Scores

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PG and TPP fought a close game today at Alga with both teams facing a couple good pitchers and stand-out defenses thwarting big innings by both teams. TPP was only able to score in four innings and no more than three runs in any. PG managed to score in six innings but only one with five runs. Jimmie Martin for PG and Margo Jacobo for TPP kept the hitters off base most of the time and only allowed two homers, one by PG's Teddy Bedillo and one by TPP's Bob Porter. PG's rover David Bosque speared three scorched line drives to save multiple runs and Keith Richards ran down a fly ball with two runners on in the bottom of the 9th inning to save the win at 13 to 7.

PG was missing five players, but Jim Goertzen and Evie Schwartz filled in admirably going 4 for 4 and 2 for 4 at the bat and locking down the right side of the outfield with several fine plays. Joe Uribe was also 4 for 4 and Oscar Castillo, Keith Richards, and Robert Kroger went 3 for 4 with 3 RBIs each. David Bosque and Rich Reynolds each had three hits. 

TPP offense was led by Pat Steele going 4 for 4 with three RBIs, Bob Porter with a homer and three RBIs, and Dale Miller and Kevin McBarron going 3 for 4.

They say that you "play" the game of softball.  When the stakes are high, however, there is no "play," and today's stakes were for sole possession of fourth place, the final slot for the coming playoffs.  Call the action in this game a contest, a struggle or even a duel.  Players on both teams were World Serious. 

The Draft rose to the challenge today by bringing their A game.  They grabbed the lead in the first and held on to it until Hennessey's tied the game at 7 in the fourth.  DR then scored 5 runs in the fifth and held the lead the rest of the way.  One key factor in the win was the continuing emergence of Draft's Jack Schwarzel as one of the league's premier pitchers. Now if you haven't seen the competitive fire burning in this guy's eyes, then you don't know Jack.

The Draft's best hitters were Johnny Brand, Roney Lewis and loaner Joe Dimambro who all hit 3/4, but the rest of their batters all contributed mightily to keep baserunners circling and scoring.  

Hennessey's got 3/4 production from Craig Wheatcroft, Carlos Cevallos and manager Dan Miserany.  Andy Boyer was 2/3.  John Symanski hit a homerun.  John Symanski hit a home run.  Is this a typo?  It's just that in his last game, the writerupper forgot to mention his homer in that game.  I mean fair is fair.  Also, Sherre Lovick threatened to do me bodily harm if I refused.  

The Draft thanks two really special subs who played for us today, Joe Dimambro and Martin Wei (The Flash!).  Skip Moyer called the game for us and if NCSS ever creates their own Mt. Rushmore, Skip's face will be on it.

"I am big! It's the pictures that got small." - Norma Desmond

The last two games, certain players were singled out for their outstanding defense. But for today’s game, it was a total team effort, as Worden Williams walked off with a 13 – 7 victory over the Village Pie Shoppe. Catching fly balls, hitting the cutoff and all around errorless infield and outfield play was clearly the difference in the Dubs winning margin.

The seven runs scored by VPS were all on legitimate hits that featured a home run by Delta Farrington and David Hartzog and Dan Menendez each contributing three hits. Defensively, newcomer Ronald Bonshu showed off his skills at second base by going deep to his right to throw out Tom Benacka at first.

WW scored only three runs after the third inning but held VPS scoreless in six of nine innings. WW was led by Ken Auerbach with a home run and 3/3 at the plate and Bob Loperena, also 3/3 along with some nifty running. Both Bob B and Tom B contributed three RBIs apiece.

And finally, a fine piece of umpiring by Leigh Peterson.

Carlsbad Inn exploded for its season high in runs today, with a 27-16 win over Nucci’s at Calavera. NU took a 4-0 lead in the top of the first, but CBI came back to score five runs on six hits in the bottom of the inning, including the first of two home runs on the day by Randy Baird. CBI led the rest of the game. The five-spot turned out to be the first of five 5-run innings for CBI. The team scored in every inning, with single runs in the second and fifth innings. CBI batted in only seven innings, as they led then 27-13 and the teams flipped. NU scored three in the eighth but was shut out in the ninth.

The top of the order led the CBI hitting attack today. Jerry Smith went 4 for 4 with a home run and 4 RBIs, Larry Wadalavage went 4 for 4 with 3 RBIs, Randy Baird went 4 for4 with two home runs and 4 RBIs, Randy Agadoni went 4 for 4 with a home run and 4 RBIs, and Ken Thompson went 4 for 4 with a home run and 4 RBIs. Rick Skidmore went 3 for 4 with 3 RBIs and Russ Roopenian went 3 for 3.

Ken Thompson had another strong pitching outing, and he was backed up by solid defense the entire game, with slick play by infielders Randy Agadoni, Larry Wadalavage and Dennis Kemp and some great outfield catches by Jerry Smith and Randy Baird.

The NU hitting was led by Guy McCord who went 3 for 4. Lori Mills, Eugene Smith, Gene LaChimia, Al Cabacungan and substitute Al Castaneda all went 3 for 5.

Many thanks to Bob Baptista for a fine job of umpiring.

  Bye: Pizza Port Brewery

          Gaspar