Winter Haven Senior Softball

Take me out to the ball game. Take me out with the crowd. 

With the start of spring training, baseball is getting in gear. I thought it might be fun to throw a little trivia into the write up while summarizing today’s game between the D’Herin/Butler team and the Matta/Davis team. Answers are at the bottom of the page.

D’Herin/ Butler, Tates, Visitors: Pepin, Hamilton, Keller, Jacobson, Levesque, Denny, Essenmacher, D’Herin, Farinas, Vandenberg, Butler and Wells.

Matta/ Davis, Tigers, Home: Coffman, Drouilard, Brock, Wiltshire, Matta, Smith, M.Gonzalez, Seguin, Dampier, Hill, JD and Deano.

There was not an easy out in either team’s line-up, so this should have been a slug fest. It was a good game, but the defense and pitching ruled the day, not the hitters. Base hits were as hard to find as hen's teeth. First Trivia question: How many MLB teams have spring training in Florida?   

It may be spring training in Florida for the MLB players, but the Senior League has been going at it, full tilt, all winter. Although some of the bats today were on spring break. JD Davis shut down the Tates through the first 4 innings. The Tigers built a strong 8 run lead during that same time frame. Gonzalez, Seguin, Dampier, Hill, Davis, Deano, Coffman and Drouilard were responsible for most of the offensive production through the first 4 innings. After 4 innings the score was Tates: 0-Tigers: 8.

 

Trivia question number 2: Can you match up these cities with the spring training teams that play in them? (Lakeland, Bradenton, Kissimmee, Lake Buena Vista, Tampa, Dunedin, Clearwater and Port Charlotte). (Rays, Braves, Phillies, Pirates, Yankees, Tigers, Astros and Blue Jays).

 

Things were not looking good for the Tates; remember these were the American League champions in Winter Haven this year. Not only that, they were undefeated, they had not lost a game since Ty Cobb was in little league, or, so it seemed. The Tates were not going to go down without a fight. The 5^th, 6^th and 8^th innings were owned by the Visitors. They scored 8 runs to make it a one run game. (The Home team had scored only 1 run, since the 4^th inning). The big inning for the D’Herin/Butler team came in the 8^th. They scored 3 runs off a Denny homerun. Greg hit a ball deep into the right field corner. Levesque also drove in a run that inning. Going into the bottom of the 8^th the score was Tates: 8-Tigers: 9.

 

Trivia question #3 (2 parts, must get both correct): Which MLB team made Winter Haven their spring home until 2008 and which city did they move to in Arizona?

The Tigers did not want this game to get away from them. In the bottom of the 8^th inning the Tigers showed their claws and flashed their teeth. They scored 3 runs, to extend their small lead. Gonzalez, Seguin, Dampier and Davis all had big hits to help their team score.

After 8 innings the score was Tates: 8-Tigers:12.

 

Trivia question #4 (2 parts, must get both correct): What is the nickname for the MLB spring training league, in Florida? Likewise, what is the name for the Arizona, spring training league?

The Tates needed 4 runs to tie the game in the 9^th. The bloom was off the rose. They were shut out in the 9^th and the Tigers won the game. Final Score Tates: 8-Tigers:12.

 

Game Honors:

JD Davis: WP

Credit Josh Wells for a well-pitched game.

Angel Farinas for turning two double plays.

Dean Schapler for a nice catch in right field.

Mike Wiltshire for a nice play at shortstop.

Terry Smith for turning a double play, 3rd to home.

Greg Denny for a HR.

Visitor’s Leading Hitters:

Keller: 3 / 4.

Denny: 3/ 4.

Butler: 2 /3 and a walk.

Home Team Leading Hitters:

Drouilard: 3 / 4.

Brock: 3 / 4.

Gonzalez: 3 / 4.

Seguin: 2 / 3 and a walk.

Dampier: 3 / 4 with a double.

S. Hill: 3 / 4.

Davis: 3 / 4.

Answers:

1.    Sixteen MLB teams make their spring training home in Florida.

2.    Lakeland-Tigers, Tampa-Yankees, Clearwater-Phillies, Kissimmee-Astros, Dunedin-Blue Jays, Bradenton-Pirates, Port Charlotte-Rays and Lake Buena Vista-Braves.

3.    The Cleveland Indians moved from Winter Haven in 2008 and now make Goodyear, AZ their spring home.

4.    The Florida league is known as the Grapefruit League, the AZ league is the Cactus League.

If you have all four answers correct you hit a HR.

Three correct: Triple.

Two correct: Double.

One correct: Single.

Zero correct: You wear the goat horns.