Winter Haven Senior Softball

National League Game 1-23.2015   Nationals VS Cubs

The Nationals and Cubs matched up for the umpteenth time this season.  The Nationals posted this line up for Manager Elmer Black:  Waddell, Altemose, Peterson, Lopez, A Andrews, Ayers, Pelletier, Black, Crowe, Strait, Smith and Bowley.  Don LaMay’s Cubs were in this order:  Thompson, Taylor, Scarbrough, Evans, Stepp, Michalski, Leggett, Baker, DePalma, Yarletts, and McPartlan. 

Nationals had two walks and a single in the first and Cubs leftfielder Michalski made a great running catch to cut that inning short.  Cubs in the bottom of the inning first 5 batters had hits and scored the max 5 runs for the inning.  Nationals posted another 0 in the second.  Cubs Baker, DePalma, Yarletts and McPartlan started the 2^nd with base raps then Thompson, Taylor and Scarbrough drove them in for another five run inning.  Black’s team said enough of that, Smith leads off with a base hit, Waddell and Altemose, followed with hits, and a Peterson walk.  Lopez triples Andrews and Ayers have singles and the Nats are on the board with 4 runs.  Cubs come back with base hits from Evans and Stepp followed with a long blast to left center off the bat of Michalski for a homerun netting 3 runs for the inning.  After 3 it was Cubs 13 and Nationals 4. 

The Nationals were held scoreless in the fourth and the Cubs added 2 more runs.  Top of the 5^th and Bowley draws a walk, Waddell and Altemose also walk, Peterson doubles, Lopez singles and Andrews drives a one hopper to the fence in deeeeepp center to clear the bases and ends up with a homer.  After two outs Black, Crowe and Strait have base hits and the Nats end the inning posting 7 runs.  After they hold the Cubs scoreless in the bottom of the inning the score is now:  Cubs 15 – Nats – 11.

Cubs add one run in the 7^th after holding the inspired Nats scoreless.  In the 8^th the Nats tally 2 more runs to bring the score to 16 – 15.  Andrews leads off the 9^th with a liner up the middle, and scores on a base rap from Ayers, Pelletier but a double play held the Nats to one run but the games was tied at 16. McPartlan leads off the 9^th with a liner to right center, Thompson's single moves the runner to third and a liner down the right field line off the bat of Taylor drives in the winning run for the Cubs.

Final Score Cubs 17 – Nationals 16.

Outstanding play was made in right field by McPartlan as he raced in to make the catch.

Leading Hitters for Nationals – Waddell 3 for 3 with 2 walks, Altemose 3 for 5, Andrews 3 for 5 w/HR, Ayer 4 for 5, Black 3 for 5 w/3B

Cubs – Thompson 4 for 5 w/DBL, Taylor 4 for 5, Scarbrough 4 for 4 w/DBL, DePalma 3 for 4 w/DBL

Everyone seem to agree that this was quiet a game with Cubs getting off to a big lead and the Nats making a gallant come back to tie the game in the top of the 9^th. 

Written by Don LaMay