Scores: Week 15

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On a beautiful, “Drafty” day at Pine field the heating up Draft squared off against what’s left of the injury depleted Plotkin Group.  Going into this game the Draft was previously 0-3 versus Plotkin so many unorthodox pre-game strategies were considered to try to get the much-needed win.  The Draft brain trust considered sacrificing a virgin to the softball Gods, but a quick check of the NCSS rosters eliminated that as an option.  Thoughts were given to sticking needles in a voodoo doll of Janet W., but it was decided that she would probably just treat it as a nice acupuncture treatment and be even more full of vim and vigor than usual!  The game just had to be played and the Draft bats came out on fire once again. 

They started quickly, posting a five spot in the first and added on in all but two innings.  The Draft held a fairly comfortable 14-5  lead going into the top of the 9th when that group of Plotkins mounted a furious 5-run rally which came up just short when the Drafters turned a game-ending double play.

Carrying the load for the Drafters was Dave (B)Ash going 3/4 with two HR, a double, and 7 RBIs.  Phil Kay was 4/4, and Oscar Delgado, Jeff Schneider, and Jerry Galiley were all 3/4.  Kathy O'neil, Rich Keefer and David (Bosco) Bosque were all 2/4.

Doing the heavy lifting for Plotkin were Jack Swarzel and Marty Topper (4/5) and David Herzog, Kevin Davidge, and Larry Wadalavage each going 3/5. Going deep for Plotkin for a 2-run HR was Brian Turner.  On the defensive end, there were several nice Plotkin catches in the outfield and a scintillating diving stab of a hot line drive at first base by Dick Wood.

Great pitching by Jack Scharzel and Rich Keefer was highlighted, and Plotkin thanks super subs Kevin Davidge and Jimmy Smythe for filling in. 

Thanks to Dennis O’Hearn for umpiring a great game!

“Of course I’m respectable. I’m old. Politicians, ugly buildings and …, all get respectable if they last long enough.” Noah Cross –“ Chinatown”

Despite an auspicious start by Worden Williams, plating four runs by the first four batters via two booming 2 run home runs by Phil Urbina and Pat Steele, Nucci’s was undeterred, clawing back  from a 6 – 1 deficit to be trailing by only three runs, 7 to 4, at the end of the third inning. It was then that someone turned the lights out for both teams. The Dubs, however, were able to pick up 4 insurance runs in the sixth inning while shutting out Nucci’s from the fourth inning on. Final score: WW 11 – NU 4. It was a masterpiece of defense and pitching by both teams and what also turned out to be a sibling rivalry between Steve Berry and Lil Keehan.

In addition to the previously cited home runs by Urbina and Steele, Jim Goertzen and Cathy McDonald each knocked in two runs to widen the scoring gap from three to seven. The defense was on its toes the entire game but props go to the entire Dubs outfield of Uribe, Goertzen, Loperena, McDonald and especially to Erin Spoden who tracked down a long fly ball hit to the base of the left field fence by Randy Baird.

On the opposite side of the diamond, the NU offense was led by Tom Benacka and Randy B both of whom were 3 for 4 with Baird hitting a home run. Defensively, the Dubs kept Steve Sexton very busy at third who did his best to emulate the late Brooks Robinson with his flawless play. And as a bit of trivia, you can obtain a Topps Brooks Robinson card on EBay for $1200. You remember Topps baseball cards. The one’s your mother threw away after you were off to college including the Mickey Mantle #311 rookie card that sold for $12.5 million. And, if you still had them, your net worth would be considerably more than it is now.

Anyway, back to senior softball. Much thanks to Margo Jacobo who subbed in after a very late Tuesday morning scratch and to Russ Roopenian who did his usual outstanding work behind the plate.

Game Wrap up story by VPS Coach Teddy Badillo: There are games where the score tells the story and then there are games where the score merely clears its throat while something far more memorable quietly takes center stage.

Starting with a beautiful Thursday morning, with the sunlight splashing through rolling clouds across the infield, the cellar-dwelling Village Pie Shop took the field against the top of the standings Pizza Port Brewery. On paper it was shaped up as a mismatch. And for much of the morning well, paper rarely lies.

Pizza Port Brewery swung early and often, stringing together hits like a well-rehearsed chorus. The runs came in clusters, then in waves, and before long the scoreboard leaned heavily in their favor. It was, by all conventional measures, a blowout.

But you know as Vin Scully might say “the game has a way of rewarding those who keep listening.” Because tucked inside that lopsided score were two moments—two sparkling, improbable baseball gems that belonged entirely to Village Pie Shop.

First came Bocai.
A single in the early going—nothing too dramatic, just a clean stroke. Later, a double split the outfielders, then a triple that brought a little life to the VPS bench. And by the time he stepped in again, you could feel it… that quiet murmur in the crowd (actually 4-6 people rooting for Johnny Brand, it's his birthday) there, but mostly yells of encouragement from the VPS dugout for Bocai, that subtle awareness that something rare was unfolding.
And then it happened.
A drive well struck, carrying deep, a no doubter and just like that, the cycle was complete. Single, double, triple, home run. One of baseball’s most elusive feats, even rare for our league, achieved on Thursday morning when his team trailed by plenty and yet, for a moment, none of that seemed to matter. 

And before Pizza Port Brewery could fully settle back into control, Elizabeth provided a thunderclap of her own.
Bases loaded.
The kind of situation that asks a simple question: can you rise to it?
The swing answered emphatically. A sharp snap of the bat, and boom, a racing softball splits the outfielders, rolling to the fence and you didn’t need to see where it came to a dead stop. The unmistakable sound of a grand slam. Four runs, one swing, and suddenly the dugout that had been quiet found its voice again. Elizabeth looked as a Greek Goddess, with long running strides, and flowing hair as she crossed home plate and welcomed with high fives from her appreciative teammates.

Now, the final score, it still belonged to Pizza Port Brewery. Their place atop the standings remained secure, their offense too much over the full stretch of innings. But if you were there, if you watched closely, you know this wasn’t just a story about a blowout.

It was about Bocai circling the bases in a way few ever do.
It was about Elizabeth, delivering the kind of swing players dream about long after the lights go out. And in the end, that’s the funny thing about baseball even in defeat, it finds a way to hand you something worth experiencing .

Leading hitters for PPB were Andy Balas 6/6 w/2 doubles & 7 RBIs. 5/6 for Johnny Brand (2 doubles) & Roney Lewis (6 rbis). 4/6 for Super Sub Craig Wheatcroft and David Frantz (Homerun & 4 rbis). 4/5 for Ken Thompson ( Homerun & 5 RBIs) & Super Sun Mark Remus (2 RBIs & a diving major league catch) & Frank Weishaar. 3/5 for Cord Cameron (double, triple, 2 RBIs) & David Buck. 2/4 for Mike Gallagher (3 rbis & played a great 2nd base). 

Leading hitters for VPS were Bob Cairo (BoCai) 5/5 w/a double, triple, homerun & 6 RBIs. 4/5 for Barry Stangl (double, homerun, 3 RBIs) & Jimmie Martin & Guy McCord. 3/5 for Teddy Badillo & Elizabeth Bailey (Grand Slam homerun) & Albert Casteneda. 2/5 for Oscar Castillo & Sheree Parsons. 

PPB has 44 hits & VPS had 31 plus everyone had good sportsmanship thru out the game. 

 This is "Pizza Week" for the Carlsbad Innkeepers.  CBI squeaked out a victory against the 1st place Pizza Port Brewery on Tuesday and today it faced the pizza makers from That Pizza Place at Calavera.  There were rumors that Kevin Lynch would not play today, but, alas, he showed up just in time to crush a 3 run home run over the center field fence, setting the tone for the game (and losing a perfectly good game ball).  TPP scored another 5 runs over the next couple of innings to take a daunting 9-1 lead after 3.  CBI bats finally woke up in the next 2 innings to close the gap to 9-8, where the score remained until the 8th.  Finally, CBI scored five runs and allowed only 2 more to finish the "pizza week" sweep.   

Leading the way for TPP were the pesky Pat Driscoll (4/4), power hitter Kevin Lynch (3/4, HR), Rick Shaw (3/4), Keith Richards (3/4), Nicki Branch (3/4), and Mike Carey, who went a perfect 4/4.  Mike Berry pitched an excellent game, inducing many easy pop flies and ground outs.

CBI highlights included John Symanski (2/3, 2 RBIs), Gene LaChimia (3/4), Joe Dimambro (3/4), pitcher Gary Soper (2/3), and Randy Agadoni (3/4).  Gary pitched a fine game as well with a couple of strikeouts.

Both teams thank Greg Lorton for umpiring and generally keeping us in order.  CBI is thankful that this is their last game at Calavera for this season.

Bye:  Carlsbad Police Assoc