December 4th - After all the dust had settled on Fred White Field, the final score in the three team contest was 18-17-13. Jerry Witter was on the mound for the winning team. Dick Sessink pitched for the team that scored 17 and gave up 13 runs and Ernie Lancto was the pitcher of record for the third team. That team scored 13 and allowed 18 runs while on defense.
The game wasn't decided on Field E until 10 innings were in the books. Eddie Diaz picked up the victory over fellow pitcher Rich Palmer in the 20-17 game.
| Witter | 5 1 3 | 2 4 3 | 0 = 18 | ||||||||
| Sessink | 4 0 5 | 0 4 3 | 1 = 17 | ||||||||
| Lancto | 2 2 1 | 2 0 0 | 6 = 13 |
Team One began the game with a flurry as they scored five runs. Pitcher Jerry Witter drove in the final run of the inning with a single. With one out, Joe D'Herin began the hitting for the inning with a double. After Doug Chamlee reached base on a fielding error, Russ King and Vassurl Bess singled, followed by a double from the bat of Rusty Landahl.
Team Two answered with four runs. Frank Miller connected for a homer in the middle of
the first. Al Andrews, Chris Constantine, Jim Laffoon, & Jack Valliere all had singles in the first frame.
After three innings of play, the first two teams were tied for the lead but it took a big five run third for Team Two to tie the game. After Erv Szewczuga walked to begin the inning and was forced out at second, the next five batters all scored. Chris Constantine, Jim Laffoon, Bill Evans, Dean Schapeler, and Frank Miller all singled before Jack Valliere singled to drive in the fifth run.
Team One scored two in the fourth. The big hit of that inning was a Gary Reed double. Team One and Team Two matched runs in the fifth and sixth innings, so the first team held a two run lead going into the final frame.
But the final frame belonged to Team Three. Down 18-17-7, it was time to mount a rally. John Smith lead off the inning with a long triple that was hit way over the head of the defending rightfielder. Gale Doty singled John in for the first run. Afterwards, Jim McPartlan and Ernie Lancto both reached base on infield errors. Ted Taylor, Dick Wilhelm, & Marshall Bloom each singled and Freddy Gonzalez dobuled.
When the inning was finally over, six runs had crossed the plate. Team Three came up just a bit short and lost 18-17-13.
| Diaz | 4 0 2 | 0 4 2 | 0 0 5 | 3 = 20 | |||||||||||
| Palmer | 2 0 3 | 0 0 1 | 0 6 5 | 0 = 17 |
The visiting team began with authority as they posted four runs on the boards. Pitcher Eddie Diaz helped his own cause with an RBI double a then scored a run. The home team answered with two runs. The first two batters achieved hits and scored runs. Ed Kline & Wayne Mundy began with singles. A hit by Jerry Remington produced a run batted in and a single by Ron Augenstein accounted for the second run.
The visiting team was up 6-2 going into the bottom of the third inning so Ed Kline and Wayne Mundy again got hits and scored runs to keep their team in the game. Angel Merced also singled and scored in the inning. In jeopardy of sounding like an instant replay, Ron Augenstein drove in the final run of
the inning. At the end of three, the visiting team held onto a 6-5 lead.
The visiting team woke up the bats when the fifth inning began. Fred Dampier, Eddie Diaz, Jose Agosto, Bob Lewis, & Frank Acevedo all singled while Fred Ducham had a triple down the leftfield line.
It seemed that the visiting team just about had the game wrapped up going into the bottom of the eighth but things aren't always as they seem. Down 12-6, the home team stormed back to tie the score at 12-12. With walks sprinked in for a good mix, Angel Merced hit his second triple of the game. Jerry Remington, John Fulton, & Art Zakrowski all singled and Larry Powell doubled in the final two runs of the frame. Six runs scored to knot the score after eight innings of play.
Five runs crossed the plate for each team in the ninth and final inning of regulation play. The visitors began with a lead off double by Fred Dampier, followed by a triple by Tim Gallagher. Before the inning was over, Lloyd Hopper, Jose Agosto, & Bob Lewis had singled and Eddie Diaz had banged out another double.
The home team needed five runs to stay in the game when the bottom of the ninth rolled around, so they charged back with a vengence. Four of the first five batters crossed the plate. Pitcher Rich Palmer began with a single, followed by a Terry Feehan walk. The deadly one-two punch at the top of the lineup came through again. Ed Kline & Wayne Mundy singled and scored. The final run of the inning was driven in by none other than Ron Augenstein. At the end of regulation play, the score was tied 17-17.
Three runs scored in the top of the tenth inning. Elmer Black singled and scored, Fred Dampier doubled and scored, and Tim Gallagher doubled and scored.
The home team couldn't manage any runs in the tenth and the final score was 20-17 in favor of the visiting team.
LEADING HITTERS:
Ron Augenstein - 4 for 4 with 1 walk.
Jerry Remington - 4 for 4 with 1 sacrifice fly.
Frank Miller - 3 for 3 with 1 homer.
Gale Doty - 3 for 3.
Jack Valliere - 3 for 3.
Ted Taylor - 2 for 2 with 2 walks.
Fred Dampier - 5 for 6 with 3 doubles.
Eddie Diaz - 5 for 6 with 2 doubles.
Joe D'Herin - 3 for 4 with 2 doubles.
Chris Constantine - 3 for 4 with 1 triple.
Wayne Mundy - 3 for 4 with 1 double & 1 walk.
Rusty Landahl - 3 for 4 with 1 double.
Ron Carrothers returned from Thedford, Ontario, Canada but did not play this morning. Terry Feehan returned from Deshler, Ohio and Don LaMay returned from Livonia, Michigan. Terry played the catcher position on Field E and Don played for Team Two on Fred White Field. Welcome back Ron, Terry, & Don.
John Daniels joined the Winter Haven Senior Softball Club today. Welcome aboard, John.
December 7th - The field of choice has had sprinkler pipe problems for the past year. There are three places in the right centerfield and rightfield areas where the ground has sunken down because of underground leaks softening the surface ground. Therefore, Fred White Field was unavailable for play this morning because the leaking pipes were in the process of being repaired.
The two team, nine inning game was played on Field D. Fred Dampier was the winning pitcher of record in the 32-26 game. Ernie Lancto was the opposing pitcher on the mound.
Don Witmer recorded the victory in the three team game on Field E. The final score was 18-9-8. Bob Swartz pitched for the team that scored nine and gave up eight runs, so he received a victory, too. Rich Palmer hurled for Team Three. That team scored eight and allowed 18 runs while on defense.
| Lancto | 5 5 0 | 4 3 1 | 5 1 2 = 26 | ||||||||
| Dampier | 3 7 1 | 5 5 2 | 4 5 X = 32 |
This field was built on an angle where the shortstop, third base, leftfield, & left centerfielder positions are facing the sun. And the morning sun can be a factor.
The home team began quickly with the maximum runs allowed in the first two innings. The leadoff batter, Ron Augenstein, scored in both frames. He began the game with a walk and scored on a Lloyd Hopper single in the first. In the second, Ron's single was one of many. Bob Douglas, Ernie Lancto, Bill Ravo, Ron Thompson, & Angel Merced all singled in the productive second inning.
The home team fought back in the second by scoring seven runs on six hits. Jack Donnelly lead off the inning with a single. After the next batter flew out to leftfield, John Smith hit a double to rightfield, and the next batter reached base on a shortstop fielding error. Frank Miller, Chuck Duff, & Jerry Remington each pounded out base hits before Fred Dampier hit a double, then Dick Mahon singled. A Floyd Welton sacrifice fly to the left centerfielder drove in the seventh and tying run. After two innings of play, the limit of 10 runs for each team had crossed the plate and the score was tied.
The maximum five runs scored in both the home fourth and fifth innings. Chuck Duff, Jerry Remington, & Fred Dampier each scored in both frames. Chuck doubled and walked, Jerry singled and doubled, and Fred had two doubles.
The first two batters hit into outs in the visiting fourth before the fireworks began. The next four batters all had singles and scored to give the team four runs in the inning. After five innings of play, the home team had crept out to a 21-17 lead in this high scoring contest.
The home sixth witnessed an almost inside-the-park homer. John Smith drove the ball over the head of right centerfielder Art Zakrowski. Art retrieved the ball and fired it in to rover Ron Thompson, who threw home to catcher Bob Douglas to get John out by a couple of steps. That fine defensive play ended the inning.
Fred Dampier connected for gapper homers in both the seventh and eighth innings. The three run shot in the seventh knocked in Frank Miller and Jerry Remington. Fred hit another three run homer in the next inning. Elmer Black began the eighth with a single, followed by a Frank Miller single and Jerry Remington single, scoring Elmer. The homer in the eighth drove in the final three runs of the five run frame.
The visiting seventh saw five runs touch home plate. Ron Augenstein, Bill Ravo, Ron Thompson, Lloyd Hopper, and Denny Shaffer all singled and a single by Fred Ducham drove in the fifth run. At the end of seven and one-half innings of play, the score was knotted at 23-23.
Randy Lane singled and was the only run scored in the visiting eighth inning so the score at the end of eight was 32-24 in favor of the home team.
The visiting team needed eight runs to stay in the game in the final frame. Lloyd Hopper and Angel Merced hit back-to-back doubles, followed by singles from the bats of Denny Shaffer and Randy Lane. But only two runs were scored and the home team didn't need to bat in the home ninth.
| Witmer | 18 | |||||
| Swartz | 9 | |||||
| Palmer | 8 |
The only scoresheet that was kept for the game on Field "E" was from Team One so nothing can be reported on for Team Two or Team Three.
Team One, the winning team by the score of 18-9-8, began the game with authority by scoring five runs in the very first inning of play in the seven inning contest. Al Andrews, Jack Valliere, Wayne Mundy all had singles before an out was recorded.
Afterwards, the hitting continued with a single by John Ormsby, a Don Witmer double, and a single by Carl Luebking. By the time the top of the first was over, five runs had touched home and only one out was in the books.
Three more runs scored in the top of the second inning. Joel Freedman & Bill Spring each singled followed by an Al Andrews double. Wayne Mundy singled in Al for the third run of the frame. Team One had already proven to be the team to beat after only two innings of play.
In the top of the fifth, three runs scored on three hits. Don Witmer collected his third consecutive double on the way to a perfect day at the plate. That hit scored John Ormsby, who had reached base on a single.
The final frame was another good inning for Team One. Cecil Vasquez began with a single. John Ormsby, Don Witmer, & Carl Luebking also singled. That gave Carl a perfect three for three day. Bill Spring gathered his third hit of the game and an RBI with a single in the last inning.
LEADING HITTERS:
Randy Lane - 6 for 6.
Don Witmer - 4 for 4 with 3 doubles.
Carl Luebking - 3 for 3 with 1 sacrifice fly.
Fred Dampier - 5 for 6 with 2 homers & 3 doubles.
Frank Miller - 5 for 6 with 2 doubles.
Jerry Remington - 5 for 6 with 2 doubles.
Elmer Black - 5 for 6 with 1 triple.
Lloyd Hopper - 5 for 6 with 1 double.
Bill Ravo - 5 for 6.
John Smith - 4 for 5 with 1 triple & 1 double.
Dick Mahon - 4 for 5.
Wayne Mundy - 3 for 4.
John Ormsby - 3 for 4.
Bill Spring - 3 for 4.
Ken Wilson returned from Dundas, Ontario, Canada. Welcome back Ken.
Dick Mahon joined the Winter Haven Senior Softball Club today. Dick is also a member of Lakeland Senior Softball. Welcome aboard, Dick.
Saturday - December 8th - Floyd Welton assembled two groups of players to participate in games in Nalcrest today. The first game consisted of the Winter Haven Wonders players above the age of 70 against the Nalcrest 65+ Seniors.
The second game had a Winter Haven Wonder team comprised of players below age 70 and their competition was the Lakeshore Seniors and Friends team.
In the first game, the Winter Haven Wonders
fell behind 6-5 after three innings. With good fielding and timely hitting, the Wonders scored four runs in the 4th and five more in the 6th to put the game out of reach. In the meantime, the Nalcrest 65+ Seniors were held scoreless for the last four innings.
In the 7th inning, the Wonders put the frosting on the cake by scoring 12 runs to post a 26-6 win against the Nalcrest 65+ Seniors.
Doug Chamlee led the Wonders offense with a double and a triple. Frank Miller and Reg Barnes each had four hits while Floyd Welton had three hits and five RBI's for the game.
In the second game, the Young Wonders moved out to a five run lead while holding the Lakeshore Seniors and Friends to two runs. With the exception of the second inning, the Young Wonders scored in each inning on the way to a 15-9 victory.
Superb fielding plays were turned in by leftfielder John Fulton and Wayne Mundy at the shortstop position.
Leading the offense with three hits each were John Fulton, Floyd Welton, and Ron Thompson.
Winning pitcher Dick Sessink went the route for both wins while throttling the oppositions at every turn when a big inning was a possibility.
December 11th - The best turnout to date resulted in three fields being used for the games this morning.
One game was set up for Field B. The sun is in the batter's eyes at the beginning of the game so the players decided to take their game to the Polk Community College women's fast pitch field where the fences are 225 feet from home plate. Every ball hit over the fence was ruled a double. Eddie Diaz pitched for the winning team in the 22-13 seven inning game. Bob Swartz was the opposing pitcher.
| Diaz | 1 1 5 | 5 5 5 | X = 22 | ||||||||
| Swartz | 0 2 4 | 0 0 2 | 5 = 13 |
LEADING HITTERS:
Cecil Vasquez - 5 for 5 with 1 triple & 3 doubles.
Jerry Remington - 4 for 4 with 4 doubles.
Bill Evans - 4 for 4 with 1 double.
John Ormsby - 3 for 3 with 1 double & 1 walk.
Ron Carrothers - 3 for 3 with 1 walk.
Vassurl Bess - 2 for 2 with 2 walks.
Dick Wilhelm - 3 for 4 with 1 triple.
Rich Palmer - 3 for 4 with 1 double.
Jerry Witter picked up the victory on Fred White Field against fellow pitcher Don Witmer.
The final score was 18-11, in favor of the visiting team. Frank Acevedo began the game with a line shot gapper between the leftfielder and the left centerfielder. Frank raced around the bases for an inside-the-park homer. In the second inning, Fred Dampier blasted a three run homer way over the head of the defending right centerfielder. The ball didn't clear the fence but did land on the warning track.
| Witter | 5 4 0 | 2 0 5 | 0 2 0 = 18 | ||||||||
| Witmer | 3 4 0 | 0 2 0 | 2 0 0 = 11 |
LEADING HITTERS:
Fred Dampier - 5 for 6 with 1 homer & 3 doubles.
Frank Acevedo - 5 for 6 with 1 homer & 1 triple.
Ed Kline - 4 for 5 with 1 double.
Don LaMay- 4 for 5.
Don Witmer - 3 for 4 with 1 sacrifice fly.
Al Andrews - 3 for 4.
The game on Field E was an eight inning contest. The visiting team was victorious in the 21-13 game. Ron Thompson pitched for the winning team while the opposing pitcher was Dick Sessink.
Carl Luebking & Ted Taylor each connected for inside-the-park homers in the home seventh. Both were two run blasts.
| Thompson | 0 4 1 | 5 5 1 | 0 5 = 21 | ||||||||
| Sessink | 4 0 0 | 0 1 0 | 5 3 = 13 |
LEADING HITTERS:
Carl Luebking - 5 for 5 with 1 homer.
Danny Parker - 4 for 4 with 2 doubles.
Ted Taylor - 4 for 5 with 1 homer.
Ron Augenstein - 4 for 5 with 1 triple & 1 double.
Doug Chamlee - 4 for 5.
Ken King - 4 for 5.
Bob Lewis - 4 for 5.
Don Bercaw - 3 for 4 with 1 double.
Floyd Welton - 3 for 4.
After the ballgames were completed, a birthday celebration was held for Bill Spring. Bill will turn 89 years young on Friday, December 14th. He is the most senior member of the Winter Haven Senior Softball Club. A big birthday cake was presented for all to eat and sodas and beer were available to drink. The Board of Directors decided that birthday parties will be held for every player on his 89th birth date. Happy birthday, Bill.
Don Bercaw rejoined the Winter Haven Senior Softball Club after joining for one year in 2005. Don resides in Lima, Ohio during the summer months. Danny Parker also joined today. Danny is a snowbird from Swartz Creek, Michigan. Welcome aboard Don & Danny.
December 14th - Five teams justified two fields for play today.
Fred White Field was used for the three-team game. Eddie Diaz was the winning pitcher in the 19-18-12 game. Jack Valliere was on the mound for the team that scored 12 while giving up 18 runs. Dick Sessink got the call for the team that scored 18 and surrendered 19 runs.
Team Two put together a BIG inning in the middle of the third. After being shutout for the first two frames, they were down 10 runs. By the time their turn at bat was over, the score was tied.
The first two batters made outs before the charge began. Walks and hits accounted for the ten runs as well as a misjudged fly ball that resulted in a three run homer from the bat of Chris Constantine. Elvis Abney burned the left centerfielder and right centerfielder with a long gapper for a double. Bob Douglas , Al Andrews, Dick Sessink, Sam Harrell, Ed Neumyer, Richard Moots, & Joel Freedman each had two out singles and Terry Feehan, Don LaMay , & Ed Kline all walked in the fateful inning.
Team One scored their final run when Danny Parker connected for an inside-the-park solo homer. Don Witmer, playing for the third team, also hit an inside-the-park homer. In his last at bat of the game, Don needed the homer to hit for the cycle this morning. Earlier, he had an RBI triple, a two RBI double, and an RBI single. Don ended the day with seven RBIs with his cycle hitting performance.
The third team needed one run to tie for the lead in the bottom of the seventh. Eddie Diaz began with a single. Cal Leigh singled followed by a single from the bat of Gene Morey. With the bases loaded and none out, Gale Doty worked a walk to force in the tying run and Jack Donnelly also walked to drive in the winning run.
| Valliere | 5 0 5 | 0 0 1 | 1 = 12 | ||||||||
| Sessink |
0 0  |
1 0 0 | 7 = 18 | ||||||||
| Diaz | 2 1 5 | 3 1 5 | 2 = 19 |
The game on Field E pitted pitcher Jerry Witter against Bob Swartz. This time, Jerry came out on top by the score of 16-6. The visiting team took a 4-0 lead after one inning of play and lead the entire game. Six straight singles to begin the game gave the visitors four runs. Jerry Noble, Carl Luebking, Jim Laffoon, Lloyd Hopper, John Ormsby, & Dick Mahon were the hitters who connected for base hits.
The home sixth was the only inning where a rally was put together for that team. John Daniels, Art Zakrowski, Ron Thompson, Bob Swartz, & Ron Augenstein all produced singles before a double play ended the inning. The visitors scored four runs in that frame.
The lower portion of the lineup came through in the visiting ninth inning. All five runs that were scored came from the bottom half. Dick Mahon tripled and Randy Lane, Frank Miller, Joe DeForge, Hank Gomez, Jerry Noble, & Carl Luebking each singled in the last inning.
| Witter | 4 0 0 | 1 0 4 | 1 1 5 = 16 | ||||||||
| Swartz | 0 0 0 | 1 1 4 | 0 0 0 = 6 |
LEADING HITTERS:
Don Witmer - 4 for 4 and hit for cycle.
Ed Lupiani - 3 for 3 with 1 double & 1 walk.
Jim Laffoon - 4 for 5 with 1 triple.
Carl Luebking - 4 for 5.
Jerry Noble - 4 for 5.
Chris Constantine - 3 for 4 with 1 homer.
Dick Mahon - 3 for 4 with 1 triple.
Frank Miller - 3 for 4 with 1 triple.
Bob Lewis - 3 for 4.
Gene Morey - 3 for 4.
It is appropriate to give thanks to three volunteers this morning. Ted Granoski kept the scorebooks for the teams on Field E and, when that game was finished, he went over to Fred White Field and kept the books there. Chuck Duff didn't play and worked as an umpire on the field with Joe Hissey. Joe is a snowbird from Baltimore, Maryland. Today marked his first day back at the ballpark. Thank you Ted, Chuck, and Joe and welcome back Joe.
The Board of Directors and the managers met after the games and put the teams together for the upcoming season. There will be eight teams and the managers this season will be Elmer Black, Fred Dampier, Ted Granoski, Russ King, Ed Lupiani, Ed Neumyer, Jack Valliere, & Don Witmer.
Click HERE to view the team rosters and click HERE to view the list of pool players. The sponsors and team colors have yet to be assigned.
Please remember that the game start time has been moved forward 30 minutes from 9:00 AM to 9:30 AM beginning Tuesday, December 18th. The later start time will remain in effect throughout the 2008 season.
December 18th - The temperature was in the low 50s this morning as the players gathered to be placed on teams. Altogether, four teams played on two fields.
The game on Fred White Field was quite one-sided as the visitors won 29-9. The homeruns were plentiful. Don Witmer and Wayne Mundy hit one homer apiece and Al Andrews hit three homers in the game. One came in the fourth inning, one in the fifth, and the last one was hit in the sixth frame.
| Witmer | 5 0 4 | 4 4 5 | 1 3 3 = 29 | ||||||||
| Witter | 3 1 3 | 0 1 0 | 0 0 1 = 9 |
The three pitchers on Field E were George Radlein, Dick Wilhelm, & Eddie Diaz. Only one score sheet was tabulated so there is nothing to report on two of the three teams.
After being shut down completely, 11 runs were scored in the fifth inning. The following players produced singles in the huge inning: Cecil Vasquez, Bob Douglas, Art Zakrowski, George Radlein, Ron Augenstein, and Ed Lupiani. John Fulton, Cal Leigh, & Cecil Vasquez doubled. Cecil had singled earlier in the inning. The double by John was one of the deepest shots that he has hit in recent memory. The ball was hit way over the head of the defending leftfielder. Russ King and Dean Schapeler tripled in the sixth frame.
LEADING HITTERS:
Ed Kline - 3 for 4 with 1 triple & 1 double.
Ron Augenstein - 3 for 4 with 1 homer.
George Radlein - 3 for 4 with 1 double.
Cecil Vasquez - 3 for 4 with 1 double.
Vassurl Bess - 3 for 4.
Gary Reed - 3 for 4.
December 21st - The sky was overcast and it seemed like it would rain at any minute when the games began this morning. After about 45 minutes, the sun was brightly shining above the softball diamond.
Three teams fought a battle on Fred White Field while two teams competed on Field "E".
The final score on Fred
White Field was 12-8-11. The winning pitcher was Don Bercaw. Dick Sessink was the pitcher for the team that scored eight and allowed 11 runs & Eddie Diaz hurled for the team that scored 11 and gave up 12 runs.
The third team took an early lead and appeared to be the most dominate after they scored five runs in the first inning while recording only one out. Gary Reed, who went 4 for 4 on the day, lead off the inning with a single, then Elvis Abney and Chuck Duff doubled. Ed Gazerek and Lloyd Hopper followed with singles before the first out was made on an infield fly rule pop up to the pitcher. Afterwards, pitcher Eddie Diaz singled and an RBI single by Sam Harrell completed the inning.
Frank Miller helped his team with a three run inside-the-park homer that split the rightfielder and right centerfielder. The line drive gapper rolled almost to the fence.
Team Three came through with three more runs in the fourth inning. Reg Barnes, who went a perfect 3 for 3 in the game, singled and scored on a Gary Reed single. Elvis Abney connected for a double to drive in the final run of the frame.
The third team had a 6-4-10 lead after four innings of play, but the fifth frame belonged to the first team. Five runs crossed the plate. Richard Moots got the first hit after the leadoff batter in the inning made an out. Two walks followed as Bill Spring and Randy Lane were patient at the plate. Frank Miller then singled and back-to-back doubles by Don Bercaw and Ed Lupiani finished the scoring for the team. At the end of five innings of play, the lead changed hands to Team One as the score was 11-5-10.
An insurance run touched home in the sixth for Team One on a Bill Ravo sacrifice fly ball, scoring Ed Kline, who had reached base on an infield error.
Team Three scored once in the final frame and had the tying run on third base when the final out was made.
Although Team Two was never in the mix for the win, the third and fourth batters had good offensive days at the plate. Both Jim Laffoon and Freddy Gonzalez went 3 for 4 each with one double apiece.
| Bercaw | 1 0 5 | 0 5 1 | 0 = 12 | ||||||||
| Sessink | 1 0 0 | 3 1 1 | 2 = 8 | ||||||||
| Diaz | 5 0 2 | 3 0 0 | 1 = 11 |
The visiting team had no mercy on the home team on Field E. The final score was 26-6 as Rich Palmer picked up the win against fellow pitcher Bob Swartz. The visitors got five runs in the first on seven
singles. Jaime Rivera, Vassurl Bess, Ron Thompson, Russ King, Cecil Vasquez, Bob Lewis, and Gene Morey all got hits in the first frame.
When the visitors scored four more runs in the third, that sealed the victory since the score after three innings of play was 11-2. Russ King hit an inside-the-park homer in that inning after Ron Thompson walked and Elmer Black doubled.
Elmer Black and Russ King led the visiting team in runs scored. Each player scored four runs in five plate appearances. Every player scored at least one run with the excepton of Gene Morey, who went a respectable 3 for 5 in the game.
The only bright spot for the home team was a solo homer that lead off the home seventh. Floyd Welton, who went 3 for 4 on the day, hit that gapper shot. Hank Gomez led the losing team with his 3 for 3 performance but he was stranded at first after every single.
| Palmer | 5 2 4 | 5 0 2 | 3 5 0 = 26 | ||||||||
| Swartz | 2 0 0 | 1 0 1 | 1 0 1 = 6 |
LEADING HITTERS:
Russ King - 5 for 5 with 1 homer & 2 doubles.
Gary Reed - 4 for 4.
Reg Barnes - 3 for 3.
Hank Gomez - 3 for 3.
Elmer Black - 4 for 5 with 1 double.
Vassurl Bess - 4 for 5.
Floyd Welton - 3 for 4 with 1 homer.
Ed Gazerek - 3 for 4 with 1 triple.
Freddy Gonzalez - 3 for 4 with 1 double.
Jim Laffoon - 3 for 4 with 1 double.
Cecil Vasquez - 3 for 4 with 1 sacrifice fly.
Ron Augenstein - 3 for 4.
There will be no games on Tuesday, December 25th as well as Tuesday, January 1st, 2008. The next play date in Winter Haven is on Friday, December 28th. Everyone from the Winter Haven Senior Softball Club who isn't a member in Lakeland Senior Softball is invited to play in Lakeland either on Monday, December 24th or on Monday, December 31st. As is the rule in Winter Haven, there is one free play date in Lakeland but a release form must be signed before the player is allowed on the field.
Happy holidays to everyone.
December 25th - As we all are aware, there were no games today. May everyone be blessed with health and happiness this holiday season and all throughout the coming new year.
December 28th - With the Christmas holiday over, 53 players showed up for the games. The three team contest took place on Fred White Field. Rich Palmer pitched for the winning team in the 15-9-3 game. While on defense, that team allowed three runs to score. Don Bercaw threw for the team that scored three and allowed nine and Elmer Wilcox hurled for the team that scored nine and surrendered 15 runs.
Freddy Gonzalez got into the groove in his last two at bats. Both were gapper hits for inside-the-park homers. Freddy drove in five runs of the 15 total runs for his team with those two swings of the bat.
Sam Harrell connected for a two run homer down the leftfield line. The line drive past third base slipped by the leftfielder and rolled all the way to the 300 foot fence.
It is worthy to mention that Rich Palmer struck out the side in the fifth inning today. After Rick DeYoung singled, Rich struck out the next three batters. All six balls that were swung at were pulled foul of the third base line.
| Bercaw | 0 1 0 | 2 0 0 | 0 = 3 | ||||||||
| Wilcox | 0 2 2 | 0 5 0 | 0 = 9 | ||||||||
| Palmer | 0 5 2 | 0 4 4 | X = 15 |
Jerry Witter prevailed against fellow pitcher Eddie Diaz on Field D. The final score was 22-14.
Chuck Duff hit for the cycle today in six trips to the plate in the losing effort.
The two middle innings were the big frames for the home team. Frank Miller, Ron Carrothers, Jim Laffoon, & Al Andrews each went 2 for 2 and scored two runs and Doug Chamlee went 2 for 2 and scored once.
Every player except one scored at least one run for the winning team. Oddly enough, the only player who didn't step on home plate was Jerry Witter, who stroked out a 5 for 5 game this morning.
| Diaz | 1 0 4 | 4 0 2 | 1 1 1 = 14 | ||||||||
| Witter | 4 2 0 | 5 5 3 | 3 0 X = 22 |
LEADING HITTERS:
Jerry Witter - 5 for 5.
Carl Luebking - 4 for 4.
Jaime Rivera - 3 for 3.
Chuck Duff - 5 for 6 and hit for cycle with 2 doubles.
Tim Gallagher - 4 for 5 with 3 doubles & 1 walk.
Frank Miller - 4 for 5 with 1 triple & 1 walk.
Doug Chamlee - 4 for 5 with 2 doubles.
Wayne Mundy - 3 for 4.
Elmer Wilcox - 3 for 4.
Ken Doxtater returned from Wyoming, Michigan and Rick DeYoung returned from his summer journey throughout parts of the United States. Elmer Wilcox returned from Beals, Maine to pitch today. Welcome back Ken, Rick, & Elmer.
No games are scheduled on New Years Day, which is this coming Tuesday.
The Lakeland Senior Softball Club has extended an open invitation for morning softball games on New Years Eve. As is the rule in Winter Haven, one free game is allowed for non members of Lakeland Senior Softball. If you aren't a member and didn't play for free on Christmas eve, you are welcome to play on Monday, December 31st.
The Lakeland Senior Softball fields are located at the Southwest Complex.
The 2008 Winter Haven Senior Softball Club season begins on Tuesday, January 8th and the last game is scheduled to be played on Friday, March 28th. If a playoff game is needed to determine the champion, that game will be played on Tuesday, April 1st. There are eight teams so there are no bye game days for any team. The complete schedule allows each team to play 24 games.
December 31st - Happy New Year to everyone associated with our softball program and also Happy New Year to their family and loved ones. I hope the upcoming year is kind to all of us and we are happy and healthy all year long.
