Scores
Congratulations to Pizza Port Brewery
For Finishing In First Place In Regular Season Play of the 2026 Season 1
This Week's Comic
This Week's Game Pictures
Mark Your Calendar !!
Party For The End Of Season 1 2026
Hi All,
Please join us for the final championship game and end of the season lunch/ celebration at Alga Norte Park after the game on May 28.
We will be meeting at the covered area just above the softball fields with the tables. Senior Grubbys will be catering, and we will pay individually for the lunches. The price ranges from six dollars to $12 and they also have soft drinks and water for purchase. They accept cash and credit cards.
They will start serving from 12 PM and serve until 2 PM
We hope to see you there.
Dario, Linda, Mark
Thursday, May 21st
Carlsbad Police Assoc 13 - Plotkin Group 11
Carlsbad Police Assoc 13 - Plotkin Group 11
Carlsbad Police Assoc 13 - Plotkin Group 11
With playoffs on the line and teams under intense pressure…- oops, wrong game. With the Carlsbad Police safely incarcerated in sixth place and Plotkin Group locked into seventh place, the powers-that-be decided this would be a good chance to test some new ideas. So Pine Park shifted into experimental mode with no real impact on the league and its standings. Specifically, management agreed to test out the 1 and 1 count. About 5 minutes into the game, the experimental program began to look a lot like Frankenstein’s laboratory.
The visiting Carlsbad Keystone Koppers jumped out with three runs in the first and five in the third while the Groupies scored three in their three innings. Two more in the top of the fifth gave a Koppers a 10-3 lead. But abiding by their motto, “no lead is safe”, the Koppers relented and the Groupies scored four in the bottom of the fifth, two in the sixth, and two in the seventh to lead 11-10. Going into the eighth with an agreement to make that the last inning, the Koppers scored three times for a 13-11 lead. The Groupies threatened with batters reaching the bases, but ended somewhat anticlimactically with a groundout double play.
For Plotkin, Jack Schwarzel, Brian Turner, and Gary Conway each went 4 for 4. Jack scored three runs, Brian drove in three and Gary drove in four runs. Gary hit the Groupies’ home run.
Mark Tanner and Gorden Recht led the Koppers with perfect days at bat, Mark going 4 for 4 and Gordon 3 for 3 plus a sacrifice fly. Jeff Payton and Mark Remas went 3 for 4. Kevin “bitchin’ dude” Davidge, a.k.a. KPup, hit the Koppers’ lone home run.
Both team were personnel-strapped and could only field ten teams. Tony Coppin subbed for the Groupies and Oscar Delgado for the Koppers. And both teams loaned a player.
And responsibly reporting on the experimental results (from the Koppers perspective), in the previous 30 games, the Koppers average 0.8 strikeouts (plus foul-outs) per game. Today, Groupies’ Rod Johnson struck out six Koppers. The test proved to be a wonderful opportunity for the multitude of fans that come out to watch strikeouts! Also, the increased pace of the game allowed the players to leave for lunch ten minutes early! (Ignore the intense bias against the 1-1 rule by this reporter.)
Carlsbad Inn 24 - Village Pie Shop 6
Carlsbad Police Assoc 13 - Plotkin Group 11
Carlsbad Police Assoc 13 - Plotkin Group 11
Well, what can you say that hasn't already been said? I do wish that Teddy B. was around to entertain us with his folksy, simile stuffed prose that elevates your imagination to another level. But, alas, Teddy was not present today. So, on the last day of the regular season, Village Pie Shop challenged the Carlsbad Innkeepers to one more game before the playoffs start next week, with little at stake except having some fun in the sun.
CBI started out hot, racing to an 18-3 lead after 4 innings. One more big inning gave the Innkeepers a very comfortable 24 - 6 lead after 7, leading to a flip, and the final score remained the same.
VPS was paced by Barry Stangl (4/4), Oscar Castillo (3/4), pitcher Jimmie Marton (3/4), and Dennis Kemp (2/3). VPS thanks Rich Keefer for subbing today and collecting a couple of hits.
CBI was led by Rich Lavacot (3/4), Randy Agadoni (4/4 with 4 RBIs), John Symanski (3/4 with 4 RBIs), Gene LaChimia (4/4), Jack Karson (3/3 with 4 RBIs), Anthony Reynoso (3/4), Joe Dimambro (3/4), Dan Griffin (3/4), Dan Menendez (2/3), and Gary Soper (3/3 with 3 RBIs), who also pitched very well.
Now, on to the playoffs!
Nucci's 15 - That Pizza Place 12
Worden Williams 12 - Pizza Port Brewery 12
Worden Williams 12 - Pizza Port Brewery 12
It all came down to the final game for these two teams. After 31 games of play and still tied, only the winner makes the playoffs. And both teams played like winners today.
The score was Nucci’s 11 and TPP 7 into the last inning, sorta. Kevin Lynch 3/4 and Pat Driscoll hit HRs for TPP and Tom Redmond had a 3/4 day . But the big TPP bat was wielded by Dennis Kerkhof who had a 3/4 day and a liner to the fence for a crucial HR.
Nucci’s navigated the bottom of the TPP order for the final outs, sorta. High fiving and cone pickups aside it was revealed it was in fact only the 8th inning. Nucci’s was gonna have to win a doubleheader!
Now TPP had the top of the lineup up in the 9th and boy did they do some damage. They loaded the bases with no outs and started driving in runs one at a time. Big singles by Mike Berry 3/4 and Linda Wolf left the game tied 11-11 with one out and bases still loaded. Nicki Branch then hustled down the line to beat out what would have been a season ending double play as the lead run scored. TPP batted 11 players and somehow Nucci’s got out of it down only 12-11 going into the bottom of the 9th.
That brought up the bottom of the Nucci’s order that had already contributed some hits on the day. Steve Sexton (2-4 after being robbed by a Pat Driscoll catch) led off with a line drive single. A couple of outs later it was bottom of the 9th, two outs, and the game and season were still on the line. Kevin McBarron made it first and third with a single then Tom Benacka tied the game with his 5th clutch hit of the game. Bobby Porter won it with a walk off 3 run HR to send Nucci’s into the playoffs as sacrificial lamb to the eagerly awaiting Pizza Port next week.
Other hitting stars were Randy Baird 4/4, SF, 7 RBIs and a diving catch, Al Cabacungan 3/4, and Rick Skidmore 3/4.
Both pitchers came up with superb pitching performances to assist great defensive play by both teams. A shout out to TPP who was playing shorthanded today and most of the year for hanging in there and threatening until the final pitch of the season. They had a heck of a year. TPP thanks Leigh Peterson for subbing and getting a huge 9th inning RBI.
Worden Williams 12 - Pizza Port Brewery 12
Worden Williams 12 - Pizza Port Brewery 12
Worden Williams 12 - Pizza Port Brewery 12
“We’ll see you guys Thursday.”
– Pizza Port’s Andy Balas to Worden Williams players after a 12-12 tie
Andy may have been a bit presumptuous Thursday about a championship rematch with Worden Williams next week, but Pizza Port’s 26-4-1 record makes it the clear favorite heading into the playoffs. The Brewers face Nucci’s in one semifinal game on Tuesday. Nucci’s earned the fourth seed with a 13-12 win over That Pizza Place in a head-to-head battle for the final playoff spot. Going into Thursday’s game, the Dubs were assured of playing Carlsbad Inn in the other semifinal.
In a game with only pride on the line, Worden posted single runs in the first two innings and then broke through with four in the third inning for a 6-1 lead, the largest of the game for either team. The Brewers fought back with a single run in the third, four in the fourth, and one in the fifth to tie the game at 6. The Dubs regained the lead with three in the sixth, but Pizza Port responded with four in the seventh for its first lead of the game, 10-9. Worden went back on top with three in the eighth, but Pizza Port tied it with a pair of runs in its half of the inning, setting up a dramatic finish. The Dubs went down in order in the ninth. Pizza Port got a couple of hits to put the winning run at second base with one out, but a strikeout by WW pitcher Steve Berry and a flyout preserved the tie.
The top four in the order led by way for Worden Williams, accounting for nine runs and 11 RBI. Bob Buscher and Philip Urbina each went 4-for-4, with Buscher scoring four runs. Urbina scored three and drove in three with a double, triple, and two singles. Joe Uribe was 3-for-4 with four RBI and Pat Steel had three RBI. Cathy McDonald was 3-for-4.
Johnny Brand, Balas, Ken Thompson, David Frantz, and Frank Weishaar each had three hits for the regular-season champion Brewers.
Good luck to Pizza Port and Worden Williams in the playoffs.
Both teams thank Donato (no last name needed) for an outstanding job umpiring.
Bye: The Draft
Tuesday, May 19th
Worden Williams 27 - Plotkin Group 11
Worden Williams 27 - Plotkin Group 11
Worden Williams 27 - Plotkin Group 11
“This summary was recommended by 9 out of 10 people who make up statistics.”
Despite securing a spot in the playoffs and unwilling to coast to the finish line, the Worden Williams warriors went to afterburners and pounded out a 27-11 victory over an IL decimated Plotkin Group. Sometimes hitting (or non-hitting) can be contagious and at least for this game, it was the former.
Fueled by an offense that recorded a team batting average of .700, the Dubs lit up the scoreboard by erupting for a season high run total. And it wasn’t that PG was giving away runs, it was that legitimate hits kept flying off of the supercharged bats of the Dubs. Every WW player had at least two hits with Bob Buscher, Pat Steele and Cathy McDonald leading the hit parade with perfect days at the plate. Four players, Steele, Jim Goertzen, Bob Loperena and late addition sub, Al McGee all knocked in four runners. The scoring barrage became so relentless that Dubs scorekeeper Skip Moyer practically wore out a pencil trying to keep up.
On defense, it looked like the Cathy McDonald show early on, snagging numerous fly balls, but her catch off her shoe tops was a highlight reel all by itself. This is not to say that the other outfielders - Goertzen, Uribe, Buscher, and Kudren - were only playing second fiddle. Their play, whether fielding fly balls or grounders, was solid.
On the opposite side of the diamond, PG was led by a quartet of players; Brian Turner, David Hartzog. Mark Riserbato and sub Rich Reynolds with David, Rich and Jeff Ledesma responsible for knocking in seven of PG’s eleven runs. Also subbing for PG was Ron Bondshu, as steady as they come in the outfield and provided additional help in the field when the Dubs were short a player at the end of the game. Despite the unevenness of the score, PG never stopped competing and kept battling until the final out, showing the kind of grit and sportsmanship typical of play in senior softball. But on this day, the Warriors were simply firing on all cylinders, carrying their momentum into the playoffs with confidence, energy, and a clear message that they plan to be a tough out for anyone standing in their way.
Pizza Port Brewery 13 - The Draft 5
Worden Williams 27 - Plotkin Group 11
Worden Williams 27 - Plotkin Group 11
Pizza Port Brewery and The Draft were locked in a close game 7-5 going into the bottom of the 7th when PPB struck for 5 runs. Both team’s pitchers and defenses played well.
Leading hitters for PPB were Cord Cameron 3/3 w/a double, 3 RBIs & 2 homeruns along with defensive wizard Tom Carney 3/3 w/a double & 2 RBIs. Mark Pedote was 2/3 w/a 3 run homer. Johnny Brand (double), Roney Lewis (2rbis), David Frantz & Ken Thompson were all 2/3. Mike Gallagher had a triple. PPB had 15 players and didn’t get thru their line up three times.
Leading hitters for Draft were Dave Ash 3/3 w/ a double. 2/3 for Jeff Schneider & Rich Keefer.
All participants had good sportsmanship even when close plays didn’t go their way.
That Pizza Place 17 - Village Pie Shop 16
Carlsbad Inn 24 - Carlsbad Police Assoc 22
Carlsbad Inn 24 - Carlsbad Police Assoc 22
On a sun-splashed morning at Alga Norte, TPP hosted VPS for a game with playoff implications on everyone's mind, particularly the Nucci's eggplanters both on (sub Randy Baird) and off (peanut gallery) the field.
A loss for TPP would have handed Nucci's the fourth spot, and a win would move the spotlight to the regular season finale on Thursday.
The score see-sawed like an old porch swing in a Texas breeze, with some occasional defensive brilliance. For VPS, it was Randy Baird who first brought the crowd to its feet. Stationed in short right center, the super-sub broke toward a sinking fly ball like a hungry falcon spotting its prey. Just inches before leather met grass, Randy swooped in for a catch that seemed to steal gravity itself. Later, over at third base stood Sheree Parsons, ever watchful and sharp eyed. A screaming line drive came toward her like a wild child darting into traffic, but with the reflexes of a seasoned school crossing guard, she snapped her glove upward and squeezed it. Out recorded, rally denied. TPP answered with some leather of their own. At third base, Mike Carey anchored the hot corner with all the urgency of a teacher’s pet eager to report mischief before recess. A rising liner rocketed at his head, but Mike’s glove flashed skyward in one lightning motion, snatching the ball from the air before anyone could gasp twice. On the other side of the diamond, Tom Redmond played a stellar 1st base, including executing a key snatch and tag. But the game’s great turning point belonged to Barb Pardo at home plate. Small in stature but mighty in nerve, Barb planted herself across the plate like a fearless little jockey guiding a champion horse through the final stretch at Churchill Downs. VPS' God of Thunder, Bocai, was rumbling toward home with Randy Baird closing fast. Bocai barely crossed the plate safely, scoring by the narrowest of margins. Randy, charging hard, was cut down by less than a length in a bang bang play that turned cheers into disbelief and shifted the momentum of the entire contest.
Offensively both teams came out swinging, posting 5 runs each. Through the 6th it was anyone's game, with TPP holding on by their fingernails, 13-12. In the 7th VPS edged ahead with 2 runs, but TPP answered the call with 3 more, 16-14. TPP added an insurance run in the 8th to get up by 3. VPS, refusing to quit, closed the gap back to 1, but TPP's defense held for the final 2 outs.
Highlights for VPS were provided by Paul Wilson (4/4), Barry Stangl (3/4), super-sub Randy Baird (2/2 with 2 HRs plus a BB), Dennis Kemp (clutch triple), and Sheree Parsons (2/3). For TPP it was Tom Redmond (4/4, Pat Driscoll (3/4, HR), Keith Richards (3/4, 2 HR), super-sub Mark Lecklider (2 hits, 5 RBIs), and Mike Carey and Mike Berry (3/4).
Jimmie Martin for VPS and Mike Berry for TPP handled the pitching duties, with only one (intentional) walk between them.
VPS thanks Randy Baird and TPP thanks Mark Lecklider and Matt Morrison for subbing. And both teams express their appreciation to Steve Sexton for umpiring and keeping all of us rabble rousers in line.
So another chapter was written in the joyful folklore of senior softball where aging legs may creak a little, but the competitive fire still burns bright enough to light up an entire ballfield.
p.s. TPP also thanks Teddy Badillo for his valuable contributions to this write-up.
Carlsbad Inn 24 - Carlsbad Police Assoc 22
Carlsbad Inn 24 - Carlsbad Police Assoc 22
Carlsbad Inn 24 - Carlsbad Police Assoc 22
It was a nice sunny day at Alga, where all you could hear was the nesting ospreys crying and groaning seniors pursuing softballs beyond their reach. It turned out to be a close game as the Carlsbad Police Association brought their big bats to the cause. Carlsbad Inn held a strong lead for most of the game, even leading by nine runs at the end of the fifth inning (15-6). But CPA rallied with 16 runs over the last four frames, making the final score close: CBI 24 - CPA 22.
CPA was led by the top and the middle of their lineup. Laurie Mills hit 5/6 in the leadoff position, followed by the loquacious Kevin Davidge hitting 5/6 with a home run, and Jerry Smith hitting 4/6 with an HR. The middle was led by Gordon Recht (4/5), Greg Lorton (4/6) with a big two-strike home run to deep right field, and Karen Smith (4/6) plus a nice catch in right field. CPA thanks CBI for supplying a third baseman throughout the game.
Anthony Reynoso had a huge day for CBI, hitting 5/5 with 2 home runs and 5 RBIs. Also contributing were Dan Menendez (4/5, 2 RBIs), Joe Dimambro (4/5, 2 RBIs), Gene LaChimia (3/4, sac fly and 2 RBIs), John Symanski (4/5, 6 RBIs, HR), and Randy Agadoni (4/5).
Bye: Nucci's
2026 Season Standings as of 5/21/26
Standings are posted after all scores have been received (in a timely manner)