SERTOMA PARK SCHEDULE - BEGINS FRIDAY MARCH 1st

The move to Sertoma Park baseball fields will take place this Friday, March 1st. The plan is to be there for the Month of March. We will be guests at Sertoma Park and will abide with their park rules. They are posted all over the park. There are two parking lots, one on the north side and one on the south side. There are three paved Handicap parking spaces that can be accessed from the south parking lot. They are on a first come basis. If you don't need one, don't use it. The parking on the north side backs up to the NW field with a 180 ft. fence. Don't park to close to the fence or your vehicle might get hit. 

There are three baseball fields in the park with grass infields and raised pitching mounds. We will pitch from behind the mounds and a pitching screen will be placed in front of the pitching mound. We will try to not disturb the pitching mounds. The baseball fields all have different dimensions. All teams will play on all of the fields. Some teams will have more games on the NW field. 

The NW(B) field has an elevated 180 ft. fence with 60 ft. bases. Senior bats will not be allowed on this field except for players ages 80 and up and our lady players. The league will provide Wood Bats, Aluminum Bats and an ASA bat. The intent is to keep the softball in the park with NO over the fence balls. If the aluminum bats and ASA bats create a problem, we will use wood bats only. 

The NE(C) field has an elevated 200 ft. fence with 70 ft. bases. Senior bats are allowed and all balls over the fence or hitting the elevated portion of the fence will be ground rule doubles.

The SE(D) field has a 200 ft fence with 60 ft. bases. we will place "throw down" bases at 65 ft. to make this field more competitive. Senior bats are allowed and all balls over the fence will be ground rule doubles.

The 2024 Tournament at the Diamondplex has concluded and the winner is the Dukes managed by Steve Hill. Good Job to Steve and his Teammates. They will be presented with a championship patch for their efforts. 

We will begin a fun, mini tournament at the Sertoma Park for the month of March. We will keep the teams as they are now. We may have some type of activities on the last day at Sertoma Park depending on how the league progresses. Below is the schedule. Have fun and don't sweat the small stuff. 

REVISED NATIONAL LEAGUE SCHEDULE

MARCH 1, 2024 TO MARCH 29, 2024

 

DATE	FIELD NW (B)	FIELD NE (C)	FIELD SE (D)
FRIDAY, MAR. 1	6 vs 3	5 vs 1	4 vs 2
TUESDAY, MAR. 5	4 vs 1	2 vs 6	5 vs 3
FRIDAY, MAR. 8	2 vs 5	1 vs 3	6 vs 4
TUESDAY, MAR. 12	3 vs 4	5 vs 6	1 vs 2
FRIDAY, MAR. 15	3 vs 2	4 vs 5	1 vs 6
TUESDAY, MAR 19	3 vs 6	1 vs 5	2 vs 4
FRIDAY, MAR. 22	1 vs 4	6 vs 2	3 vs 5
TUESDAY, MAR. 26	5 vs 2	3 vs 1	4 vs 6
FRIDAY, MAR. 29	2 vs 1	4 vs 3	6 vs 5
TBD

HOME TEAM IS LAST TEAM LISTED

       

Today’s game on Field D was a slugfest between Wally’s World and the Yankees. Although Wally could not be present as a result of an accident, his team responded with a barrage of hits and some solid defense. Their offense scored 5 runs in 4 different innings and took a commanding lead over the Yankees. After 5 innings it was WW 21-8.   After being behind 23-8 going into the bottom of the 6th inning, the Yankees breathed some life . After batting 14 players, they scored 9 runs to close the gap to 23-17.   Both teams went scoreless in the 7th.   WW came alive again in the 8th and scored 5 on big hits by Skidmore(the Ageless Wonder) and Lefty Miller to put the game out of reach. Final score was 30-20 in favor of Wally’s World.

All players on WW  had at least 2 hits each which led to the plethora of runs. Great job to all.  Henry Rivero was the MVP for the Yankees, going 5-6 and missing a second consecutive cycle by a home run. Great job Henry. 

Thank you to all the pool players, we needed (6) to field 11 on a side.  

Congratulations to all the teams, especially the Tournament Champs , Hill’s Dukes for a great season. Many thanks to the umpires, pool players and especially our Commissioner for another fine season.  Hope to see everyone at the Sertoma Fields on Friday.

 

Lastly, prayers and well wishes to Wally Wallace and get well soon.

Writeup by Don Keller

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Today, the American League teams faced off on Field “A”. JD led the visiting Green team, while Lou managed the Blue team, which held a two-game lead in the series. Despite being short on players, we were able to assemble a nine-player squad for the game.

The Green team quickly scored two runs, but the Blue team fought back. By the fifth inning, the score was 4-11 in favor of the Blue team. Coach Lou decided to allow the Green team to use the catch-up rule to add excitement to the game, leading to a dramatic turnaround. The game became a nail-biter, and by the end of the ninth inning, the Green team had taken a 19-18 lead. In the bottom of the ninth, with two outs and runners on first and second, Bill Maxwell stepped up to the plate. Bill hit a two-run double, securing a 20-19 victory for the Blue team. It was an exciting game enjoyed by all.

Just a reminder, next month games will be held at Poinciana Community Park.

Address:

5109 Allegheny Rd.

Poinciana, FL 34759

From LGG. 

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Ron Thompson's NY Mets played Don Ouding's Old Timers on Field D. The Mets prevailed 24 to 17. The game started with both teams getting five runs in the first. The Mets scored five in the next two innings to establish a five-run lead and never looked back as they outscored the Old Timers in every inning. Outstanding performances:

Mets

George Knox 6 for 6

Jerry DeJongh 5 for 5 with Sac Fly

Ken Gelinas 5 for 6

Bob Vandenburg Winning Pitcher

Jim Reed 4 for 5

Rick Brock defense

 

Old Timers

Fred Stevens 4 for 5

Sam Lopez 5 for 5

Kathy MacDonald defense

Write up by Bob Zelazny.

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 Boy what a game the Coconuts and the Dukes had on Field B on Tuesday.

The Coconuts opened the game with 4 in the first, the Dukes answered with 5 to take the lead. This was the pattern throughout the game as the lead changed hands almost every inning it truly was a very close game throughout.

In the 7th the Dukes came back with two, tying the game at 14. The Coconuts added one in the 8th to retake the lead 15-14. The Dukes plated 3 retaking the lead 17-15 in the bottom of the 8th. The Coconuts scored two in the 9th to tie the score 17-17 going to the bottom of the 9th.

Ed Fultz led off the bottom of 9th with a sharply hit ground ball to Coconuts shortstop Robbie Spitaleri, that he just beat out for an infield single to bring up Rob Reed. Rob with a full count hit the top of the screen before hitting a double to center on the next pitch to score Ed from 1st base for the game winner. Dukes win 18-17. What a Game!

Big hitters Coconuts , Robbie Spitaleri 5-5 and Gary Anderson 4-5. Dukes Tom Witten 5-5, Ed Fultz and Rob Reed 4-5. WP Ed Fultz.

Submitted By Steve Hill

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Tuesday February 27th

Games are on at the Diamondplex. American League on Field A. National League field assignments posted on the website and at the fields. 

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 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH GAMES

All, Tuesday, February 27th will be the last day at the Diamondplex until Tuesday, April 2nd. We will finish this part of the 2024 Tournament season with a competition between the teams based on the standings from Friday, February 23rd. I have received all of the writeups from last Friday and the Standings have been posted to the website. On Field B, Team 2 vs Team 5, on Field C, Team 6 vs Team 1 and on Field D, Team 4 vs Team 3. Home team is the last team listed.

We will begin our Games at the Greater Winter Haven Youth Baseball fields at Sertoma Park on Friday, March 1st.These field are first class but only have 200 ft. fences. We will adjust our playing rules to accommodate the fences. The address of the fields is 1651 Lake Shipp Drive, Winter Haven Florida 33830. You can google Sertoma Park, Greater Winter Haven Youth Baseball or Lake Shipp Park and get directions to the ball fields. The plan is to continue the Tournament games with all six teams.

Don Witmer, Commissioner

  

Friday's game between the Yankees and the Old Timers was won by the Yankees. The Yankees were led by Henry Rivero who went 5 for 5 while hitting for the cycle. The Oldtimers were led by Sam Lopez who went 3 for 3.

Write up by Don Ouding

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Friday, February 23rd

Today's game was a tale of two halves. At the end of the top half of 6 the Dukes led 29-12 but with a 6 run 6th and a 9 run 7th the score was 30-27 , Dukes, at the end of 8. Two outs in the top of 9 and a fly ball to right looked like no score for the Dukes but the ball was dropped and they went on to score 6 and the Mets could only put three in the bottom of nine for a final score of 36-30 in favor of the Dukes. 

Highlights for the Mets included five for five for Knox including a rare grand slam in the nine-run 7th inning along with four runs scored. For the second time this season manager Lopiccolo also went five for five at the plate.  

Knox also scored four runs followed with three runs scored were Gelinas and Brock

The Dukes were led by Burtner and Reed scoring four runs each followed by Hill, Gutenberg, Fultz, Andrews, and Liberto scoring three each.

Loren Fabian umpired most of the game but had to leave to go over to the American Legion for the quilt presentation which he has chaired since its inception in Winter Haven.  Congratulations on umpiring and giving leadership to the quilt program.

Write up by Ron Thompson

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 Feb 23, 2024

Wally's World and the Fighting Coconuts played today and it was a good game. Windy conditions made it challenging for the pitchers and also for catching deep fly balls.

The Coconuts won even though there was a strong rally by Wally's team in the late innings.

There was good hitting from both teams. We were glad to welcome pool players James Fears, Mike Rodriquez, Bob Hite and Regis Fennegan.

Prayer was held at the pitcher's mound after the game and led by Regis Finnegan.

Write up by Robert Spitaleri

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