January 1st, 2010 - The off season for 2009 has come to an end. A total of 147 different players participated in at least one game during the off season.
Of the 147 total players, 27 played only one game. Some were injured during their first game, some tried out and found it wasn't their passion, some from the Lakeland Senior Softball program used their free play date, a few played before the 2009 season and during the season but will not return in 2010, and one player visiting from Massachusetts took part in one of the games.
Players from twenty states were represented during the Winter Haven Senior Softball Club 2009 off season.
The 2009 off season comprised 70 games so the 2008 record of GAMES PLAYED set by Jack Valliere still remains intact. He took part in all 76 off season games last year.
| GAMES | |
| 67* | Joe DeForge |
| 67 | Larry Wells |
| 66 | Sam Harrell |
| 66 | Rich Moots |
| 62 | Pat Accetta |
| 61 | Vassurl Bess |
| 61 | Freddy Gonzalez |
| 60 | Fred Dampier |
| AB | |
| 296* | Larry Wells |
| 284 | Sam Harrell |
| 277 | Freddy Gonzalez |
| 277 | Pat Accetta |
| 276 | Vassurl Bess |
| 268 | Rich Moots |
| RUNS | |
| 166* | Freddy Gonzalez |
| 148 | Fred Dampier |
| 129 | Vassurl Bess |
| 118 | Ron Thompson |
| 114 | Jim Laffoon |
| 114 | Bob Zelazny |
| HITS | |
| 174* | Freddy Gonzalez |
| 170 | Fred Dampier |
| 156 | Bob Zelazny |
| 149 | Larry Wells |
| 145 | Vassurl Bess |
| 2B | |
| 93* | Freddy Gonzalez |
| 60 | Fred Dampier |
| 34 | Brent Alumbaugh |
| 30 | Bob Zelazny |
| 27 | Don Witmer |
| 27 | Doug Chamlee |
| 27 | Ron Thompson |
| 27 | Larry Wells |
| 3B | |
| 16* | Brent Alumbaugh |
| 15 | Jim Laffoon |
| 13 | Bob Zelazny |
| 12 | Fred Dampier |
| 9 | Roger Edwards |
| 9 | Sam Lopez |
| HR | |
| 26* | Fred Dampier |
| 14 | Bob Zelazny |
| 11 | Wally Granger |
| 11 | Freddy Gonzalez |
| 10 | Denny Shaffer |
| 9 | Doug McLellan |
| 9 | Jim Laffoon |
| 9 | Eddie Diaz |
| AVG * | GAMES | |
| .757* | Jim Laffoon | 41 |
| .672 | Fred Dampier | 60 |
| .655 | Bob Zelazny | 51 |
| .638 | Doug Chamlee | 40 |
| .631 | Ron Thompson | 49 |
| .628 | Freddy Gonzalez | 61 |
| .582 | Eddie Diaz | 44 |
| .556 | Rusty Landahl | 46 |
| .533 | Dick Sessink | 48 |
| .530 | Carl Luebking | 42 |
| .525 | Vassurl Bess | 61 |
* - Eclipsed the record of .730 set in 2008 by Jim Laffoon.
| TB | |
| 332* | Fred Dampier |
| 316 | Freddy Gonzalez |
| 254 | Bob Zelazny |
| 225 | Jim Laffoon |
| 188 | Larry Wells |
| OBP * | |
| .756* | Jim Laffoon |
| .676 | Fred Dampier |
| .667 | Ron Thompson |
| .651 | Bob Zelazny |
| .637 | Doug Chamlee |
* - Eclipsed the record of .733 set in 2008 by Jim Laffoon.
| SLG * | |
| 1.312* | Fred Dampier |
| 1.190 | Jim Laffoon |
| 1.141 | Freddy Gonzalez |
| 1.067 | Bob Zelazny |
| .887 | Ron Thompson |
* - Eclipsed the record of 1.214 set in 2008 by Freddy Gonzalez.
| OPS * | |
| 1.989* | Fred Dampier |
| 1.947 | Jim Laffoon |
| 1.758 | Freddy Gonzalez |
| 1.719 | Bob Zelazny |
| 1.553 | Ron Thompson |
* - Eclipsed the record of 1.857 set in 2008 by Freddy Gonzalez.
| BB | |
| 45* | Joe DeForge |
| 27 | Lee Baker |
| 25 | Reg Barnes |
| 24 | Ron Thompson |
| 18 | Fred Dampier |
| SF | |
| 7* | Fred Dampier |
| 6 | Chuck Duff |
| 6 | Freddy Gonzalez |
| 5 | Doug McLellan |
| 4 | Walt Leggett |
| 3 | Joe D'Herin |
| 3 | Denny Shaffer |
| 3 | Roger Edwards |
| 3 | Rusty Landahl |
| WINS | |
| 26* | Dick Sessink |
| 18 | George Radlein |
| 17 | Eddie Diaz |
| 16 | Walt Leggett |
| 8 | Jerry Witter |
Listed are the batting leaders for players who participated in less than one half of the games during the off season with at least 10 games played.
Some of the part time players are still included in the leader board statistics for the entire off season.
For instance, Brent Alumbaugh lead everyone with 16 triples while playing in 34 of the 70 games.
| AVG | GAMES | |
| .806 | Chuck Duff | 28 |
| .800 | Joe D'Herin | 11 |
| .694 | Russ King | 23 |
| .678 | Doug McLellan | 19 |
| .673 | Frank Miller | 24 |
| .660 | Don Scarbrough | 20 |
| .647 | Floyd Welton | 11 |
| .641 | Al Andrews | 25 |
| .637 | Wally Granger | 26 |
| .629 | Brent Alumbaugh | 34 |
| .628 | Don Witmer | 29 |
| .615 | Roger Edwards | 26 |
Note: The statistics published here are only as accurate as the score sheets compiled during the games.
January 1st - The new year began with dreary playing conditions. Fred White Field was unplayable so the game was moved to Field B. The infield dirt stuck to the shoes and there were some puddles forming in leftfield. It rained throughout most of the game but not enough to call the game.
H A P P Y N E W Y E A R !
FIELD B
| Sessink | 4 2 2 | 0 0 1 | 0 = 9 | ||||||||
| Witter | 4 5 0 | 3 0 1 | 0 = 13 | ||||||||
| Bercaw | 5 0 1 | 0 4 1 | 2 = 13 |
Team One jumped out with four runs. After the leadoff batter lined out to third baseman Dan Davis, five straight base hits came from the bats of Mike Stepp, Ron Thompson, Roger Edwards, Dick Sessink, and Sam Harrell. The first frame would turn out to be the most offensive inning for Team One.
The second squad fared equally as well. Ed Kline, Denny Shaffer, and Chris Constantine all banged out singles before Bob Zelazny connected for a two bagger. A base hit by Jerry Witter drove Bob home. Jerry ended the day with four singles in four at bats. He has been placing the ball to unguarded territory well the past few games.
The home team had their best inning in the opening frame, too. Dean Schapeler and Danny Parker singled before a double by Fred Dampier drove both runners home. Don Bercaw followed with a base hit to move Fred to third. The second out was made when shortstop Chris Constantine caught a pop out. Base knocks by Floyd Welton and John Smith continued the rally. The fifth run scored when Richard Marino got aboard on a fielding error from a ground ball.
The score was 4-4-5 at the end of the first
inning and none of the three teams seemed to have the advantage.
Misplayed balls accounted for two runs in the top of the second inning. The only hit came from the bat of Les Wolff. Six batters stepped to the plate in the twelve man lineup.
Team Two continued their offense in the second as five runs crossed the plate. The first two batters got aboard on errors before Ed Kline and Denny Shaffer each singled. The two hits drove in the only earned run. After the next batter struck out, Bob Zelazny shot his second double of the game to the gap in right centerfield for two runs. Jerry Witter drove in the fourth run and a single by Eddie Diaz put the icing on the cake with a base rap. Four unearned runs found their way home. Eddie Diaz played his first game since he underwent heart surgery to remove a pacemaker and replace it with a defibrillator. Welcome back Eddie.
Besides the free passes to Lee Baker and Carl Luebking, the bottom of the second was nothing to write home about.
The first team pushed two runs home in the third. Incidentally, they would score only one more run before the game was finished.
The leadoff batter reached base on a booted ball in the infield to begin the frame. Roger Edwards and Dick Sessink singled, scoring one run but Dick was doubled off second when Sam Harrell lined out hard to shortstop Danny Parker. He caught the hot potato and alertly fired it to rover Carl Luebking to get the runner out before he was able to return safely to second. An RBI single by Larry Wells was the last hit of the inning.
Team Two crept out a little further from the crowd when they put up a three spot in the middle of the fourth. Once more, the top of the lineup did the job. The first four batters ended up scoring 11 of the 13 total runs for the team. Ed Kline scored four times to lead the pack. Denny Shaffer went 3 for 3 and scored three times. Chris Constantine and cleanup hitter Bob Zelazny each had two runs.
The third team moved within two of a tie when they exploded for four in the fifth frame. Don Bercaw blasted a three run, inside-the-park home run to leftfield. Art Zakrowski singled after that but he was erased from the base paths when the next batter grounded into a fielder's choice.
Team Three needed two runs to tie for the outright lead and three to win in the bottom of the seventh frame. After the first batter lined out with a bullet to shortstop Chris Constantine, Fred Dampier doubled up the middle and scored on a Don Bercaw single. Art Zakrowski contributed with a base hit but he didn't make it to second base as the next batter grounded into a fielder's choice. An "excuse me" single by Richard Marino tied the score.
LEADING HITTERS:
Don Bercaw - 4 for 4 with 1 homer.
Jerry Witter - 4 for 4.
Denny Shaffer - 3 for 3 with 1 walk.
Bob Zelazny - 3 for 4 with 2 doubles.
Ed Kline - 3 for 4.
Richard Marino - 3 for 4.
Mike Stepp - 3 for 4.
Art Zakrowski - 3 for 4.
The only inside-the-park home run was hit by Don Bercaw.
January 3rd - The Winter Haven Senior Softball Club 2010 season will kick off on Friday, January 8th. It is our wish the games will be fun, with some competitiveness thrown in for good measure, and injury free for everyone.
Each year, new ball players join our softball program and some old familiar faces hang up the spikes. The following is a list of first year players:
| Clair Auchey | Athletics | |
| Jack Benson | American League Pool | |
| Greg Bombard | American League Pool | |
| Bob Cooper | Royals | |
| Dan Davis | American League Pool | |
| Lou DeCarlo | American League Pool | |
| Denny Duryea | Cardinals | |
| Neil Gelpi | Athletics | |
| Ari Harris | Athletics | |
| Stevan Hill | Tigers | |
| Don Kemp | Athletics | |
| Milo Macko | Royals | |
| Richard Marino | Royals | |
| Marty Martinez | National League Pool | |
| Bill Miller | Mets | |
| Ray Mills | Astros | |
| Skip Morrison | Astros | |
| Larry Nelson | American League Pool | |
| Bert Snyder | Mets | |
| Bob Uhlig | Athletics | |
| Mike Wheeler | Red Sox | |
| Dan Whisler | Tigers |
Good luck, rookies. Hope you enjoy the season.
Priorities seem to change as we add another year to our belt and our bodies recover a bit more slowly than expected. Some players are not coming back this season and a few have played with the Winter Haven Senior Softball Club for several years.
The year the former member joined the organization is listed after the respective name.
Note: Records for the four years of 1993 through 1996 are not available.
Players not returning:
| Pierre Boissonneault | 2009 | |
| Bill Charles | 2009 | |
| Bob DiPietro | 2008 | |
| Ken Doxtater | 2001 | |
| Ed Gazarek | 2004 | |
| Jim Gillies | 2008 | |
| Jack Hartery | 2009 | |
| Bill Hepworth | 2005 | |
| Randy Hill | 2009 | |
| Brad Hitt | 2009 | |
| Dennis Holder | 2009 | |
| Cal Leigh | 2000 | |
| Hugh Lessard | 2005 | |
| Bob Lewis | Pre 1997 | |
| Bill McDonough | Pre 1997 | |
| Mitch Mitchell | 2009 | |
| Jim Reid | 2009 | |
| Jerry Remington | 2005 | |
| Bill Rutan | 2006 | |
| Otto Smith | 2001 | |
| Jeff Strode | 2009 | |
| Erv Szewczuga | Pre 1992 | |
| Lee Tomlinson | 1998 | |
| Bill Triolo | 2009 |
Good luck in your future endeavors, retirees.
January 5th - Today was the most frigid day of the week as the high is supposed to reach only 51° F later this afternoon. There was a wind of about 20 MPH which made it feel like it was in the 30s. Most every player was wrapped up in 3-4 long sleeve shirts, jackets, and sweaters. It felt more like football playing weather than anything else.
| Leggett | 4 3 3 | 5 0 5 | 0 = 20 | ||||||||
| Powell | 5 5 5 | 4 3 1 | 5 = 28 | ||||||||
| Harrell | 2 0 2 | 2 0 0 | 0 = 6 |
The season begins on the next playing date. There are four National League teams and four American League teams. Players born in 1942 and earlier are in the National League and the American League is comprised of players born in 1943 and later. Everyone was suppose to play with their respective teams for one spring training game. But the weather changed that plan.
The three team game on Fred White Field
was made up of players from both leagues. Two of the three squads did well offensively but the third team just could not seem to get started.
Team One scored in every inning except two in the seven inning affair. Leadoff batter Ron Augenstein scored in each of the first four frames. Don Erb got on base every time he batted. He hasn't refined his power stroke yet, however. Don had four singles and two RBIs during the contest.
John Merritt brought up the rear with a 4 for 5 performance. He crossed the plate four times, the same as team mate Ron Augenstein.
The middle team scored the maximum runs in the first three innings and went on to rack up 28 runs in seven innings. They never had a dry frame. The numbers three and four punch of the lineup were hot. Brent Alumbaugh hit for the cycle while going 5 for 6. Number four hitter Don Keller homered and doubled. He drew two free passes. Gale Doty did his job at the plate near the bottom of the score sheet. He crushed a ball and made it to third with a standup triple. Gale was perfect at the plate as he went 4 for 4.
The home team had their troubles throughout the game. Opposing pitcher Larry Powell posted three strikeouts against the lineup. Two of the Ks was back-to-back to begin the bottom of the fifth frame. On the flip side of the coin, Larry walked eight batters in the very windy conditions.
Art Zakrowski scored two of the six runs for his team. He doubled his first two at bats. Larry Powell had enough of that and walked him in the fourth inning.
LEADING HITTERS:
Gale Doty - 4 for 4 with 1 triple & 1 walk.
Brent Alumbaugh - 5 for 6 and hit for the cycle.
Don Erb - 4 for 5.
John Merritt - 4 for 5.
Don Keller - 3 for 4 with 1 homer, 1 double, & 2 walks.
Walt Leggett - 3 for 4 with 1 walk.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
| Cardinals | 4 2 5 | 0 0 2 | 0 0 0 = 13 | ||||||||
| Astros | 3 1 3 | 4 4 5 | 0 4 X = 24 |
With the exception of two players in the Astros lineup, every player scored at least one run. Actually, John Smith scored once, thanks to his triple to deep rightfield, and others scored at least twice.
Ron Thompson finished with two inside-the-park homers, both to rightfield. He batted 1.000 for the day in five trips to the plate. Besides his two dingers, Ron also doubled and walked. The first five hitters in the batting order made only four outs the entire game. Frank Miller was the first hitter and hit he did. He connected for two triples en route to a 5 for 6 day. Frank had a double in the fifth frame for his other extra base hit.
Mike Stepp, one of the rookies in the National League, went 4 for 6 with a double batting behind Bill. The cleanup hitter is another
rookie in the senior circuit. Ed Guspyt went 5 for 6 with a triple and double to his credit. Ed bats left handed, like three of the first four batters, so the rightfielder was busy this morning.
Pitcher Elmer Wilcox hit behind Ed. He was perfect this morning in five at bats. Elmer smashed two doubles and drove in a run with a sacrifice fly ball.
The Cardinals started off well as they lead through three innings but they fizzled out after the opening third of the game. They weren't without excellent hitters, though. Coach Ed Kline inserted himself into the third slot in the batting order and finished with a 4 for 5 performance. Bill Miller assumed the clean up spot. He had five singles in five trips to the plate.
The job of the first batter is to get on base any way he can and Fred Ducham accomplished that feat. He reached base four of five times as he collected two singles and drew two walks.
The five runs in the third was the Cardinals biggest rally. The bottom of the lineup came through in a big way. Rich Moots began by reaching base on an infield error. Les Wolff advanced Rich to second with a single. A hit by Denny Duryea knocked in the first run. Consecutive walks to Joltin' Joe DeForge and Fred Ducham accounted for the second run. Three straight singles drove in the final three. Ted Taylor, Ed Kline, and Bill Miller all connected for base hits. Four of the five runs were scored by the last four batters. Way to go, guys.
LEADING HITTERS:
Ron Thompson - 5 for 5 with 2 homers, 1 double, & 1 walk.
Elmer Wilcox - 5 for 5 with 2 doubles & 1 sacrifice fly.
Bill Miller - 5 for 5.
Frank Miller - 5 for 6 with 2 triples & 1 double.
Ed Guspyt - 5 for 6 with 1 triple & 1 double.
Ed Kline - 4 for 5.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
| Athletics | 4 0 4 | 0 4 4 | 4 2 0 = 22 | ||||||||
| Royals | 3 0 1 | 2 0 1 | 8 0 0 = 15 |
The Athletics took care of business against the Royals. It was a moral victory of sorts for the Royals, though. They held the opposition to four runs five different times. The maximum runs a team can score in every inning except the last, which is unlimited, is five runs. The Athletics just couldn't push that last run across the plate.
The Athletics did very well offensively as a team. With the help of some defensive blunders, they ran up 22 runs. Neil Gelpi, one of the swift footed outfielders, legged out a triple
as he went 3 for 4. He also coaxed two walks on this windy day.
National League player Elmer Black held his own with the youngsters this morning. He can still pick them up and put them down on the base paths. He hit a hot grounder down the left field line past defending third baseman Pat Accetta. By the time leftfielder Denny Shaffer was able to retrieve the ball and relay it in, Elmer had made it all the way to third with a stand up triple.
Pool player Dean Schapeler was given the duty of clean up hitter for the Athletics. He responded by going 4 for 5 with 3 RBIs. He tripled along the way and also drove in one of the runs with a sacrifice fly ball to right centerfield.
The Royals played ketchup ball all day long. Their biggest inning occurred in the seventh frame. By that time in the game, the squad was down by 15 runs. The score heading into the home seventh was 20-7. Greg Bombard and Pat Accetta started off with singles before Fred Dampier drew his second of three walks for the day to load the bases. Carl Luebking batted next and singled in two runs. Jim Laffoon doubled in two more. Denny Shaffer drew a free pass to set up a force at any base, but Bob Zelazny would have none of that. He singled in two runs. Jerry Witter also reached base and scored. Pool player Bernie Mohan walked but was forced at second when the inning ended with a double play.
Every Royals player batted in the inning.
LEADING HITTERS:
Dean Schapeler - 4 for 5 with 1 triple & 1 sacrifice fly.
Neil Gelpi - 3 for 4 with 1 triple & 1 walk.
Two inside-the-park homers this morning were hit by Ron Thompson. Brent Alumbaugh and Don Keller each hit one homer.
With the season set to begin on Friday, quite a few players made it back to the old ball field. Returning are Bill Ayer from Windham, Connecticut; Jack Benson from Franklin, New Hampshire; Ray DePalma from Rochester, New York; Don Erb from Boyertown, Pennsylvania; Bill Miller from Morgan, Texas; and John Stewart from Belleville, Ontario, Canada. Welcome back Bill, Jack, Ray, Don, Bill, and John.
One new player gave the Winter Haven Senior Softball Club a try. Tom DiLaura played with the Royals on Field E. Please return and consider joining our program, Tom.
January 8th - The 2010 Winter Haven Senior Softball Club season kicked off this morning with games on four different fields. The weather held out although it was on the cool side at game time. The lack of gusty winds helped and the sun worked on warming the old bodies of all the ball players.
The Mets and the Rockies both got off on the right foot with wins in the National League. The Mets, scoring twice as much as their competition, proved too potent for the Astros. The five run inning in the fifth put the nail in the coffin half way through the contest. Joel Freedman, Bill Miller, and manager Don LaMay all singled and scored in the inning. The last two three runs came from an inside-the-park homer by Bernie Peterson. Incidentally, Bernie lead the National League in homers last season with 13 taters so he still appears to have that smooth stroke again this season.
The Rockies won the slugfest on Field E. They caged the Cardinals by a score of 27-20. Lead off hitter Floyd Welton couldn't be stopped. He went 6 for 6 with an inside-the-park homer and two doubles. Gene Morey also shined for the victors as he had five base hits in five trips to the plate.
The Cardinals had a powerful lead off hitter of their own. Jerry Noble, moving up to the National League this season, blasted two inside-the-park homers and finished with four hits.
In American League play, the Red Sox blew out their opposition and the Tigers managed a come-from-behind win. Although the Athletics played a near perfect defense, the Red Sox won with their mighty bats. A total of 15 extra base hits were spread throughout the outfield as they had 10 doubles, two triples, and three homers. Don Erb hit for the cycle in five at bats. He scored four times and drove home eight runs.
Early in the Royals game against the Tigers on Field D, Royals lead off batter Carl Luebking absolutely crushed the ball on two separate occasions. He lead off the home first with a deep triple over the head of denfending left centerfielder Stevan Hill. Carl hit it even farther the next time he batted. The outfield was playing him deeper but apparently not deep enough for his forceful swing. By the time the ball was relayed into the infield, Carl was standing on third for his second three bagger of the day.
Jerry Witter, pitching for the Royals, threw an excellent game for the first five innings. He shutout the Tigers on one hit through that time in the game. The score after five innings of play was 10-0 in favor of the Royals. Then the tides turned. The Tigers scored 14 runs in the last four innings to win 14-11. They pushed eight runs home in the last inning for the win. Don Keller doubled twice and scored both times in the final frame. Pool player Roger Edwards also banged out two doubles in the ninth.
| Mets | 18 | Astros | 9 | Rockies | 27 | Cardinals | 20 |
| Red Sox | 32 | Athletics | 12 | |
| Tigers | 14 | Royals | 11 |
LEADING HITTERS:
Mets
Bill Miller - 5 for 5 with 1 double.
Gale Doty - 3 for 4.
Joel Freedman - 3 for 4.
Ed Schmiedeke - 3 for 4.
Astros
Elmer Wilcox - 3 for 4.
Rockies
Floyd Welton - 5 for 5 with 3 doubles.
Gene Morey - 5 for 5.
Dave Podbielski - 4 for 5.
Cardinals
Jerry Noble - 4 for 5 with 2 homers.
Bill McEllister - 3 for 4 with 1 sacrifice fly.
Red Sox
Don Erb - 5 for 5 and hit for the cycle.
Joe D'Herin - 5 for 5 with 3 doubles.
Mike Tomasso - 5 for 5 with 1 double.
Al Andrews - 3 for 3 with 1 homer, 2 doubles, & 2 walks.
Larry Wells - 3 for 4 with 2 doubles & 1 walk.
Ken Ota - 3 for 4 with 1 triple & 1 double.
Mike Urell - 3 for 4 with 1 triple.
Chuck Duff - 3 for 4 with 1 double & 1 walk.
Athletics
Clair Auchey - 4 for 5 with 1 double.
Royals
Carl Luebking - 4 for 5 with 2 triples.
Frank Acevedo - 3 for 4 with 1 double.
Denny Shaffer - 3 for 4.
Jerry Witter - 3 for 4.
National League homers: Bernie Peterson (Mets); Floyd Welton (Rockies); Jerry Noble - 2 homers, Elmer Black, Ted Taylor (Cardinals).
American League homers: Al Andrews, Don Erb, Don Bercaw (Red Sox); Chris Constantine - 2 homers (Athletics); Larry Powell (Tigers); Fred Dampier (Royals).
Some roster moves were made this morning. National League changes began when Jerry Noble replaced Denny Duryea on the Cardinals team. Denny moved to the Rockies, taking the spot for Ron Cerotzke, who moved to the National League pool.
The only American League change occurred when Bob Christiansen was removed from the Tigers roster and moved into the pool. Jack Benson took the place of Bob on the team.
Returning players are: Bill Cook from Crestwood, Kentucky; Bill Evans from Windsor, Ontario, Canada; Bill McEllister from London, Ontario, Canada; Bernie Peterson from Rochester, Minnesota; Bob Sciamanna From Grand Rapids, Michigan; and Ken Wilson from Dundas, Ontario, Canada.
Welcome back Bill, Bill, Bill (No, I ain't stuttering), Bernie, Bob, and Ken.
January 12th - The Mets quickly established themselves as the team to beat in the National League. They are the only unbeaten team in the senior league after only two games.
It wasn't a runaway by any means as the 0-2 Cardinals gave them a run for their money. In fact, the Cardinals took the lead from the opening frame and held it until the Mets pushed five runs across in the fifth frame.
Ron Carrothers lead the way for the Cardinals. He had three hits in the five innings where his team held the lead. He had a single, double, and triple in his first three at bats and scored two runs.
The second half of the game belonged to the Mets. Bernie Peterson and John Stewart each singled and doubled in their last two trips to the plate and Ray DePalma had two base hits.
The Cardinals scored three in the eighth inning to come within one run of a tie. Bill McEllister began with a single and was driven home when coach Ed Kline hit
an opposite field triple, which was his second of the young season. A Rusty Landahl single scored Coach Ed. Rusty strolled to second base when Ron Carrothers drew a free pass. A timely base hit by Bart Gongaware knocked the third and final run of the frame.
Mets pitcher Dick Sessink shut the opposing team down 1-2-3 in the final inning for a 19-18 victory.
The Astros pulled out a one run win in other National League action but they didn't start out with the lead, either. The pesky Rockies began huge. Through five innings of play, they had put 18 runs on the score board. Ron Augenstein and Bill Evans each scored runs in their first three plate appearances. Bill banged a two run homer in the second frame and a double in the fourth. Team mate Bill Ayer had a perfect 4 for 4 game heading into his last at bat in the ninth frame. He ended the day going 4 for 5. Walt Leggett returned from his injury and went 5 for 5. Some thought he would be out of commission for awhile but he is a tough cookie to break.
The cream rose to the top as the Astros came back from a seven run deficit to win the game. In the sixth, they were down 19-12. By the time the inning was over, seven runs had crossed the plate and the game was tied. Lee Baker, who was perfect at the plate with a 4 for 4 performance, began with a single followed by a base hit from the bat of Terry Feehan. When the next two hitters came up, one struck out and the other reached base on an error. With one out in the books, Frank Miller singled
home a run and then Ron Thompson pulled the ball down the rightfield line for a three run homer. In the next inning, Ron would duplicate that swing for a two run tater. Mike Stepp tripled after the home run and trotted home when Ed Guspyt had a base rap. Hits by Elmer Wilcox and Marshall Bloom tied the score.
In the American League, there is one team with an unblemished record. The Red Sox have gotten off to a great start. They have racked up 59 runs in two games while allowing less than half of that, 29 runs, to score against them. They tamed the Tigers this morning on Fred White Field by a score of 27-17.
For the second straight game, the Red Sox scored the maximum five runs through the first three innings. They did it today with only three outs being recorded in the three frames. In those innings and with the exception of Mike Wheeler, who went 3 for 4 today, every player scored at least one run. Don Bercaw, Chuck Duff, and Don Erb scored twice apiece.
Once again, extra base hits were abounding for the Red Sox. Nine doubles were hit, one triple, and four homers. Don Erb ended up hitting for the cycle. It is difficult to hit for the cycle and probably the hardest offensive statistic but Don has done it with regularity. He has hit for the cycle in the first two games of the season. Way to go Don. Don Bercaw did well, too. He ended the game with two of the four home runs hit by the team.
The Tigers did their best to stay in the game and tied the score at 15-15 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning. They were down 15-9 but there was no quit in the team. Rookies Stevan Hill, Jack Benson, and Dan Whisler started the fifth with consecutive singles before the first out was made, which was a play at home to get Steven out. The last batter in the lineup reached on an infield error and lead off hitter Vassurl Bess walked to load the bases for Ron Butler. He singled home two runs and pool player Tim Gallagher had an RBI base hit. A double by Sam Lopez tied the score.
After the fifth, the Tigers took a break and scored only two runs the remainder of the game. Much credit has to be given to Don Bercaw, the pitcher for the Red Sox. He kept the bats in check after the eruption in the fifth inning.
The Royals picked up their first win by defeating the Athletics by a score of 31-9. The Royals scored 13 runs in the ninth inning to put an exclamation point on the game. The entire lineup scored once and Don Scarbrough and Denny Shaffer each touched home two times. A three run home by Denny accounted for his second hit of the inning.
Royals pitcher Jerry Witter did a fine job at shutting down the Athletics. They scored no runs in four different frames and could not amass more than two runs in any inning.
First year players Neil Gelpi and Greg Bombard each batted 1.000 in the losing effort. Neil scored three times as he went 4 for 4 with a triple and a double.
| Astros | 27 | Rockies | 24 | Mets | 19 | Cardinals | 18 |
| Red Sox | 27 | Tigers | 17 | |
| Royals | 31 | Athletics | 9 |
LEADING HITTERS:
Astros
Ed Guspyt - 5 for 5 with 2 doubles.
Frank Miller - 5 for 5 with 2 doubles.
Marshall Bloom - 5 for 5.
Lee Baker - 4 for 4 with 1 walk.
Elmer Wilcox - 5 for 5 with 1 double.
Rockies
Walt Leggett - 5 for 5.
Bill Evans - 4 for 4 with 1 homer, 1 double, & 1 walk.
Floyd Welton - 4 for 5 with 1 triple.
Sam Harrell - 4 for 5 with 2 doubles.
Bill Ayer - 4 for 5.
Ron Augenstein - 3 for 4 with 1 walk.
Mets
Bernie Peterson - 4 for 5 with 2 doubles.
Bill Miller - 4 for 5 with 1 double.
Ray DePalma - 4 for 5.
Cardinals
Ron Carrothers - 4 for 4 with 1 triple, 1 double, & 1 walk.
Fred Ducham - 4 for 5.
Bart Gongaware - 4 for 5.
Rich Moots - 4 for 5.
Red Sox
Joe D'Herin - 5 for 5 with 4 doubles.
Don Bercaw - 3 for 3 with 2 homers & 1 walk.
Larry Wells - 3 for 3 with 1 double & 1 walk.
Don Erb - 4 for 5 and hit for the cycle.
Chuck Duff - 4 for 5 with 1 homer.
Mike Wheeler - 3 for 4.
Tigers
Stevan Hill - 4 for 5 with 1 triple.
Sam Lopez - 4 for 5 with 1 double.
Royals
Denny Shaffer - 5 for 5 with 1 homer.
Carl Luebking - 5 for 6 with 1 triple & 1 double.
Fred Dampier - 4 for 5 with 1 double & 1 walk.
Athletics
Neil Gelpi - 4 for 4 with 1 triple & 1 double.
Greg Bombard - 3 for 3 with 1 sacrifice fly.
Chris Constantine - 4 for 5 with 2 triples & 1 double.
National League homers: Ron Thompson - 2 homers & Mike Stepp (Astros); Bill Evans (Rockies).
American League homers: Don Bercaw - 2 homers, Chuck Duff, & Don Erb (Red Sox); Denny Shaffer & Bob Zelazny (Royals).
John Abramo returned from Friendsville, Pennsylvania and Doug Graham arrived from Lima,Ohio. Doug took the 2009 season off and has joined the American League pool this season. Welcome back John and Doug.
There is a new link to choose near the bottom of the main page on the Winter Haven Senior Softball Club website. It is a link for publication of some uncommonly known ASA rules. The link has been put online to help the ball players understand the ruling on some plays.
January 13th - Wednesday - Five members of the Winter Haven Senior Softball Club joined the Nalcrest Eagles as they left for Barefoot Bay to play a doubleheader against the all star team in that community. Don Bercaw, Fred Dampier, Tim Gallagher, Sam Harrell, and John Stewart are also members with the Nalcrest Senior Softball program. As a matter of fact, John Stewart began his Florida senior softball career in Nalcrest.
The Eagles lost by scores of 12-5 and 18-13. Nalcrest members Don Bercaw, J.C. Crowell, Dave Newman, and Gary Quartana each hit home runs over the fence.
Joe Nittoli pitched
John Alversa was called to pitch game two and the Eagles team fared much better in that game. The home run by Gary Quartana put the Eagles out in front 13-12 in the fifth inning but the Barefoot Bay All Stars came back with five runs in the bottom of the fifth to retake the lead for good.
Shortstop Doug Campbell made some excellent plays on grounders hit in his direction. He covered quite an expanse of ground to his left and to his right and made some key plays throughout the morning.
Dave "Crash" Kieffer patrolled the second base area during the doubleheader. He leaped high to nab a potential line drive base hit. That catch ended a Barefoot Bay rally and finished the inning.
Fred Dampier played rightfield for both games. In the second game, he charged in to make a nice catch on a "Texas Leaguer" pop up past first base near the foul line by a crafty right handed hitter. The base runner on second thought the ball would drop in for a hit so he headed for third. He was easily caught off second for an inning ending double play when Fred threw the ball to rover Matt McKulvey.
After the two games, both teams were treated to pizza and soda pop before the Eagles team packed it up and traveled 72 miles down the road back to Nalcrest.
January 15th - After only the third game of the season, the Mets are the only undefeated team in either league. This morning, the team was carried on the big shoulders of Bernie Peterson. He hit for the cycle with two doubles and went 5 for 5. Lead off hitter Bill Miller loaned a helping hand as he had an .800 on base percentage with three hits. The Rockies were the victims this morning so the Mets have beaten every other team in the National League.
The Rockies had to employ the "Flip Flop" rule heading into the ninth inning since they were initially the home team and were down 22-7. The "Flip Flop" rule, new to the Winter Havens Senior Softball Club this season, is initiated when the visiting team is ahead by 10 or more runs heading into the last inning.
Oddly enough, three players went 3 for 4 in the losing cause for the Rockies. The five run first inning was the only real threat the team imposed in the game. They did score twice in the second and once in the third frame, though.
The Astros won their second straight game. They pulled out a one run win over the winless Cardinals.
The Astros needed all three runs they scored in the final frame to record the victory. The lower half of the lineup won the game with a nice display of clutch hitting. Ray Mills doubled to begin the ninth and scored on a hit by pool player Doug Chamlee. Lee Baker walked after the previous batter lined out to the second baseman. Base raps by Terry Feehan and Bob Sciamanna knocked in two runs.
The tying run for the Cardinals was on base when the final out was recorded. Key singles by Ted Taylor, Ed Kline, and Ron Carrothers kept the team in the game and almost earned them a much needed victory. Unfortunately, the Cardinals went down in defeat by a score of 14-13.
The Athletics pulled a fast one in the American League. They put their rover in the outfield and won 18-9. Amazingly, no one questioned it enough for the game to be halted until a ruling could be made. The Winter Haven Senior Softball Club has always had the rule in place where all infielders must position themselves in the infield dirt until the ball is hit. Please click here to view RULE 9 for the explanation.
At any rate, the Athletics jumped out with five runs in the first frame. The big hit of the inning was a two run triple by Angel Merced. The four runs in the sixth inning basically slammed the door shut on the tail of the Tigers. A combination of two walks and four singles scored the runs in the "small ball" inning.
The Tigers failed to score in the final five innings of the game. Pool player Roger Edwards had the only extra base hit against Athletics pitcher Eddie Diaz.
Clutch hitting and a sharp defense by the Royals handed the Red Sox their first loss. In the prior two games, the Red Sox scored 32 and 27 runs. This time, they were held to 10 while surrendering 13 runs. Fred Dampier, Bob Zelazny, and Jim Laffoon scored three runs apiece for the Royals.
Exactly one half of the Red Sox lineup went 3 for 4 but the team ended up being shut out in the final four innings of the game.
| Mets | 22 | Rockies | 7 | Astros | 14 | Cardinals | 13 |
| Athletics | 18 | Tigers | 9 | |
| Royals | 13 | Red Sox | 10 |
LEADING HITTERS:
Mets
Bernie Peterson - 5 for 5 and hit for the cycle with 2 doubles.
Bill Miller - 3 for 4 with 1 walk.
Joel Freedman - 3 for 4.
Rockies
Bill Ayer - 3 for 4 with 1 double.
Ron Augenstein - 3 for 4.
Reg Barnes - 3 for 4.
Astros
Ed Guspyt - 3 for 4 with 1 homer.
Doug Chamlee - 3 for 4 with 2 triples.
Mike Stepp - 3 for 4.
Cardinals
Les Wolff - 3 for 3.
Doug McLellan - 3 for 4 with 1 double.
Athletics
Russ King - 4 for 4 with 1 double.
Danny Parker - 4 for 5 with 1 homer & 1 double.
Angel Merced - 4 for 5 with 1 triple & 1 double.
Don Kemp - 3 for 4 with 1 double & 1 sacrifice fly.
Doug Graham - 3 for 4.
Tigers
Dean Schapeler - 2 for 2 with 1 sacrifice fly.
Dan Whisler - 2 for 2 with 1 sacrifice fly.
Royals
Bob Zelazny - 3 for 3 with 1 homer, 1 triple, & 1 sacrifice fly.
Jim Laffoon - 3 for 3 with 1 double & 1 sacrifice fly.
Jerry Witter - 3 for 3.
Fred Dampier - 3 for 4 with 2 doubles.
Red Sox
Chuck Duff - 3 for 4 with 2 triples.
Al Andrews - 3 for 4 with 1 double.
Joe D'Herin - 3 for 4 with 1 double.
John Abramo - 3 for 4.
Mike Urell - 3 for 4.
Larry Wells - 3 for 4.
National League homers: Bernie Peterson (Mets); Ed Guspyt (Astros); Jerry Noble (Cardinals).
American League homers: Neil Gelpi & Danny Parker (Athletics); Bob Zelazny (Royals).
John Fulton returned to the diamond for the Cardinals in the National League. He has been nursing some skin problems associated with the sun.
In the American League, rookie Milo Macko joined his Royals team mates for the first game of his season. Although the game wasn't stopped and the ball given to him, Milo singled and scored in his inaugural at bat in a regular season. He finished with a 1 for 3 performance while patrolling the first base area for his team. Angel Merced also played his first game upon his return from Puerto Rico. He had an excellent offensive game with the Athletics. Welcome back John, Milo and Angel.
January 16th - Saturday - Several members of the Winter Haven Senior Softball Club played a doubleheader against Lakeshore at the Eagles Field in Nalcrest. Elvis Abney, Don Bercaw, Fred Dampier, Tim Gallagher, and Sam Harrell, all members of the Nalcrest Senior Softball program, were on the Nalcrest Eagles squad.
Neil Gelpi was recruited by Lakeshore and patrolled the right centerfield area. A total of almost 30 Nalcrest players were present for the games so everyone played only one of the two contests. Lakeshore won the first game by a score of 10-8. Stellar defensive plays were made by speedsters Neil Gelpi and Ramon Frias, who played alongside each other in the middle outfield. Ramon played in left centerfield.
Ramon Frias hit well in both games and his quickness allowed him to turn singles into doubles. Lakeshore teammate Ray Sanchez was practically unstoppable at the plate. His swing is so powerful, it is impossible for the infielders to react quick enough to make a play on the ball. He stroked doubles down the third base line all day. Nalcrest Eagles player Fred Dampier hit the only ball over the fence this morning. The ball was pulled to rightfield and cleared the fence that is designated for doubles.
Lakeshore easily handed the Eagles a defeat in the second game. The final score was 11-3.
After the games, hamburgers, hot dogs, beans, chips, and drinks were available for purchase by the Nalcrest crew. Everyone had a blast and the bleachers were absolutely filled to capacity by members of the Nalcrest and Lakeshore communities.
Pictures from this event are located on this website. On the main page, click on the link "2010" and "2010 Nalcrest".
January 19th - The Rockies evened their record at 2-2 with a 19-12 victory over the winless Cardinals. The game was not as close as the final score indicated, though. The Cardinals scored four runs in the final frame to bring their total from the single digits to 12 total runs. Doubles by Bart Gongaware and Ed Kline were big hits in the inning. Joltin' Joe DeForge, Jerry Noble, and Fred Ducham each singled and scored in the last frame.
The hot bat for the Cardinals was held in the hands of Bill Evans. He drove in three runs while going 4 for 5 with two doubles and a homer. Bill also scored each of the four times he reached base.
What more can be said about the Mets? They continue to post win after win. They shutdown the Astros this morning and scored 250% more runs than their opponent. The news on the score sheet stood out like a sore thumb. The last three batters in the lineup for the Mets went 4 for 5. Gale Doty, pool player Ed Neumyer, and Joel Freedman each accomplished that feat. One of the hits by Ed was a two bagger.
In contrast with the Mets, the first five batters scored two runs each while the lower half of the order went 5 for 23. Ray Mills took the mound for the team since the regular starter missed the game.
In the American League, the Tigers fought back to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth and went on to hand the Royals a defeat in 10 innings. Dan Whisler reached base on a booted ball in the tenth. The next hitter, Brent Alumbaugh, singled Dan to third. Freddy Gonzalez put the nail in the coffin with a line drive base rap to leftfield for the winning run.
The Athletics displayed some power as they easily handled the Red Sox. The team finished with nine doubles, 1 triple, and 1 homer. The win brought the record for each team to .500.
While the National League Mets are currently the only undefeated team in both leagues with a 4-0 record, the race in the American League is much different. All four squads in the junior circuit have settled in at 2-2 early in the 2010 Winter Haven Senior Softball Club season.
| Rockies | 19 | Cardinals | 12 | Mets | 25 | Astros | 10 |
| Tigers | 13 | Royals | 12 | (10 innings) | ||
| Athletics | 20 | Red Sox | 11 |
LEADING HITTERS:
Rockies
Bill Evans - 4 for 5 with 1 homer & 2 doubles.
Rusty Landahl - 3 for 4.
Walt Leggett - 3 for 4.
Cardinals
Jerry Noble - 4 for 5 with 1 homer & 2 doubles.
Bill McEllister - 3 for 4 with 1 double & 1 walk.
Mets
Ed Neumyer - 4 for 5 with 1 double.
Gale Doty - 4 for 5.
Joel Freedman - 4 for 5.
Astros
Ron Thompson - 3 for 3 with 1 double & 1 walk.
Ed Guspyt - 3 for 4 with 1 homer.
Mike Stepp - 3 for 4 with 1 triple.
Tigers
Ron Butler - 3 for 4 with 1 triple.
Larry Powell - 3 for 4 with 1 triple.
Dan Whisler - 3 for 4 with 1 double & 1 walk.
Royals
Pat Accetta - 3 for 4.
Athletics
Danny Parker - 4 for 4 with 3 doubles.
Eddie Diaz - 4 for 4 with 1 triple & 1 double.
Chris Constantine - 3 for 3 with 1 homer, 1 double, & 1 walk.
Don Kemp - 3 for 4 with 1 double.
Russ King - 3 for 4 with 1 double.
Red Sox
Don Bercaw - 3 for 3 with 1 homer, 1 triple, & 1 walk.
Chuck Duff - 3 for 3 with 1 double & 1 sacrifice fly.
Al Andrews - 3 for 4 with 1 double.
Mike Tomasso - 3 for 4.
National League homers: Bill Evans & Ron Augenstein (Rockies); Jerry Noble & Ron Carrothers (Cardinals); Bernie Peterson (Mets ); Doug McLellan & Ed Guspyt (Astros).
American League homers: Denny Shaffer (Royals); Chris Constantine (Athletics); Don Bercaw (Red Sox).
Bob Lundquest returned from Marion, Ohio. He is in the American League pool and helped the Athletics with a 2 for 4 performance this morning. Welcome back Bob.
January 22nd - The games were called off due to rain this morning. Board of Directors member Sam Harrell, who is Director of Field Maintenance, reported that every field was flooded.
Have a safe weekend and get plenty of rest for the next scheduled game, folks.
January 26th - The league resumed play today after a week layoff due to rain eliminating the previous play date. The temperature was down in the 60s when the players began arriving at the old ball park but warmed up as the morning progressed.
The Astros took over sole possession of second place with a 18-9 victory over the Cardinals. Try as they may, the Redbirds just can't seem to get on the winning track. Pool player Marty Martinez was unstoppable at the plate for the Astros but he wasn't the alone. Team mates Ron Thompson and Elmer Wilcox also batted 1.000 for the victors. Ron has extended his consecutive hit streak to 9 for 9 including the game statistics for this morning.
The Mets continued their quest for the perfect season but had to edge out the Rockies in the bottom of the ninth to win by one run.
The Rockies rallied for six runs in the top of the last frame to retake the lead once more. The lead changed hands a total of five times during the
game.
Gene Morey began the top of the ninth with a single before the next batter flew out. Rusty Landahl and Floyd Welton followed with base raps. A fielder's choice allowed the next batter to get aboard, but the team was now down to their last out in the game. That last out wouldn't happen for a while. Bill Evans singled and Ron Augenstein drew a free pass to continue the inning. Successive singles were produced from the bats of Doug Chamlee, Walt Leggett, and Reg Barnes before the last out was made with a fly out.
Heading into the bottom of the ninth, the Mets were down 20-19. Now was the chance for the fifth and final time for the teams to change leads. The first batter grounded out to pitcher Rich Palmer. Bill Miller knocked a base hit after the out, and Don LaMay was given a gift for his team when he got on base from a booted ball in the infield. Don represented the winning run. A single by John Stewart tied the game before the next batter popped up for an infield fly rule. With two outs in the books and the winning run on second, Ray DePalma came through in the clutch and singled in the winning run.
In American League action, the Red Sox came from behind to overtake the Royals. The five run seventh inning proved to be the factor in the game. Down 13-11, the Red Sox turned up the heat. However, the inning did begin on a slow pace. The first batter grounded out to second baseman Carl Luebking and the next batter got on base from a misplayed ball in the infield. Batter number three in the inning grounded into a fielder's choice. With two outs already recorded and with a runner on first base, there was a slim chance for any runs at all. But baseball is a funny game at times. Tom Bonds walked, Al Andrews singled in a run, Joe D'Herin doubled in two more, and Don Erb connected for an inside-the-park homer to put the icing on the cake. The comeback was complete and the Red Sox pulled a win out of the hat.
The Tigers won with ease over the Athletics. Tigers pitcher Larry Powell held the opposition scoreless in six of the nine innings. The five-six-seven batters in the order for the Tigers were perfect at the plate. Freddy Gonzalez went 4 for 4 with a homer, pool player Tim Gallagher finished with a 3 for 3 game and walked once, and Sam Lopez went 2 for 2. He doubled one time and drew two walks.
| Astros | 18 | Cardinals | 9 | Mets | 21 | Rockies | 20 |
| Red Sox | 17 | Royals | 13 | |
| Tigers | 17 | Athletics | 9 |
LEADING HITTERS:
Astros
Ron Thompson - 5 for 5 with 1 double.
Marty Martinez - 4 for 4 with 1 homer & 1 double.
Elmer Wilcox - 4 for 4 with 1 homer.
Mike Stepp - 3 for 4 with 1 homer.
Ray Mills - 3 for 4.
Cardinals
John Fulton - 3 for 4.
Mets
Doug McLellan - 4 for 4 with 1 homer.
John Stewart - 4 for 5 with 1 double.
Bill Miller - 4 for 5.
Ed Schmiedeke - 3 for 4.
Rockies
Ron Augenstein - 4 for 4 with 1 double & 1 walk.
Rusty Landahl - 2 for 2 with 2 walks.
Reg Barnes - 4 for 5.
Doug Chamlee - 4 for 5.
Walt Leggett - 4 for 5.
Rich Palmer - 3 for 4.
Red Sox
Don Erb - 3 for 4 with 1 homer & 1 double.
Al Andrews - 3 for 4.
Royals
Tom DiLaura - 3 for 3 with 1 double.
Fred Dampier - 2 for 2 with 2 walks.
Jim Laffoon - 3 for 4 with 1 triple & 1 double.
Bob Zelazny - 3 for 4 with 1 triple.
Frank Acevedo - 3 for 4.
Tigers
Freddy Gonzalez - 4 for 4 with 1 homer.
Tim Gallagher - 3 for 3 with 1 walk.
Sam Lopez - 2 for 2 with 1 double & 1 walk.
Don Keller - 3 for 4 with 1 triple.
Art Zakrowski - 3 for 4.
Athletics
Don Kemp - 3 for 4 with 1 triple.
National League homers: Marty Martinez, Mike Stepp, & Elmer Wilcox (Astros); Jerry Noble & Ted Taylor (Cardinals); Ray DePalma & Doug McLellan (Mets); Bill Evans (Rockies).
American League homers: Don Erb & Dean Schapeler (Red Sox); Freddy Gonzalez (Tigers); Neil Gelpi & Danny Parker (Athletics).
Roster moves were made in the National League. Skip Morrison was moved from the Astros to the Mets. Joe Hissey was removed from the Mets roster and placed into the group of pool players. Joe has not played in a season game yet.
January 29th - The Rockies and the Cardinals were in a tight game heading into the last frame. Although the winless Cardinals never had the lead at the completion of any inning, they were down by only two runs after eight innings. The score was 17-15. Then the unthinkable happened. The Rockies pounded out hit after hit in the ninth. Ron Augenstein, Reg Barnes, and Bill Ayer each went 2 for 2 with two runs scored in that fateful frame. A total of 12 runs scored before Cardinals manager Ed Kline threw in the towel. Up to that point, only one out had been recorded.
Since the Cardinals are still searching for their first win this season, one rookie player has been gliding under the radar. First year National League outfielder Jerry Noble hit his sixth homer this morning. He has hit a dinger in all of the five games he has played. He missed one contest for his 0-6 team.
The National League game on Field E was tighter. Although the Mets won their sixth straight to retain their unblemished record, the Astros gave them a run for their money.
The Astros came on late and strong. They were down 13-4 going into the seventh inning. By the time they were finished batting, the team ran up their run production to double digits. Six runs crossed the plate. A combination of singles and walks got the Astros back in the game. Elmer Wilcox, Ed Guspyt, Doug Chamlee, and Lee Baker all contributed with base hits while Terry Feehan, Erv Fitzke, and Bob Sciamanna each drew free passes. The only extra base hit was a two bagger from the bat of Ron Thompson.
Three more Astros scored in the eighth inning and three crossed the plate in the ninth frame. Two were left on base when the final out was recorded.
The Tigers came from behind to defeat the Royals. They performed their same magic in the first meeting between the two teams. There is one valuable lesson to learn - never count the Tigers out.
The first four batters scored three runs apiece for the victors. Steven Hill, Freddy Gonzalez, Dan Whisler, and Don Keller reached base frequently and found their way around all the bases.
The Royals began with authority but faltered in the latter innings. The maximum five run were scored in the first and third frames while not one out was recorded. As Richard Marino would later say, "It was either feast or famine".
The new "Flip-Flop" rule was implemented in the game on Field E. The visiting team Red Sox played a stellar defense and they dominated the Athletics the entire game. The final score was 17-5.
Pitcher Don Bercaw did it all this morning. Not only did he hold the Athletics to five total runs in nine innings, but he also hurt them with his bat. He went 3 for 3 and coaxed one walk. Opposing pitcher Eddie Diaz set a record by racking up six strikeouts in the nine inning affair.
| Rockies | 29 | Cardinals | 15 | Mets | 19 | Astros | 16 |
| Tigers | 19 | Royals | 18 | |
| Red Sox | 17 | Athletics | 5 |
LEADING HITTERS:
Rockies
Doug McLellan - 5 for 5 with 3 doubles & 1 walk.
Bill Evans - 5 for 6 with 1 homer.
Bill Ayer - 5 for 6.
Rich Palmer - 5 for 6.
Ron Augenstein - 4 for 5 with 2 doubles & 1 sacrifice fly.
Gene Morey - 4 for 5.
Cardinals
Jerry Noble - 4 for 5 with 1 homer & 1 double.
Bill McEllister - 4 for 5 with 2 doubles.
Rich Moots - 3 for 4.
Mets
Bill Miller - 4 for 5 with 1 homer & 1 triple.
Bernie Peterson - 4 for 5 with 2 doubles.
Don LaMay - 4 for 5.
John Merritt - 4 for 5.
Astros
Ron Thompson - 4 for 5 with 1 double & 1 walk.
Tigers
Brent Alumbaugh - 4 for 4 with 1 triple & 1 double.
Freddy Gonzalez - 4 for 4 with 1 triple.
Don Keller - 4 for 4 with 1 double.
Jack Benson - 3 for 4.
Larry Powell - 3 for 4.
Dan Whisler - 3 for 4.
Royals
Bob Zelazny - 4 for 4 with 1 double.
Milo Macko - 3 for 3.
Jim Laffoon - 3 for 4 with 1 double.
Red Sox
Don Bercaw - 3 for 3 with 1 walk.
Don Erb - 2 for 2 with 2 doubles & 2 sacrifice flys.
Al Andrews - 3 for 4.
National League homers: Bill Evans (Rockies); Jerry Noble (Cardinals); Bill Miller (Mets).
There were no home runs hit in either of the American League games.
Two new players took part in the games this morning. Willard "Butch" Brady joined the American League pool of the Winter Haven Senior Softball Club today and played for the Royals. He singled in his first at bat and scored a run, finishing with a 2 for 3 performance. Welcome aboard, Butch.
Kirk Coffman was on the Athletics squad and patrolled the rover position. He singled in his second of three at bats. Please return and consider joining, Kirk.
January 30th - Saturday - The Lakshore All Stars, piloted by Regino "Gutey" Gutierrez, hosted the Sebring All Stars in a wood bat doubleheader. The games, played at Nalcrest Eagles Field, were contested under cloudy skies with rain scheduled to hit the area in the early afternoon. Sebring ruled supreme in both games by scores of 10-6 and 6-4.
On hand to watch the action were Winter Haven Senior Softball Club members Elvis Abney, Red Sox hero from the American League game in Winter Haven yesterday Don Bercaw, and John Stewart.
Winter Haven Senior Softball Club members Fred Dampier, Neil Gelpi, and Angel Merced played on the Lakeshore team.
Former Nalcrest Senior Softball member Bill Crosby took the mound for Lakeshore in the first game. Sebring jumped out with a quick lead as they racked up five runs in the top of the first frame.
Fred Dampier singled in the
bottom of the first after the lead off batter grounded out to the pitcher. After the number three hole batter popped up in the infield, power hitter Miguel Negron connected for a sharp line drive double to advance Fred to third. Angel Merced hit a clutch RBI single with two outs.
After one inning of play, Sebring held a 5-1 lead.
A rally was squashed in the Lakeshore third with good defense from the opponents. Bill Crosby singled to begin the inning and Fred Dampier knocked a base hit after the previous batter fouled out. A single by Jose "Cachiro" Molina loaded the bases. Then the trouble started. Miguel Negron hit what appeared to be a sacrifice line out to rightfield. After the ball was caught, Bill and Fred tagged up but Bill stumbled heading home and was doubled out with a throw home by Sebring shortstop Juan Alicia. Results - end of inning and no runs scored.
Sebring put up a five spot in the fourth frame and lead 10-1 after four innings of play.
Bill Crosby didn't allow another Sebring run after the fourth. Meanwhile, Lakeshore mounted their best rally in the sixth inning. Fred Dampier began with "Texas Leaguer" double. That was somewhat appropriate since he is from Galveston, Texas. Consecutive singles by Jose "Cachiro" Molina and Miguel Negron scored the first run before the first out was recorded. Matt McKulvey and Gary Quartana singled in two more runs. The second out was made with a fielder's choice grounder to second base. Hits by John Devitt and John Hibschman accounted for the fourth and final run of the frame.
The Lakeshore All Stars final run scored in the final frame. Raphael Rivera lead off with a free pass and was pushed to second when Fred Dampier singled. The next batter forced Fred at second as Raphael moved to third. Miguel Negron sacrificed the run home for the sixth and final run for Lakeshore.
Sebring won the first game 10-6. Lakeshore
pitcher Bill Crosby and the Lakeshore defense held Sebring scoreless in five of the seven frames.
Fred Dampier batted 4 for 4 with one double and Miguel Negron batted 2 for 3 with one double and one sacrifice fly. John Devitt, John Hibschman, and Gary Quartana each went 2 for 3. Angel Merced and Jose "Cachiro" Molina each went 2 for 4.
After a fifteen minute break, the second game began. Lakeshore started the top of the first with a single by Fred Dampier. A two out base knock by Miguel Negron was the only offense in the frame. No runs scored for Lakeshore in the top of the first.
Manager Regino "Gutey" Gutierrez penciled in Matt McKulvey as the pitcher for Lakeshore in game two. Several base hits by Sebring equated to three runs in the home first. Once again, Lakeshore had a hole to dig out of after the first inning.
Neil Gelpi and J.C. Crowell started the second with base hits and Matt McKulvey followed with a walk to load the bases. A fielder's choice from the Sebring shortstop to the catcher cut down Neil at home but J.C. scored when the next batter grounded out.
The top of the third was productive for Lakeshore as they tied the score at 3-3 when all the dust had settled. The lead off hitter popped up to the shortstop before Gary Quartana singled. Lefty Miguel Negron burned the leftfielder for an RBI triple. Alberto Rivera immediately singled Miguel home. J.C. Crowell singled but was stranded at first when the third out was logged in the score book.
The tie lasted only until the bottom of the next inning. Sebring scored one to retake the lead 4-3 after four innings of play.
J.C. Crowell, Matt McKulvey, and John Devitt each singled in the sixth to retie the score but Sebring sealed the victory when they pushed two across in the bottom of the sixth. The opposition then held Lakeshore scoreless in the seventh and final frame.
J.C. Crowell batted 3 for 3, Matt McKulvey went 1 for 2 with one walk, and Fred Dampier went 2 for 4.
The next scheduled meeting between the two squads will be February 13th in Sebring. The game will begin at 9:30 AM.
