Winter Haven Senior Softball

Friday Jan 16, 2015  National League Three Team Game

On this damp cloudy morning both the National League games were played on the only playable fields due to the heavy overnight rains.  The three team game was played on Field E at the Diamond Plex Field in Winter Haven.  The Cubs were the first team to bat and manager Don LaMay went with this lineup.  Thompson, Shaffer, Scarbrough, Ridley, Dampier, Evans, Stepp, Mohan, Michalski, Leggett, and McPartlan.  The Nationals led by manager Elmer Black batting in this order:  Altemose, Peterson, Burns, S. Hill, Capozzi, Taylor, Ayers, Straight, Black, Waddell, Bowley and Pelletier.  The home team and the last team to bat was manages by Larry Powell, and his players were lined up in this order by first names: Bobby, John, Milo, Russ, Bill, Harlan, Augie, David R, Larry, Sergio, Marshall, Dave P. and Gary. 

The first inning started with a bang.  Leading off for the Cubs was Thompson with a single, Shaffer followed with another base rap.  Ridley, Dampier, Stepp, Mohan and Michalski all had singles with Big Stan driving in the fifth run of the inning.   The Nats came out swinging their bats Altemose triples down the left field corner, Peterson doubles, Burns triples and so does Hill, Taylor reaches on an error and Ayers drives one up the middle to drive in the 5^th run of their inning.  Now the Braves come to bat with Bobby leading off with a hit and after one out Milo singles, Russ hits a double in the gap, Bill drives one between the outfielders to the fence for a HR and the Braves tally 4 for the inning.  After on the score was 5 5 4.

In the second the Cubs added 2, the Nats 1 and the Braves 2.  In the 3^rd only run was recorded by the Nats.  All the pitchers were hitting the corners and the fielders were making the plays.  A fine fielding play in the second inning by Ayers was the infield play of the game.  The 4^th had one run from the Cubs and the Nats rallied for 3 to take the lead.  After 4 innings Cubs 8 – Nats 9 – and Braves 6.

The Cubs bats came alive again in the 5^th with 4 runs as both the Nats and Braves were held scoreless. In the 6^th both the Cubs and Braves each recorded 2 runs.  Cubs put together a 6 run inning in the 7^th to put this game in the books.  Final Score Cubs 20 – Nats 9 – Braves 8.

Another great fielding play was made by Elmer Black on a running play in Right Field.

Leading hitters for the Cubs: Shaffer 4 for 5 w/ HR, Scarbrough and Ridley 4 for 5.

For the Nationals;  Burns 3 for 4, Capozzi 2 for 2 w/walk and Bowley 1 for 2 w/2 Walks.

For the Braves Russ 3 for 3, Bill 2 for 3 w/ HR and Dbl, Harlan 3 for 3.

Another note:  By the end of the game the sun was out and the weather was perfect.