No games today in Winter Haven due to a softball tournament being held at the Diamond Plex. See you next Tuesday.


Happy Halloween. 

Trick or Treat

  American League game, 10/28, Trick or Treat.

Because we're not playing this Friday, Oct. 31^st, I am going to do the Halloween edition for today’s game, 10/28.

Remember NO GAMES THIS FRIDAY due to a tournament at the DiamondPlex.

As I was going up the stair, I met a man who wasn't there. He wasn't there again today...Oh, how I wish he'd go away. (The Invisible Man).

Halloween, or All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve, is a yearly celebration observed in a number of countries, on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows' Day. Typical festive Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, attending costume parties, decorating, carving pumpkins into jack-o'-lanterns, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing, visiting attractions, playing pranks and telling scary stories. In many parts of the world, the Christian religious observances of All Hallows' Eve, include attending church services, having Fall Festivals with games, food and hay rides. In my house, Halloween is what we make it, a fun time for the kids to dress up in amusing, but not scary, costumes. For me personally, it was the day I gave my life to the Lord Jesus, in 1974.

Our Halloween teams today included some scary players.

The Hitting team, Zombies, had these spooky characters: F. Gonzalez, Benson, Duff, Alumbaugh, Giordano, Butler, Scarbrough, Pinnick, Hill, Lopiccilo and Merrick.

The Sitting team wore the Super Hero’s costumes: Jose’ “the Flash” Rivera, Jim “Batman” Laffoon, Joe “Captain America” D’Herin, Tommy “ Iron Man” Hamilton, Les “The Hulk” Jacobson, Freddy “ “Spiderman” Dampier, Kirk “Robin” Coffman, Dave “ Bible Man” Hartley, Nick “Superman” Matta, “ Wolverine” Vandenberg and Josh “Frozone” Wells.

The Hitting teams players were the Villains, or movie bad guys. Actually, all these guys are good guys and great ball players, but someone has to play the “foil”, or bad guy, for the sake of this write up. This team had their share of monsters, or should I say money stars. To prove it, they hit the ball on the money, like stars. This team had the following players: Ron “the Predator” Pepin, Don “ the Terminator” Keller, Brian “ King Kong” Busch, Juan “ the Scorpion King” Toro, Terry “Darth Vader” Smith, Don “Assassin’s Creed” Witmer, Chris “ Jaws, the Shark” Constantine, JD “ the Big Bad Wolf” Davis, Sam “ the Joker” Lopez, Poke “the Raptor” and “Shere Khan” Fabian.

The Hitting team, or Zombies, were given their name for a reason. They played today’s game like it was the “Night of the Living Dead”. For sure, this team was loaded with some great ball players, but their hitting was grim today. In an almost eerie fashion, this teams bats were as silent as the grave. The Zombies were shut out, 5 of the 7 innings in which they batted. Instead of marking RBI’s in the scorebook, they wrote RIP.  The Zombies waited until the clock struck twelve to have their biggest inning, in the 7^th , they scored 3 runs. Giordano, Butler, Scarbrough and Pinnick broke the chilling silence, as they scratched out a few runs. It was not enough to keep them from being buried at the bottom of the three team game.

Since the Zombies’ Jack O’ Lantern had burned out early, the real game was between the Super Heroes vs the Villains. The Fielding team, Villains, were a tough bunch, their bats were menacing, their lineup scary. The Predator, Terminator, King Kong, Darth Vader, the Assassin, Jaws and the Big Bad Wolf went on a rampage on the field, in the 2^nd and 3^rd innings. This team was a terror, everyone from little Red Riding Hood, to Roy Scheider, was afraid of the damage this team could do. They sunk their teeth into the lead, after scoring 8 runs in the first three innings.

After 3 innings of play the score was Zombies: 0- Super Heroes: 2- Villains: 8.

If you were rooting for the Super Heroes to counter the evil forces of the Villains, the 4^th inning was your inning to cheer. Captain America, Iron Man, The Hulk, Spiderman, Robin and Superman were all true action heroes, scoring, or knocking in 4 runs, to fight their way back into the game.

After 4 innings the score was Zombies: 2- Super Heroes: 6 – Villains: 8.

In the 5^th inning, the Super Heroes had their backs up against the wall. With two outs the chances of scoring looked gloomy for the marvel team. Just when you thought the inning would be over, “Flash” , Rivera used his speed and forced an error. Jose’ reached first base on a bad fielding play, caused by his speed on the base paths. Then the “caped crusader”, Laffoon, singled and so did “Captain America”, D’Herin, to load the bases. That was all “Iron Man”, Hamilton, needed to see. Tommy put the heavy metal to the ball and singled in two runs. ‘Hulk” Jacobson ended the scoring that inning, by “Hulk smashing” a double, to score Hamilton.  Just like in a Halloween apple bobbing game, four runs bobbed across the plate. All this occurred after two early outs had menacingly threatened to end the party, before it started that inning.

Not to be out done, the hitting monsters had a howling good time of their own, in the 5^th inning. Pepin, tripled to get the party going, Keller, then terminated the ball with his 12 gage, auto loader, Miken bat, as he smashed a double. Busch, Toro, Smith, Witmer and Constantine all feasted on singles. That is what I call a Monster Mash, seven hits, with no outs, in the inning. The Big Bad Wolf came up to bat, he just needed a sac fly to end the inning, by scoring the 5th run. So, JD huffed and puffed his way into hitting a deep fly, to right field, which scored the 5^th run of the inning.

After five innings of play the score was Zombies: 2- Super Heroes: 10- Villains: 13.

In Halloween terms, a dark mist started to cover the moon. The Villains owned the night, or in this case, the day. It looked like the Villains would rule the game. Not so fast, let me interrupt this Halloween, terror vision, nightmare, with a shot of super power, from the Super Heroes team!

The Super Heroes had already scored 4 runs, in the 4^th and 5^th innings and they were not done, in fact, they were just getting warmed up. Coffman, Hartley, Matta, Vanderberg all singled to open the 6^th inning. There was no kryptonite to stop them. After Josh Wells hit a sac fly for the first out, in the inning, Laffoon, D’Herin and Hamilton used their super hitting powers, to drive in five runs.

After 6 innings, the score was Zombies: 2- Super Heroes 15- Villains 13.

Would the two run lead hold up for the Heroes, or would the Villains stage a last at bat rally and put a grisly end to the Heroes game?  The Zombies, (Hitting team), were first up in the top of the 7^th. We already chronicled their mini rally, where they added 3 runs to their score, that’s all the candy they would get.  The hero gang came up for their last whack at the softball piñata. With runners on 1^st and 2^nd and two outs, Matta looked over the field from the batter’s box, he liked what he saw. There was a hole between 1^st and 2^nd base that you could drive the “Grave Digger”, monster truck through. He took the first pitch and drove it through the hole, to score the team’s final run and give his team a little insurance. They now lead by 3 runs.

The Villains could now become the softball heroes, if they could mount a rally in the bottom of the 7th. They gave it a good shot; Pepin singled, he then took 2^ndafter a fly out.  With one out, Busch singled in Pep; they were now down two runs.

Busch then took 2^nd  base, after another fly out. With two outs, Darth Vader, Terry Smith, stood at the plate. His team needed to score twice, to tie the game. Terry used the power of the force, to hit a double, to right field, to drive in Busch. The Money Stars were alive and well. They were now down one run, with two outs, on the board and one foot in the grave. However, there were no treats to be had, only a trick. Freddy Dampier, cut a hole in the Villains trick or treat bag and all the candy fell out. Freddy recorded the 3^rd out, when he caught a fly in right field to preserve the win.

Final Score: Zombies: 5- Super Heroes: 16- Villains: 15.

WP: Matta

Leading Hitters:

Giordano: 3/3.

Scarbrough: 1 / 2 and a walk.

D’Herin: 3 / 4.

Jacobson: 3 / 4 with two doubles.

Dampier: 3/ 4.

Matta: 3/ 4 with the game winning hit.

Pepin: 4/ 4 with a triple.

Busch: 4/4 with a triple.

Smith: 3 / 4 with a double.

Witmer: 3/ 4 with a triple.

JD: 1/ 2 and a sac fly.

submitted by Nick Matta

No games Friday

There will be no games Friday October 31st due to tournaments at the Diamond plex.

I lost a good friend today. Dick Sessink passed away in his sleep last night. We have no other details to share at this time. Please keep Erika in your thoughts and prayers as she goes through this difficult time. We will provide more details as we receive them.

World Series Trivia and WHSS, AL Report, 10/24

 

Since we are still embroiled in a struggle for baseball’s 2014 World Championship, I thought it appropriate to stay with the World Series theme in respect to the game action at the Diamond Plex, on 10/24. Though not a World Series game the WHSS, American League game was intense, a barn burner, a rip snort’n, throwdown. When commissioner, Donnie Witmer, left the field he called it “a great game”, he got no argument from anyone who played in it, this one was a classic.

 

The three teams that played today, in the AL, WHSS league are named after three previous AL, WS, Champions, the Orioles, Angels and Tigers. I want you the reader to step up to the plate; I am going to toss you seven World Series trivia questions, mixed throughout the article.  Can you go 7/ 7 and get them all right? Even if you can knock one or two questions out of the park, that would be a good thing. Come out swinging.

 

Hitting team, Orioles: Rivera, Laffoon, Toro, Bush, Jacobson, JD, Poke, Reagen and Kallaster.

Sitting team, Angels: Gonzalez Edwards, Keller, Doerbaum, Witmer, Scarbrough, Wells and Fabian.

Fielding team, Tigers: Herb O, D’Herin, Duff, DeRidder, Alumbaugh, Pepin, Matta, Pinnick and Ayers.

 

Trivia 1: When was the first World Series night game played?

A. 1969.  

B. 1970.

C. 1971.

D. 1972.

 

We did not have anything that resembled a night game on out field at Winter Haven today; it was so bright it was like there were two suns. The sun was so intense; it was like we were playing ball on the planet Mercury, instead of Earth. For the first few innings batters had a hard time finding the ball after it left the pitchers hand. The scoreboard reflected the sun’s effect on the batters, 0-1-0 was the score, after the 1^st inning of play.

 

Trivia 2: Which pitcher struck out a WS record, 17 batters?

A. Bob Gibson

B. Steve Pinnick

C. Christy Mathewson

D. Nolan Ryan

 

The Hitting team, Orioles and the Sitting team, Angels, still saw a big black spot in the 2^nd inning, when they tried to hit the ball coming out of the sun. The Fielding team, Tigers, adjusted their peepers and hit the ball well. During their at bat, in the bottom of the 2^nd inning, Alumbaugh and Pepin started things out with singles.  Matta then ripped a double into center field, to drive in both base runners. Pinnick walked and Ayers followed up with a double of his own, to drive in another run. With no outs and runners on 2^nd  and 3^rd, it looked like a 5 run inning would go into the books. Some things are not as easy as they look, the next three batters did not get the ball out of the infield and the Tigers were caged.

 

The score after two innings of play, Orioles: 0- Angels: 1- Tigers: 3.

 

Trivia 3: This question is a bit tricky, which manager won a World Series in both the American and National league?

A. Jim Leyland.

B. Sparky Anderson.

C. Dick Williams.

D. Tony LaRussa.

 

The bible say’s “the first shall be last and the last shall be first”, Mathew 20:16. I am sure preacher, Freddy Gonzalez, could do a whole sermon on this topic and I would love to hear it. For now, it’s sufficient to say that the small lead the Tigers held in the 2nd, dissolved quickly in the 3rd. The Orioles, who were last jumped to first place, with a 5 run inning. Kallister, Rivera, Laffoon, Toro and Bush had softball’s equivalent of a revival meeting. They scored 5 runs without making an out. Brian Bush preached a softball message of his own, “thou shalt not cheat in on me”. He hit a homerun, deep, over the right fielders head.

 

Trivia 4: The Cubs have gone 105 years without winning a World Series, which American League team had the longest streak without a world championship?

A. Boston Red Sox

B. Cleveland Indians

C. Chicago White Sox

D. The Bad News Bears

 

The Hitting teams lead, (Orioles), would not be safe, it wouldn’t even last for an inning. The Sitting team came up and scored five runs off of the efforts of the following players: Gonzalez, Edwards, Keller, Doerbaum, Witmer, Scarbrough and Coffman. The Angels sent 7 guys up to the plate and all 7 reached base safely.

 

After 3 innings the score was Orioles: 5- Angels: 6 – Tigers: 4.

 

Trivia 5:  Name the only two brothers in World Series History to start and win all 4 games they pitched? Hint they played for the “Gashouse Gang”.

 

The next big inning came in the 5^th, the Tigers clawed out 4 runs, to tie the game. Singles by DeRidder and Alumbaugh got the Tigers started, Pepin and Matta then followed with back to back doubles to drive in three runs. Ayers then singled in Matta for the final score that inning. Matta also had a great defensive play earlier in the inning, when he went up high and grabbed a sizzling line drive that JD smoked down the first base line. The ball sounded like bacon on the grill as it came toward me, consequently my hand felt like it was burnt on a grill after I caught the ball. (My hand still hurts).

 

After 5 innings the score was Orioles: 8- Angels: 7 - Tigers: 8

 

Trivia 6: Which player is the youngest player to ever hit a HR in the World Series?

A. Joe DeForge.

B. Andruw Jones.

C. Jim Pagliaroni.

D. Jimmie Foxx.

 

If you thought the game could not get any closer, you would be wrong. In the 6^th inning all three teams scored, the Orioles scored once, as did the Tigers. The Angels scored twice, to tie the game. The bottom of the Angels line up came to life and scored the two runs needed, to make it a three way tie. Credit Coffman, Wells and Fabian for a job well done.

 

After 6 innings the score was Orioles: 9- Angels: 9- Tigers: 9.

 

That set up a dramatic 7^th inning. One team needed a Mazeroski type effort to win it, or at least give them a chance to win it. The Orioles, Les Jacobson was up for the task. He started off the inning with a double to right-center field. However, Tigers Pitcher, Bobby Ayers closed the door on the next three batters and the O’s put up an 0.  Credit Joe D’Herin and Nick Matta on a good fielding play that retired Bob Reagen for the last out.

 

Next up, the Angels, Donny Witmer was determined to start a rally for his team. He singled to open the inning for the Halo’s. Donny Scarbrough wasted no time in smacking a triple, to knock in Witmer with the lead run. After hitting that triple with no outs on the board, you would think that Scarbrough would score, you would be wrong.  Scarbrough would never cross the plate, the next two batters were retired in a row. Then Fabian walked and Gonzalez hit a ground ball and forced him out at 2^nd base to end the inning. Would one run be enough?

 

Not today, the Tigers scratched and clawed their way to a victory. Singles by Pinnick, Ayers, Herb O and Duff gave the Tigers a win. Chuck Duff had the winning hit and Ron Pepin won in his debut as manager.

 

Trivia 7: Here are four players with World Series rings, put them in order from most rings to least: Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra, Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.

 

Leading Hitters:

Rivera: 3/ 4.

Jacobson: 4/4 with two doubles.

Kallaster: 2/3.

Keller: 4/ 4.

Herb O: 3/ 5.

Alumbaugh: 4/4 with a double.

Matta: 3/ 4 with two doubles.

Ayers: 4/ 4 with a double.

 

WP: Ayers.

 

Answers:

1. 1971, Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh.

2.  Bob Gibson, 17. (Against Detroit).

3. Both Sparky Anderson and Tony LaRussa won championships in the NL and AL. If you guessed either one you were correct. You get extra credit if you selected both managers.

4. The Chicago White Sox waited 87 years for a championship, the Red Sox, 85 years.

5. The Dean brothers, Dizzy and Paul. Steve Pinnick pitches for WHSS.

6. Andruw Jones, Braves, age 19.  Joe DeForge played WHSS until he was 90.

7. Berra (10), DiMaggio (9), Gehrig (8), Ruth (7).

Today's game had 13 players on each team.  The visitors, managed by Simon, inc. Burns, Chrest, Simon, Lopez, S. Hill., Sergio, Merritt, Moots, Witter, Welton, Black, L. Baker, Wells.  The home team managed by Thompson, inc, Marino, D. Hill, King, Hite, Barnes, Bess, Lopicola, Miller, Bloom, Fabian, Hartley and  G. Baker.  The game was never close with the home team having only one scoreless inning in the sixth frame.  The visitors went scoreless  in the first three innings and scoreless in the fifth and sixth innings.  In the fourth inning the visitors got on the board with three runs featuring a triple by Chrest.  They added three more runs in the seventh inning on doubles by Burns and Simon.  The home team scored five times in the first when D.Hill had a HR.  They added one in the second and three more scores in the third with a triple by Hite.  They added one more in the fourth inning and 5 runs in the fifth with a 3B by King and a 2B by Hite.  In the seventh frame the home team continued to pour it  on and added two runs with a  2B by Marino a nd another D. Hill HR.  In the eighth inning the visitors scored one and the home boys added three more on a Miller 2B.  After 8 innings the home team led 20-7.  To their credit the visitors staged a ninth inning rally and scored 4 runs and had a Burns two bagger.  The visitors came up short and the home team won.  The final score was 20-11.  The WP was Lopicola and Wells pitched a nice game for the visitors.  Leading hitters for the visitors were: Burns 3-4 2 2B, Chrest 2-4 3B,  Lopez 2-4 2 3B, Simon 3-4 2B, S Hill 2-4.  Leading hitters for the home team:  Marino 3-4 2B, D. Hill 4-4 3B, 2HR, King 4-4 3B, Hite 4-4 2B 3B,  Lopicola 2-4, Miller 4-4 2B,

All sports fans know that it’s World Series time. The “Grand Old Game’s” climax; baseball’s championship series between the National League and the American League. The series has been played since 1903, 109 Series have been contested, with the AL winning 63 and the NL winning 46. In two separate years, 1904 and 1994 the World Series was not played, due to a boycott and a strike. 

In the first World Series Boston upset Pittsburgh, 5 games to 3, behind the pitching of Cy Young. The team with the most championships is the New York Yankees; they have played in 40 World Series and won 27. For the NL, the St. Louis Cardinals have appeared in 19 World Series and have won 11 world championships. As for the current contestants, the KC Royals have been in 3 World Series and have won 1. The SF Giants have been in 20 World Series, (second to the Yankees), and have won 7.

During this World Series time, I think it’s appropriate to mark the passing of the torch in the WHSS league. Bob Zelazny has fulfilled his duties as commissioner and has passed the title along to Donny Witmer. Bob did an outstanding job as commissioner and we all owe him a heartfelt thank you. Organizing and managing a league is a daunting task. Bob meet the responsibility with dignity and a sense of humor, while putting in some hard work. Many thanks to you, Bob, I hope you enjoy all that bribe money people passed on to you, in their efforts to be placed on a good hitting team.

In honor of the World Series, I will dub the WHSS, AL teams that competed today after the last 3 AL, World Series winners; the Red Sox, Yankees and White Sox. I will also throw in a little World Series trivia from time to time; you can check your answers at the end of this article. If you can get four answers right, you win the World Series. Maybe, you can sweep all 7 answers, give it a go.

The Hitting Team, The Red Sox, consisted of F. Gonzalez, Alumbaugh, Witmer, Duff, D’Herin, Reagan, Poke Hite, Lopez, Wells and Kallmer.

The Sitting Team, Yankees, players were Rivera, Pinnick, Keller, Jacobson, Laffoon, Dampier, Coffman, Giordano, Hartley, Matta and Long.

The Fielding Team, White Sox, team: Pepin, T. Smith, Toro, Hamilton, DeRidder, Zelazny, Schapler, JD, Fabian, Doerbaum and Lopiccillo.

Trivia 1: The World Series is also known as:

A. The end of the season.

B. The Fall Classic.

C. The Diamond in the Rough.

D. Oktoberfest.

 

In the first inning the White Sox, (Fielding Team), jumped out to an early lead with singles from Pepin, Smith, Toro and DeRidder. On the power of those four hits the White Sox were able to score 3 runs.

After 1 inning the score was Red Sox: 1- Yankees: 0 and White Sox: 3.

Trivia 2: Who were the two teams involved in the infamous 1919 Black Sox scandal?

A.     NY Knights vs. SD Black Dragons.

B.     NY Yankees vs. St Louis Browns.

C.     Boston Red Sox vs. Pittsburgh Pirates.

D.    White Sox vs. Cinn Reds.

In the second inning the Yankees, (Sitting Team), figured that they had done enough sitting around and watching the game. They decided to take an active role, so they rolled out 3 runs of their own. Singles by Laffoon, Dampier and Giordano got the team headed in the right direction. With the bases loaded, Hartley had the key hit in the inning, a double to deep center field, which scored two runners. Matta followed with a sac fly that brought in Giordano and ended the scoring for the Yanks.

After two innings the score was Red Sox: 1- Yankees: 3- White Sox: 4.

Trivia 3: After the 1919 World Series, Black Sox scandal baseball decided to elect its’ first commissioner, his name was:

A.     Bob Zelazny.

B.     Mountain Jack Lafayette.

C.     Kenesaw Mountain Landis.

D.    Bowie Kuhn.

In the 4^th inning all three teams were tied 6-6-6, at least temporarily, until the White Sox batted, in the bottom of the 4^th. Not content to stay with the crowd, those pesky Sox added 3 more runs to their score. Pepin singled to right and with two outs, Toro hit a towering fly ball over the right field fence for a two run homerun. Hamilton followed with a triple and DeRidder singled him home.

After 4 innings the score was Red Sox: 6- Yankees:6- White Sox: 9.

Trivia 4: Which teams were involved in the 1989 Earthquake Series?

A.     Orioles and the Giants.

B.     Athletics and the Giants.

C.     Reds and the Athletics.

D.    Shakers and the Quakers.

 

The Hitting Team, Red Sox, surged into the lead late in the game, by scoring 2-1-1 runs in the last three innings of play. D’Herin, Reagen, Poke, Alumbaugh, Witmer, Hite and Lopez all had crucial roles to play in the scoring during those innings.

When the Sitting team tried to answer in the 7^th inning, their rally was cut short by a brilliant defensive play coming from Joe D’Herin. With runners on 1^st and 2^nd base, Don Keller hit a soft line drive into shallow right field. If the ball falls in for a hit, it probably rolls into the right field corner and Keller has himself a triple. D’Herin ranges far to his left, from his defensive position at 2^nd base and snags the ball, for the 3^rd out, to kill the rally.

Trivia 5: From 1972-1978, seven years, only three teams won the World Series, which teams were they?

The last at bat in our WHSS game belonged to the White Sox, the score at the time was Red Sox: 10- Yankees: 7- White Sox: 9. The White Sox had not scored since the 4^th inning. Could the batting order of Toro, Hamilton, DeRidder and Zelazny do it? That’s like asking if a fish can swim. Of course, this fearsome foursome delivered the goods, 4 singles translated into two runs. The first run tied the game the 2^nd one won the game for the White Sox.

Final Score: Red Sox: 10- Yankees: 7 – White Sox 11.

Trivia 6: Who hit the only game 7, walk off HR, to win the World Series?

 

Leading Hitters:

Alumbaugh: 3/ 4 with a triple.

D’Herin: 4/ 4.

Laffoon: 3/3.

Dampier: 2/3.

Giordano: 2/3.

Hartley: 3/3 with a triple and a double.

Pepin: 4/4.

Toro:  3/ 4 with a HR.

DeRidder: 4/4.

 

Trivia 7: Name the World Series MVP from 2013?

 

Answers:

1.     Fall Classic

2.     White Sox and Reds. (The NY Knights were the fictional team in the movie The Natural.)

3.     Kenesaw Mountain Landis. (You were close if you guessed Bob Zelazny.)

4.     Athletics and the Giants.

5.     Reds, Athletics and Yankees. This period was book-ended by World Championships for the Pittsburgh Pirates, in 1971 and 1979.

6.     Bill Mazeroski.

7.     David Ortiz, Big Papi.

(no subject)

 

 

 

Gessler Field

 

The National Leaguers had enough players to field two complete teams.Rich Moots managed the Visitors and Ron Thompson led the Home Team.

 

The visitors included Torres, Bess, Chamblee, D Hill, Miller, Marino, Moots, Ayala, Witter, M Mohan, Merritt, Starit, and L Baker. They scored early and often as they scored a total of 24 runs. By scoring four in the first they set a pretty high mark for the Home Team to match. The Home Team of Bloom, Burnes, Thompson, Schapler, Lopez, Powell, B Mohan, Barnes, Bowley, Welton, MacPartlan, and G Baker responded with five in the bottom of the inning on seven straight singles. The second inning was over before it begun as neither team scored and only one runner reached base.

 

The third inning started much like the first with Visitors scoring at will to put up five quick runs. Not so for the Home Team that again posted a goose egg.  They closed the gap in the fourth as the Visitors helped them to score two runs off a couple errors. Both scored three in the fifth.In the sixth, the Visitors increased their lead by outscoring the Home Team three to one. In the seventh both teams put together a bunch of singles as they both put up four runs.

 

The last two innings saw the Visitors score five more runs while they held the Home Team scoreless. The final score was Visitors 24 and Home Team 15. There were 65 singles in the game and surprisingly no extra base hits. Jerry Witter scored the victory as the winning pitcher.

 

Key Performances

 

Raul Torres    4 for 6

Vassier Bess    4 for 5

Duff Hill    4 for 5

Frank Miller    5 for 5

Serge Ayala    4 for 5

Jerrry Witter     4 for 5 and winning pitcher

John Merritt    4 for 5

Lee Baker    4 for 5

 

Nic Burnes    4 for 5

Sam Lopez    4 for 5

Bill Bowley    3 for 4

 

Want to give a shout out to three great fans. Charlene Pepin comes out every game to support her husband, but equally she supports us all by keeping the official score sheets for the American League Games. Sally on the other hand is the official cheer leader and scorekeeper for the games that Larry Strait plays in. Lastly, is Betty that comes out every week to cheer Larry Wells and whatever team he is pitching for. These loyal fans add a great deal to the senior softball experience.

 

 

Fwd: WHSS, 10/14. Sing Along.

 

 

 

The American League game was a bit of a magical mystery tour, likewise, this write-up will take that approach.  See if you recognize all the Beatle songs used in this article, maybe you can identify those songs by the lyrics and sing along. "Roll up, roll up for the mystery tour, Roll up, roll up for the mystery tour, Roll up (And that's an invitation), roll up for the mystery tour, Roll up (To make a reservation), roll up for the mystery tour."

 

"The magical mystery tour is waiting to take you away, Waiting to take you away."

 

The Hitting team put on quite a show on offense and defense.  So without further delay, "may I introduce to you the act you've known for all these years, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band": M. Gonzalez, Zelazny, Duff, Jacobson, Witmer, Dampier, Constantine, Benson, Hill, Poke and Lopiccolo.  Duff and Witmer had some good plays on defense.

 

The Sitting team, aka, Baby's in Black, consisted of the following players: De'Herin, F. Gonzalez, King, Keller, Laffoon, DeRidder, Pepin, Reagen, JD, Kallister and Wells. They batted like they were feeling these lyrics at the plate. "Oh dear, what can I do? Baby's in black and I'm feeling blue, Tell me, oh what can I do?" The Sitting team was blacked out from scoring most of the game, which made them blue.

 

The Home team: Rivera, Hamilton, Toro, Giordano, Coffman, T. Smith, Hite, Hartley, Matta, Vanderburg and Wolf. This team did a good job of getting back into the game, after a slow start, they are the Get Back team. "Get back, get back. Get back to where you once belonged."

 

The Hitting team brought out their big boy bats, in the first inning, scoring 5 runs. They felt these lyrics: "Well, my heart went ''boom,'' When I crossed that room, And I held her hand in mine... Whoah, we danced through the night, And we held each other tight, And before too long I fell in love with her".  Only the lyrics were changed to fit their game: Well my heart went boom, when I crossed that plate and I held that bat in my hand. Whoah, we scored through the inning, and we high fived each other right, and before too long, we scored 5 big runs. The runs were put on the board with hits from M. Gonzalez, Duff, Jacobson, Witmer, Dampier and Benson.

 

Trying to keep pace the Sitting team answered back with this tune, "It's been a hard da''s night, and I been working like a dog." This team worked like a dog to score four runs in the first, off of hits from their "Fab Four"; King, Keller, Laffoon and DeRidder.

 

Meanwhile, the Home team only scored 2 runs in their first at bat, they sort of felt this way: "Ah, look at all the lonely people, Ah, look at all the lonely people. Eleanor Rigby picks up the rice in the church where a wedding has been. Lives in a dream, Waits at the window, wearing the face that she keeps in a jar by the door Who is it for? All the lonely people Where do they all come from ? All the lonely people Where do they all belong ?"  The Home team was alone, at the bottom of the 3 team game, they were picking up the celebration rice that the other two teams were throwing, after the first inning.

 

After 1 inning; Hitting team: 5 - Sitting team: 4- Home team: 2.

 

The next two innings were played like these familiar Beatles lyrics:

"Help, I need somebody, Help, not just anybody, Help, you know I need someone, help. When I was younger, so much younger than today, I never needed anybody's help in any way. But now these days are gone, I'm not so self assured, Now I find I've changed my mind and opened up the doors. Help me if you can, I'm feeling down And I do appreciate you being round. Help me, get my feet back on the ground, Won't you please, please help me." All three teams needed help producing runs. The Hitting team and the Sitting team were shut out both innings. The Home team could only produce one run in the same time frame.

 

The score after 3 innings: Hitting team 5- Sitting team 4- Home team 3.

The Home team put it in gear, in the 4^th inning, when the Home Team decided to drive the ball like they were driving a car though the field. They scored four runs off of key hits by Matta, Vanderburg, a home run by Rivera, a triple by Hamilton and a double by Toro. The HR, triple and double all were hit with two outs on the board. "Baby you can drive my car. Yes I'm gonna be a star. Baby you can drive my car And baby I love you. Beep beep'm beep beep yeah."

 

The score after 4 innings: Hitting team: 7- Sitting team: 4 – Home team: 7.

 

The Hitting team and Home team seemed destined to fight it out the rest of the game as they battled back and forth, scoring runs. The Sitting team played a little music, but not enough to keep up with the other two bands. The Home team slugged their way into the lead in the sixth inning, when they scored a sweet tune: 5 runs, off of 6 hits, they were also helped by two fielding errors. It seemed like the team in the field played bad defense for that one inning. "Here come old flattop, he come grooving up slowly. He got joo-joo eyeball, he one spinal cracker, He got hair down to his knee, Got to be a joker he just do what he please." The defensive team's fielders grooved too slowly, they had joo-joo eye ball, trying to catch the ball. They cracked their spine reaching for balls just out of their reach. The ball bounced off their glove like a bad joke. As for the Home team, they hit well, life was good for them, like living in a yellow submarine: "As we live a life of ease. Everyone of us has all we need. Sky of blue and sea of green. In our yellow submarine."

 

After 6 innings the score was: Hitting team: 12- Sitting team:7- Home team: 14.

In the all-important, 7^th inning, the Hitting team came out to hit on the money and try to win the game. "The best things in life are free, But you can tell me 'bout the birds and bees. Now gimme money (that's what I want) That's what I want (that's what I want) That's what I want, ye-ye-yeh, That's what I want." That's what they got, the Hitting team hit the ball on the money, scoring two runs and tying the game. Dampier walked, Constantine tripled and Benson singled, to knot up the score.

 

The Sitting team finished the game with a loss, they could only add two more runs to their score to finish off their batting in the 7th. They took last place in the three team game and thus they are left with these sad lyrics to ponder for a day. "I'm a loser, I'm a loser. And I'm not what I appear to be……Although I laugh and I act like a clown, Beneath this mask I am wearing a frown, My tears are falling like rain from the sky, Is it for her or myself that I cry.

 

The Home team needed one run to win the game. They could either wind up like the Walrus, "I am he, as you are he, as you are me and we are all together. See how they run like pigs from a gun, see how they fly. I'm crying." We could cry because our score would be the same as the Hitting team's score, if we could not score a run. We would be one with them, tied 14-14.  Or, we could win it, by scoring a run we could Twist and Shout. "Well, shake it up, baby, now, (shake it up, baby) Twist and shout. (twist and shout) C'mon c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, baby, now, (come on baby) Come on and work it on out. (work it on out)."  As it turned out, we shook it up that last inning. It all started when Matta walked and Torro came in to pinch run for him.  Juan was then singled to second, after one out, when Wolf hit a single up the middle. Rivera gave us reason to twist and shout when he knocked in the winning run with a single to left field. "You know you twist so fine!"

 

Final Score Hitting team: 14- Sitting team: 9- Home team: 15

 

After a game like what can I say but, "coo coo coochoo".

 

WP: Matta

 

Hitting team leading hitters:

Duff: 3/3 with a double and a walk.

Constantine: 3/ 4 with a triple.

Benson: 4/ 4.

 

Sitting team leading hitters:

Laffoon: 3/3 and a walk.

Reagen: 2/ 4 with a HR.

Kallister: 2/ 3.

Wells: 2/3.

 

Home team leading hitters:

Rivera: 3/ 5 with a HR.

Toro: 4/4 with two doubles.

Coffman: 3 / 4.

T. Smith: 3/ 4 with a triple.

Matta: 3/ 3 with a double and a walk.

 

 

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