Winter Haven Senior Softball

Playing Hard And Having Fun
Tuesday, May 20, 2015  

We had a wing-ding-doodler of a game at the DiamondPlex.Team Wing; Team 1: Dampier, F. Gonzalez, Toro, T. Smith, DeRidder, Capozzi, Hill, Marino, Kallister, Powell, Moots and Merritt.

Team Ding; Team 2: Pepin, Witmer, Doerbaum, Lopez, Grabb, Hite, Spitaleri, Thompson, Straight, Leggett, Bess and L. Baker.

Team Doodler; Team 3: Rivera, Coffman, Jacobs, Schapler, King, Simon, Matta, Shirer, Wells, Boswell and Gibson. 

The game was as close as the hair on a flea’s ear. Team’s Wing and Ding started out as hot as Florida asphalt on a summer’s day. The 1st inning was highlighted by two homeruns, one by Team 1, (Toro), and one by Team 2, (Doerbaum). Toro ran for his HR, after hitting a shot in the right center field gap. He ran the bases like a rabbit with his tail on fire. Doerbaum’s homerun tore a hole through one of the clouds, as it landed over the left center fence. Both teams scored 3 runs. The Doodler Team was asleep under a shade tree in the 1^st inning, they scored 0.

In the 2^nd inning, Team 1, added to their lead by ripping several base hits and scoring five runs. Kallister, Powell, Moots, Dampier, Toro and Smith all had key hits, in the inning. Team Doodler woke up from their nap, in the 2^nd inning, and decided to crank it up, they scored 4 runs. Schapler, King, Simon and Matta scorched a few hits. Simon’s triple was the big hit of the inning. After two innings the score was Wing: 8-Ding: 3 and Doodler: 4.

Team Wing cooled off in the 3^rd inning. Team Ding added two runs to their score when master carpenter, Dave Doerbaum, built a rainbow bridge over the left center field fence, and dinged a two run shot on that rainbow express. Team Doodler kept up their hitting and added 3 runs, Rivera, Coffman, Jacobs and Giordano all had hits. Jacob’s triple was the biggie. After 3 innings the score was Wing: 8-Ding: 5 and Doodler: 7.

 

The teams were in a dog fight throughout the rest of the game, as the teams tried to snarl, growl, bite and claw their way to victory. (Or maybe, that dog fight description was just one of Richie Marino’s stories that I heard in the dugout). As a matter of fact, Rich had a big dog hit in the 7^th inning, smashing a line drive into the gap, in left center, for a home run, that gave Team Wing the lead.  He took a bow after he wowed us, that makes him a bow wow. Team Ding tried to answer back in the middle of the 7^th; they scored 2 runs to make it close. However, with runners on 1^st and 2^nd base, the final out was recorded and Team Ding was done.

It was all up to Team Doodler to see if they could set the bases ablaze and win the game. Looking back, they had ended the 6^th inning ahead by one run. The score at that time was Wing: 8- Ding: 11- Doodler: 12. However, after Wing’s 7 run, 7^th inning outburst, the Doodlers came to bat in the bottom of the 7^th , down by 3 runs. Boswell got things started in the 7^th  , for the Doodlers, with a single. Rivera then singled him to third and Coffman scored them both, with a double. With two outs, and still down a run, Jacobs was intentionally walked, as the boo birds laid down a chorus of jeers, from the bench. With runners on 1^st and 2^nd, Giordano was the right man, in the right spot. He singled to tie the game and move the winning run to 3^rd.  We were knocking on heaven’s door. Alas, that is as close to winning as we would get. The next batter hit an atom ball, a hard liner right at em, which was caught by Witmer, to end the game. Final Score: Wing: 15- Ding: 13- Doodler: 15.

 

All three teams fought hard to bag a trophy elephant; instead all we got was a final score that was irrelevant. In this case, it’s not whether you win or lose, but being able to play in the game that matters.

Gold Glove Plays:

Frank Jacobs’ catch of a sinking line drive in right center.

Ron Pepin’s catch, over his shoulder, in deep left field.

Dave Doerbaum’s catch of a hot grounder, which he turned into a double play.

Dave Shirer’s throw to the plate to gun down a runner.

John Gibson’s catch at the plate to retire that same runner.

Hot Hitters:

Team 1:

Dampier: 4/4 with a double.

Toro: 2/3 with a HR.

Smith: 3/ 4.

Capozzi: 4/4.

Marino: 3/ 4 with a HR and a double.

Powell: 3/ 4.

Merritt: 2/3.

Team 2:

Witmer: 4/4 with a double.

Doerbaum: 2/4 with 2 HRs.

Lopez: 4/4 with a HR.

Grabb: 3/3 and a walk.

Straight: 3/4.

Team 3:

Rivera: 2/3 and a walk.

Jacobs: 2/ 3 with a triple and a walk.

Giordano: 3/ 4.

King: 2/3.

Simon: 2/3 with a triple.

Matta: 3/3 with a triple and a HR.

Boswell: 2/3.