Flyers vs Cobras The Flyers came out Friday January 25thswinging in the 1st inning scoring 5 runs, followed by 1 run in the 2nd and 0 in the 3rd.The Cobras put up 2 runs in the 2nd and 3 runs in the 3rd. Score: Flyers 6 Cobras 5. The Flyers stayed hot scoring 4 runs in the 4th and 4 runs in the 6th. At the end of 7 innings the score was Flyers 14 Cobras 7. In the 8th inning both teams scored 3 runs each. Both teams were scoreless in the 9th, ending the game with a win for Fabian’s Flyers scoring a total of 17 runs and a loss for Capozzi’s Cobras scoring 10 runs.

Winning pitcher Larry Wells

Leading hitters -Flyers:

Ray Levesque 4/4 with 2 double and a home run Larry Grab 4/4 with a triple and a home run Travis Fryzowicz 4/4 Tom Benson 3/4 with a triple and 2 home runs Wayne Vorher 3/4 with a double

Leading hitter Cobras: Jack Minder 4/4

Larry Chrest 3/4 with double Jerry Deridder 3/4 with a double, triple and a home run Bill Bowley 2/2 and a walk Write up by Tom Capozzi

Friday January 25, 2019   Field B 

Todays game played on Field B was the Warriors as the home team and the Braves being the visitors.  Manager Larry Powell was missing today following surgery yesterday.  We pray that you recover quickly and return soon.  Freddy Gonzales took the helm for the Warriors and put these players on the field: Jimmy V, Don Scarbrough, Bill Rutan, Ed L., John Boito, Don Hawbaker, Mike Wheeler, Art Zakrowski, Bill Ayer, and John Gibson.  Braves Manager Larry Strait had Gary Burtner leading off with Dick Newton, Don Torok, Bill McLellan, Joe Peski, Herb O., Joe LeTourneau, Stan Michalski, Pat Lopiccolo, Jerry Andrews, Don LaMay and Strait following.

Field B is the sun field for hitters, and today was a bright sunny cool morning. Burtner lead off with a base hit than the next 3 hitters recorded outs.  Freddy G led off with a double and scored on a base rap from Scarbrough.  After on Warriors 1 Braves 0.  Both teams scored a run in the 2^nd inning.  The sun was a big factor early in the game.  LaMay led off the 3^rd with a single but was wiped out on a fielder’s choice, Newton and Torok had base hits with Torok getting an RBI, then McLellan drove one to deep left for a home run.   Warriors recorded 1 run in the bottom of the inning.  In the 4^th the Braves went down 1,2,3.  Warriors came back with 3 runs in the 4th and 5^th innings while the Braves tallied 2 in the 5^th.  After 5 Warriors 9 Braves 7. 

Sun must have gone behind a cloud as the Braves posted 5 runs on hit from Torok McLellan, walk to Herb O., then hits from LeTourneau, Lopiccolo, Andrews and LaMay driving in the 5^th run of the inning. Both teams added a run in the 7^th.  Braves added another 5 a spot in the top of the 8^th to take a lead of 18 to 10.  That was the final score Braves 18 Warriors 10.

Winning Pitcher Pat Lopiccolo

Leading hitters for the Braves:  Burtner 3 for 4 W, Newton 3 for 5, Lopiccolo and LaMay both 4 for 4.  The rest of the team was 2 for 4.

Leading hitters for Warriors: Gonzales 3 for 5 dbl, Jimmy V and Scarbrough both 3 for 5 and Hawbaker 3 for 4. 

Submitted by Don LaMay

GATOR REDLEG FIKE MEMORIAL SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT

The United States Field Artillery Association in support of the Florida National Guard is hosting a Benefit Softball Tournament at the Diamondplex on Saturday, February 23th in the memory of First Sergeant Kenny A. Fike. They need volunteer umpires for the games and have asked for our help.  The games will begin at 10:00 AM and are supposed to be over no later than 8:00 PM. You do not have to be there the entire time. If you would like to do a game or two and go home that is okay. If anyone would like to volunteer to be an umpire please sign up at the sign in table starting next Tuesday.

Don't forget that Saturday, February 23rd is the date of the Polk Senior Games in Lakeland. 

Thanks.

Don Witmer

Tuesday January 22^nd

Dukes vs Cobras – field A

The Dukes blasted off in the top of the 1^st inning.  It started with Ray Roy, Bob Skidmore, Steve Hill, Bob Zelazny, Justin Mears & Dave Hartley rounding the bases and coming home with 3 ground rule doubles (over the fence) scoring 5 runs. Not so fast; responded the Cobras; scoring 5 runs with singles and 2 ground rule doubles (over the fence). The 2^nd inning was quiet with no runs scored. In the 3^rd inning the Dukes were able to add 1 run by hitting 2 more G.R.D’S. At this point the name of the game was ground rule doubles with the Cobras hitting 3 more G.R.D’S. Score: Dukes 6 Cobras 9. The Dukes added 1 run in the 4^th.The Cobras waited until the 5^th inning and scored 3 more G.R.D’S adding 4 runs, score: Dukes 7 Cobras 13. It was a seesaw battle until the 8^th inning when Steve Hill’s Dukes posted 6 runs adding another G.R.D to their score sheet, score: 17 to 17. In the bottom of the 8^th Capozzi’s Cobras’ rebounded with 4 runs when Jack Minder hit the only “in the park” double and gave the Cobras the lead. Score: Dukes 17 Cobras 21. In the top of the 9^th The Dukes could only eek out 1 run, leaving the bases loaded to end the game, Score: Dukes 18 Cobras 21.

Leading hitters for the Dukes:

Dave Hartley 4/4 with a G.R.D and a triple

Steve Hill 4/5 with 2 G.R.DS
Bob Zelazny 3/5 with 2 G.R.DS
Ray Roy 3/5 with a G.R.D
Bob Skidmore 3/5
Ken Gelinas 3/3
Dean Shapler 2/3

Alf Gibson 2/4 with a G.R.D

Leading hitters for the Cobras:

Gerry DeRidder 3/3 3 G.R.DS and a sac
Jim Laffoon 4/4 with 2 G.R.D’s
Ed Spegal 3/4 with a G.R.D
Larry Chrest 4/5
Fred Dampier 3/5 with a G.R.D
Ken Weber 3/4 with 2 G.R.DS
Bob Castilleja 2/3 and a walk
Jack Minder 3/4 with a double

Write up by Tom Capozzi

Tuesday, January 22nd
Today's game decided who was in last place in the National League.

Post 8 started quickly by scoring 4 runs in the first inning.

Warriors tried to catch up by scoring 3 runs. They also scored 3 more runs in the second inning to take the lead 6-4.

In the ninth inning Post 8 scored one run to finished with 8 total runs.

The Warriors continued to score at least one run in every inning except in the eighth inning. Final score was Warriors 13 to 8 for Post 8. Winning pitchers for the Warriors were Bill Ayer and Mike Wheeler.

Leading hitters for Post 8 :

Steve Pinnick 3-4, Gisele Seguin 3-4, Poke Rodriguez 2-3, Russ King 3-3, Lee Baker 2-3.

Hitters for the Warriors:

Jimmy Vining 3-4, Art Zakrowski 3-4, Bill Rutan 2-3, Bob Vanderburg 2-3, one home run, John Boito 2-3, one double,Mike Wheeler 2-3 , Bill Ayer 2-3 .

Submitted by Larry Powell, Team Manager, Warriors

Tuesday, January 22

Strait's Braves vs Fabian's Flyers. The Braves jumped out to a 3 run lead in the top of 1 but Fabian answered with a nickel in the bottom. It was 4-5 after 2 as the Flyers put up their only goose egg in the bottom of 2. After that they scored 2 to 5 runs in every inning for a final score of 26-15 in favor of Fabe's Flyers. Had one minor causality to Travis in the outfield of a slightly misjudged fly ball which drew some blood from a finger which is documented by red spots on our score sheet. Way to hang in there Travis. lol. 

Strait hitters.  Herb 2-5. Newton 2-5. Torok 3-5 w/HR. Peskie 2-4 w/HR. Learn 2-4. Stan 2-4. Lopiccolo 2-4. Andrews 3-4. Strait 4-4. Gary 3-4. 

Fabian hitters. Wells 4-5. Boswell 2-4. Vanderhyde 4-4. Levesque 4-5 w/HR. Hite 3-5. Travis 3-4. Grabb 2-4. Benson 2-4. Taylor 3-4. Fabian 3-4. 

WP. Larry (Josh) Wells. 

See y'all Friday. 

Write up by Loren Fabian 

Step Right Up

“Ladies and gents, this is the moment you've waited for

Been searching in the dark, your sweat soaking through the floor
And buried in your bones there's an ache that you can't ignore
Taking your breath, stealing your mind
And all that was real is left behind

It's everything you ever want
It's everything you ever need

This is the greatest show.” (Lyrics from the greatest showman).

The circus was in town at the Diamondplex, WHSS, AL game. We played under God’s giant sky tent complete with sunshine, blue skies mild temperatures and great performances. This was not the kind of circus with calliope music and follies. Although we did have some of that, due to the fielding with windy conditions. It was a circus ballgame, full of entertainment and wonder. A fun time was had by all. Get your popcorn and read all about it here.

Big Top: Rad, Brock, Guzman, TQ, Rabideau, Gazarek, Denny, Ferrande, Essenmacher, Ramos and Grove.

Ringmaster: Hicks, Steir, Doerbaum, Shirer, Seguin, Hamilton, Roberts, Guzzo, Gallager, Pepin and Newman.

The Greatest Show: Rivera, Keller, Netzel, Schultzhris, Matta, Sheirer, Dawson, Rios, Witmer, Gutenburger and D’Herin.

The Big Top team came out in the first and played big time, scoring five runs. They were like Jumbo the Elephant, large and in charge. (Jumbo, an African elephant, was brought to the US, by PT Barnum. The placoderm stood 12 feet high. African elephants were taller than the Asian variety.) Big Top hitters were aided a little by some bad juggling, on defense. A few balls that were normally outs, became hits, when they were dropped. Rad, Brock, Guzman, TQ, Rabideau, Gazarek and Ferrande were the big-time players for the hitting team. The Ringmasters then came out and took center stage, scoring 4 runs. Hicks, Stier, Doerbaum, Seguin and Hamilton walked the high wire act to success. The Greatest Show was more of a dog and pony show, in the first inning. We scored 3 runs off of hits by Keller, Netzel, Matta, Shierer, Dawson and Rios. After 1 inning the score was Big Top: 5, Ringmaster: 4 and Greatest Show: 3.

In the 4^th  inning, The Greatest Show put on a performance with their bats and ended their vanishing act, we scored 5 runs to take the lead. Keller and Netzel singled, Shierer doubled and Dawson homered (his 2^nd of the game, the first one came just an inning before). After 4 innings the score was Big Top: 7, Ringmaster: 8 and Greatest Show: 10.

The Greatest Show continued to play amazing ball in the next two innings; scoring five runs in the 5^th and five runs in the 6^th. It was as if we were shot out of a cannon.  We had the other teams jumping through hoops, circus style. The score after 6 innings was Big Top: 9, Ringmaster: 10 and Greatest Show: 20. That did not last.

The Big Top was built to amaze and team Big Top did just that, in the 7^th inning. They scored 11 runs to go from worst, to a tie for first. Fifteen players batted in their open inning. Rad and Brock both had two hits in the inning. Others reaching base were Guzman, Quinones, Rabideau, Gazarek, Farrende, Essenmacher, Ramos and Grove. This team jumped through the flaming hoop and gave quite a performance. It was now all up to the Greatest Show to pull the game out of the fire. We came up to bat in the bottom of the 7^th needing one run to win. Two outs were recorded quickly and it looked like the fun was going to be taken out of the fun house for the Greatest Show. Schultzhris and Matta then reached base to give the Greatest Show one last shot at making it through the maze. However, the Big Top team, playing defense, broke through the house of mirrors and recorded the last out. Final Score: Big Top: 20, Ringmaster: 14 and Greatest Show: 20.

Circus facts and trivia: The word Circus dates from Roman times when arenas such as the Circus Maximus staged chariot races, gladiatorial contests and mock battles. The first circus was started in England, by Philip Astley, in 1795. He was a cavalry officer who set up the first amphitheater for the purpose of presenting horse-riding tricks. A standard circus ring remains 42-feet in diameter, the size originally established by Astley.  Americas best known circus was Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey. They ran from 1871 to 2017. They were head quartered in Sarasota, Florida for almost 90 years. Jumbo, became known as large, in the USA dictionaries after the introduction of Jumbo the Elephant. Leotards are named after the first star of the flying trapeze, Jules Leotard. PT Barnum served two terms as a republican in the legislature for the state of Connecticut. He spoke before the legislature concerning the 13^th Amendment, which abolished slavery. "A human soul, 'that God has created and Christ died for,' is not to be trifled with.” (PT Barnum).

Top Performers Of The Day

Big Top

Rad 3/5 with a double.

Brock: 4/5 with two doubles.

Guzman: 3/5 with a double.

Rabideau 4/4.

Gazarek: 4/4 with a double.

Ferrande: 3/ 4.

Essenmacher 3/ 4 with a double.

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

Ringmasters

Hicks: 3/ 4.

Doerbaum: 3/4.

Seguin: 3/ 4 with a double.

Hamilton: 4/4 with a double.

Roberts: 3/4.

Greatest Show

Rivera: defensive play of the game with an outstanding diving catch, in left field, it started a DP.

Keller: 3/ 4.

Netzel: 3/4 with a double and a HR.

Schultzhris: 3/ 5.

Matta: 3/5.

Shierer: 4/5 with a HR and a double.

Dawson: 3/ 4 with two HRs.

Rios: 3/ 4 with a HR.

Witmer: 3/ 4.

Guttenburger: 3/ 4 with a double.

D’Herin: 3/4.

See you at WHSS on Friday, the show must go on.

Written by Nick Matta