Scores: Week 5

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 Plotkin Group came out awake for the early 8:30 am game at Alga scoring 5 runs in the top of the first inning and was leading going into the bottom of 6th inning 14-13 when Pizza Port woke up their defense and offense from a long night at the Brewery out scoring PG 10-1 the rest of the way to win their 9th straight game.

Leading hitters for PPB were Super Star Rover Roney Lewis 4/4 w/a double, 2 homeruns & 7 RBIs, Mark Pedote 4/4 w/a double, Homerun & 4 RBIs, first game ever player & super sub Tom Butch 4/4 w/a double, homerun & 3 RBIs. Super Star Pitcher w/a pull hamstring Ken Thompson 3/5 w/a double & 2 RBIs, Super Star Shortstop Tom Carney 3/4 w/2 doubles, Super Star Outfielder Andy Balas 2/3 w/2 doubles & 3 RBIs, David Frantz 3/4 w/2 RBIs, Steve Newberg & Mike Gallagher were both 3/4. Cord Cameron & David Shinn has RBI singles.

Pizza Port had 10 straight hits over 2 innings & Plotkin had their first 7 players of the game get a hit & score.

Leading hitters for PG were David Hartzog 4/4 w/2 RBIs, Larry Wadalavage 3/4 w/ a homerun & 4 RBIs. Rod Johnson, Brian Turner, Mark Riserbato, Marty Topper & Gary Conway were all 3/4. Mike Brower had Homerun & 3 RBIs.

Both teams thank Randy Agadoni & Al Cabacungan for their excellent umpiring performance.

Both team’s players had outstanding sportsmanship 

 Hoping to move above a four win & four loss record, TPP (visitors) started off slow at the plate in the first inning without allowing a runner to cross the scoring line.  However, the TPP bats eventually woke up to post 13 runs in total for the game.  In the field, TPP defense was able to maintain control of the DR bats.  DR scored 3 runs in their first at bat and three in their 3rd inning.  Then the TPP defense was able to maintain control throughout the game thanks in part to some nice diving catches and well-placed [underhand] throws to first base by Gerry Itkin in time to get the runners out.  The DR threatened in their ninth inning by adding two more runs but that’s how their final at bat ended. 

At the plate for the DR, Carlos Cevallos hit 3/3.  2/3 on the day were Oscar Delgado, Phil Kay, Karl Stern and Bill Mead.  

For TPP, Pat Drisoll, Gerry Itkin and Mike Carey each hit 3/4.  Robert Kroger hit 3/3 with a long home run.  Keith Richards also contributed to the long ball column by hitting a home run.  

Thanks from both teams go out to Pat Steele for umpiring. 

A nice day at the ol’ ballpark - a new cycle and a few new players added to the mix.  Nucci’s faced Carlsbad Inn in the 2nd game of a doubleheader at Alga.  After scoring a total of only 6 runs a few games back, CBI’s bats were on fire today, jumping out to a 12-4 lead after 4 innings.  Nucci’s battled back with 4 runs in the bottom of the 5th on the strength of a deep CF home run by Randy Baird to make it 12 - 8.  CBI proceeded to score 9 more runs over the next few innings while Nucci’s got a couple more runs to finish the game 21 - 10.

Nucci’s was led by leadoff hitter Kevin McBarron (who is rounding into shape) at 3 for 4, Bob Porter and Randy Baird both 4 for 4 (plus the HR) and Al Cabacungan hitting 3 for 4.  Nucci’s welcomes Tom Bang-Knudsen to their team.

CBI’s hot hitting was paced by Dan Smith, Jack Karson (welcome back Jack), Anthony Reynoso and Dan Menendez who all recorded perfect 4 for 4 days. Jack also cracked a home run to the fence.  Evelyn Schwartz was also perfect at the plate, hitting 3 for 3 and sparking two important rallies.   Also contributing were Rich Lavacot 3 for 4 with a triple, Gene LaChimia 3 for 4 with a big 3 run HR and 4 RBIs total, and Randy Agadoni 3 for 4.  All total, 11 out of 14 players got at least 1 RBI.

Both teams thank our two outstanding umpires:  Joe Paul behind the plate and Dennis O’Hern in the field.

Something had to give.  The Carlsbad Police and the Village Pie Shoppe both came into today’s game on four-game losing streaks.  The Pie Shoppe Tarts had lost their four games by a total of 32 runs, while the Carlsbad Police Fuzz had kept things a little closer at 16.  The Fuzz was sitting at 2-6 in eighth place but had only managed to score 29 runs in their last four games.  The Tarts had a stranglehold on last place at 0-7-1, but they wanted their neighbors, the Fuzz, a little closer.

But after a day of moderate rain, Thursday at Alga 3 was about as perfect as it could possibly get, except for the mega pile of squishy dog poop on the warning track in right field.  One practice ball rolled through it and was immediately taken to a hazardous waste incinerator.

The Fuzz jumped out quickly, scoring five in the first, thereby surpassing their score for the entire game a week ago.  But the Tarts, like piranhas, came nibbling back scoring twice each in their first two innings, and then five in the third to lead 9-5.  The Fuzz closed to 9-7 in the top of the fourth but the Tarts opened it up to 13-7 in the bottom of the fifth.

At that point Carlsbad Police finally got it in gear, scoring six, four, and four respectively in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings while holding the Pie Shoppe to five runs total in the sixth and seventh.  Scoring once again in the ninth, the Fuzz held a precarious 22-18 lead going into the bottom of the ninth.  The Tarts scored twice, but finally fell short, 22-20.  The Fuzz managed to climb into a tie for sixth, while the Tarts have reset their traps for the next game.

Bocai led the Tarts going 5 for 5, while Super Dario Santana went 4 for 5.  Sheree Parsons and Elizabeth Bailey were both 3 for 4.  Oscar Castillo drove in four runs while going 3 for 5, and Julio Maraver combined line drives going 2 for 4 while missing his third hit on a leaping catch by the Fuzzy shortstop.

Craig Wheatcroft went 5 for 5 and Jimmy Smyth went 4 for 4 for the Fuzz.  Newcomer Mark Tanner made an auspicious premiere going 3 for 3 plus a walk, including an eighth-inning three-run home run that gave the Fuzz their first lead since the third inning. Kevin Davidge, Gordon Recht, and Jeff Payton each went 3 for 4, and Kevin also had a sacrifice fly.  Jerry Smith was 2 for 3 plus a sacrifice fly, and Mike Endeman was 2 for 3 plus a walk.

Thanks to sidelined Dan Miserany for umpiring while richly deserving hazard pay!

Bye: Worden Williams