Winter Haven Senior Softball

Happy New Year!

The WHSS, AL teams played a unique 3 team game in cooler weather, to end the 2017 season.

Auld Lang Syne

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?

For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

The song/ poem was created by the Scottish poet, Robert Burns, in the 1700’s. Auld lang syne is translated, old long since. That’s appropriate for older guys playing softball, we remember playing the game of our youth. We get to taste once again from the cup of softball glory; base hits, homeruns, good fielding plays and solid pitching. Let us not forget the ball players who have passed on or who are ill. Let’s not forget we can still reach for the stars on the ballfield at age 55, 60, 65, 70 and beyond.

We did shoot off some New Year’s Eve type of fireworks on the field at the Diamondplex, while playing the game on 12/29/17. All three teams played a festive game with lots of action. In the end only one team partied in Times Square.

Hitting Team, The Sparklers: Rivera, Alumbaugh, Hurn, Jacobson, Toro, Scarbrough, Book, Debrock, Guzzo, Farinas and Guttenberger.

Sitting Team, The Noisemakers: Hicks, Held, Shirer, Wiltshire, Matta, Gazarek, Knox, Zelazny, Thirey Vanderhyde and Aufiero.

Fielding Team, The Stroke of Midnight: Stier, Rad, Keller, Quinones, JD, Essenmacher, Reagen, Denny, Butler and Coffman.

The Sparklers and the Stroke Of Midnight teams got off to an early New Year’s celebration, both teams racked up 5 run innings to start the game. The Noisemakers made very little noise through the first 4 innings, we must have hit the sauce before the game and were hung over. The Sparklers can thank Alumbaugh, Hurn, Jacobson, Scarbrough, Book and Guzzo for their 5 runs. The Stroke Of Midnight gang had music come from the bats of Stier, Rad, Keller, Quinones, JD and Essenmacher enabling them to dance in the streets.

In the 3^rd inning both The Sparklers and The Stroke Of Midnight team added to their scorecard. The key hit for the Sparklers was a 3 run homerun by Book, to right field.  At the end of four innings the score was Sparklers: 8- Noisemakers: 1- Stroke Of Midnight 6.

In the 5^th inning the Noisemakers woke up from their stupor. We scored 4 runs when Zelazny, Thirey, Vanderhyde, Aufiero, Hicks. Held and Shirer reached base. The Stroke of Midnight team did not let Father Time slow them down when they came up to bat in the bottom of the inning. They took the lead for the first time in the game, scoring 4 runs. Stier, Rad, Keller and Quinones emptied the hourglass. Quinones had the big blast, hitting a HR. After 5 innings the score was Sparklers: 8-Noisemakers: 5- Stroke Of Midnight: 10.

In the 6^th inning The Sparklers and the Stroke Of Midnight held their own New Year’s parade of runs. The Sparklers glistened with a 3 run inning. The Stroke Of Midnight had the chimes strike 4, scoring 4 runs. While the Noisemakers rung in the New Year by ringing up outs and notching a zero in our turn at bat.  At the end of 6 innings the score was Sparklers: 11- Noisemakers: 5 – Stroke Of Midnight: 14.

In the 7^th and last inning of the game the Sparklers flame died out. They were party poopers, they could not manage any more fireworks and were shut out. When we came up to bat, The Noisemakers made a New Year’s resolution to score runs. We popped the cork in the middle of the 7^th, scoring 9 runs and tied The Stoke Of Midnight team for the lead. The Noisemakers started our inning by making merry, with 8 hits in a row.  Thirey, Vanderhyde, Aufiero, Hicks, Held, Shirer, Wiltshire and Matta all had a blast with their bats before an out was recorded. Shier’s hit was a HR.  Knox, Zelazny and Vanderhyde finished the rally by adding hits. Knox scored the run to tie the game on the Vanderhyde hit.

The Stroke Of Midnight team came to bat in the bottom of the 7^th trying to break the tie. Hits in the inning by Reagen and Denny set the table. True to their name, at the stroke of midnight, with two outs on the board, Ron Butler knocked in the winning run, scoring Bobby Reagen. Ron hit a towering fly ball to right field and just like on New Years Eve, when all eyes are on the ball waiting for it to drop, we all watched the softball drop in for the winning hit. Final Score: Sparklers: 11- Noisemakers: 14- Stroke Of Midnight: 15.  Happy New Year to all.

Thank you, God, for a blessed 2017. Pease remember us by giving us your mercy in 2018, bless us with health, wisdom, guidance and prosperity. Enable us to take a cup of kindness to those who are in need. In Jesus name, Amen.

Those who sparkled for the Sparklers:

Hurn: 3/4.

Book: 3/3 with a HR.

Farinas: 2/3.

Guttenberger: 2/3 with a double.

Those who made noise for the Noisemakers:

Hicks: 3/4.

Held: 3/4.

Shirer:3/ 4, with a HR.

Zelazny: 3/4.

Vanderhyde: 3/ 4.

Those who stood the test of time, for the Stroke Of Midnight:

Stier: 3/ 4.

Rad: 3/ 4 with a triple.

Keller: 3/3 with a double and a SF.

Quinones: 3/ 4 with a triple and a HR.

Reagen: 3/5.

Butler: 3/5.

Written by Nick Matta