Scores: 2025s2 Week 8

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The Plotkin Groupies welcomed the Wood's back from their cruise in the best possible way with a VICTORY, only our second of the season. The game started out like so many others with Gaspar pushing three runs across in the first inning and holding PG scoreless for the first four innings. PG bats finally put it together with three in the 5th and five in the 6th to take the lead. Meanwhile PG's defense and David Surh's pitching held GAS the rest of the way with only two one-run innings and a single two-run inning.

Two outstanding "hang-a-star" plays in the final two innings kept GAS from catching up from a three-run deficit. First Dennis O'Hern in left center made a running catch of a hard drive and sent a relay throw to John McDaniels at second who threw a strike to Jeff Ledesma at first to double off a GAS runner who couldn't believe that the drive had been caught. The second play was Kathy O'Neil's running catch of a drive headed for the right field corner.

Hitting stars for PG were Oscar (Dawg) Castillo going 4 for 4 and Joe Uribe, Frank Weishaar, and Jeff Ledesma all going 3 for 4 with two RBIs each. One of Jeff's hits was over the center field fence at Calavera 2.

For GAS, Dan Miserany was 4 for 4 with a home run and Oscar Delgado, Gene LaChimia and Russ Roopenian all going 3 for 4.

Also, thanks to Jonathan Brand for umpiring a mostly non-controversial game. P.S. You got it right!

"Some days you're the windshield and some days you're the bug." That about sums up this game, played on a beautiful day at Pine Park. 

Team CPA brought their bats, and the usually heavy hitting Pizza Porters left theirs at home. Or maybe more accurately, they just forgot the #1 rule: "Hit 'em where they ain't." PPB was also playing severely short-handed, with two subs plus a right fielder provided by CPA. 

Off the jump the Coppers scored 2 in the 1st and added 4 in the 3rd, while PPB came up empty. In the 2nd PPB strung 3 straight hits together to load the bases; but Jimmy Smyth turned a smooth 5-2 double play to end the threat. 6-0 through the 3rd frame. PPB broke through with 2 in the 4th and 1 in the 6th, against 15 runs for the Coppers, final 21-3. 

At the plate Tom Benacka (3/3) and Mark Lehman (2/3) led the way for PPB. Every CPA batter collected at least one hit; the leaders were Dave Hartzog (4/4, triple, 4 RBIs), Craig Wheatcroft (4/4, HR, 3 RBIs), Mike Berry (4/4, 'triple'), and Sherre Lovick, Jeff Van Siclen, Jeff Payton, and Al Castaneda (all with 3 hits). 

Ken Thompson for PPB and Rod Johnson for CPA both pitched excellent games as usual. Mike Berry came in from the bullpen to give Rod a breather for the final 3 innings. Defense was steady for both teams; Craig Wheatcroft made a great catch in left center which set the tone for the game. 

PPB wishes to thank Steve Doan and Larry Wadalavage for subbing, and also CPA for providing a right fielder.

 "It was the worst of times, it was the best of times."
              Rephrase Charles Dickens in Tale of Two Cities

After allowing 12 runs in the last inning of their prior game, Worden Williams began this game against VPS seemingly intent on continuing such futility.  To their credit, VPS came out swinging in the early going and was putting a whoopin' on WW.  Thanks in large part to homeruns by Keith Richards and Bob Cairo (Bocai), as well as perfect days at the plate by Kevin Davidge, Teddy Badillo, David Ward and Jimmie Martin, VPS jumped out to a 15-5 lead after 4 1/2 innings.  That was the worst of times for WW.

But the Dubs started the comeback by scoring 2 in the 5th and then fully righted the ship in the bottom of the 6th by sending 11 batters to the plate and scoring 8 runs to knot the game at 15 apiece.  They continued the onslaught by adding 5 more runs in the 7th to take their first lead at 20-16.  VPS mounted a 3-run rally in the 9th, but came up just short and the final score had WW on top, 22-19.  The last half of the game reflected the best of times for WW.

It was an all-around team effort as every Dubs player tallied at least one hit and all but one scored at least one run. Kevin Lynch led the hit parade going 5-5 with 3 doubles, a triple and 6 RBI, while Carlos Cevallos took advantage of the new walk rule and was issued 4 free passes to garner 3 RBI to go along with his lone single. Gary Fischer contributed four hits in his five at-bats and Gary Conway chipped in with 2 hits and a walk in his 4 plate appearances. 

Both teams thank Leigh Peterson for coming out and umpiring the game despite being on the too-injured-to-play list.

 The Draft Dodgers hosted the Nucci’s Eggplants at Alga 3 in one of several of the league’s pizza rivalries.  If ever there was a game that demonstrated that the final score doesn’t reflect what was actually going on in the game, this was it.

Both teams scored in each of the first three innings, and the Eggplants held a 9-7 lead at that point.  Nucci’s scored four more in the fourth and fifth, but The Draft scored four of their own to keep it close at 13-11.  From then on, the game felt as if it could go either way.  The Eggplants scored two in the top of the seventh, but the Dodgers tied it up at 15-15 on a grand slam in the bottom of the eighth with Nucci’s muttering a collective, “Oh crap!”  In the ninth, a walk to the bottom of the Eggplants' roster started a rally that produced two homers and eight runs.  The Eggplants were able to subdue the middle of the Dodgers' lineup in the bottom of the ninth, with the game ending 23-15.

Offense abounded on both sides.  For the Dodgers, Jim Goertzen, Mike Brower, and Raul Mateus each went 4 for 4 and scored on each at bat.  Raul hit two home runs, including the eighth-inning grand slam.  Raul and Mike also had triples.  Gordon Recht and Steve Sexton both went 3 for 4 while Rich Keefer went 2 for 3.  Defensively, the Dodgers quashed an Eggplant rally with a Brower to Farrington to Sexton double play.

After a string of games where the Eggplants played otherworldly defense, they chose to give it a bit of a rest today.  But they made up for with stronger than normal offense, including an .843 slugging percentage.  Dave Ash was a perfect 3 for 3 plus two sacrifice flies.  Bob Porter and Tom Carney both went 4 for 5, with Tom hitting a crucial tie-breaking grand slam in the top of the ninth and driving in six runs.  Robert Tahimic went 3 for 4 plus a walk.  But the celebrated bronzed pizza peel went to Hammerin’ Hank Erin (Spoden) who merely went 3 for 5.  But 2 of those 3 were home runs, including the final three insurance runs.  She also drove in six runs.

Thanks to Steve Berry for pitching for his sister (Lil) and Rich Reynolds for shoring up a depleted Nucci’s team.  And thanks to Randy Agadoni for umpiring an exciting (at times) game. 

Bye: Carlsbad Inn