Scores: Week 14

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With the entire league focused on the battle for sixth and seventh places in the standings, the Carlsbad Police Coppers hosted the Plotkin Groupies at Alga 2.  The Groupies had won the previous two games by three and five runs, and held a one-game lead over the Coppers for sixth place.  The seers and statisticians called for a tight game with the edge to the Groupies.  But again, seers and statisticians don’t play the games, but old people do (including a couple of old seers and statisticians).  The 800-pound elephant on the field was that the Groupies had been decimated by injuries and illness with only nine players showing up in playing condition.  But three of the walking wounded showed up for moral support (Dennis O’Hern, Larry Wadalavage, and Rod Johnson) and the Groupies were able to get two subs and a borrowed catcher from the Coppers.

The Coppers were finally able to combine a good offense with a good defense.  They put together four five-run innings and only hit into 15 outs in their seven innings at bat.  Leading 18-0, they gave up their first run to the Groupies in the sixth inning.  The Groupies were able to score twice again in both the seventh and eighth innings, but the Coppers added seven more.  The teams flipped after the top of the eighth and the Groupies went quietly in the ninth for the 25-5 final score.  The result is a tie between the two for sixth place.

Leigh Peterson and Rich Keefer subbed for the Groupies from the Draft Dodgers.  Leigh was the game leader for the Groupies going 3 for 3 plus a walk.  Marty Topper and Mark Riserbato led the Groupie regulars by going 3 for 4.

The Coppers had their best offensive game of the season with 32 hits and a .696 batting average.  Laurie Mills, Mark Remas, Jerry Smith, and Mark Tanner all went 4 for 4.  Laurie, Mark R. and Jerry each had home runs, with Jerry’s other three hits being doubles. Also with perfect days at the plate were Kevin Davidge going 3 for 3 before having to leave early, and Jeff Payton going 2 for 2 plus two walks (including a walking double.)  Dan Miserany was 2 for 3 plus a sacrifice fly and Karen Smith was 2 for 3.

Thanks again to Leigh and Rich for subbing for Plotkin Group and to Dennis O’Hern for coming off the injured reserve list to umpire a flawless game.

In a game that lasted nearly 3 hours, hitting reigned.  Both teams found green and fences throughout the lineups, making for a fun yet exhausting day.  CBI started out hot, scoring 5 runs in each of the first two innings, but VPS roared back to tie the score at 13 apiece at the end of 3.  After that, the lead went back and forth with VPS leading 20-15 at the end of the 6th inning.  The Innkeepers rolled up their sleeves and went to work, scoring 14 runs over the last 3 innings to the Piesters' 4, for a final score of 30-24.

VPS hit very well today and their outfield caught many fly balls.  They were led by Paul Wilson (4/5), Barry Stangl (3/5), Teddy Badillo (3/5), Al Castenada (4/5), Oscar Castillo (3/4, SAC and 4 RBIs), and Dale Miller (3/4).  I've saved the best for last: the man who goes by one name, Bocai.  Teddy was inspired to write the following words as a tribute.  In what nearly became a storybook moment for VPS, the cheerful and ever-determined Bocai sent a jet stream fly ball deep into left-center, only to have it clang off the very top of the fence—just shy of a rarity 300-foot home run for this league. Teammates held their breath as the ball hung in the air, but gravity had the final say. True to form, good-natured Bocai set off down the line in his familiar, lumbering stride—half grin, half mumble—chugging along as if the bases might come to him instead. While the stat sheet will mark it as a near miss, the dugout knows better: it was vintage hustle, unmistakable charm, and just a few feet short of glory. Bocai's stat line:  4/5 with 2 deep triples and 4 RBIs, including two of the hardest hit balls this author has witnessed this season.

CBI was paced by Rich Lavacot (6/6), Anthony Reynoso (6/6) and Dan Smith (5/6, HR and 7 RBIs).  Also contributing were John Symanski (4/6), Gene LaChimia (4/6, welcome back Gene), Jack Karson (4/6), Joe Dimambro (4/6), Dan Griffin (4/6), Dan Menendez (3/5, 4 RBIs), Gary Soper (3/5), and Randy Agadoni (4/6, HR, 5 RBIs).

This was a very unusual game for these two teams, especially NU.  Normally NU is a hitting machine; credit usually goes out to them.  Today, someone forgot to heat up the NU bat warmers.  Some good fielding by both teams and some good double plays highlighted the game today.  

For NU, Bob Porter hit 3/4. Al Cabacungan and Steve Sexton hit 2/3. 

For TPP, Kevin Lynch hit 4/4 with a home run and 4 RBIs. Mike Berry and Keith Richards hit 3/3 with 3 RBIs from Keith Richards.  Rick Shaw, Mike Carey and Dennis Kerkhoff hit 2/3 on the day.  

NU extends their gratitude to Dave Ash for subbing.  Both teams extend thanks to Donato Domaguin for a fine job of umpiring. 

“What is it parents do in Japan that you wish we could do in the U S? Let five year olds walk to school” Rahm Emanuel

Not since the start of the season—when Worden Williams opened at 7–0—have the Dubs’ bats been this hot. They squared off against first-place Pizza Port Brewery and came away with a 26–18 win, but the score only tells part of the story. Their defense held firm against a powerful PPB lineup.

The Dubs built their eight-run margin with four five-run innings and two three-run frames. Eleven of those runs came from the sixth inning on, breaking open what had been a 15–15 tie.

Every WW player contributed, with each recording at least one hit and scoring at least one run, fueling a remarkable .717 team batting average. Bob Buscher, Pat Steele, Jim Goertzen, and Bob Baptista were perfect at the plate, while Pat Steele and Joel Kudren each drove in four runs. Even the lower half of the lineup delivered, combining for ten runs while hitting .522.

As impressive as the offense was, the defensive highlight belonged to Bob Buscher, who threw out three runners at home with pinpoint accuracy at crucial moments when the game was still up for grabs. Performances like that continue to show his impact on both sides of the ball.

Pizza Port Brewery, despite being short-handed and finishing with fifteen more plate appearances, stayed competitive behind the top of its order. Ken Thompson, Roney Lewis, sub Oscar Delgado, and Andy Balas each went 4-for-5 to keep the pressure on. Defensively, Frank Weishaar made the catch of the day for PPB, hauling in a deep drive over his head in left field—though he might admit the ball found his glove as much as the other way around.

The win by Worden Williams continued to make the playoff picture for four teams still very murky as we go into the final round of play.

Bye:  The Draft