Winter Haven Senior Softball

Gobble, Gobble

Crisp air and moderate temperatures, it was perfect weather for softball on 11/19. With Thanksgiving right around the corner today’s AL writeup will definitely have a feast day feel to it.

Pilgrims, Visiting team: Pete, Dana, Lou, Keller, Matta, JD, Tommy, Scarbrough, Pep, Skid and Bill.

Indians, Home team: Rivera, Shirer, Vaccarro, Fee, Wayne, Gerry, Witmer, Alwin, Grove, Coffman, Pope and Wells.

The Pilgrims started off the game and they looked like they never got off the boat. We were shut out in the first. While the Indians had a cornucopia of hits. Rivera, Shirer, Vaccarro, Fee, Wayne, DeRidder and Witmer all reached base safely. They cooked up a casserole of runs, 5, without recording an out.

The lead did not change until the 5^th inning. That’s when Matta, JD, Hamilton and Scarbrough put down their drumsticks and picked up their bats. The pilgrims scored 3 runs to take a 7-6 lead.

In the 6^th inning the Pilgrims were thankful for another run when Pep scored to give us an 8-6 lead. It was short lived as the Indians carved up the ham; Shirer, Fee and Wayne sliced a few hits into the open field and tied the game with two runs of their own. After 6 innings the score was 8-8.

Today we would say “goodbye”, in 1620 the pilgrims would say “fare thee well”.  Whichever way you phrase it, neither team was able to say adios on the field. These two teams and the score was as close as butter on corn. Both pitchers, JD and Wells did a fantastic job and the defense was as deep as a pumitukew. That is the Indian language, Algonquian word for river.

The 7^th inning was the difference maker, the Pilgrims served up a banquet. Dana cooked the green beans with a double, Lou served up the potatoes, with a single; Keller cooked the turkey with a double, Matta brought the stuffing when he walked therefore stuffing or loading the bases, JD added the cornbread with a single and Hamilton dished out the gravy with a single. The Pilgrims scored 4 runs to give us a 12-8 lead. That would hold for the final two innings and be the final score.

This Thanksgiving lets all be thankful to Monto’ac, which is Algonquin for Great Spirit, God; for all that we have been given.

Ohh and pass the pumpkin pie, please.

Pilgrims who baste the turkey:

Dana: 3/5 with a triple and a double.

Lou: 3/5.

Keller: 2/5 with two doubles.

Matta: 4/4 and a walk.

Hamilton: 3/5 with two doubles.

Indian chief contributors:

Shirer: 2/4 with a double and a triple.

Fee: 3/4.

Wayne: 2/3.

DeRidder: 2/2 and a sac.

Alwin: 2/3.

Written by Nick Matta