October 2010 News Archive
 October 1st - The number of off season games played has grown to 50 at this point.
Listed are the leaders in various categories.
* - Must have played over one half of the games. Note: The statistics are only as accurate as the score sheets.  October 1st - The numbers were at 37 today so three teams were set up for the game on Fred White Field.
Team One could hardly get on the right track and finished with only three runs in three separate innings. Ron Butler hit a solo shot off pitcher George Radlein to open the top of the second. The bases eventually were filled before the third out was recorded, but no other runs were able to cross the plate. Bill Ravo and Walt Leggett singled 
following the homer before Larry Powell lined out to the opposing pitcher. After the next batter flew out, Richard Marino singled his way on base to load them up, but a pop up to rover Sam Harrell finished the inning.
The number one batter scored in the top of the third after a single. Vassurl Bess lead off and raced to third when Frank Miller had a base hit. A Brent Alumbaugh double assured Vassurl and Team One of a run. The third and final run for the first squad occurred in the fifth frame. Richard Marino tripled and scored on a ground out by Skip Morrison to shortstop Bill Miller. Richard scored after Bill released his throw to first baseman Gale Doty. The middle team put numbers on the board in every inning except the last. The team was lead by the explosive 
bats of Al Andrews and Russ King. Both teammates finished with a .750 batting average for the day. Al blasted two doubles and Russ had an opposite field triple in the direction of rightfielder Richard Marino. Don Witmer scored three runs for his team despite having only one hit.
The home team scored their runs in bunches. Five found their way home in the first inning. Sam Lopez and Bill Miller each had base raps after the lead off man flew out to left centerfielder Al Andrews. A sacrifice fly ball to Ed Neumyer scored the initial run. Afterwards, Doug Chamlee doubled in a run and Carl Luebking had an RBI single. 
Marshall Bloom drove home the fifth run with a base hit.
Neil Gelpi had an inside-the-park homer to start the fourth frame. No one was on base to slow down the speedy ball player. Sam Lopez figured into the scoring in the sixth inning, too. He tripled and scored on a Bill Miller two bagger. Two pitchers recorded wins in the three team contest. Ted Granoski surrendered 10 but the team scored 14 runs. George Radlein allowed three runs while that team scored 10 to give him a victory. Larry Powell was on the mound for the team that scored three and gave up 14 runs. LEADING HITTERS: George Radlein: 3 for 3. Ted Granoski: 1 for 1 with 2 walks. Neil Gelpi: 1 for 1 with 1 homer, 1 walk, & 1 sacrifice fly. Al Andrews: 3 for 4 with 2 doubles. Russ King: 3 for 4 with 1 triple. Neil Gelpi hit an inside-the-park homer for the second straight game. Ron Butler also hit a home run. Ed Kline returned from Mt. Vernon, Ohio; Bill Miller returned from Morgan, Texas; Frank Miller came in from Byron Center, Michigan; and John Smith drove down from Ithaca, New York. Welcome back, Ed, Bill, Frank, and John. Paul Carter joined the Winter Haven Senior Softball Club today. He is retired and resides in Winter Haven. Paul went 2 for 3 this morning and had a triple in his inaugural at bat. He tweaked a hamstring and may need to rest before returning to the old ball park, but we all know that is a common injury to new players. Welcome aboard, Paul. October 5th - The cooler weather made an appearance at the old ballpark. At sign in time, the temperature gauge was reading 63° F. The change didn't stop 52 ball players from heading out the door for a game, though.
A three team game was contested on Fred White Field and two squads battled it out on Field D. Only one run was the result of the first two innings for Team One on Fred White Field. Raul Torres singled to begin the game and Fred Dampier pulled 
a ball just away from rightfielder Richard Marino for an RBI triple. Two outs were in the books at that time.
Kirk Coffman had the only hit, a single, in the second frame. Jack Benson lead off the middle of the first with a single but was forced out when Russ King grounded to shortstop Brent Alumbaugh. Brent fed the ball to fill-in rover Ron Butler. Russ was involved in the third out when he was forced at second when Neil Gelpi hit a ground ball to Ron Butler. Steven Hill crushed 
a ball deep over defending left centerfielder Kirk Coffman for an inside-the-park home run. That was the only hit, and run, for Team Two in the second frame.
The home team squeezed in a run in the first and another in the next inning. Frank Acevedo singled and was replaced at first when Don Scarbrough pulled a grounder to fill-in third baseman Sam Lopez. Sam fired to rover Ken Ota for the fielder's choice out. Don scored on an Al Andrews base rap. A string of three straight singles accounted for the run in the home second. Bill Ravo, Larry Powell, and Carl Luebking all connected for hits. Bill scored when the next batter grounded into a double play. After two innings of play, the score was 1-1-2. Was this game going to be controlled by the pitching efforts of Jerry Witter, George Radlein, and 
Larry Powell? What will happen in the upcoming frames?
The home team busted it open in the third inning. Frank Acevedo, Ron Butler, Al Andrews, and Angel Merced all had base knocks and all four eventually scored. The best inning for the middle team came about in the fourth when they pushed the maximum five runs across the plate. Russ King began with a base hit before Don Witmer hit an opposite field shot near the rightfield line. Bob Cooper could not stop the ball and Don ended with an inside-the-park homer. Neil Gelpi doubled after the homer before the next two batters were out. Hits by George Radlein and Ken Ota assured Team Two of the five run limit. The first team waited until the fifth inning for their moment. Raul Torres and Sam Lopez singled, followed by a double from the bat of Brent Alumbaugh. A series of infield miscues kept the inning alive before Jerry Witter drove home the fifth run. The final score was 10-11-6. George Radlein picked up the only win. That team scored 11 and the defense gave up six runs. Larry Powell and Jerry Witter were on the mound for the other two teams. LEADING HITTERS: Neil Gelpi: 3 for 4 with 2 doubles. Frank Acevedo: 3 for 4. Al Andrews: 3 for 4. Sam Lopez: 3 for 4. Raul Torres: 3 for 4. A two team game took place on Field D but only went seven innings. Wonder why? The rule clearly states it should have gone the full nine innings. The visitors jumped out with four in the first and never looked back. Rich Moots singled to start the contest and Frank Miller doubled. Bill Miller reached base on an infield error followed by a two bagger by Bob Zelazny. The visitors didn't need any help from the defense but got it in the second, too. John Merritt got 
aboard in a booted grounder and proceeded to second. He moved up on a groundout to pitcher Marvin Taylor. John headed to third as Marvin threw to first baseman Erv Fitzke. A groundout to third baseman Ed Kline sent John home.
Lefty Bill Miller pulled a ball to rightfield and out of the reach of Jim McPartlan for a two run home run, scoring Frank Miller ahead of him. Frank had singled his way on base to start the top of the third. Bob Zelazny singled after the dinger and Doug Chamlee had an RBI triple. Base hits by Ted Granoski and Bernie Mohan finished off the five run inning. The bats were hot for the visitors this morning. Five more runs scored in the fourth frame. Ed Neumyer, Joltin' Joe DeForge, Rich Moots, and Frank Miller each banged singles. 
The inning was capped off by a Bill Miller double and a Bob Zelazny triple.
While the visiting team was in the process of scoring 15 runs in the first four innings, the home team was struggling all the way. A combination of singles from Ed Kline, Wayne Mundy, and Greg Bombard put the good guys on the board in the first with one run. After a dry second frame, Reg Barnes and Ed Kline singled before Wayne Mundy produced an RBI double. Another straight number was put on the board after the bottom of the fourth. Marshall Bloom singled and scored as a result of base hits from Marvin Taylor and Jim McPartlan. The score stood at 15-4 after four innings were in the books. The last hurrah for the home team was executed in the bottom of the last frame. John Smith started things with a base hit to rightfield. The next batter lined out to third baseman Sam Harrell before Gene Baker singled his way aboard. Reg Barnes connected for his first triple this off season, driving home two runs. By the time the inning was over, Ed Kline, Wayne Mundy, Erv Fitzke, and Marshall Bloom all had singles to their credit. The final score was a whopping 20-8. Ted Granoski picked up the win and Marvin Taylor pitched for the home team. LEADING HITTERS: Bob Zelazny: 4 for 4 with 1 triple & 1 double. Frank Miller: 4 for 4 with 1 double. Wayne Mundy: 4 for 4 with 1 double. Bill Miller: 3 for 4 with 1 homer & 1 double. Ted Granoski: 3 for 4. Rich Moots: 3 for 4. Inside-the-park home runs on both fields: Neil Gelpi hit an inside-the-park homer for the third consecutive game. Bill Miller and Don Witmer also hit home runs. Erv Fitzke arrived from Elkhart, Indiana, Stevan Hill returned from the north, and Jerry Witter returned from Addison, New York. Welcome back, Erv, Stevan, and Jerry. Eddie Diaz dropped by the old ballpark to watch some of the action. He is recovering from some heart problems and let us know he will be ready when the 2011 season gets underway. Hang in there, Eddie. Ray Roy tried out the Winter Haven Senior Softball Club today. He also played in the Lakeland Senior Softball program yesterday. Bernie Mohan brought his cousin to the old ballpark today for a visit. He played on Field D against Bernie. October 8th - Kudos to the BOD members in charge of selecting teams of equal abilities to oppose one another. The game on Fred Whiter Field was decided after one extra inning. The contest on Field D was tied after four innings, was close the rest of the way, and there was only a three run difference in the score. Joel Freedman and Don Witmer worked out the division of the players this morning.
The two teams on Fred White Field battled tooth and nail throughout the contest and were tied 12-12 after seven frames, 14-14 after eight, and 16-16 after the regulation nine innings. The visitors scored three in the tenth and shut down the home team in the bottom of the inning for the win. Ron Butler and Neil Gelpi, batting in the three and four holes, were a deadly combination 
for the home team. Ron scored four times while hitting 4 for 6 with two doubles. Neil banged out two homers and now has a streak of four successive games with home runs. Both of the taters today were two run shots and Ron was aboard both times. Neil finished with six RBIs.
The visiting team was headed with the offensive power of Bob Zelazny and Wally Granger. Bob hit for the cycle in his 4 for 6 performance while Wally 
banged two doubles en route to a 4 for 4 game. Wally also accumulated two sacrifice fly balls to add to his RBI total.
As mentioned earlier, the game was decided in the tenth frame. Bill Ravo lead off with a single and advanced one base when Russ King collected a base hit. A Bob Zelazny triple knocked in two runs before Wally Granger drove Bob home with a sacrifice fly to left centerfielder Kirk Coffman. Carl Luebking and Richard Marino also singled but remained on the bases when the third out was recorded. The final score was 19-16. Pitcher Ted Granoski recorded the victory against fellow hurler Marvin Taylor. LEADING HITTER: Wally Granger: 4 for 4 with 2 doubles & 2 sacrifice flys. A total of 17 of the 20 batters scored at least one run in the two team contest on Field D. Sam Lopez and 
Fred Dampier lead the visitors with four runs scored apiece. Ray Roy crossed the plate six times for the home team and Roger Edwards wasn't far behind with five runs scored.
The home team got away with a rule infraction during the game. The last four batters in the lineup were skipped and lead off hitter Jack Benson stepped up to the plate to begin the bottom of the seventh inning. Fortunately for the visitors, the home team put up a goose egg for only the second time in the game. But those four left out guys probably would have liked to take their turn at bat. An off season record was surpassed in the game. Sam Lopez broke the triples record of 18 set by Don Witmer in 2008. Don finished with 258 official at bats in 2008. At this point, Sam has gathered 155 at bats. The final score was 23-20 in favor of the home team. Jerry Witter was the winning pitcher against Dick Sessink. LEADING HITTER: Fred Dampier: 5 for 5 with 2 doubles & 1 sacrifice fly. Inside-the-park home runs on both fields: Roger Edwards and Neil Gelpi each hit two inside-the-park homers. One each were hit by Jack Benson, Kirk Coffman, Raul Torres, and Bob Zelazny. Jerry Noble arrived from Sullivan, Maine. He played left centerfield for the visiting team and went 4 for 6 during the game. Welcome back, Jerry. Bill Cook dropped by the old ballpark. He is visiting from Crestwood, Kentucky and is checking on his winter home here in Winter Haven. Bill will return in January. It is time again for the Enjoyment Books. The sale of the coupon books help to fund the Winter Haven Senior Softball Club. We have met our goal of sales for the past two years, so be sure to ask for one or more of these handy items. They make excellent Christmas gifts. The Enjoyment 2011 Book will be available in one week. Stay tuned. October 12th - The weather was perfect for a morning stroll at the old ballpark. The temperature was down in the 70s on this sunny day.
A crazy ending is an appropriate description for the game on Fred White Field. With the home team ahead 23-15 heading into the top of the ninth and last inning, a massive offensive drive was executed. Although two errors were committed late in the charge, the visitors rallied for 12 runs and timely hitting to pull out a fantastic finish. The home team first seemed invincible as they scored 10 runs in the first two innings. Sam Lopez, who finished with a 4 for 5 performance, had a single and a double with two runs scored in the first two frames. Lakeland Senior Softball 
player Greg Harding, along with our own Larry Wells, each went 2 for 2 with a double and one run scored. Raul Torres smashed an opposite field, inside-the-park homer in the second. Two runners were on base at that time. Sam Harrell singled beforehand but was erased at second when Pat Accetta grounded into a fielders's choice. Gale Doty also singled.
The visiting team had a tough time trying to dig themselves out of the hole they began early in the game. By the time the ninth rolled around, the home squad was ahead by eight runs. 
Russ King, Bob Zelazny, and Ron Butler began with base knocks. Russ ended the day hitting 5 for 5. One of his hits was a double and he also drew a walk. After the three consecutive hits, Ron was out at second on a groundout by Kirk Coffman. Kirk ended up scoring when Bernie Mohan and Ted Granoski collected base hits. The second out was made when the next batter lined out to rover Sam Harrell. With two outs in the books and the visitors still down by four runs, Walt Leggett, Richard Marino, and Lee Baker singled. Vassurl Bess walked to load the bases before the next batter was safe at first on a booted ball in the infield. The order had rolled around by then so Russ King had his second hit of the inning, a double, and the next three batters also had base hits. Bob Zelazny and Ron Butler each singled for the second time and Kirk Coffman had a base rap.
The final score was 27-23. Ted Granoski recorded a victory against fellow pitcher Dick Sessink. LEADING HITTERS: Russ King: 5 for 5 with 1 double & 1 walk. Sam Harrell: 4 for 4 with 1 triple & 1 double. Walt Leggett: 4 for 4 with 1 walk. Ron Butler: 5 for 6. Sam Lopez: 4 for 5 with 1 triple & 1 double. Larry Wells: 4 for 5 with 1 double. Lee Baker: 4 for 5. Don Witmer: 3 for 4 with 1 homer, 2 doubles, & 1 walk. Raul Torres: 3 for 4 with 1 homer, 1 double, & 1 sacrifice fly. The game on Field D was mostly comprised of players from the National League during season play. It started off slowly but the visiting team picked up the pace as they gained momentum. Chris Constantine returned from some time off to square up an inside-the-park homer. He pulled the ball and leftfielder Fred Ducham just couldn't get his legs going fast enough to catch up with the old pill. With no one in front of him on the base paths, Chris touched them all for a solo homer. Although the home team lost the game, the top of the lineup did all the damage in the contest. 
Wayne Mundy busted three doubles directly to centerfield. Al Andrews and Ed Kline each had four hits in five trips to the plate. One hit was a two bagger for Al. John Fulton picked up a few RBIs as he had three hits in five at bats.
The visiting team came out on top, and it could be due to their offensive production being spread throughout the score card. Joltin' Joe DeForge reached base three of four times and had two hits. He ran for himself twice and scored both times. Lead off hitter Fred Ducham flied out to leftfielder John Fulton then proceeded to get three hits as the game continued. Bill Miller doubled once and singled twice in four plate appearances. The final score was 14-11, with pitcher Marvin Taylor picking up the win against Ray Mills. LEADING HITTERS: Al Andrews: 4 for 5 with 1 double. Ed Kline: 4 for 5. Bill Miller: 3 for 4 with 1 double. Fred Ducham: 3 for 4. Inside-the-park home runs on both fields: Chris Constantine, Raul Torres, and Don Witmer. Stevan Hill is recovering from a cut over his eye from a ball that took a wicked hop during batting practice this past Friday. He umpired on Fred White Field today and also umped Friday. Thank you Stevan. Fred Ducham returned from Sanford, Michigan and Ray Mills returned from the north. Welcome back, Fred and Ray. Greg Harding played today. He is a regular in the Lakeland Senior Softball program. October 15th - The league is holding strong with enough players to field four teams.
The visitors on Fred White Field were leading by so many runs heading into the ninth inning that the "Flip-Flop Rule" was applied. They scored the maximum five runs in the first, second, and fourth frames while racking up four runs in the third. By the time the fifth inning rolled around, the visiting team held a 19-2 lead. Rich Moots was right in the middle of those big innings as he went 3 for 3 and scored every time he reached base. He also belted out a 
triple in the process. Although Marshall Bloom had only one hit, he also scored three times. He singled in the second, reached base on an error in the third, and grounded into a fielder's choice in the fourth, which erased Marvin Taylor from the base paths. Marvin had singled his was on base before Marshall batted.
Russ King blasted a three run, inside-the-park homer in the second frame. He knocked in another run in the third with a double. Russ tripled in a run later in the game, and another RBI double drove home his sixth run of the game. Way to go, Russ. The home team had their two best innings in the last two frames. Three each scored in the eighth and ninth innings. Bill Miller and Al Andrews began 
the eighth with base hits before Bill was forced out at third. The next batter reached on an error and was forced at second for out number two. Ray Mills drew a free pass and Reg Barnes and Wes Willson each singled.
The top of the order batted for the home team in the last inning. Ed Kline began with a single to start the rally. Back-to-back-to-back doubles by Kirk Coffman, Bill Miller, and Al Andrews followed the hit by Ed. The two bagger by Al drove home the third and final run for the home team. The final score was 26-11. Marvin Taylor picked up the win against opposing pitcher Ray Mills. LEADING HITTERS: Russ King: 5 for 6 and hit for the cycle with 2 doubles. Bill Miller: 4 for 5 with 2 doubles. Doug Chamlee: 4 for 5. George Radlein: 4 for 5. Marvin Taylor: 4 for 5. It took a little while for the home team to warm up on Field D, but their bats got hot and a come from behind win was in order. They managed to take a temporary lead in the third when they rallied for a five spot. Two defensive errors kept the inning alive. Ted Granoski, Gale Doty, and Chris Constantine each collected a single while Robert Humphrey doubled. The good guys finished strong as they scored five runs in the last three innings. Fred Dampier singled twice 
and scored each time. He lead the team with four runs scored. Robert Humphrey singled and tripled while scoring two times. He was just a homer away from hitting for the cycle. Paul Carter had two base hits and his pinch runner went all the way around the bases to score each time. Fred Ducham also scored twice in the last three innings. He had one hit and then reached on a fielding error.
Four runs in the top of the 
second was the first score for either team through two and one half innings. Larry Wells started it off with a double to the deep part of left centerfield. Larry Powell, Richard Marino, and Dick Sessink followed with base hits before the first out was recorded. Afterwards, Bob Cooper doubled in the gap between left and left centerfield. Then Stevan Hill and Don Witmer singled, and the hit by Don drove home the fourth run.
The three run fifth frame was the last time the visitors would hold a lead in the game. Larry Powell started with a liner down the leftfield line for an inside-the-park homer. Floyd Welton and Bob Cooper would single and score in the fifth, too. The final score was 22-14 in favor of the home team. Ted Granoski picked up his fifth consecutive win. Ted last recorded a loss on September 28th. Dick Sessink was on the mound for the visitors. LEADING HITTERS: Ron Butler: 4 for 4 with 1 double & 1 walk. Gale Doty: 4 for 4 with 1 walk. Chris Constantine: 4 for 5 with 1 homer & 1 double. Robert Humphrey: 4 for 5 with 1 triple & 1 double. Inside-the-park home runs on both fields: Chris Constantine, Russ King, Larry Powell, and Don Witmer. Chuck Duff was the chief umpire on Fred White Field and Joel Freedman handled the score book. Jim Laffoon and Bob Zelazny helped out on Field D. They alternated between umpiring behind home plate and playing first base for both teams. Jim did have to finish out the game on the mound when Ted Granoski was injured in the sixth inning. Thank you for your help, Chuck, Joel, Jim, and Bob. Floyd Welton returned from Jefferson City, Tennessee. Welcome back, Floyd. Wes Willson joined the Winter Haven Senior Softball Club this morning. His application was received recently in the mail and he was ready to play today. Wes took part in the game on Fred White Field. The butterflies left in his last at bat when Wes connected for a two out base hit. Welcome aboard, Wes. October 19th - The skies were cloudy and the fields were overcast before the games began, but the sun was shining brightly at the end of the contests.
Two fields were used this morning. Fred White Field sported two squads of 12 each while it was 11 against 11 on Field D. The visitors scored in two of the first three innings and held a 5-0 lead after three. Russ King went 2 for 2 
with a triple and went around to score both times in the three frames. Sam Lopez added to his off season triples record with another one in the third inning. Neil Gelpi singled and doubled and finished the day with three hits in four official at bats. He also drew a walk.
The home team went scoreless in the first three innings. A single run in the fourth cleared up the drought when powerful Chuck Duff smashed an inside-the-park home run. Three more runs crossed the plate in the bottom of the fifth inning. After the first batter struck out, George Radlein, Bernie Mohan, Richard Marino, and John Fulton all singled before the second out was recorded. John Fulton was forced out at third and the lead off batter flew out to finish the frame. A handful of base hits and a double by Ken Ota assured the visiting team of five runs. Singles were pounded out by Dean Schapeler, Sam Harrell, Larry Powell, and John Smith. The hit by John knocked in the final run. The score was 17-10 heading into the bottom of the ninth. With a "never say die" attitude, the home team 
fought back hard. Richard Marino opened the
inning with a free pass before John Fulton singled. The next batter popped up to the second baseman for the first out. An RBI single from the bat of Gene Baker got the good guys on the board in the last inning and a sacrifice fly by Jack Benson drove home another run. A single by Chris Constantine and a double by Kirk Coffman finished the rally.
The final score was 17-15. The pitcher was not indicated on the visiting team score sheet. Sam Harrell, Larry Powell, and Larry Wells have all been starting pitchers at one time or another and Sam Lopez has pitched in Florida Half Century tournaments so one of those players was the winning pitcher against George Radlein. LEADING HITTERS: Russ King: 4 for 5 with 2 triples. Neil Gelpi: 3 for 4 with 1 double & 1 walk. Ken Ota: 3 for 4 with 1 double. Sam Harrell: 3 for 4. George Radlein: 3 for 4. John Smith: 3 for 4. The game on Field D was close for the first three innings. Both teams racked up five runs in the first. A two RBI double by Fred Dampier helped the visitors reach their maximum run total. Extra base hits by Erv Fitzke, a triple, and Carl Luebking, a double, were also accomplished in the opening frame. A single by Ed Kline drove Erv home. No outs were recorded in the 
top of the first inning.
The home team answered with a five spot as they sent 10 of the 11 batters to the plate in the first. Ron Butler smashed a ball deep over right centerfielder Stevan Hill for an inside-the-park home run. Fred Ducham, who reached base on a fielder's choice to erase Pat Accetta from the bases, was aboard when Ron connected for the tater. Pat ended the day batting 6 for 6. One of those hits went for a double. Rich Moots singled to leftfield to send the fifth run home. The home team scored twice in the third to go ahead by one run. Doug Chamlee and Marvin Taylor both singled and scored. Once again, an RBI single by Rich Moots knocked in the last run. Stevan Hill chased Ed Kline around the bases in the top of the fourth after Ed singled. Steven connected for a line drive that fell in the gap between leftfielder Fred Ducham 
and left centerfielder Al Andrews. The two runs gave the visitors a temporary lead of one run but the home team took the lead back in the home fourth. Doug Chamlee drove the lead run home with his third hit of the day in as many at bats.
The visitors moved ahead for good when they scored five runs each in the fifth and sixth innings. Everyone in the lineup scored one run apiece except two players while Joltin' Joe DeForge scored twice. Joe reached base on a fielding error and singled his way on in the sixth frame. The home team was down by a whopping 12 runs by the time they came to bat in the eighth inning. Five scored to narrow the visiting team's lead. A bases loaded single by Al Andrews sent Pat Accetta home from third base for the first run. Pat had singled to begin the rally after the first batter struck out. Bill Ravo had the last hit of the eighth and Bob Zelazny scored on that base hit. Bob had reached base on a muffed ball in the outfield. Seven more scored in the bottom of the ninth to make it a close call for the visiting team but they won 29-25. Jerry Witter picked up the victory against opposing pitcher Marvin Taylor. LEADING HITTERS: Fred Dampier: 6 for 6 with 3 doubles. Pat Accetta: 6 for 6 with 1 double. Frank Miller: 6 for 6. Stevan Hill: 5 for 5 with 1 homer & 1 double. Ron Butler: 5 for 6 with 1 homer & 2 doubles. Doug Chamlee: 5 for 6 with 1 triple. Ed Kline: 5 for 6. Bill Miller: 4 for 5 with 1 sacrifice fly. Al Andrews: 3 for 4 with 2 sacrifice flys. Inside-the-park home runs on both fields: Ron Butler, Chuck Duff, and Stevan Hill. Joel Freedman assumed the umpiring duties behind home plate on Field D. He also made the calls at first base. Thank you, Joel. The Board of Directors for the Winter Haven Senior Softball Club voted on and approved that meeting minutes be published on the website. The minutes have been placed on the main web page below the game recaps. October 22nd - A few more snowbirds found their way back to the area but some of the locals stayed home. Therefore, two fields were used for the two games. In all, four teams were structured together.
The home team on Fred White Field jumped out with 14 runs in the first three innings but the visitors fought back to close the gap to four runs when all the dust had settled. Carl Luebking opened the home first with a double. He was blasting the ball in BP this morning. One of his shots to leftfield traveled about 250 feet in the air. After the two bagger by Carl, Russ King and steady Bill Miller singled. Bill is hitting at a .735 clip this off season. A double from the bat of Doug Chamlee sent two runners home. George Radlein singled but was out at second when Marshall Bloom hit into a fielder's choice. 
Second baseman Ari Harris scooped the ball and threw to shortstop Wayne Mundy, who covered second base to get George out. Ari played an excellent defensive second base in the game. He handled four grounders and caught two pop fly balls. Four runs scored in the bottom of the first to give the home team a 4-2 lead at the time.
The visitors pushed four home in the third. Ron Butler, who opened the game with a solo homer between right centerfielder Marshall Bloom and rightfielder John Smith, found the same gap in the third frame. Marshall cut the ball off and Ron settled in at second with a stand up double. Larry Powell doubled down the leftfield line to score Ron. A booted ball in the infield allowed Wayne Mundy to get aboard. In fact, the defense threw the ball around so much that Wayne made it all the way around the bases for an inside-the-park four base error. If anyone was counting, three errors were made on the play, including the initial misplayed ball in the infield. Base raps by Bob Zelazny, Fred Ducham, and Richard Marino followed the defensive follies. Russ King was centered in four rallies for the home team. He finished with four hits in four at bats. Russ has been hitting well to all fields in recent games. No longer can the defensive look for the ball to be hit only in the direction of right centerfield. The home team was ahead 19-11 heading into the ninth inning. Ari Harris began with a single and stayed at first when Skip Morrison popped up to third baseman Stevan Hill. Afterwards, Ron Butler singled but the next 
batting position had to be bypassed. Larry Powell had singled in the seventh. When he made his way to third on a Bob Zelazny bloop single, Larry rounded third and found some loose dirt. Down he went but he caught his falling body with the right arm. Unfortunately, one of his fingers was damaged when his fall was cushioned. Off to the hospital Larry went for the treatment of a dislocated finger that required 10 stitches to repair the open gash in his hand. He is expected to be out of action for four to six weeks. Anyway, back to the ninth frame. Wayne Mundy doubled after the Ron Butler single, followed by singles from Bob Zelazny and Fred Ducham. Up next was Richard Marino. He swung with all his might and the ball trickled out between home and the pitcher's mound. Rich was safe at first with a swinging bunt. That kept the inning alive for Pat Accetta to step up and single. The visiting team needed eight for a tie but had to settle for four runs in the last frame.
The final score was 19-15. George Radlein became the first 20 game winner during this off season with the victory. Dick Sessink was the opposing pitcher for every inning except one. Larry Powell was on the mound for the sixth frame. That inning was scoreless for both teams. LEADING HITTERS: Russ King: 4 for 4. Bill Miller: 4 for 4. Fred Ducham: 4 for 5 with 1 double. Bob Zelazny: 4 for 5 with 1 double. Doug Chamlee: 3 for 4 with 1 double. Larry Powell: 3 for 4 with 1 double. George Radlein: 3 for 4. The game on Field D was very one sided. Every player on the home team scored at least one run except for Jerry Witter, who went 3 for 4 but never found his way home. Maybe a GPS for Christmas would suit him well. 
Regis Finnegan scored all five times he batted while Chris Constantine and Sam Lopez each scored four runs.
There was a misinterpretation of the "Flip Flop Rule" as the home team stayed in the field for two innings. At any rate, all worked out well and no one probably even noticed the infraction. The home team scored the maximum five runs in an inning on three different occasions. The first, sixth, and seventh frames were all explosive. In addition, the fifth run was on second base when the third out was made in the second inning. Chris Constantine hit an off season leading 15th homer in the fourth inning. Two were on base when he stepped to the plate. In the inning before, Sam Harrell slammed a 
deep triple, driving home Dan Whisler, who had drawn a walk before Sam batted.
The visitors did have two productive innings during the game. They began with four in the fist inning. Kirk Coffman, Al Andrews, and Jim Laffoon all singled to start the game before Jack Benson found the gap in the outfield for a double. Frank Miller singled after the two bagger but was out at second when the next batter grounded into a fielder's choice. The same nucleus of players rallied for four in the third inning. Al Andrews, Jim Laffoon, Jack Benson, and Frank Miller all banged out base hits before the first out was recorded. A single by Marvin Taylor drove home the fourth run. The final score was 25-10 in favor of the home team. The score sheets did not indicate the pitchers of record. Also, the sheets failed to make note of the positions of the defensive players. Come on guys, this data is needed for the game recaps. Please help out the statistician and write the starting defensive positions in the appropriate field. LEADING HITTERS: Chris Constantine: 5 for 5 with 1 homer. Al Andrews: 4 for 4 with 1 double. Sam Lopez: 4 for 5 with 1 triple & 1 double. Regis Finnegan: 4 for 5 with 1 double. Sam Harrell: 3 for 4 with 1 triple. Jack Benson: 3 for 4 with 1 double. Gene Baker: 3 for 4. Vassurl Bess: 3 for 4. Marvin Taylor: 3 for 4. Jerry Witter: 3 for 4. Inside-the-park home runs on both fields: Ron Butler and Chris Constantine. Returning to the old ball field are Elmer Black from Howick, Quebec, Canada; Ari Harris from Saranac Lake, New York; Dan Whisler from the north; and Les Wolff from Lido Beach, New York. Welcome back, Elmer, Ari, Dan, and Les. Former member Dan Connolly dropped by to watch some of the action. He last played during the 2007 season. Thank you for visiting, Dan. The Entertainment Books have arrived and are on sale. The sale of these money saving books are used to fund the Winter Haven Senior Softball Club. Slightly over 25% of the cost is given back to the league. See commish Don Witmer for a book or two or three. They make nice gifts, too. October 26th - Two fields were used today and five teams took part in the activities. The three team game was contested on Field D. The vast majority of players in the American League were on Fred White Field and most of the National League group were on the other diamond.
The home team on Fred White Field took a demanding lead as the visitors were held to three hits and no runs through three innings. Pitcher George Radlein threw five shutout innings in all. Chuck Duff doubled in a run in the first while George 
Radlein and Ken Ota had RBI singles for the home team.
The bottom of the lineup jump started the home second. Sam Harrell and Gale Doty each banged base hits to get to the top of the batting order. Kirk Coffman singled for the second consecutive inning and was forced off the base paths for the second straight time as latter batters grounded into fielder's choice plays. Chuck Duff collected another RBI when he sacrificed in a run with a deep fly ball to right centerfielder Richard Marino. The visitors got on the score board in the fourth when Bill Ravo, Jim Laffoon, and Bob Zelazny all singled to open the inning. The defense threw the ball around too 
many times and two runs scored as a result. Don Keller lifted a sacrifice fly to rightfielder Rich Moots for the third and final run of the inning.
Sam Lopez drove the fifth and final run home in the bottom of the fifth. The home team applied their hitting skills in the lower half of the order to knock home the first four runs. Ken Ota, Rich Moots, and Sam Harrell all gathered base hits and Kirk Coffman also singled. Three doubles in the top of the sixth frame assured the visitors of three more runs. Jim Laffoon opened with a two bagger and advanced to third when the next batter flew out. Don Keller doubled in a run and Dan Davis followed with a double to send Don to the plate. Dan scored when Bob Cooper connected for a base hit. The home team was too strong this morning and won 19-8 Pitcher George Radlein picked up the win against fellow hurler Jerry Witter. LEADING HITTERS: George Radlein: 5 for 5. Chuck Duff: 3 for 4 with 1 homer, 2 doubles, & 1 sacrifice fly. Sam Lopez: 3 for 4 with 1 double & 1 walk. Sam Harrell: 3 for 4. The game on Field D began with two teams scoring the maximum runs in the very first inning. Team One began with an inside-the-park home run from the bat of speedy Raul Torres. He finished the day with a 3 for 3 performance. That was good enough to be the only player from the first squad included among the list of hitting leaders. After the dinger, Frank Acevedo singled, Bill Miller doubled, Al Andrews had a base hit, and Walt Leggett legged out a triple that eluded rightfielder Marshall Bloom. Ari Harris singled in the fifth run. No outs were recorded in the top of the first frame. The third team also 
pushed home five runs with no outs in the books. Vassurl Bess drew a walk to open the home first. Elvis Abney singled and Wayne Mundy doubled but the ball slipped by the outfielder. Wayne ended up running all four bases. After the miscue, Ron Butler singled and Frank Miller walked. Hits by Ed Kline and Floyd Welton finished off the run production in the first frame.
Team One had their struggles against pitcher Marvin Taylor and were shutout for the next five straight innings. Some of the balls were hit sharply but to no avail. The solid defense along with the pitching prowess of Marvin handcuffed the offense. The top of the lineups for both Team Two and Team Three accounted for just about all the runs, with a few exceptions. Les Wolff, batting last for the home team, found his way home three times. He scored after reaching base on a dropped ball in the infield, singling, and receiving a free pass. The next to last hitter for Team Two, John Smith, 
hit a solo inside-the-park homer to rightfield.
Ron Thompson, back and fresh from his vacation cruise, went 3 for 3 with an inside-the-park homer. He scored four times for Team Two. John Stewart scored three times as he went 2 for 3. One of the hits went for a triple and John also walked one time. Fred Dampier hit three doubles in four trips to the plate and scored each time. Wayne Mundy was off to the races in three of his at bats. Besides the double in the first when he ran all the way around the bases, he also tripled and scored on the same play when the cut off was not caught. Wayne did end up with an inside-the-park legit homer in the fifth frame. He ended the day just a single short of the cycle. Vassurl Bess scored four times on one hit and two walks. He also reached base on a misplayed ball in the infield. The final score was 7-13-20. Marvin Taylor notched the only victory. The other two pitchers were Ray Mills and Dick Sessink. LEADING HITTERS: Ron Butler: 4 for 4 with 2 doubles. Ron Thompson: 3 for 3 with 1 homer & 1 walk. Raul Torres: 3 for 3 with 1 homer. Elvis Abney: 4 for 5. Fred Dampier: 3 for 4 with 3 doubles. Carl Luebking: 3 for 4. Inside-the-park home runs on both fields: Chuck Duff, John Smith, Ron Thompson, and Raul Torres. Don Keller returned from Nazareth, Pennsylvania and John Stewart arrived from Belleville, Ontario, Canada. Welcome back, Don and John. October 29th - A total of 46 players came ready and willing to play this morning. As a result, two fields were occupied for the four teams.
The home team started strongly but fizzled out in the end. Carl Luebking, the leadoff hitter, was perfect at the plate with a 5 for 5 
performance. He singled to open the home first and scored when Fred Dampier doubled. Two outs immediately followed before Erv Fitzke, Frank Miller, and Dick Sessink all singled. A pop up to shortstop Don Scarbrough ended the rally but four runs scored beforehand.
The visitors wasn't able to mount any kind of offense until the fourth inning rolled around. Don Scarbrough began with a single but was eliminated from the base paths when the next batter forced him out at second. George Radlein stepped into an outside pitch and drove the old pill deep over the head of right centerfielder 
Erv Fitzke for an inside-the-park home run after the fielder's choice play. Some poor defense helped two more runs cross the plate. Sam Harrell and Pat Accetta both reached base on booted balls in the infield. Singles by Floyd Welton and Rich Moots kept the inning alive. Floyd tried to score on the hit by Rich but was nailed at the plate when Fred Dampier threw a strike to catcher Gale Doty.
Ted Taylor scored the only run for the home team in both the second and fourth frames. He singled his way on in the second and scored when Carl Luebking had a base hit. In the fourth inning, Ted forced Ari Harris out at second after Ari singled. Ted circled the bases when John Smith pulled a ball down the rightfield line. The ball was misplayed in 
the field and John ended up on third by the time the play was over.
Carl Luebking knocked a solo inside-the-park homer to begin the home fifth. Kirk Coffman doubled with one down and scored when Bill Miller singled towards right centerfielder Ron Thompson. An Erv Fitzke single pushed Bill to third. Erv tried to stretch his hit into a double and was thrown out by left centerfielder Neil Gelpi. Shortstop Don Scarbrough took the throw and applied the tag for the second out. 
Frank Miller doubled a run home to give the home team three runs in the frame and a 9-4 lead after five innings of play.
While the home team bats cooled off, the visitors charged ahead. A five spot tied the game at 9-9 after seven innings but another player was thrown out at the plate. Gene Baker singled to right centerfielder Erv Fitzke. Rich Moots, who was on second, decided to test the arms of the defense. Erv threw a strike to shortstop Bill Miller as Rich was rounding third and heading home. The throw by Bill to catcher Gale Doty easily cut down the runner. That play marked the second putout Gale was involved in during the game. Way to go, Gale. The visitors sent 10 batters to the plate in the ninth inning. Pat Accetta hit a three run inside-the-park home run to cap off the frame as seven runs scored. The home team answered with only two runs and lost 15-10. The winning pitcher was George Radlein. Dick Sessink was the pitching opponent. LEADING HITTERS: Carl Luebking: 5 for 5 with 1 homer. George Radlein: 4 for 5 with 1 homer. Erv Fitzke: 4 for 5. Ted Taylor: 3 for 4. It seemed the game on Field D would be handily won by the home team because they came out with guns blazing early in the game. They 
racked up eight runs in the first two frames. Vassurl Bess walked to start the home first. He was out at second on an around-the-horn double play when Tim Gallagher pulled the ball to third baseman Jud Giberson. Jud fielded the ball and threw to second baseman Les Wolff. Les completed the twin
killing when he fired to first baseman Ray Mills. Afterwards, Ed Kline singled and Ron Butler got aboard on a misplayed ball as Ed scored. A double by Chuck Duff drove the second run home. Hits by Larry Wells and Bob Cooper made sure on another run.
John Fulton, who batted 1.000 for the day, singled with one out in the home second but was forced out at second when the next batter hit into a fielder's choice. Once again, a two out rally was mounted. Lee Baker singled, Vassurl Bess waked for the second consecutive time, and Tim Gallagher and Ed Kline punched base hits. A two run triple by Ron 
Butler drove home the fourth and fifth runs.
The visiting team began the game with three runs. They did it in the fashion of the home squad. All the runs scored after there were two outs on the score sheet. Regis Finnegan singled and advanced to third when Roger Edwards doubled. Bob Zelazny hit a gapper inside-the-park home run between the 
rightfielder and right centerfielder to put the team on the score board.
It wasn't until the fourth before the visitors mounted another rally. Bob Zelazny knocked in two runs with a triple and scored when Jud Giberson had a base hit. Jud pulled in lame at first and that finished his day. A bse rap by Ray Mills drove in the pinch runner. The last big charge for visiting team occurred in the seventh. Stevan Hill, Rich Marino, and Regis Finnegan each singled before Roger Edwards and Bob Zelazny connected for back-to-back two baggers. The hit by Bob Zelazny tied the game at 13-13 heading into the home seventh. The home team heated up the bats again in the eighth with five runs and won 20-15. Marvin Taylor picked up the win against opposing pitcher Jerry Witter. LEADING HITTERS: Chuck Duff: 4 for 4 with 1 homer, 2 doubles, & 1 walk. Ed Kline: 4 for 4 with 1 walk. John Fulton: 4 for 4. Bob Zelazny: 4 for 5 with 1 homer, 1 triple, & 2 doubles. Roger Edwards: 4 for 5 with 3 doubles. Jerry Witter: 4 for 5. Reg Barnes: 3 for 4. Inside-the-park home runs on both fields: Pat Accetta, Chuck Duff, Carl Luebking, George Radlein, and Bob Zelazny. Keith Linton arrived from Berry, Ontario, Canada and Ted Taylor returned from Markham, Ontario, Canada. Welcome back, Keith and Ted. Jud Giberson joined the Winter Haven Senior Softball Club this morning. He resides in Rayalton, New Brunswick, Canada during the summer months. Welcome aboard, Jud. |
September 2010