Winter Haven Senior Softball

Tuesday, February 5th

Tuesday Feb 5, 2019   Field B

Braves are now off a long road trip of six games to face the Cobra’s.  Manager Tom Capozzi lined this up with Larry Chrest leading off followed by Fred Dampier, Jim Laffoon, Gerry DeRidder, Ken Webber, Ed Segal, Jack Minder, Pat Accetta, Bobby Castillega, Ron Thompson, B.J. Kalister, Bill Bowley, and Capozzi.  Braves Manager Larry Strait’s players took the field with Dick Newton, Strait, Torok, Bill McLellan, Joe Peski, Herb O., Joe LeTourneau, Stan Michalski, Norm Learn, Pat Lopccolo, Jerry Anderws, Don LaMay, and Gary Burtner.  Leo Krieger was on the IR list and sat with the fans in the stands.

Dampier started the hitting with a double, Laffoon and DeRidder followed with singles, and infield out and a base rap off the bat of Segal produced two runs for the Cobra’s.  Newton led off the bottom of the inning with a single, a  Torok base hit followed, then a drive to deep left center field off the bat of McLellan for a Home Run.  End of one Brave’s 3 Cobras 2.  Both teams posted 0’s in the second.  In the third B.J. singled, followed by a fielder’s choice and base hits from Capozzi and Chrest.  Dampier then had a sac-fly and hits from Laffoon and DeRidder drove in the 3^rd run of the inning.  Hits from Andrews, Burtner, and Strait resulted for a run for the Braves in the bottom of the inning.  Cobras were here held scoreless for the next two frames and the Braves posted a run in each of those two innings.  In the fifth Cobras Dampier singled and a Home Run off the bat of Laffoon tallied 2 runs.  Michalski led off the bottom of the frame with a single, and base hits from Learn and Andrews scored a run for the Braves.  Score now tied at 7 all after seven innings.

Slugger Bowley led off with a single as did Capozzi to start the 8^th, and Dampier blasted a long Home Run to take a 3 run lead.  Bottom of the inning McLellan a long fly out to left field, then singles from Peski, Herb O, and LeTourneau produced a run.  A hard hit grounder off the bat of the next hitter was turned into a double play ending the game.  Final Score Cobras 10 Braves 8. 
Leading hitters for Cobras: Dampier and Laffoon both 3 for 4 and an HR for both, DeRidder 4 for 4, Castillega 3 for 4.

Leading hitters for Braves:  Newton, Herb O, Michalski all 2 for 4, McLellan 2 for 4 2B, Andrews and Burtner both 2 for 3.                                                                            Good Pitching from Thompson and B.J. for the Cobras and Lopiccolo for the Braves keeping the hitters guessing.

Submitted by Don LaMay

Facts off old records:

In the Year 2008 Jim Laffoon led the league in Hitting:

Name           Team    G    AB    R     H   2b   3b   HR   Avg   TB                                                       

Laffoon        Blue      20   91    53  75  13    8      6    .824   122

In the Year 2009 Ron Thompson led the National League in Hitting

Thompson   Cards    21   98    63  75   22   10    11   .765  150