Scores: Week 8

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With the shift to autumn about to fall (get it?) and temperatures back to a bearable level, the Gaspar Lame Docs hosted the Nucci’s Lingweenies at beautiful Pine Park. A very tight tangle in the middle of the standings in the league was up for grabs.

The Lingweenies struck early and often, scoring two runs in the each of the first three innings. The Lame Docs replied with the Pat Steele show as the sub drove in two with a home run in the first and one more with a triple in the third.

Trailing 6-3 after three, the Lame Docs shifted to defense mode and held the Lingweenies scoreless while pushing across four in the seventh and then one more in the sixth. With a tenuous 8-6 lead, the Lame Docs made it even more tenuous giving up a run in the seventh.

Leading 8-7 going into the bottom of the eighth, Gaspar added three “insurance” (ha ha) runs, taking an 11-7 lead into the ninth inning. They shifted out of defense mode and allowed Nucci’s to score two more before finally stifling a rally with the tying runs in play. Final score 11-9.

For the Nucci’s Lingweenies, Jimmy Smyth was 3 for 3. Brenda McBarron also went 3 for 3 while hubby Kevin hit a home run. Jeff Ledesma and Al Cucamonga Cabacungan were both 3 for 4. Julio Maraver drove in an important run and made a rally-killing foul ball catch. They welcomed Tony Coppin to the team.

Super-sub Pat Steele went 4 for 4 including a home run and a triple. Gaspar is undefeated in the two games that Pat has subbed. (But then Plotkin is also undefeated (9-0) when Pat is normally playing for them.) Randy Baird went 3 for 4. Robert Tahimic, Evie Schwartz, and Greg Lorton went 2 for 3 with Robert hitting a home run. And Evie did her own share of rally killing fielding fly balls in right field. And welcome to Bill Rubin who went 2 for 4 while playing a solid second base.

Thanks to Pat for subbing and to Andy Boyer for a smooth job at umpire.

Village Pie Shop and Carlsbad Inn met on a warm morning at Calavera. The game started slowly with VPS taking a 1-0 lead after two innings. However, in the third inning, the bottom of the order for CBI broke things open with four singles and a walk, followed by three more singles from the top of the order, resulting in a 5-1 lead. CBI put up another five-spot in sixth inning to extend their lead to 10-2.

VPS is used to being behind this season, but not used to making a big comeback. But that is exactly what happened in the bottom of the sixth, as VPS rallied for 7 runs on 7 hits to narrow the CBI lead to 10-9. VPS then took the lead 11-10 on a monster two-run homer by Kevin Lynch. VPS scored another five runs in the eighth and shut out CBI in the ninth for a 16-10 win.

Kevin Lynch led the VPS hitters today, going 4 for 5, with 4 RBIs. Steve Wagner went 3 for 4 with 3 RBIs, Robert Kroger went 3 for 4 with 2 RBIs and scored 3 runs, Dean Szabo also went 3 for 4 and Dario Santana went 3 for 5.

Franki Weishaar led the CBI hitting attack, going 4 for 4. Dan Smith and Randy Agadoni both went 3 for 3 with 2 RBIs, Larry Wadalavage went 2 for 4 with 2 RBIs, and Bob Baptista and Barb Pardo went 2 for 3. Sean Skelton hit a solo home run.

VPS split the pitching duties today, with Robert Kroger, Sheree Parsons and Michael Juditz combining together to hold CBI scoreless in all but two innings. On the defensive side, second baseman Paul Pullin had a great game, seeming to be all over the right side, fielding several sharp grounders and making some good catches. The catch of the day was a long running grab by Dario Santana in deep left center to save a run.

VPS was short-handed today and thanks CBI for loaning a right fielder.

It was a slug fest at Alga 3 today along with errors that allowed 50 runs to be scored in this very long played game.

The Draft was credited with 35 hits on 54 at bats and PPB 43 hits out of 65 at bats.

The score going into the top of the 7th was PPB 18-16 when PPB defense got better.

Both teams pitchers did a very good job despite suspect defenses.

Leading hitters for PPB were Philip Urbina 5/5 w/ 2 doubles, homer & 6 RBIs. All Star Sub Pitcher Rod Johnson was 4/5 w/2 doubles to the fence.  Tom Redmond was 4/5 w/a double & 3 RBIs. Mark Lechlider was 4/6. Jim Goertzen was 4/6 w/a double, 2 triples, scored 6 runs & had 3 RBIs. All Star Sub Shortstop Kevin Davidge was 4/6 w/a homer, scored 6 runs  & had 3 RBIs, Andy Balas was 4/6 w/a double, triple & 3 RBIs. Elizabeth Bailey was 3/4, but unfortunately had to leave the game when a ball hit her nose in centerfield. She went to the hospital and found out her nose is broken. She and all players thank Rich Lavacot, Roney Lewis and the rest of the players, who helped her during this time. Bob Manchester was 3/5 w/a homerun & 2 RBIs. Brenda Lehman was 3/5 w/a 2 RBIs single. Mark Lehman had a 2 run double. Everyone had at least 2 hits and an rbi.

Everyone on the Draft had at least one hit. Leading the way was Rich Reynolds 5/5. Johnny Brand, Bob Porter & new player w/ a homerun Cory Close  were all 4/5. Donato Domaguin was 3/5 w/a 3-run homer. New player Dale Martin was 3/5 w/a homerun. Rich Lavacot, Jeff Schneider (triple) & Steve Sexton were all 2/4. Pitcher Margo Jacobo, Lloyd Thorne and Al McGhee, who left early all had one hit.

Both teams thank Dennis O’Hern for umpiring a great game.

Softball, Doctor Appointments & Vacations. The Retiree’s Busy Life.
There was a time when a retiree’s calendar was pretty simple: work, dinner, maybe a little television. Those days are long gone. For the 55 and over softball crowd, the weekly schedule is now a complicated balancing act: morning softball, morning or afternoon doctor appointments, early bird dinner specials, lingering aches and pains, and vacations that are either carefully planned or suddenly announced. Somehow, they all manage to interfere with one another.

Unfortunately for TPP, some of those things happened vs CPA. So, on this particular morning, That Pizza Place (TPP) and the Carlsbad Police Association (CPA) gathered for another important appointment, this one with a softball.

The pregame warmup wasn't really about getting loose. It was more about discovering who was present and which body parts were still willing to cooperate. Every player did arrive carrying the standard equipment: glove, bat, water bottle, sunglasses and at least one questionable joint.

Defensively, CPA manager Craig and co manager Jeff had a well planned rotation with a couple of players rotating to different positions. CPA's hitters apparently didn't get the memo that this was supposed to be a leisurely morning activity yet continued winning streak. Laurie Mills went 4/4, while Craig Wheatcroft went 4/4 with 3 RBIs and Robert Liles went 2/4 with 3 RBIs. Then Keith Richards stepped to the plate and apparently decided Father Time wasn't invited. Richards went 3/3 with 3 RBIs and a home run. Six other CPA hitters contributed at least two hits apiece, giving CPA's lineup plenty of offensive punch. The only blemish was three double plays against CPA.

TPPs Guy McCord playing rover was the pivot man in those defensive twists. Still, turning two requires somebody to run, throw and catch in rapid succession, so perhaps TPPs was simply demonstrating that its defensive fundamentals remain intact. Bill Ginty made an amazing, juggling catch equal in spectacle to a circle juggler or veteran waiter catching a falling wine glass of a well healed restaurant. Bill, playing 3rd base, lined up under a mid-flight popup ball that was no doubt out, but instead clanged off his glove, then bounced on top of head, bounced off his shoulder, richoched of the side of his head, bounced back off his shoulder for second time, then rolled down his chest and into his baby cradling like glove. CPA runner at first had run to second base before the pinball action stopped, which resulted in a double play as Bill threw to first base to complete a wait a minute moment of what happened for the second out.

TPP Plays Short-Handed. TPP came to the ballpark without its full 14 player roster. With only 10 players, substitutes and borrowed players, the lineup looked a little more like a neighborhood pickup game than a fully assembled senior softball squad. But nobody apparently told TPP they were supposed to be short-handed. Roney Lewis went 3/5, Bob Tompkins 3/5, and Leigh “Honey” Peterson 4/5. Russ Roopenian added a 3/5 performance while pitching a good game. Bill Ginty went 3/5 and hit a home run.

Despite the shortage of players, TPP's competitive spirit kept the game close.

And that's the funny thing about senior softball. The roster may be missing a few names, but the stubbornness is usually at full strength. At this age, you don't necessarily sprint to first base. You negotiate with it.
A player who suddenly leaves the game may have pulled a hamstring, tweaked a knee or simply remembered that the 11:30am to 1pm 2 for 1 lunch special ends soon. That's retirement: you finally have the freedom to do whatever you want, provided you can fit it between your appointments.

For TPP and CPA, the morning belonged to softball. By afternoon, it would be doctors, aches, errands, lunch specials, and planned or planning vacations. Because at 55 plus, winning is important. But getting there in time for the early bird special, or nap is still part of the game plan.

Bye: Worden Williams

         Plotkin Group