April 1st - Thursday - Listed are the 2010 American League final season leaders in various categories.
Several 2009 records fell or were tied. They are noted with a red asterisk, along with the person whose record crumbled.
As always, please remember the statistics listed below are only as accurate as the score sheets.
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| BATTING AVERAGE | Chuck Duff | .750 * | - Broke the 2009 record of .740 set by Bob Zelazny. | ||
| Jim Laffoon | .712 | ||||
| Don Erb | .646 | ||||
| AT BATS | Al Andrews | 90 | |||
| Bob Zelazny | 85 | ||||
| Joe D'Herin | 85 | ||||
| Pat Accetta | 84 | ||||
| RUNS | Jim Laffoon | 48 | |||
| Don Erb | 47 | ||||
| Joe D'Herin | 47 | ||||
| Al Andrews | 47 | ||||
| Chuck Duff | 45 | ||||
| HITS | Chuck Duff | 57 | |||
| Don Erb | 53 | ||||
| Joe D'Herin | 53 | ||||
| Jim Laffoon | 52 | ||||
| DOUBLES | Joe D'Herin | 22 | |||
| Don Erb | 18 | ||||
| Freddy Gonzalez | 15 | ||||
| Neil Gelpi | 15 | ||||
| TRIPLES | Don Scarbrough | 10 | |||
| Chuck Duff | 8 | ||||
| Clair Auchey | 7 | ||||
| Bob Zelazny | 7 | ||||
| HOME RUNS | Chris Constantine | 10 * | - Tied the 2009 record of 10 set by Don Erb. | ||
| Chuck Duff | 7 | ||||
| Fred Dampier | 6 | ||||
| Don Erb | 6 | ||||
| TOTAL BASES | Chuck Duff | 107 | |||
| Don Erb | 97 | ||||
| Chris Constantine | 90 | ||||
| OBP | Chuck Duff | .769 * | - Broke the 2009 record of .748 set by Bob Zelazny. | ||
| Jim Laffoon | .707 | ||||
| Don Erb | .622 | ||||
| SLG | Chuck Duff | 1.408 | |||
| Don Erb | 1.183 | ||||
| Chris Constantine | 1.084 | ||||
| OPS | Chuck Duff | 2.177 | |||
| Don Erb | 1.805 | ||||
| Freddy Gonzalez | 1.657 | ||||
| WALKS | Don Kemp | 17 * | - Tied the 2009 record of 17 set by Dennis Holder and Vassurl Bess. | ||
| Keith Linton | 13 | ||||
| Jim Laffoon | 13 | ||||
| Chuck Duff | 13 | ||||
| Tom Bonds | 12 | ||||
| SACRIFICE FLYS | Jim Laffoon | 6 * | - Broke the 2009 record of 5 set by Don Erb. | ||
| Don Erb | 5 | ||||
| Don Bercaw | 4 | ||||
| Larry Wells | 4 | ||||
| WINS | Larry Powell | 12 | |||
| Don Bercaw | 8 | ||||
| Jerry Witter | 8 | ||||
| George Radlein | 4 | ||||
April 2nd - Just like that, we are down to two fields. The American League season ended this past Tuesday and the National League season has been over for a while. Maybe the players are resting after the competitive games, causing the turnout to be low. Some have already headed home for the summer, too.
The contest on Fred White
Field ended with a 16-11 score. Dick Sessink notched another win as he opposed Ray Mills.
Both squads began with five in the first frame but settled down as the game continued. In fact, the home team coasted toward the end and scored only three runs during the last four frames.
Larry Powell scored three runs for the losing team and Frank Miller drove Larry home two of the three times. Newly elected Polk County Senior Softball hall of famer Fred Ducham batted after Larry and went a perfect 3 for 3.
The top of the lineup did the job for the victors. The number two and three hitters, Mike Stepp and Bob Zelazny, went 9 for 10 between them. Mike finished with a double and triple as he batted 4 for 5. Bob hit for the cycle. He needed a homer heading into his last at bat in the ninth and delivered with a three run shot toward right centerfield.
It was nice to see Don Witmer back on the playing field. He patrolled the shortstop area for the visiting team and looked like he had never taken any time off from the game. Don had shoulder surgery and umpired all season, with the exception of one game he played with the Red Sox.
LEADING HITTERS:
Bob Zelazny: 5 for 5 and hit for the cycle with 2 singles.
Richard Marino: 4 for 4.
Ron Thompson: 4 for 4.
Fred Ducham: 3 for 3 with 1 walk.
Mike Stepp: 4 for 5 with 1 triple & 1 double.
Frank Miller: 3 for 4 with 1 double.
Larry Powell: 3 for 4.
The game on Field D was an old fashioned blow out. The visiting squad had a 16-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth. The home team finally pushed two runs across in that frame to get on the boards. The final score was 27-15. The recently adopted "Flip-Flop Rule" was applied in the game since the visiting team was leading 27-13 after
the completion of eight innings of play.
Marty Martinez made his pitching debut for the Winter Haven Senior Softball Club and recorded the win. Dennis Holder started the game but was quickly relieved by Sam Harrell, who finished the game.
Marty did well, shutting out the home team in the first three innings and in the fifth frame, too. He joined from the Lakeland Senior Softball program and some did not even know he pitched. He is usually a third baseman. Nice job on the mound, Marty.
The winning visitors scored in every frame except the fifth inning. Lead off hitter Vassurl Bess walked to start the game and came around to score. He finished with three runs to his credit. Freddy Gonzalez batted second so there was speed in the numbers one and two hole. Freddy legged out four doubles.
After being zeroed out in the first third of the contest, the home team came alive and woke up the bats. Sam Harrell tripled in the final two runs in the five run sixth inning. Danny Parker tripled in two runs in the seventh and Russ King knocked a ball near the warning track in left centerfield for a double. Russ tripled in his next trip to the plate. Walt Leggett smashed a gapper triple in the eighth inning to drive home a run.
LEADING HITTERS:
Hector Marinacci: 5 for 5.
Dennis Holder: 2 for 2 with 2 walks & 1 sacrifice fly.
Freddy Gonzalez: 5 for 6 with 4 doubles.
Joe D'Herin: 4 for 5 with 1 double.
Inside-the-park homers for both fields: Marty Martinez & Bob Zelazny.
Three members of our softball program volunteered their services to umpire at the old ballpark this morning. Thank you Chuck Duff,Joel Freedman, and Stevan Hill. Your help is greatly appreciated, guys.
Jim Altemose joined the Winter Haven Senior Softball Club today. He lives in Haines City and spent his working years in Rigelsville, Pennsylvania. Welcome aboard, Jim.
April 6th - The weather was absolutely gorgeous for the games this morning. Two fields were employed for the contests, with a three team game taking place on Fred White Field.
It was a hitter's day today. Team One persevered and won 22-17-18 on Fred White Field. The only winning pitcher was Marvin Taylor. That team scored 22 and surrendered 17. Jerry Witter, who threw for Team Two, was on the team that racked up 17 runs but gave up 18 during the game. Dick Sessink was on the mound for the team that scored 18 and allowed 22 while on defense.
The first three hitters for Team One each went 4 for 5. Vassurl Bess, in the lead off spot, and Fred Dampier, batting in the two hole, each hit safely in their first four trips to the plate. Sam Lopez, hitting third, had two triples in his 4 for 5 performance.
It took a few innings for Team Two to get uncorked but they finished with a respectable 17 runs. They were down 13 heading into the middle of the fifth frame. By the time they picked up their gloves to take the field, Team Two was behind by only three. Ten big runs scored in the fifth. Wally Granger smacked a three run inside-the-park homer and singles were abound. Russ King, Glenn Holland, Jerry Witter, Jim McPartlan, Gale Doty, and Reg Barnes all picked up base hits during the huge inning.
The third team put five on the board in the first frame and ended with 18 runs. Ed Kline had a solo inside-the-park homer in the fifth and a grand slam shot in the sixth. Dean Schapeler also hit well, as he went 4 for 5 with two doubles.
There were two notable fielding plays on Fred White Field. Sam Harrell, patrolling rightfield, made an outstanding catch on an opposite field smash by Chris Constantine. Sam ran back and towards right centerfield, reached high, and grabbed a potential extra base hit away from Chris. Ray Mills was the first baseman for Team One. He scooped up a sharply hit grounder from the bat of Hector Marinacci for an unassisted put out at first. Great glove work, Sam and Ray.
LEADING HITTERS:
Sam Lopez: 4 for 5 with 2 triples.
Russ King: 4 for 5 with 1 triple & 1 double.
Marty Martinez: 4 for 5 with 1 triple & 1 double.
Vassurl Bess: 4 for 5 with 1 homer.
Fred Dampier: 4 for 5 with 1 homer.
Dean Schapeler: 4 for 5 with 2 doubles.
Elmer Wilcox: 3 for 4 with 1 triple.
Pat Accetta: 3 for 4.
Bernie Mohan: 3 for 4.
Dick Sessink: 3 for 4.
Who knows who won the contest on Field D? According to the score sheets, the final score was 22-22 so they may have called it a game with a tie score after the nine innings of regulation play. Bobby Ayers pitched for the home team but it is uncertain who took the ball for the visiting team. The score sheet didn't indicate the pitcher. Clair Auchey, Eddie Diaz, and Larry Wells were on the squad and all have recently pitched.
The top four in the home team lineup scored all but four of the total 22 runs. Jim Laffoon, Ed Gazarek, and Freddy Gonzalez were all on target today. Between them, the three sluggers amassed three doubles, three triples, and two homers. Jim and Ed scored every time they batted.
The visiting team mixed it up more as they scored runs from the top of the scorecard to the bottom. Lead off batter Mike Stepp started the game with a solo homer and added another solo shot in his next at bat in the third inning. With the exception of a deep fly out to rightfield, Danny Parker was unstoppable. The opposing pitcher wisely walked Danny in the ninth inning.
LEADING HITTERS:
Jim Laffoon: 5 for 5 with 1 triple & 1 double.
Bobby Ayers: 3 for 3 with 1 walk & 1 sacrifice fly.
Eddie Diaz: 5 for 6.
Ed Gazarek: 4 for 5 with 1 homer & 2 triples.
Freddy Gonzalez: 4 for 5 with 1 homer & 2 doubles.
Danny Parker: 4 for 5 with 1 double & 1 walk.
Larry Wells: 4 for 5.
Clair Auchey: 3 for 4 with 1 triple & 1 sacrifice fly.
Walt Leggett: 3 for 4 with 1 walk.
Inside-the-park homers for both fields: Ed Kline 1 GS homer & 1 homer and Mike Stepp 2 homers. One homer each for Vassurl Bess, Chris Constantine, Fred Dampier, Ed Gazarek, Freddy Gonzalez, and Wally Granger.
Two players returned to the old ball field after a layoff due to medical problems. Gene Baker was the catcher for the home team on Fred White Field. He underwent knee surgery several months ago. Eddie Diaz played on Field D. He has had various complications after getting a defibrillator last year. Welcome back Gene and Eddie.
April 9th - The skies were cloudy and the clouds appeared menacing because of their dark and dreary colors. It did sprinkle a few drops for an inning or so, but, otherwise, the weather cooperated this morning.
Two teams battled it out on Fred White Field while two other squads played on Field D.
The visiting team took an early lead, gave it up in the middle innings, and pulled it out in the latter frames to win 25-20 on Fred White Field. Ted Taylor started the game off with a free pass and Hector Marinacci followed with a single. A Neil Gelpi double started the scoring in the first. Clean up hitter Don Witmer reached base on a booted ball in the infield to drive home the second run. Hal Ridley had an RBI single to leftfield and Jerry Noble grounded into a fielder's choice but also drove home a run. The fifth and final run scored when Doug Chamlee doubled to rightfield.
Three more visiting runs scored in the second inning. Kirk Coffman, Gene Baker, and Jim McPartlan each had a base hit after an out was recorded by the defense. Hector Marinacci singled in the third and final run. He finished the day with five hits in five at bats.
The home team battled tooth and nail and finally took the lead in the fifth frame. Evan Lloyd, already 2 for 2 at the time, lead off with a triple to rightfield. He scored on a one out single by George Radlein. An Art Zakrowski double chased the runner for George to third and a single by Larry Powell knocked in a run. Four consecutive singles topped off the inning. Ari Harris, John Smith, Gene Morey, and Gale Doty all had base hits. Gale was perfect today as he banged out four singles in four trips to the plate.
The home team held the lead until the top of the eighth when the visitors exploded for five runs. Hector Marinacci and Neil Gelpi each collected doubles in that inning.
Two more insurance runs were added in the ninth. The home team had the bases loaded with the tying run at the plate when the third out was made. Pitcher Hal Ridley lobbed the ball in for a called third strike on the batter to end the game.
LEADING HITTERS:
Hector Marinacci: 5 for 5 with 1 double.
Evan Lloyd: 4 for 4 with 1 triple, 2 doubles, & 1 sacrifice fly.
Gale Doty: 4 for 4.
Art Zakrowski: 4 for 5 with 1 double.
Ari Harris: 3 for 4 with 1 walk.
Jim McPartlan: 3 for 4.
The game on Field D began as a one-sided affair. The visitors dominated the first four frames. Lead off hitter Rich Moots had two hits and two runs in his first two trips to the plate. Mike Stepp stepped it up with a single and a triple while scoring two runs. He batted out of the three hole. In fact, Mike was on target the whole game. He hit for the cycle with two doubles and crossed the plate five times.
By the time the bottom of the sixth rolled
around, the home team was down 15-4. It wasn't looking too well for the good guys. But they did not throw in the towel by any means. Denny Shaffer and Don Scarbrough each had one out singles, followed by a deep double to leftfield by Elmer Wilcox. After the two bagger, Glenn Holland connected for a base hit. Pat Accetta reached base, then Ray Mills rapped a single. Ed Neumyer and Les Wolff also got aboard before the inning was in the books. Six runs scored in the sixth, which brought the home team into double figures.
The visiting team put two runs on the board in the next two innings but shook the bats back to life in the ninth. Five runs crossed the plate but the inning should have been a three up, three down affair. A two out error opened the doors to disaster for the home team. After the miscue, Rich Moots and Richard Marino punched out base hits. Mike Stepp then hit a line drive gapper between the leftfielder and left centerfielder for an inside-the-park grand slam! But the visiting squad wasn't finished yet. Clair Auchey singled, Larry Wells reached base, and Ed Kline singled home another run.
LEADING HITTERS:
Denny Shaffer: 4 for 5 with 1 homer & 1 triple.
Reg Barnes: 4 for 5.
Mike Stepp: 5 for 6 and hit for the cycle with 2 doubles.
Clair Auchey: 5 for 6 with 1 triple & 1 double.
Ed Kline: 5 for 6.
Don Scarbrough: 3 for 4 with 1 homer & 1 walk.
Inside-the-park homers for both fields: Mike Stepp 1 GS homer & one homer apiece for Frank Miller, Don Scarbrough, and Denny Shaffer.
Two players took advantage of a free play date to gear up for the Florida Half Century monthly tournament tomorrow and Sunday at Altamonte Springs. Evan Lloyd is visiting from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is the brother of Lakeland Senior Softball member Ron Lloyd. Hal Ridley is a Canadian snowbird who is a member of the Lakeland Senior Softball program. Thank you for trying out our league, Evan and Hal.
April 13th - There are still enough ballplayers to merit two diamonds. A total of four teams competed this morning.
After a relatively slow start, the visiting team ousted the good guys by a score of 25-13 on Fred White Field. Larry Wells took the mound for the winning team against fellow pitcher Dennis Holder.
The home squad began with three
consecutive singles from the bats of Vassurl Bess, Pat Accetta, and Al Andrews. The hit by Al drove home the first run. Dean Schapeler doubled in two more runs. With still no outs recorded in the books and three on the boards, Chris Oonstantine stepped to the plate. He drove a ball to the opposite field for an inside-the-park home run.
Three more runs crossed home plate in the home fourth, but they would manage only four more in the final five frames. Chris Constantine struck again in the fourth when he slammed a three run homer. In two trips to the plate, Chris drove in five of the nine runs the team had at that point.
The visitors cruised along and mounted rallies in practically every inning. Three scored in the first and three more in the third inning. Ed Kline singled twice and scored as many times in the first three frames. He ended the day with six singles in six at bats. Ed also scored five runs.
The maximum five runs scored in the top of the fifth. With one out recorded, Ed Kline singled and advanced to third on a Denny Shaffer double. Ron Thompson, Fred Ducham, Larry Wells, Dave Podbielski, and Bernie Mohan all achieved base hits to account for the five runs.
The visitors pushed across 10 runs in the last two innings. Bernie Mohan began the ninth with an "excuse me" swing for a slow rolling grounder base hit. Joel Freedman had a base rap before Reg Barnes walked. In fact, Reg walked four times in the game. Hits by Ed Kline, Denny Shaffer, and Fred Ducham rounded out the ninth.
LEADING HITTERS:
Ed Kline: 6 for 6.
Al Andrews: 3 for 4 with 1 homer.
Vassurl Bess: 3 for 4 with 1 triple.
Dean Schapeler: 3 for 4 with 1 double.
Bernie Mohan: 3 for 4 with 1 walk.
Pat Accetta: 3 for 4.
The game on Field D began as a close contest but the visiting team hit more consistently all game long and pulled out the game with ease. The final score was 19-6.
Mike Stepp started off the top of the first with a base hit and Sam Lopez tripled Mike home. Another long ball followed when Doug Chamlee doubled. The last three runs
came home when Jack Benson hit a gap shot between leftfield and left centerfield for an inside-the-park homer.
The visitors were at it again in the fourth after two dry innings. Doug Chamlee tripled and trotted home when Elmer Wilcox hit a long sacrifice fly. Glenn Holland, Rich Moots, and Jack Benson each singled for another run.
The home team finally scored in the fourth frame. Terry Feehan walked to open the inning and was replaced with a pinch runner. Ted Taylor singled before the next two batters made outs. With no runs on the scoreboard yet, Doug McLellan and Hector Marinacci each punched out base hits. An inside-the-park homer by Frank Miller helped the home team with three runs. A total of five runs made it home to bring the game within striking distance for the home team. The visitors were leading 7-5 after four frames.
The home team would go on to score only one more run. Richard Marino lead off the fifth with a triple and scored when Jim McPartlan grounded into a fielder's choice.
Opposing pitcher Elmer Wilcox shut down the home team in seven of the nine innings. Way to go, Elmer.
Mike Stepp, the lead off hitter for the visitors, went 2 for 3 in the last four innings and scored all three times. Both Art Zakrowski and Kirk Coffman went 2 for 2 with two runs scored in the final four frames.
LEADING HITTERS:
Doug McLellan: 3 for 3 with 2 doubles.
Doug Chamlee: 4 for 5 with 1 triple & 1 double.
Jack Benson: 3 for 4 with 1 homer.
Rich Moots: 3 for 4.
Art Zakrowski: 3 for 4.
Inside-the-park homers for both fields: Chris Constantine 2 homers. One homer each for Al Andrews, Jack Benson, and Frank Miller.
Chuck Duff and Don Keller were the volunteer umpires today. Chuck worked behind the plate on Fred White Field and Don umpired home plate on Field D. Thank you for helping out, Chuck and Don.
One new player joined in the game on Fred White Field. Ron Stover, a friend of Ted Taylor, is visiting from Markham, Ontario, Canada. Thank you for playing this morning, Ron.
April 16th - The temperature at game time was hovering around the 74° F mark. It was absolutely a perfect day for a ballgame. The wind was blowing in the 5-7 MPH range and it was a slight factor. Fly balls went into the outfield to die on Fred White Field but they continued to sail on Field D.
Vassurl Bess and Fred Dampier lead off the game with singles before the first out was recorded. Consistent hitter Jim Laffoon drove home the first run with a
base hit. Glenn Holland singled in the second score. After that, the home team defense took over. Larry Wells stepped to the plate and grounded to shortstop Don Witmer. Don flipped the pill to rover Frank Miller for an out and Frank relayed the ball to first baseman Doug McLellan for the inning ending double play.
The home team did not record an out in the first when they picked up the bats. Jerry Noble singled and Al Andrews connected for
an inside-the-park home run on the first pitch. Hector Marinacci singled and Don Witmer tripled in the third run. Doug McLellan crushed a deep triple towards left centerfield. The relay throw to third was misplayed and Doug continued home for the fifth and final run of the home first.
Two more runs scored in the bottom of the second frame. Dick Sessink drew a free pass and requested a pinch runner from first base. Then Mike Stepp drove a liner down the leftfield line out of the reach of Kirk Coffman for an inside-the-park homer.
Every time the visiting team scored, the home squad matched the run production. That allowed them to hold a five run lead. Both teams had two marks in the third and fifth innings, and one run scored for each team in the seventh frame.
The first three batters scored all the runs for the visitors. Vassurl Bess made it home twice while Fred Dampier and Sam Lopez each scored three times. The RBI guys were clean up hitter Jim Laffoon and five hole batter Glenn Holland.
The five run seventh put the nail in the coffin. The home seventh began when Al Andrews doubled and raced home on a Hector Marinacci single. Hector took a pinch runner for the team at that point. Don Witmer punched a base hit before Doug McLellan doubled. Singles by Dick Sessink and Frank Miller finished the frame.
LEADING HITTERS:
Ed Kline: 6 for 6.
Al Andrews: 4 for 5 with 1 homer & 2 doubles.
Don Witmer: 4 for 5 with 1 triple & 1 double.
Jim Laffoon: 4 for 5.
Hector Marinacci: 4 for 5.
The game on Field D was laden with long balls. A grand total of eight home runs were hit on the field and one cleared the fence in leftfield. There were also four triples during the contest.
The visiting team pounded the ball all game long. Lead off hitter Reg Barnes and number two batter Roger Edwards each went 5 for 6 during the game.
Reg Barnes started off with a base hit to right centerfield and Roger Edwards followed with a deep triple to left. After the first out was made, Chris Constantine and Elmer Wilcox each doubled.
Singles by Marvin Taylor, Sam Harrell, and Rusty Landahl kept the rally going. Four runs scored in the top of the first.
A lead off homer by Ed Kline begin the offense for the home team but the next two batters flew out to right centerfielder John Stewart. Don Scarbrough hit a two bagger and scored when Walt Leggett tripled. A Ray Mills base hit knocked in the third and final run of the home first.
The visitors took charge in a huge way after the very first inning. While the home team was shutout from the second through the fifth frames by pitcher Marvin Taylor, the good guys were busy racking up a ton of runs.
Lee Baker, Reg Barnes, and Roger Edwards all singled and scored in the second before Pat Accetta tripled and Chris Constantine hit an inside-the-park homer in the second inning. Chris would finish with three dingers for the day along with two doubles in his 6 for 6 performance. He is on a power hitting streak and has collected five inside-the-park homers in two games. Way to go, Chris!
Five more runs crossed the plate in the visiting fifth frame. Reg Barnes hit a three run homer and Chris Constantine had an RBI double. At the end of five innings of play, the score was 19-3.
The "Flip-Flop" rule was applied in the ninth inning, since the visiting team was ahead by at least ten runs. The score at the time was 31-12 and it ended 31-15 due to back-to-back homers by Wally Granger and Ron Thompson. The ball hit by Wally easily cleared the leftfield fence.
LEADING HITTERS:
Chris Constantine: 6 for 6 with 3 homers & 2 doubles.
Roger Edwards: 5 for 6 and hit for the cycle with 2 singles.
Reg Barnes: 5 for 6 with 1 homer.
Ed Kline: 4 for 5 with 1 homer.
Don Scarbrough: 4 for 5 with 1 double.
Rusty Landahl: 4 for 5.
Fence clearing home run by Wally Granger. Inside-the-park homers for both fields: Chris Constantine 3 homers. One homer each for Al Andrews, Reg Barnes, Roger Edwards, Ed Kline, Mike Stepp, and Ron Thompson.
Chuck Duff umpired behind the plate and Ari Harris umped the bases on Fred White Field. Danny Parker was the home plate umpire on Field D. Thank you for volunteering your services, Chuck, Ari, and Danny.
Quote of the day: Dennis Holder brought his Polk State College class to the old ballpark to watch the games today. When told the students were from the Sports Management class, Les Wolff said it was probably an Anthropology class because they were studying old bones. Thanks for the lighthearted humor, Les.
Three ballplayers played their last game this morning. John Stewart is leaving for Belleville, Ontario, Canada. Elmer Wilcox will be heading back to Beals, Maine. Art Zakrowski is going back to Granger, Indiana. See you in the Fall, John, Elmer, and Art.
There will be no Winter Haven Senior Softball Club games on Friday, April 23rd. The SSUSA will be holding their Spring Nationals in Auburndale and Winter Haven.
April 20th - The SSUSA National Tournament began this morning and several players are participating in the event. Also, Bob Zelzany took a team of players to challenge Nalcrest in a doubleheader. Therefore, the turnout was sparse this morning. One field was used for a three team game.
Marvin Taylor pitched for Team Two and recorded a victory. The team scored 20 while giving up 12 runs. Ray Mills was on the mound for Team Three, which scored eight and surrendered 12 runs. Team One, whose pitcher was not indicated on the score sheet, had 12 runs but allowed 20 in the contest.
Team One
had their moments in the game but were never in the lead. They managed three productive innings. In the third, Reg Barnes began with a base hit and was driven to third when Frank Miller doubled. A double by Neil Gelpi scored both base runners. Neil was powerful with the bat today, as he slammed a triple and two doubles in four at bats. He scored on a one out single by Larry Wells. George Radlein had a two out single but didn't advance beyond first base.
Team One pushed across three more runs in the sixth frame. Four consecutive singles opened the top of the sixth. Kirk Coffman, Larry Wells, Eddie Diaz, and George Radlein all had base hits. A single by Lee Baker drove home the last run of the sixth.
When the seventh began, Team One was well behind the leader of the pack. After the leadoff batter grounded out, Frank Miller singled and scored when Neil Gelpi tripled. Kirk Coffman followed with an inside-the-park home run. Larry Wells and George Radlein also had base hits in the final frame.
Team Two was the powerhouse in this three team game. They scored four runs right off the bat. Rich Moots and Walt Leggett started off with singles and the three hole batter, Al Andrews, hit an opposite field inside-the-park homer. They were not finished yet, though. Jim Laffoon tripled and scored from a Marshall Bloom base knock. Jim ended up hitting for the cycle during the contest.
The middle team added four more runs to their lead in the third inning. Jim Laffoon, Marshall Bloom, and Bernie Mohan all singled and scored. Some defensive
miscues allowed three other runners to reach base, scoring one of them.
The lower half of the lineup did their job in the fifth. Marvin Taylor, Gale Doty, and Jim McPartlan each had base hits and they all scored, too. Rich Moots punched a two out single to drive home a run, and Walt Leggett doubled. The fifth run was scored when Al Andrews had a base rap.
Jim Laffoon connected for a two run homer in the seventh. Al Andrews, who was on second with a double, scored in front of Jim. Marshall Bloom also doubled in the seventh.
Team Three ended up with the least amount of runs for the game, but they did have one big inning. The fifth began when Gene Baker singled. After Gene took a pinch runner from first, the next batter reached base on a booted ball in the infield. The runner for Gene advanced to third when the number one batter grounded into a fielder's choice. The third out would have been made when the next batter topped the ball and hit a grounder. Instead, he got aboard and eventually scored a run. Jack Benson singled in a run before the second out was recorded. Afterwards, Sam Harrell, Dennis Holder, Ray Mills, Ed Neumyer all had base hits. Team Three ended up scoring five runs in the fifth inning.
The final score was 12-20-8. Team Two took the lead in the first and was never behind in the game after an inning was complete.
LEADING HITTERS:
Jim Laffoon: 4 for 5 and hit for the cycle.
Walt Leggett: 4 for 5 with 1 double.
Neil Gelpi: 3 for 4 with 1 triple & 2 doubles.
Kirk Coffman: 3 for 4 with 1 homer.
Sam Lopez: 3 for 4 with 1 triple.
Dennis Holder: 3 for 4.
George Radlein: 3 for 4.
Larry Wells: 3 for 4.
Inside-the-park homers: Al Andrews, Kirk Coffman, & Jim Laffoon.
Ted Taylor and Nalcrest Senior Softball president Joe Nittoli arranged a doubleheader at the Nalcrest Eagles field several weeks ago and the games were played this morning. Ted called his team the Ashton Gators, named after the Lake Ashton community in Lake Wales. The team, with a different group of players, was previously in a doubleheader at Nalcrest on February 6th, 2010.
Unfortunately, Ted had to return to Canada for a family emergency so Bob Zelazny took over the reins as the Ashton Gator manager. Accompanying him were Pat Accetta, Clair Auchey, Chris Constantine, Bob Cooper, Freddy Gonzalez, Don Kemp, Carl Luebking, Milo Macko, Ken Ota, Don Scarbrough, Mike Stepp, and Lake Ashton resident Ron Stover. Don Keller, who is still on the DL, served as the third base coach.
The first game was played against the Nalcrest Eagles. Winter Haven softball members on the Nalcrest team included Elvis Abney and Fred Dampier.
The opponent of the second game was the Lakeshore All Stars. Fred Dampier played with that team.
There will be no Winter Haven Senior Softball games on Friday, April 23rd due to the SSUSA tournament using the DiamondPlex softball fields.
April 23rd - There were no games this morning because of the SSUSA sanction using the DiamondPlex softball fields for the Spring National Championship Qualifier tournament, which will eventually lead to the SSUSA Tournament of Champions in February of 2011. A team must win their bracket in either the Spring National Championship Qualifier or the Winter National Championship Qualifier in order to be invited to play in the Tournament of Champions.
Good news for the American Legion Post 8 team. Manager Jose Agosto entered his team in the 70/80+ Gold Division bracket and guided them to victory. They played two games on Tuesday, April 20th, two games on April 21st, and four more on April 22nd.
The team lost early and had to play in the losers bracket. Post 8 won all four games on Thursday, April 22nd and were crowned the champions in the 70/80+ Gold Division.
Congratulations guys! That was a hard fought battle and you came out on top.
April 27th - The weather cooperated this morning. The temperature approaching game time was a comfortable 68° F and climbed to 77° F when the games were finished.
Two fields were employed as there were enough players to justify five teams. The three team contest took place on Fred White Field.
Teams One and Two were fighting for second place because the home squad took charge with five runs in both the first and second frames.
The first team did come through with a three spot in the top of the first. Vassurl Bess and Sam Lopez began with singles and Jim Laffoon walked to load the bases. After the first out was made with a shallow fly out, Marshall Bloom grounded into a fielder's choice, which erased Jim from the base paths but scored a run during the process. A double
by Dave Kieffer drove home two more runs. Richard Marino singled to advance Dave to third but both players were stranded when the third out was marked onto the score sheet.
Team One didn't have much offense again until the seventh frame. Jim Laffoon doubled in Vassurl Bess, who had previously singled. Doug Chamlee was then credited with a homerun that bounced past rightfielder Dan Davis. Marshall Bloom doubled to rightfield and Dave Kieffer had a three bagger. A base rap by Glenn Holland rounded out the scoring for Team One.
Team Two had a tough time against rookie pitcher Dave Kieffer. They could manage only three runs for the entire game. Clair Auchey scored two of the three. He connected for a solo homer and later doubled and scored.
In all, the second team accumulated eight hits in the seven inning affair.
The home team hit for the cycle in the first inning. Larry Powell began with a triple to leftfield. Fred Dampier followed that hit with a two run homer. The third hitter, Ed Kline, doubled, and clean up batter Al Andrews hit a homer. Elvis Abney and Steven Hill singled to complete the first.
Five more runs crossed the plate in the bottom of the second on a slew of base hits. Joltin' Joe DeForge, Larry Powell, Ed Kline, Al Andrews, and Elvis Abney all gathered singles.
The final score was 8-3-15.
LEADING HITTERS:
Ed Kline: 4 for 4 with 2 doubles.
Elvis Abney: 4 for 4.
Doug Chamlee: 3 for 4 with 1 homer & 1 triple.
Larry Powell: 3 for 4 with 1 triple.
Steven Hill: 3 for 4.
The game on Field D went down to the wire, but it first seemed like the home team would run away with the game. The good guys scored the maximum five runs in the third and fourth frames. Gene Baker, perfect at the plate with a 3 for 3 performance, began with a single. After a pinch runner replaced Gene at first base, Frank Miller tripled. Base hits by Mike Stepp, Denny Shaffer,
and Hector Marinacci followed. Bob Zelazny doubled in the final two runs.
The next inning was just as productive, although not quite as potent. A succession of singles accounted for the five runs. Sam Harrell, Rusty Landahl, Ray Mills, Gene Baker, Frank Miller, and Denny Shaffer all collected base hits.
By the time the top of the
seventh rolled around, the visiting team was staring at a 13 run deficit. The score stood at 19-6. But softball is a funny game and that lead just wasn't enough. Lead off hitter Ted Taylor tripled to start the rally and Fred Ducham sacrificed him home with a fly out to leftfield. Dean Schapeler homered to right centerfield. Two runs were in with one out. Sort of a slow start for the shape of things to come. After the homer, Wally Granger walked and five straight base knocks were hit. Kirk Coffman, Dick Sessink, Ed Neumyer, Bernie Mohan, and Jim McPartlan all accomplished that feat. The next batter struck out for the second out in the seventh. At that time, six players had found their way home.
Then the two out rally started. Ted Taylor, who tripled to start the inning, had a two bagger. Homers by Wally Granger and Kirk Coffman completed to fantastic comeback. A grand total of 13 runs scored in the top of the seventh to tie the score at 19-19.
The home team needed two runs in the last of the ninth to pull out a victory after blowing a 13 run lead. No problem. Denny Shaffer singled, Bob Zelazny doubled Denny home, and Sam Harrell had a base rap to win the game.
The final score was 24-23, with pitcher Ray Mills recording the victory for the home team.
LEADING HITTERS:
Denny Shaffer: 6 for 6 with 1 homer.
Gene Baker: 3 for 3 with 2 walks.
Kirk Coffman: 5 for 6 with 1 homer.
Dean Schapeler: 4 for 5 with 1 homer, 2 triples, & 1 walk.
Wally Granger: 4 for 5 with 1 homer, 1 triple, 2 doubles, & 1 walk.
Inside-the-park homers on both fields: Al Andrews, Clair Auchey, Doug Chamlee, Kirk Coffman, Fred Dampier, Wally Granger, Dean Schapeler, & Denny Shaffer.
Danny Parker served as the home plate umpire for the game on Field D. Thank you, Danny.
John Smith played his farewell game this morning on Fred White Field. He is heading back to Ithaca, New York for the summer months. See you in the Fall, John.
One ball player from the Nalcrest Senior Softball program joined in the three team game this morning. Dave "Crash" Kieffer was the pitcher of record for Team Two and chalked up a win. Thank you for playing today, Crash.
April 30th - One field was used this morning in a three team game. The teams were very evenly divided because there was only a two run difference between the highest score and the lowest run total.
Vassurl Bess has been in the lead off spot lately and today he took advantage of that vital slot of the batting order. He started the game with a base hit and scored when Al Andrews hit a line drive in the gap for a double. Al finished the day with three doubles en route to a 4 for 4 performance. A single by Kirk Coffman drove Al home. Milo Macko had a two out single but did not score.
The middle team was shut down after sending four batters to the plate, so the home team began their offense. Rich Moots was patient at the plate and drew a walk. Back-to-back singles by Eddie Diaz and Bob Zelazny followed the free pass. Doug Chamlee and Sam Harrell also connected for base hits. A triple from the bat of George Radlein capped off the inning.
Team One tied the score with the home squad after scoring three runs in the third frame. Sam Lopez had a
one out single and made it to third when Al Andrews hit another double. Kirk Coffman connected for an inside-the-park homer to drive home three runs. Kirk has hit homers in the past three games. Doug McLellan singled after the home run but failed to score.
The second team scored two after sending seven batters to the plate. Two runners were stranded on the bases when the third out was recorded. Ed Kline began the third with a walk but was out when the next batter grounded into a double play. Afterwards, Roger Edwards doubled and scored from a Clair Auchey base rap. Clair made it to second on a Glenn Holland single and scored as Steven Hill was safe at first on a booted ball in the infield.
At the end of three innings of play, the score stood at 5-3-5.
Team Three was the only squad who didn't put up a zero in the fourth inning. Ron Thompson opened with a base hit. A double by Doug Chamlee moved Ron to third. Fred Ducham drove home a run with a single
and so did Sam Harrell. A third straight RBI single, this on by George Radlein, drove home another run.
The score after four innings of play was 5-3-8.
The fifth rolled along and, once again, the visiting team tied the score. A triple by Sam Lopez drove home a run. Al Andrews singled Sam home, followed by a two bagger from Kirk Coffman. With runners on second and third, Doug McLellan lifted a deep ball to leftfield for a sacrifice fly.
Ed Kline hit a solo homer in the middle of the fifth. Ted Taylor singled after the dinger and made it to third when Clair Auchey doubled. A sacrifice fly by Glenn Holland knocked in the second run for Team Two.
The score remained tight. At the end of five innings, the score stood at 8-5-8.
The sixth began when Team One racked up a three spot. The lower half of the lineup did their job. Larry Wells and Ray Mills each singled and were able to advance to second and third when the ball was misplayed. Ed Neumyer made the defense pay for their miscue when a sacrifice fly drove a runner home. After that, Marty Martinez hit a
double to the opposite field. He scored on a Vassurl Bess single.
The lower half of the order was also fruitful for Team Two. Larry Powell tripled and scored when Ted Granoski had a base hit up the middle. Before the inning was in the books, Richard Marnio and Ed Kline had combined for base hits. The single by Ed knocked in the third run.
The home team followed suit and put up three runs with their lower half of the score card. Sam Harrell, John Merritt, Joel Freedman, and Les Wolff each punched singles while George Radlein hit a two bagger.
At the end of six innings of play, the score board read 11-8-11. It was still anyone's game to win.
Team One took a one run lead in the final frame on a pair of doubles. Al Andrews and Doug McLellan accounted for the lone score with their extra base hits.
The middle team needed a few more runs to get back into the game and they were up to the challenge. Roger Edwards and Clair Auchey hit consecutive triples and a hit by Glenn Holland drove in the second run. Before the inning was over, Steven Hill had singled and Ted Granoski walked. A sacrifice fly by Richard Marino was the last run for Team Two. Richard ended the day batting 1.000 as he went 3 for 3.
Heading into the bottom of the last inning, the score was 12-11-11.
The home team needed two runs to end the game in their favor and they didn't waste too much time. Bob Zelazny had a one out double and Ron Thompson hit one to rightfield for an RBI single. Ron scored the winning run when Doug Chamlee singled to the opposite field.
The final score was 12-11-13. There were two winning pitchers. Ray Mills and George Radlein both chalked up a "W".
LEADING HITTERS:
Al Andrews: 4 for 4 with 3 doubles.
George Radlein: 3 for 3 with 1 triple & 1 double.
Sam Harrell: 3 for 3.
Glenn Holland: 3 for 3 with 1 sacrifice fly.
Richard Marino: 3 for 3 with 1 sacrifice fly.
Kirk Coffman: 3 for 4 with 1 homer & 1 double.
Clair Auchey: 3 for 4 with 1 triple & 1 double.
Doug Chamlee: 3 for 4 with 1 double.
Vassurl Bess: 3 for 4.
Inside-the-park homers this morning: Kirk Coffman & Ed Kline.
Ed Kline will be heading back to Mt. Vernon, Ohio after the Florida Half Century tournament at the Villages this weekend. He is on the American Legion Post 8 roster in the 70s bracket. See you later in the year, Ed.
