Game Day Gazette
November 17, 2025
Welcoming back all the tournament players! We had a great turnout on a gray overcast morning. If the weather forecast for Thursday holds up (70% chance of rain), this will have been our last regularly scheduled game of the season. We are planning something special for the last official day of the season as we have previously shared. Stay tuned for more details…
Game 1 8:30 a.m. Braves (3-5-1) vs. Pioneers (1-6-1)
First & Second Inning Recap:
Mercenary report- Braves- (Raul DeLeon, Mike Hill and Dean Hector); Pioneers – (Jim Aaron, Gary Coyle, Henry Flores and Terry Thompson)
Braves– went down quietly in the 1st only picking up one run on a couple of singles. Keith Kreitman opened the tilt with an infield single towards 3B. Bobby Miller grounded into a fielder’s choice on a sharply hit ball to SS Jim Aaron for the 1st out. Doc Hobar followed with a line single to right center as Bobby sped into 3B. He scored on Paul Rubin’s groundout to 2B. Tom Brownfield ended the frame with a mighty swing and miss on Sal’s best pitch. 2nd– bounced back in the 2nd to put up five runs. Jim Foelker and Tom Kelm started the frame with a single and double, respectively. Brian Rider laced a double to left center to score both runners. Dave Berra popped out to short for the 1st out. The mercenaries earned their “hefty” salaries with three consecutive singles by Raul DeLeon, Mike Hill and Dean Hector to produce two more runs. Keith reached on another infield hit to load the bases. Bobby stepped up and crushed a ball to deep center field to drive in two runs and complete the Braves five-run 2nd inning.
Pioneers-fresh off their first win of the session, the Pioneers were looking to end the season on a high note. Apologies in advance for the somewhat incomplete reporting for the Pioneers this morning. When I got the lineup from Jack, somehow, I overlooked or did not include Sal Lopez in the scorebook so there are some holes in my reporting of their at-bats. Jack Adams led off the inning with a fly out to right center (the first of many chances today for Dean Hector). Tim H. followed with a fly out to CF and P Raul DeLeon quickly had two outs. Scott Wright ripped a single to right as the Pioneer’s first base runner. Mickey Poole lined out to Dean on a nice shoestring catch to retire the side. 2nd– Larry King led off the 2nd with a groundout to 2B. Alex Valles lined a shot over my head in left center for a standup triple. I think Sal Lopez hit a short fly to left that I came in on and over ran but fortunately Mike Hill was backing me up and was able to make the catch for the 2nd out. Jim Aaron smacked a ball up the middle for a run scoring double, and the Pioneers were on the scoreboard. Gary Coyle followed with a double to left to drive in Jim. Henry Flores slapped a single up the middle to score Gary with the third run. Terry Thompson singled but Jack flew out to right center as Dean made his third put out of the game to retire the side.
End of 2nd Score: Braves 6 Pioneers 3
Third Inning Recap:
Braves- Doc fouled out leading off the 3rd. Paul doubled and scored on Tom B.’s line single to right center. Jim flew out to left and Tom K. bounced into a fielder’s choice to end the inning.
Pioneers– Raul continued to be effective on the mound, holding the Pioneers scoreless in the frame. Tim ground out to 2B to start the 3rd inning. Scott singled and Mickey went down on strikes for the 2nd out. Larry singled but Alex grounded out to short to retire the side.
End of 3rd Score: Braves 7 Pioneers 3
Fourth Inning Recap:
Braves- the mercenaries came through again in the inning. After two men were out, Raul ripped a single up the middle. Mike Hill laced a double to right center to score Raul. Dean smacked a single to left center as Mike moved up to 3B. He was left stranded as Keith flew out to left to end the frame.
Pioneers– the Pioneer’s mercenaries took over and brought in two more runs to narrow the Braves lead to three runs. Jim led off with a sizzling grounder down the 3B line for a leadoff double. Gary’s sharp single to left center drove in Jim with the 1st run. Terry lined a one-out shot to right center to get Gary to 3B. He scored on Jack’s line single to left. Tim bounced into a fielder’s choice to close out the inning.
End of 4th Score: Braves 8 Pioneers 5
Fifth Inning Recap:
Braves- everybody got in the act as the Braves pounded out eight hits on their way to a five-run outburst. Bobby opened the inning with a double and he scored on Doc’s single to right. Paul singled to keep things going. Tom B. hit a pop up to CF that dropped in for a hit as Doc scored, and Paul moved to 3B. Jim cracked a run-scoring single to push across the 3rd run. Tom K. flew out to CF for the 1st out. Brian stayed hot at the plate with his 2nd double of the game to drive in another run. Dave lined a single to center to advance the runners and Raul finished off the five-run frame with a clean hit to right center.
Pioneers- now down by eight runs, the Pioneer’s answered back with five runs of their own to keep this one close. Everyone contributed as Scotty started things with a single. Mickey, Sal, and Alex followed with hits to bring in the 1st run. Jim lined a two-run single up the middle and Gary followed with an RBI single for the 4th run. Henry completed the Pioneer’s five-run inning with a sharp single up the middle.
End of 5th Score: Braves 13 Pioneers 10
Sixth “Open” Inning Recap:
Braves- Mike H. led off the buffet inning with a line single to right center. Dean followed with a blast to left center that gapped the outfielder’s and allowed him to circle the bases for a two-run inside the park home run! Keith grounded one back to the pitcher for the first out. Bobby ripped another double to left and scored on Doc’s single to right. Paul lined a drive between the outfielder’s in left for a run-scoring triple. Tom B. fouled out, and Jim lined out to left to end the inning with the Braves holding a seven-run lead.
Pioneers– chasing seven, the Pioneers managed to scratch out a couple of runs (sorry no details available) before falling by a final score of 17-12.
Final Score: Braves 17 Pioneers 12
Game 2 9:30 a.m. Sultans (8-1-0) vs. Keystones (5-4-0)
First & Second Inning Recap:
Mercenary report- Sultans- (NONE); Keystones – (Terry Thompson, Jim Aaron, Scott Wright, Paul Rubin, Raul DeLeon and Sal Lopez).
Sultans- the team with the best record for the session, now becomes the first team to not need any mercenaries as all eleven roster spots were filled by their regulars. Congrats! Raul DeLeon, pitching in back-to-back games, was in a groove early on and shut down the Sultans without any runs in the 1st two frames. Donnie Janac fouled out on a grounder just outside of 3B to lead off the game. Gary Coyle singled and moved to 3B on Peter Atkin’s double. Ray Pilgrim hit a ball back to the pitcher and Raul made the play while holding the runners in place. Jeff Broussard bounced out to short to retire the side. 2nd– Don Roets, who has been making solid contact with every swing lately, reached on an infield hit as the ball may have traveled five feet in front of the plate. Rip Wright and Adam Gordon followed with back-to-back hits to load the bases. Lucky Hoffman was retired for the 1st out. Jack Kelly hit a humpback liner to short, and Ken Brown made the grab for the out. Adam appeared to be off with the hit and Ken’s throw to 1B beat him to the bases for an inning ending twin killing.
Keystones– came out swinging and never let up in this one. Mike Hill lined a single to right center to open the inning. Mike Mordecai followed with a base hit to left. Bobby Hawthorne bounced into a fielder’s choice for the 1st out. Ken Brown double down the right field line to bring in the 1st run. Morris Carter, using a bat borrowed from his teammate, Bobby Hawthorne, knocked in the 2nd run with a clean single to left. The mercenaries took it from there as Terry Thompson lined a two-run single to left center. Jim Aaron followed with a single to deep right center to get in the 4th run. Scott Wright smacked a hard single to right to drive in the 5th run for the Keystones. 2nd– Not all the mercenaries helped the Keystone’s cause as Paul Rubin led off the 2nd with a two-strike foul ball just outside the left field line for the 1st out. Raul DeLeon smacked a single through the box and Sal Lopez singled just inside the left field foul line to get the inning going. Mike H. crossed up the defense with a single to left center that brought in two runs. Mike M. grounded out to 3B and Bobby flew out to left to retire the side as the Keystones built a seven-run lead.
End of 2nd Score: Keystones 7 Sultans 0
Third Inning Recap:
Sultans- finally broke through with a run in the 3rd. Donnie and Gary had back-to-back hits after Luther ground out to open the inning. Peter hit a hard smash down the left field line and Mike M. made a great backhand stop and was able to beat Donnie to the base for a force at 3B. Ray lined a single to left, scoring Gary with the Sultan’s first run. Peter, attempting to go 1B to 3B on the play, was thrown out at 3B as Paul relayed the ball to Ken who threw a strike to Mike to nip the speedy Peter for the final out.
Keystones- pretty much put this one out of reach with their 2nd five-run inning of the game. The Big Red machine sent seven batters up to the plate and everyone reached base in the frame. Ken led off with a double to right and scored on Morris’ line single to left (did I mention he was using Bobby’s borrowed bat!) Terry singled and Jim crushed a bomb to right center for a run-scoring triple. Scott wrapped another single to right to drive in the 4th run. Paul doubled to put Scott in scoring position and he scored the 5th run on Raul’s ground single to right center.
End of 3rd Score: Keystones 12 Sultans 1
Fourth Inning Recap:
Sultans– now trailing by eleven runs, the Sultans did little to cut into the sizeable lead, scoring just one run in the inning. Jeff led off with a single and Don flew out to shallow center for the 1st out. Singles by Rip and Adam loaded the bases and Jack lined a single over the infield to drive in the lone run for the Sultans.
Keystones– too early for a flip flop, the Keystones padded their lead with four more runs in the frame. Sal led off with a single to left but was forced out at 2B on Mike Hill’s grounder to short. Mike M. walked and Bobby ground into a fielder’s choice at 3B. Ken singled to load the bases and Morris lined a single to left center to drive in two more runs. I don’t do headlines but if I did Morris would get the recognition after having a perfect 3-3 day at the plate while driving in four runs out of the five hole in the lineup! Terry (another perfect day at the plate) ripped a single to right center to bring in two more runs. The inning ended as Jim launched a flyball deep to right center where Ray made a good play to snag for the final out.
End of 4th Score: Keystones 16 Sultans 2
Fifth Inning Recap:
Sultans– sometimes, it’s just not your day or in this case, your game as the Sultans struggled to generate any offense in this one. Raul shut them down in order in the 5th as the top three hitters (Donnie, Gary and Peter) all failed to reach base. At this point, even though we were technically in the last five-run inning, the team elected to flip flop and let the Sultans bat in their open inning.
End of 5th Score: Keystones 16 Sultans 2
Sixth “Open” Inning Recap:
Sultans– the first five batters reach base starting with a leadoff single by Ray. Jeff, Don, Rip and Adam all reached as the Sultans tallied two runs. Raul righted the ship and retired the next three hitters to close out a resounding win for the Keystones.
Final Score: Keystones 16 Sultans 4
Session Five Standings:
|
|
ASSL C league 2025 5th Session |
|||||||
|
|
Win |
Loss |
Ties |
Win % |
Scored |
Given up |
Diff. |
Games Behind |
|
Sultans |
8 |
2 |
0 |
0.800 |
128 |
100 |
28 |
– |
|
Keystones |
6 |
4 |
0 |
0.600 |
118 |
103 |
15 |
2.00 |
|
Senators |
4 |
5 |
0 |
0.444 |
93 |
110 |
-17 |
3.50 |
|
Braves |
4 |
5 |
1 |
0.400 |
126 |
121 |
5 |
3.50 |
|
Pioneers |
1 |
7 |
1 |
0.000 |
93 |
124 |
-31 |
6.00 |
Full Session Standings:
|
|
ASSL C league 2025 Season To-date Standings |
|||||||
|
|
Win |
Loss |
Ties |
Win % |
Scored |
Given up |
Diff. |
Games Behind |
|
Braves |
34 |
20 |
1 |
0.627 |
756 |
624 |
132 |
– |
|
Keystones |
28 |
26 |
0 |
0.519 |
642 |
627 |
15 |
6.00 |
|
Sultans |
25 |
26 |
3 |
0.491 |
631 |
655 |
-24 |
7.50 |
|
Senators |
23 |
27 |
2 |
0.462 |
624 |
664 |
-40 |
9.00 |
|
Pioneers |
19 |
30 |
4 |
0.396 |
543 |
626 |
-83 |
12.50 |
Next Thursday’s Games:
Watch the weather as the chance of rain is very high so games may be cancelled, I will let you know as soon as I know anything!
8:30 a.m. (H) Sultans (8-2-0) vs. (V) Pioneers (1-7-1)
9:30 a.m. (H) Braves (4-5-1) vs. (V) Senators (4-5-0)
Keystones will have a bye, and their players will have priority in the draw.
News & Notes:
· Celebration of the last day of the season on Monday November 24th! As noted previously, we are hoping to incorporate some aspects of “Banana Ball” for the day. The games won’t count in the standings so where anything softball related except your usual team T shirts.
· Championship T shirts will be awarded to the Braves, and I would encourage all of their players (especially those that have been out with injuries, illness or other conflicts) to join us on Monday.
· We are also going to honor Bruce Barnett for his many years of service to the Austin Senior Softball league (it’s a secret so don’t tell him anything!).
· Lost & Found- if you have lost any bats, gloves or chairs, please check the wagon before next week to reclaim your stuff (see latest pictures of stuff turned in this week)