Friday June 28th

No games today. Call your friends that don't use the website and let them know. 

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 ALL GAMES CANCELLED FOR FRIDAY, JUNE 28TH

There will not be any games tomorrow at the Diamondplex. The City of Winter Haven is doing maintenance on the fields and the ballpark will be closed. Tell a friend when you see one. 

See you Tuesday, July 2nd

 

Tuesday June 25th

Games are on.

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 NEWS FROM THE BOARD

A Board meeting was held after the games on Tuesday, June 18th. There was a discussion about the 12 defensive players in the National League rule. The Board decided to revise the existing rule to better define what they would like to see happen on the field. The revised rule says: 

Defensive Placement of Players:  National League - All outfield players must play on or behind the designated line (180 feet) from home plate, until the ball is hit. All infielders, including the middle infielder, must play on the infield dirt until the ball is hit. The National League may use 12 defensive players. If the manager decides to use 12 players, the infield shall consist of 5 players plus the pitcher and the catcher. The outfield shall consist of 5 players. Six players in the infield plus the pitcher and catcher will not be allowed. 

Don't forget that there are no games this Friday, June 28th. The City of Winter Haven will close the ballpark for field maintenance. If that changes, I will let you know. 

Don Witmer, Commissioner

 

Friday June 21st

Games are on.

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Tuesday, June 18th

3 managers today were Bob Zelazny, Don Witmer and Robert Spitaleri. After 3 innings it was 9-9-7 with Spitaleri sporting the 7 and his team pretty much fell asleep after that until the open inning when the put up a nickel for a total of 12. Bob Z and Don W fought it out the rest of the way but Bob's team recorded goose eggs the last 2 innings and Witmer kept scoring every inning for a final of 18-14-22 in favor of the Witmer team. 

The hitters

4 hits.   Raul, Jose L. 

3 hits.   Gonzalez, Mike Rodriguez, Henry, 

              Zelazny w/ HR, Gutenberger, Hudson

2 hits.   J.R. Tuchetta, Fleming, Ramon, Robb, 

              DeLoach, Witmer, Rounds, Testa, Learn

              Vandenberg, Dampier, Lynch, Pablo, 

              Anderson, Rafael, Howard, Castilla, 

              Jorge w/HR, Miguel, King. 

See y'all Friday. Message brought to you by our 

                            sponsor Sizzling Grill.

Write up by Loren Fabian

 SOFTBALL ON WEDNESDAYS - NO SOFTBALL ON THURSDAYS

Lakeland Senior Softball is looking for softball players that can play ball on Wednesdays in Lakeland. There is no charge to play this one day. The games are held at the Southwest Softball Complex is Lakeland. The address is 1444 W Highland St, Lakeland, Fl 33815. If you do not have anything to do on Wednesdays, you can now play ball in Lakeland. There are quite a few Winter Haven players will be there on Wednesday so you will know someone when you get there. Just make sure that you do not get too tired to play on Fridays in Winter Haven.

Don Witmer, Commissioner

Winter Haven Senior Softball  

Tuesday June 18th

Games are on.

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Friday, June 14

Wally was managing the visitors and jumped out to a 4-0 lead after the opening inning over the home team managed by Spitaleri.   Then the Spitaleri team started scoring and it was 10-9 at the end of 6 with Spitaleri on top.  Wally put up a goose egg in the 7th while Spitaleri notched 4 more runs.  In the 8th, both teams scored 5 so it was 19-14 heading into the open inning.  Wally could only muster 1 in the top of the 9th for a final of 19-15 in favor of the Spitileri team.  

Ron Thompson was winning pitcher, with Mark Tutrani picking up the save. 

The hitters. 

4 hits.   Lynch, Dampier, Gutenberger

3 hits.   Zelazny, DeRidder, Testa, Nestor, 

              Hudson, 

2 hits.   Skidmore, J-Rod, Turchetta, Marino, 

              Wally, Castilleja, Robb, Spitaleri, 

              Vandenberg, Shearer, Thompson

See y'all Tuesday. 

This message brought to you by long time sponsor American Legion Post 8. 

Write up by Loren Fabian. 

 SOFTBALL ON THURSDAYS HAS BEEN CHANGED TO WEDNESDAYS

Lakeland Senior Softball is looking for softball players that can play ball on Thursdays in Lakeland. There is no charge to play this one day. The games are held at the Southwest Softball Complex is Lakeland. The address is 1444 W Highland St, Lakeland, Fl 33815. If you do not have anything to do on Thursdays, you can now play ball in Lakeland. There are quite a few Winter Haven players that go there on Thursday so you will know someone when you get there. Just make sure that you do not get too tired to play on Fridays in Winter Haven.

Don Witmer, Commissioner

Winter Haven Senior Softball  

Friday June 14th

Games are on. No rain predicted this morning. Let's play ball. 

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Tuesday June 11th

No games today. Fields to wet. Board meeting canceled.

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Friday, June 7th

A very close 2 team game today managed by Robert Spitaleri and Don Witmer.  It was cut to 8 innings due to the heat. Don's team scored 5 runs in 3 innings and 4 runs in the open inning for 19 total. They were ahead 10-4 after 3 innings when Spitaleri team started scoring. The Witmer team was ahead 15-12 heading to the top of the open inning. Spitaleri rang up 8 runs with many coming after 2 outs to take a 20-15 lead and Don's team could only come up with 4 runs for a final score of 20-19. Nestor and Mike Rodriguez both made fantastic running catches in left center for Don's team and Bill Testa countered on Spitaleri's team with a fine backhand, leaping catch of a sharp liner headed for right center.

Mike Rodriguez also led all hitters going 5-5 with 4 singles and a double. The rest of the hitters are

4 hits.   Nestor, Henry, Tutrani, Dampier, Fleming

3 hits.   Testa, Spitaleri, Kathie, Castilleja, Toro, 

              Witmer, Marino

2 hits.   Constantine, Vandenberg, B.J. Miguel,

              King

I will also note that Ray Howard checked in with only 1 hit today, but it was a bases clearing HR down into the right field corner in that 8 run open inning. 

This message brought to you by our sponsor Stewart Auto Repair

Write up by Loren Fabian. 

 REMINDERS      REMINDERS     REMINDERS      REMINDERS     REMINDERS

We have a lot of new players, so it is time to remind everyone of some of our longstanding rules. 

Batting practice is limited to six swings after 8:30 AM. If you want to have more swings, get here earlier and grab some guys and get more swings. If you participate in batting practice, you have to participate in shagging the balls either in the infield or outfield. DO NOT SIT ON THE BENCH, TAKE SIX SWINGS AND THEN GO BACK AND SIT ON THE BENCH AGAIN. That is not fair to all the guys who are out on the field shagging balls.  

The American League guys get here at 7:00 AM and get plenty of swings. If you want to hit with the American League guys, you have to get here early, shag balls in the outfield before you can bat. This does not mean show up at 8:20 AM and spend five minutes shagging balls and then expect to hit 25 or 30 balls. 

Base coaches are required once the games begin. Base coaches are umpires if there is not a field umpire. The home plate umpire cannot see everything that is going on in the field. Also, if you know you are out, walk off the field and say "I'm out". This makes the umpires job easier and there is less arguing. 

If you really "NEED" a runner, that is okay. Part of the reason we play senior softball is to get exercise. If you can run to first base and then ask for a runner, it would make life easier for some of your friends/teammates.

Senior softball is played a little different than young men's softball. We have a safety base at first base to prevent collisions, slide or peel off at second and third base to prevent collisions, a safety line at home plate so there is no collision with the catcher and a screen to protect the pitcher. There is a rule book specifically for Senior Softball. The reason for this rule book is to prevent injuries to seniors. We don't heal as fast as we use to. We can't run as fast as we use to. We can't stop as fast as we use to. We can't turn as fast as we use to. Some of the ways we played ball when we were young cannot be used in senior softball. We need to play senior softball with these facts in mind. 

Thanks.

Don Witmer, Commissioner

Winter Haven Senior Softball     

     

 

Tuesday, June 4th

A well-played two team game today managed by Wally and Spitaleri. Spit came out with a nickel in the first and Wally put up a goose egg. The second inning was just the opposite, so it was tied 5-5 after 2 innings.  It was 12-7 after 6 innings and 17-9 after 7 with no one scoring in the 8th.  Here's where I want to thank Fred DeLoach for keeping accurate score sheets while he is waiting to heal up to come back and play as I am doing the same. But I had the score at 19-9 and called for a flip flop which the teams did. Wally's team did score 4 to make the final 17-13.  I do apologize for the oops and am glad it didn't affect the outcome. So here are the hitters. 

4 hits.  Raul Torres

3 hits.  Kniery, Anderson, Robb, Henry, Testa

             Constantine w/HR, 

2 hits.   J.R., Zelazny, Gonzalez, Boito 

             Rounds, Wally, Spitaleri, B.J., King w/HR

Richard King got one by the right fielder down into the corner and scooted all the way around for his first in-the-park WHSS HR. 

Write up by Loren Fabian and brought to you by our sponsor Duke's Brewhouse and Wings

Tuesday June 4th

Games are on. Be here no later than 8:30 AM. Play at 9:00 AM. 

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Friday, May 31st

No mixed game today as there was a tournament over the upcoming weekend and there were only 29 players for a 2 team 9 inning game thanks to a nice breeze during the entire game. As the scoreboard indicates it was a very close and low scoring game for a National League game.  The visitors were managed by Robert Spitilari and the home team by Wally. You can see how close the game was, ending in a 12-12 tie so I'll just go into the hitters. 

3 hits. Reagan, Tutrani, Zelazny, Spitilari, 

            Hudson, Fleming, Jorge

2 hits. Rick, Mathew, J.R. Kathy, B.J. Pepin,

            Rafael, Lopez

A great game in a very enjoyable summer breeze.

See y'all Tuesday. 

Message brought to you by Somewhere Sports Bar and Grill which makes fantastic homemade potato chips. 

Write up by Loren Fabian