Game Day Gazette
April 28,2025
Nice to be playing again after having our first rainout of the season last Thursday. Special day today thanks to Bruce Barnett and the annual Bobby Fund burger cookout/fund raiser. The Bobby Fund raised $1,440 through the generosity of the B and C division players. Thank you for supporting this very worthwhile cause!
Game 1 8:30 a.m. Pioneers (0-0-0) vs. Keystones (0-0-0)
With Thursday’s rainout, today’s games are the first of the 2nd session of the 2025 season and every team is starting with a clean slate.
First & Second Inning Recap:
Pioneers– Manager Jack Adams came out with a brand-new lineup to start the new session but it did not spark any offensive fireworks in the 1st two innings. Sal Lopez singled in the leadoff spot but was forced out at 2B on Mike Carroll’s groundout. Mickey Poole followed with a fielder’s choice groundout to Ken Brown at 2B. Butch Barber closed out the scoreless 1st with another groundball out to Ken (see prior editions of the Gazette regarding players to avoid hitting to in the field!). 2nd– things did not get much better in the 2nd as Gene Nelson bounced out to Ken for the 1st out. Jack Adams lined a one-out single but Bubba Barnett hit a one-hopper to Ken who flipped to Mike Hill to complete an inning ending 4-6-3 double play.
Keystones- Mike Hill lined out to Jack at SS to open the game. John Flowers singled and moved to 3B on Ken Brown’s double. The throw to the plate went about half-way up the backstop, allowing John to score and Ken to move to 3B. Patrick Schmidt followed with a blast to right center for a two run inside the park home run. Tommy DeLeon continued the hit parade with a line single to right. Mike Mordecai popped out to short for the 2nd out. Bobby Hawthorne singled but P Mike Carroll got Robby Vickery to pop out to 2B to end the inning. 2nd– The Keystones extended their lead, adding four more runs in the 2nd led by the bottom of the lineup. Barry McRee continued to swing a hot bat with a leadoff single. Margarito Canava followed with a hit to center. Johnny Neville laced a hit to right to score Barry with the 1st run. Greg Tolander bounced into a fielder’s choice for the 1st out. Mike Hill crushed a ball to right center to drive in Margarito and Greg but was thrown out at the plate trying to stretch a triple into a four-bagger for the 2nd out. John singled and Ken walked ahead of Patrick’s two-out double that brought in the 4th run of the inning.
End of 2nd Score: Keystones 7 Pioneers 0
Third Inning Recap:
Pioneers– were held scoreless by Tommy DeLeon for the 3rd consecutive inning. Scott Wright led off with a single but was erased on a double play groundout by Tom Mecredy. Terry Watts flew out to center field to end a very quick top half of the 3rd inning.
Keystones- continued to pound the ball against lefty Mike Carroll. The first four batters (Mike M., Bobby, Robby and Barry) all had hits to produce the 1st run. Bobby was able to score the 2nd on Margarito’s fielder’s choice grounder to 3B. Johnny knocked in his 2nd run in as many at-bats with a base hit over the infield for the 3rd run and give the Keystones a commanding ten run lead after three innings.
End of 3rd Score: Keystones 10 Pioneers 0
Fourth Inning Recap:
Pioneers- much to the delight of manager Jack Adams, the Pioneers finally broke through with three runs in the 4th. Mike C. started the rally with a one-out double and scored on Mickey’s single to center. Butch smacked a double to put runners on 2B and 3B and Gene delivered with an RBI single to score both runners.
Keystones- John lined out to 2B to start the inning. Ken followed with a short fly to left center that got past the charging outfielder allowing Ken to circle the bases for a homerun. Patrick singled and scored on Tommy’s double that went over Terry T.’s head in left field (yes, he pulled a ball!). Mike M. popped to short, but Bobby singled to bring in the 3rd run. Robby finished up the scoring with a ringing double to right to put the Keystones up 14-3.
End of 4th Score: Keystones 14 Pioneers 3
Fifth Inning Recap:
Pioneers- Scott led off the inning with a booming triple to right center and scored on Tom’ s single but that was all the offense that the Pioneers could muster in the inning. With the Pioneer’s down by ten, the teams flip flopped, and the Pioneers continued to bat.
Sixth Inning Recap:
Pioneers- doubles by Mike C. and Gene coupled with a single by Jack produced two runs in the buffet but alas it was too little too late and the Pioneers fell by a final score of 14-6.
Final Score: Keystones 14 Pioneers 6
Game 2 9:30 a.m. Braves (0-0-0) vs. Sultans (0-0-0)
First & Second Inning Recap:
Braves- the 1st session champs started hot and never looked back in this one. Paul Rubin led off with a double and quickly scored the game’s 1st run on Lynn Simpson’s RBI single to center. Doc Hobar and Tom Brownfield had back-to-back singles to score the 2nd run. Tom Kelm hit into a fielder’s choice for the first and only out of the frame. Brian Rider singled to load the bases. Dave Berra, Jim Foelker and mercenary Mike Hill followed with run scoring singles as the Braves put up five runs in the 1st. 2nd– Sal Lopez opened the 2nd with a single but was forced out at 2B on Scott Wright’s grounder to 2B. Paul doubled, moving Scott to 3B and Lynn’s single drove in both runners. Doc flew out on a nice play by Phil in center field for the 1st out. Tom B, Tom K. and Brian singled to score the 3rd run of the inning.
Sultans-Tom Kelm shut down the Sultans in the 1st holding them to no runs on one hit. Phil Stanch ground out to 3B to open the inning. Donnie Janac followed with a hard single to left. Ray Pilgrim drove a ball to left that Scott made a nice over the shoulder catch on for the 2nd out. Donnie advanced to 2B but apparently failed to tag up on the play and was called out to end the inning. 2nd– the Sultans managed to score a run in the 2nd as Peter Atkins led off with a double, moved to 3B on Chris Villareal’s base hit and scored on Lucky Hoffman’s fielder’s choice groundout to 3B.
End of 2nd Score: Braves 8 Sultans 1
Third Inning Recap:
Braves– extended their lead to twelve runs with a five-run outburst in the 3rd. The first three batters (Jim, Mike and Sal) reached base and plated the 1st run of the inning. Scott ripped a shot to right center for a two-run triple. Paul popped a lazy fly over the infield to score Scott with the 4th run. Lynn singled and Doc flew out to left center before Tom B. came through with another line single to score the 5th run of the inning.
Sultans– went down in order in the 3rd as all three batters (Jack Kelly, Jeff Broussard and Ray Saldana) hit into groundball outs.
End of 3rd Score: Braves 13 Sultans 1
Fourth Inning Recap:
Braves- were held to a single run in the 4th. Tom K. led off with a single. His pinch runner moved to 2B on Dave’s single and 3B on a sacrifice fly by Jim. Mike’s single brought him home as the Braves lead grew to thirteen runs.
Sultans– loaded the bases with one out on singles by Adam, Donne and Ray P. but Tom K. was able to get Peter to pop up to short on a nice running catch by Mike Hill and Chris V. to ground out to short to end the scoreless 4th inning.
End of 4th Score: Braves 14 Sultans 1
Fifth Inning Recap:
Braves- once again were able to scratch out a single run in the frame. After one out, Paul singled and moved to 2B on Lynn’s groundout to 1B. Doc singled to drive in the 1st and only run of the inning. Tom B. doubled to put runners on 2B and 3B, but Jack Kelly retired Tom K. for the final out.
Sultans- responded with two runs in the 5th. Lucky singled to lead off the inning and was forced out at 2B on a fielder’s choice grounder by Gary Coyle. Don Roets followed with a triple to score Gary and Jack Kelly’s single brought in Don to complete the scoring for the Sultans.
End of 5th Score: Braves 15 Senators 3
Sixth Inning Recap:
Sultans- down by twelve runs, the teams flip flopped, and the Sultans batted in their open inning. Tom K. temporarily lost his command of the strike zone and walked the first two batters in the inning. Peter singled to drive in Donnie for the 1st run of the frame. Chris V. ripped a line drive to 2B that Doc speared and made a quick throw to 1B to double off Peter for the 2nd out of the inning. Lucky fouled out to end the game as the Braves came away with a resounding 15-4 victory.
Final Score: Braves 15 Sultans 4
|
|
ASSL C league 2025 2nd Session |
|||||||
|
|
Win |
Loss |
Ties |
Win % |
Scored |
Given up |
Diff. |
Games Behind |
|
Braves |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1.000 |
15 |
4 |
11 |
– |
|
Keystones |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1.000 |
14 |
6 |
8 |
– |
|
Senators |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.000 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0.50 |
|
Pioneers |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0.000 |
6 |
14 |
-8 |
1.00 |
|
Sultans |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0.000 |
4 |
15 |
-11 |
1.00 |
Next Games: Thursday May 1, 2025
Game 1 8:30 a.m. (H) Senators (0-0-0) vs. (V) Sultans (0-1-0)
Game 2 9:30 a.m. (H) Braves (1-0-0) vs. (V) Pioneers (0-1-0)
The Keystones will have a bye on Thursday and their players will have priority in the draw.
Health Updates:
Long-time C leaguer, John Highbarger, has been out of action this season due to some medical issues. We asked John if he was willing to share with the league and this is what he reported. I have had three heart caths and they are telling me not to play (or ski, for that matter) until we have a better picture of what is going on. I now have three stents and a rotor blade. So that is where we are, I’m basically feeling fine but waiting to start cardiac rehab and we will go from there.
Please join me in lifting John up and wishing him speedy recovery and a hopeful return to the diamond in the very near future.
Paul Rubin