Winter Haven Senior Softball

Tuesday, March 6th

Father Knows Best

KFC vs. the A’s, 3/6.

Last game we gave mom her due, quoting her throughout the write up, this game Dad gets equal opportunity.

“A little dirt is not going to kill you.” These players were not afraid to get down in the dirt.

KFC: Rad, Essenmacher, JD, Busch, Cobb, Reagen, Denny, Coffman and Wells.

A’s: Hicks, Vanderhyde, Doerbaum, Shirer, Wiltshirer, Matta, Pep, Crowell, Zelazny, Deemie and Gazarek.

“I'd rather thank you, than spank you.” Dad would have taken some hitters to the woodshed for not doing their job, this game. At the very least, some players and their bats would have been placed in “time out”.  The game was the tale of two halves of softball. The first half of the game the A’s played solid defense and hit well. In the 2^nd half of the game it was KFC who did most of the scoring. The KFC team was hindered by only having 9 players, no middle fielder on defense. They did not let that stop them from playing a good game in the field.

“You couldn't find your butt if you used both hands.”  I have used this phrase when my kids were looking for something that is right in front of them. Through the first five innings the KFC team had a tough time finding base hits and runs. They were shut out through the first half of the game. “This car is not your playground”.  The A’s got out of their cars this morning and saved their energy for the ball field. We scored 9 runs in the first 3 innings.

“If he jumped from a bridge, would you jump off one too”? Dad wanted you to do your own thinking. Coach wants you to do your own hitting, don’t wait for the next guy. In the first inning, the A’s did not wait for the next guy to hit. We had seven straight hits/walks without recording an out.  Hicks, Vanderhyde, Doerbaum, Shirer, Wiltshirer, Matta and Pep all reached base. Vanderhyde and Shirer both had doubles.

“Get a job.” The A’s took dad’s advice and worked for hits in the 3^rd inning. Vanderhyde, singled; Doerbaum, doubled; Shirer singled in a run and Matta tripled in a pair of runs. Pep closed out the scoring with a single driving in Matta. After 3 innings the score was A’s: 9-KFC: 0.

“Come home, when the street lights come on”. It was the 6^th inning and it was getting dark for the KFC team. They were now down 10-0. That’s when they decided to come home. They crossed the plate 9 times that inning. Wells started things off with a double up the middle. Then Rad doubled him in. Essenmacher singled in Rad. Davis doubled and the KFC team was off and running. Busch, Reagen and Denny all added hits. Wells got his 2^nd hit of the inning with a single to left. Rad capped off the inning with a HR to left center, nabbing his 2^nd hit of the inning. The A’s answered back with one run in the bottom of the inning. After six inning the score was KFC: 9-A’s:11.

“Do your best”.  Both teams gave it their best shot trying to pull out a win in the final three innings.  Runs were scarce, scoring was as difficult as “trying to find gold in the sewer”.  Dad might call out the name “Jamaica”, as in did ja maka call wishing your mom a Happy Birthday, or in this case, did ja maka trip around the bases? In the 7^th the A’s scored two big runs when Doerbaum doubled and Wiltshire hit a (Jamaica), HR. “Shut that door. Do you wanna heat the whole town?”  The A’s shut the door on KFC in the 7^th and 8^th innings, there was not much heat coming from the bats of either team. After eight innings the score was KFC: 9- A’s: 13.

The KFC team came up in the 9^th needing four runs to tie the game. “Don’t make me stop this car.” KFC manager, JD, wanted the car to keep rolling down the road to a victory. The KFC team made some noise in the 9^th.  They scored a pair of runs off of hits by Busch, Cobb, Regan and Coffman. The rally fell a little short and the game ended on a force out, with runners on 1^st and 3^rd.  

Final Score: KFC: 11-A’s: 13.

“Don’t tell mom.” Sometimes dads take chances, let’s call them calculated risks, in letting the kids do some things that mom would not necessarily approve of them doing. These players took some chances on defense and turned some good plays: JD, Cobb, Rad, Essemmacher, Gazarek, Zelazny, Shirer, Wiltshirer, Hicks, Matta, Deemie and Doerbaum.

KFC Leading Hitters:

JD: 4/5 with a double.

Reagen: 3/5.

Wells: 3/5 with a double.

A’s Leading Hitters:

Doerbaum: 4/4 with two doubles.

Wiltshirer: 3/4 with a HR.

Matta: 3/ 4 with a double and a triple.

Here are 10 things dads/granddads should hope their kids/grandkids remember about them. (Written by Joshua Becker).

1. “He loved us.” I could see it in his words, his face, and his actions.

2. “He loved our mom.” And was always faithful to her.

3. “He was honest” Both to us and to others.

4. “He was spiritual.” He valued things bigger than this world and kept his eyes open for them.

5. “He worked hard.” He understood the value of a hard day’s work and wasn’t afraid of it.

6.. “He cared about people more than money.”

7. “He was a good friend.” He taught me what that meant in a world that doesn’t.

8. “He helped others.” He looked for opportunities to serve—especially those who couldn’t help themselves.

9. “He made us laugh.” It was always fun to spend time with him.

10. “He loved his family.” He cared for his parents and loved having everyone together.

Thanks to the great job all you dads and granddads do to love and help your family. Thanks dad for being there and helping me.

Written by Nick Matta.