Welcome Back American Legion Post #8

300 Avenue M NW

863-293-7029

Website: americanlegionpost8.org

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome back the American Legion Post #8 for continuing their sponsorship for the upcoming 2027 season. The American Legion family has been a steadfast supporter of Winter Haven Senior Softball for many years, and we are truly grateful for the ongoing support from our military community.

I would also like to give special recognition to Mike O’Callaghan for his dedicated efforts in fostering this partnership. Your contributions are greatly appreciated. Thank you for being an integral part of our team!

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🥎 09.15.26 The Umpire's Call with Umpire Loren Fabian

The infield fly is to be called by an umpire ONLY. Not by anyone on the offensive or defensive teams. If anyone except an umpire calls it out, it is subject to change. The batter shall be called out if he hits a fly ball in fair territory considered by the umpire to be caught by an infielder with REASONABLE effort.

🥎 09.15.26 Estates Had the Hits; Stewart Auto Had the Fight

Tinsley Family’s bats picked a tough day to take a break. Hill’s team scored three runs: two in the second on hits by Testa and Rebideau, and one in the seventh when Williamson, Rounds and Rusty got things moving. Across the field, Wally’s Estates at Carpenters was having a very different day.

Estates sent nearly everyone to first base in the opening inning. Lynch, Rad, Doyle, Woodsby, Jorge, Delong and Gonzales all reached safely, and five runs came home. Stewart Auto Repair answered with a three-up, three-down second inning—but Estates apparently considered that a brief intermission. King led off the third with a hit, and Rad, Doyle, Woodsby, Jorge, Delong and Gonzales joined the parade for five more runs. Vandenberg, Ayers, Gilbert and Thomason helped tack on four in the fourth.

That’s when Deloach’s Stewart Auto defense found the brakes, holding Estates to just two runs the rest of the way. Stewart Auto had some offense of its own. Gutenburger and Sully scored in the first, Constantine came home in the third, and the fourth brought hits from Amy and Sensabaugh, a double by Gil, and a run driven in by Deloach. JR later crossed the plate after hits from Sully and Reagan.

Stewart Auto went quiet in the sixth but gave the seventh one more shot. Constantine reached base and scored on hits by JR and Sully. The rally produced two runs—enough to show they weren’t finished swinging, but not enough to catch Estates.

Final: Estates at Carpenters 16, Stewart Auto Repair 10, Tinsley Family 3.

Tuesday Games

Games are on. See you at the park.

🥎 09.12.26 The Umpire's Call with Umpire Loren Fabian

He Made It to Second… But Did He?

Welcome to the first edition of The Umpire’s Call, a new feature where we’ll take situations that come up on the field and explain the rule behind the call.

The goal? A little more understanding of the rules—and maybe a little less “discussion” with the umpire.

THE PLAY:
During a recent game, a batter used a pinch runner from home. The ball was hit into the gap, the runner took off, safely reached first…and kept right on trucking around first and made it to second.

Of course, a pinch runner from home can’t advance to second, so he was sent back to first.

But then things got interesting.

The first baseman tagged the runner and LOUDLY insisted he was OUT because he had touched second base.

THE CALL:
Not out. Back to first.

THE RULE:
Once a pinch runner from home safely reaches first base, his part of that play is over. Period.

Other action on the field involving other runners may continue, but the pinch runner cannot advance beyond first—and he cannot make an out—until after the next pitch is thrown.

So even though our enthusiastic runner rounded first and made his way to second, touching second base did not make him out. There is no such rule.

Back to first he goes.

And now we all know the call for next time—which hopefully means the first baseman can save his voice.

Know the rule. Respect the call. Play ball!

🥎 09.11.26 Ridge Energy Powers Past the Competition, 22–17–13

Well, this recap is a little late. After months of game recaps, scoresheets, triples, home runs, questionable calls and trying to make senior softball sound exciting week after week, my laptop finally said, “That's it. I'm out.”

Yep. Six months old and apparently it had already seen enough Winter Haven Senior Softball.

So after spending most of the day getting its replacement up and running, the recap department is officially back in business. And wouldn't you know it — the first recap for the new computer has plenty to write about.

FINAL SCORES

Ridge Energy — Coach Tutrani: 22
 Glory Days — Coach Hill: 17
 Somewhere Sports Bar — Coach Wally: 13

Glory Days, our Visiting/Hitting team, got off to a slow start with just one run in the first.

Somewhere Sports Bar wasted no time getting things going, putting four on the board in the first, highlighted by a Testa triple.

Then Ridge Energy came to the plate and apparently decided the team name was a challenge. They opened with five runs, including a home run blast from Nestor, and just like that, we had ourselves a ballgame.

Glory Days woke up in the second, and this time it was the bottom of the lineup doing the damage, accounting for four of the team's five runs.

Somewhere Sports stayed hot with another five-run inning, helped along by a Michl triple, while Ridge Energy answered with three more behind doubles from Rabideau and Ramon.

Then, for one brief inning, everybody remembered that defense is part of softball too.

In the third, Glory Days and Somewhere Sports were both held scoreless, while Ridge Energy managed just one run.

That defensive peace and quiet didn't last long.

Glory Days came right back in the fourth with five runs, highlighted by a LoPiccolo triple, with Gil, Hill, Doyle and Pablo among those crossing the plate.

Somewhere Sports was shut down for the second straight inning, while Ridge Energy added three more behind hits from Deloach, Nestor, Rabideau and Ramon.

And after four, this thing was still anybody's game:

Glory Days 11 | Somewhere Sports 9 | Ridge Energy 12

Then Ridge Energy found another gear.

Glory Days added one in the fifth, Somewhere Sports put up three, but Ridge Energy answered with five more as Deloach, Nestor, Griffin, Boito and Cruz all crossed the plate.

Still, Glory Days wasn't going quietly.

The top of the lineup went back to work, with Hill, Doyle, Pablo and Anderson helping close the gap and keeping the pressure on.

Somewhere Sports, meanwhile, just couldn't get the offense going again, managing only one more run over the sixth and seventh innings.

And Ridge Energy?

Apparently there was still plenty left in the battery. 

They put up another five runs in the sixth, creating a gap that even a late Glory Days push couldn't overcome.

By the time the dust settled:

Ridge Energy 22
Glory Days 17
Somewhere Sports Bar 13

With Ridge Energy sitting comfortably at 22, there was no need for the Home/Field team to bat in the final inning.

Ridge Energy started hot, survived a close battle through four innings, and then simply pulled away.

Twenty-two runs. No last at-bat needed. I'd say Ridge Energy had more than enough juice to finish this one.

Great game, guys. Ridge Energy finished with 22 runs and plenty left in the tank.

My six-month-old laptop, on the other hand, apparently needed a better sponsor.

 

Friday games

Game is on. Richie and Jim are prepping the field now

SEE YOU AT THE FIELD.