hill made several good plays at third base. Terry Smith was a vacuum at second base. Al Andrews caught everything in left center field. Mike Wiltshire,Jimmy Laffoon and Sam Lopez held down the left side of the infield for the Tigers and Bob Reagan did an outstanding job in left field.

Leading Hitters for the Angels were Juan Toro and Pat Drouilard 4 for 4. Scott Sequin, Freddie Gonzalez, Larry Wells and Richard "True Story" Marino were 3 for 4. Gerald Andrews drove a ball into deep left center field for a triple.

Leading Hitters for the Red Sox were Terry Smith, 3 for 3. Bob Zelazny, Tom Hamilton and Denny Shaffer were 3 for 4. Tom Hamilton had a nice "in the park" home run.

Leading Hitters for the Tigers were Raul Torres, 4 for 4. Mike Wiltshire and Jimmy Laffoon were 4 for 5. Bob Reagan was 3 for 4 and Herb 'O' was 3 for 5. 

Field C

Braves23 Pirates13

Braves put on a hitting show

Peterson 4-5

F Miller 5-5

Ravo 5-5

Moots 4-5

Hill 3-5

Lautenschlager 4-5 with a home run

Pirates

Ducham 4-6

Stepp 5-6

Waddell 5-6

Ayer 4-6

G Baker 3-5

 

Field E

Cubs VS Giants 

Big game today in the National pitted the Cub and the Giants.  Both teams came out of the dugout with the bats swinging. Cubs scored 5 runs on singles by Wilson, Kline and Mundy.  Than an error and a quick double play, Reg Barnes (who was just recentlyelected to the Polk County Softball Hall of Fame) sent one to the fence for a triple.  Fitzke singled andDePalma batted in the 5th run of the inning.  In the bottom of he first the Pride of Kalamazoo Ron Deems led off with a Homerun followed by a base hit from Mahon, a walk and a double by Remington,  John Merritt than singled in the 5th run.

The second started with a walk to Taylor, a base hit from Fulton and after two  were out singles for Wilson, Kline, Mundy and a walk to Wolfe, Evans lined a hit to right center for the 5th run of the inning. Giants infielder Les Wolff led off their half with a hit up the middle and Lee Baker did the same.  Bess walked and after two were out, hits by Guspyt, Bill Miler and Mahon tallied 4 runs for the Giants.

Cubs kept up with the hot bats in the 3rd inning as Barnes led off with a base hit, Fitzke, DePalma, Taylor and Fulton did the same. Jm Altamose came to bat with the bases loaded and smashed one to the fence. Fleet footed Jim rounded the bases for what would be a Grand Slam but that was the 6th run of the inning so he was credited with a triple.  Nice hit Jim.

Now the dull part of an exciting game. Giants scored one in the bottom of the 3rd.  In the fourth inning both teams scored a run.  In the 5th and 6th both teams batted only seven batters.

Score after 6 was Cubs 16 - Giants 11.

In the 7th the Cubbies carded 2 on a hit by Kline and a triple from Wolfe, then singles by Evans and Barnes.  The Giants came to  life again with 6 runs in their half of the inning.  A walk, two base bangs by Guspyt and B Miler.  After 2 errors Thompson tripled in 3 runs and scored on a single off the bat of Remington.

Now it's a one run game.  Cubs rallied for 5 in the 8th and the Giants came back with 3 of their own. Cubs only came up with one  run in the top of the ninth.  Giants came into the 9th down three runs.  the first batter reached on an error,  Thompson followed with a hit, and Wolff smashed a hard hit grounder that stopped half way to first base,
on the baseline for a hit. Singles by Bess and Bloom
won the game.  GREAT comeback Guys.

Final Score  Giants 25 - Cubs 24.

Hitters for Giants
Deems - Home Run
Guspyt 3 for 4
B. Miller 5 for 5
Remington 4 for 5
Wolff 3 for 4
Bloom Game winner

Hitters for Cubs
Wilson 3 for 5
Kline 5 for 5
Wolfe triple and 3 walks
Evans 3 for 5
Barnes 3 for 5 with triple
Fitzke  3 for 5
DePalma 4 for 5
Fulton 3 for 5
Altamose 3 for 4 with triple

 Field B

In honor of St Patrick’s Day, I’ll start off the Rays – Rangers game with an Irish joke.

Three Irishmen, Paddy, Sean and Seamus, were stumbling home from the pub late one night and found themselves on the road which led past the old graveyard.

"Come have a look over here," says Paddy, "It's Michael O'Grady's grave, God bless his soul. He lived to the ripe old age of 91."

"That's nothing," says Sean, "here's one named Patrick O'Toole, it says here that he was 95 when he died."!

Just then, Seamus yells out, "Sure and behold’in, here's a fella that got to be 145!"

"What was his name?" asks Paddy.

Seamus stumbles around a bit, awkwardly lights a match to see what else is written on the stone marker, and exclaims, "Miles, from Dublin."

 In honor of Regis Finnegen and Tim Gallagher, the Rangers celebrated Saint Patrick’s Day weekend in a game against the Rays.  A few of the Rays must have been celebrating St Paddy’s Day by taking the day off, because they were down to 8 players and had to officially forfeit the game.  However, in the spirit of having fun, exercise and good sportsmanship, we played a game anyways by sharing players. Newly elected Hall of Famer, Freddy Dampier, volunteered to play for the Rays. Regis Finnegen decide to give both teams a little “luck o the Irish and he played defense for both teams.

The game was a high scoring event with quite a few errors, Coach “O’ Matta” thinks that maybe guys were celebrating too much and they were drinking green beer behind the dugout.

The Rays started the game by finding a “pot o gold”, at least their bats were golden. The Rays scored 4-4-3-and 4 runs in the first four innings.  The Rangers rubbed their bats on the “Blarney Stone” and had some luck, scoring 1-7-4 and 5 runs. By the end of four innings the score was Rays 15-Rangers 17.

The teams agreed to play a leprechaun game, shortening up things and only playing 7 innings. Both teams continued to hit well, but in the end it was the Rangers who were able to “dance a jig”, as they won the game.

Final Score: Rays 20- Rangers 26.

Leading Hitters:

Rays

Fred O’ Dampier: 3 /5.

Frank O’ Jacobs: 4 / 5 with a double.

Don O’Erb: 3 /5 with a HR over the fence, a double and a triple.

Dave O’Hartley:  3 / 5.

J D O’Davis: 3 / 5 with a double.

Art O’ Zakrowski: 3 / 5.

Bill O’Bowley: 3 / 5.

Rangers:

Kirk O’Coffman: 3 / 5 with a double.

Sam O’Cuscovitch:  4 / 5 with a HR and two doubles.

Jose O’Rivera: 3 / 4 with a HR.

Nick O’ Matta: 3 / 5.

Joe O’ D’Herin: 5 / 5 with a double.

Jim O’ Goodhue: 4 / 5 with a HR.

Tim O’ Gallagher: 3 /5.

Tommy O” Wise: 2 / 4 with two triples.

Irish Blessing:

 May you always have work for your hands to do,
 May your pockets hold always a coin or two,
 May the sun shine bright on your windowpane,
 May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain,
 May the hand of a friend always be near you,
 And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.