Game Day Gazette
June 1, 2026
Well, its official summer is already here. It was a sweltering 93 degrees at game time as the calendar turned to June. But despite the heat, everyone was happy to be back at the ball park after last Thursday’s rainout. Welcoming Chris Villareal back to the league for the 1st time this season. Chris finally got clearance from his doctor to give it a go and he got in the 1st game as an unassigned mercenary. We will be giving him a permanent home prior to the upcoming slate of games on Thursday.
Game 1 8:30 a.m. Gray (4-4-0) vs. Blue (2-5-0)
First & Second Inning Recap:
Gray- looking to break out of their current three game losing streak, Gray’s bats came out ice cold in this one. Mercenary pitcher, Tom Kelm, held Gray scoreless as he scattered four singles over the first two frames. Gray was missing their leadoff man, Scott Wright along with Phil Stanch for this one. Lynn Simpson opened the game with a single down the 3B line. Mike Carroll lined out to 3B as Daniel Baladez made the first of many good plays at the hot corner in today’s game. Peter Atkins bounced into a fielder’s choice as Blue SS Raul DeLeon made the paly to get the force at 2B. Gary Coyle also grounded out to Raul to quickly close out the 1st inning. 2nd – Ray Pilgrim and Jeff Broussard led off the 2nd with back-to-back singles. Larry Coons grounded to Raul, and he was able to get the force at 3B for the 1st out. David Safely beat out an infield hit to load the bases with one out. Margarito Canava fouled out for the 2nd out. Paul Rubin (one of two mercenaries along with Chris Villareal) grounded weakly to short and Raul flipped to 2nd to get the force to end the scoreless 2nd inning.
Blue– Blue struck quickly as the first four batters all reached base. Don Roets led off with a single to right center. Henry Flores blooped a single to center and Raul DeLeon lined a base hit to right to load the bases with nobody out. Jim Maloy singled up the middle to drive in the first run of the game. Donnie Janac grounded into a fielder’s choice for the 1st out allowing Henry to score on the play. Chris Hurst followed with a single to center to bring in Raul with the 3rd run. P Ray Pilgrim got Alex Valles on a pop fly to 2B and Daniel Baladez on a grounder to 3B to escape any further damage. 2nd – Ray retired the first two batters in the 2nd getting Lucky Hoffman on a grounder to 3B and Dave Berra on strikes. Blue’s mercenaries stepped up to start a two-out rally as Jack Spellman and Tom Kelm delivered back-to-back singles. Don singled to load the bases and Henry banged in the 1st run with another base hit to left center. Raul reached out for a pitch that had to be at least a foot outside and slapped the ball to right to drive in two more runs. Jim skied a ball to left center that hung up just long enough to allow me to run under it for the final out of the inning,
End of 2nd Score: Blue 6 Gray 0
Third Inning Recap:
Gray– finally got on the scoreboard with a couple of runs. Chris V. in his first at bat this season lined a single to right to open the frame, Lynn flew out to right center for the first out. Mike grounded into a fielder’s choice out at 2B for the 2nd out. Peter lined a single to center and Gary followed with a two-run single to left center. Ray reached on a looping single to left but Jack Spellman made a s=nice catch to rob Jeff of a hit to end the inning.
Blue- continued to have success at the plate. Donnie doubled to right to lead off the 3rd. He moved to 3B as Chris dropped in a base hit in shallow right center. Alex walked to load the bases with nobody out. Ray was able to retire Daniel and Luck on pop flies to short and it looked like he might be able to get out of the inning unscathed. But interim manager and all-around good guy, Dave Berra, had other plans. He smoked a line drive shot to right center that handcuffed Chris and the ball got by him and rolled to the fence for a three-run bases clearing triple. Jack S. followed with another hot shot to right center that I was able to grab for the final out.
End of 3rd Score: Blue 9 Gray 2
Fourth Inning Recap:
Gray– down by seven, Gray was unable to cut into the lead as Tom pitched to pitch effectively. Larry grounded to 3B to open the inning with Daniel’s strong throw to 1B beating him by several steps. David reached on a single but Margarito bounced to 3B and Daniel started an inning ending 5-4-3 double play to keep the lead at seven runs.
Blue– P Ray Pilgrim hurled his first shut down of the game to keep the lead at seven. Tom lined out to short on a nice play by Peter to start the inning. Don walked and Henry fouled out for the 2nd out. Raul skied a pop fly down the left field line and Peter ran it down for the final out.
End of 4th Score: Blue 9 Gray 2
Fifth Inning Recap:
Gray– Gray’s slumbering bats finally woke up in the 5th with the mercenaries leading the way. Paul led off with a looping double down the left field line. Chris smacked a single to right to drive in Paul with the 1st rum. Lynn singled but was forced out at 2B on Mike’s fielder’s choice grounder back to the pitcher. The runner from 3B scored on the pay. Peter walked to load the bases ahead of Gary’s 2nd two-RBI single. Ray finished off the five-run 5th with a double that flew over Henry’s head in left to bring Gary around to score.
Red– with the lead now cut down to two runs, Blue was looking to play add on to stem Gray’s potential comeback. Mission accomplished as Blue matched Gray’s five run outburst with their own five run inning to push the lead back to seven runs. Jim opened the 5th with a sizzling drive just inside the 3B bag for a leadoff double. He moved to 3B on Donnie’s single. And scored on Chris’ flyout to left center. Alex bounced into a fielder’s choice for the 2nd out. Daniel reached on a single through the left side to extend the inning. Lucky lined a single to left to drive in the 2nd run. Dave continued to swing a hot bat as he singled to drive in another run. Jack S. ripped a double to drive in two more runs to restore the seven-run cushion for the men in Blue.
End of 5th Score: Blue 14 Gray 7
Sixth “Open” Inning Recap:
Gray- needing a touchdown and an extra point to keep this one going, Gray made a valiant effort that came up just short. Jeff led off the buffe with a single but was erased on Larry’s groundout to short. David fouled out for the 2nd out and things looked bleak for Gray. Margarito lined a two-out single to left to extend the inning. Paul drove a ball to left center and Don just missed making a great catch on to bring in the 1st run. Chris wrapped up a perfect 3-3 day at the plate with another single to right to plate the 2nd run. Lynn walked to load the bases. Mike knocked in two more runs with his first hit of the game. Pater grounded sharply to 2B and Jack knocked the ball down, quickly recovered and flipped to Raul at 2B to get the force at 2B to close this one out.
Final Score: Blue 14 Gray 11
Game 2 9:30 a.m. Orange (4-3-0) vs. Red (3-4-0)
First & Second Inning Recap:
Orange-looking to close the gap on the idle Green team, Orange was unable to mount any offense in the opening two inning set. P Jack Kelly looking well rested after his latest cruise was sharp on the mound in today’s game limiting Orange to two hits and no runs in the first two innings. Adam Gordon walked to open the game but Jack got Terry Thompson and Jack Adams to fly out to Terry Watts in right for the first two outs. Jim Foelker popped out to 3B to end the frame. 2nd– Bubba Barnett got Orange’s first hit with a liner to right. Jerry Mylius hit into a fielder’s choice to 3B for the 1st out. Greg Tolander (welcome back!) reached on an infield single. Rick Parker lined out to Patrick in shallow left center and Greg was standing on 2B when he made the catch. Unfortunately, he did not tag up on his journey to 2B and was doubled off 1B to end the scoreless 2nd inning.
Red- failed to score in the 1st despite getting the first two batters on base. Doc Hobar led off the game with a sharp single to right. Patrick Schmidt grounded a single up the middle to put runners on 1B and 2B with nobody out. P Terry Thompson righted the ship and retired the next three batters to keep the game tied. John Flowers popped out to 2B and Ken Brown popped out to short. Terry Watts fouled out trying to go down the right field line to close out the inning. 2nd– Bobby Hawthorne grounded out to 3B to start the inning. Sal Lopez slapped a ball through the 5/6 hole for a single to get things going. Mike singled to left to move Sal to 2B. Jack Kelly hit one back to Terry and he threw to 2B to get the force and the 2nd out. At this point, the mercenaries (Peter Atkins and Gary Coyle) stepped up. Peter’s double to center drove in the first two runs of the game. Gary followed with a base hit up the middle to score Peter with the 3rd run. Doc laced a single to right center to move Gary to 2B. Patrick went against the scouting report with a single just inside the 3B bag to drive in Gary with the 4th run. John made a strong bid for the 5th run with a hot shot to right, but Raul made a run saving catch to end the frame.
End of 2nd Score: Red 4 Orange 0
Third Inning Recap:
Orange- Jack continued to befuddle the Orange hitters as he tossed his 3rd consecutive shutout inning. Luther Elmore led off with a line single to center. Raul DeLeon popped out to short for the 1st out. Ray Pilgrim rifled a single up the middle and things were looking promising with the top of the lineup coming up, Adam grounded into a fielder’s choice out at 2B for out #2. Terry T. hit a sinking liner to right, and Terry W. made a fine running catch to steal a hit and possibly a run as Orange remained scoreless.
Red- Ken singled to lead off the bottom half of the 3rd. Terry W. lined out to left center for the initial out. Bobby ripped a single down the left field line to advance Ken to 3B. He scored on Sal’s fielder’s choice groundout to 3B. Mike flew out to center to end the frame.
End of 3rd Score: Red 5 Orange 0
Fourth Inning Recap:
Orange- finally broke through with a run in the 4th. Jack grounded out to short to lead things off. Jim F. and Bubba followed with back-to-back singles. Jerry lined a single to load the bases. Greg fouled out for the 2nd out and it looked like Jack would be able to keep his scoreless streak intact. Rick scratched out a hit on an infield single to drive in the first run for the Orange men. Luther ended the inning with a fielder’s choice grounder as Ken threw to Peter at 3B for the final out.
Red- more help from the mercenaries as Red pretty much put this one out of reach with another four-run inning. Jack drew a walk to start the frame. Peter rocketed a ball down the 3B line that reached the fence, giving him ample time to circle the bases for a two-run inside the park home run. Gary ripped a double to center to keep things rolling. Doc reached on an infield single as Gary moved to 3B. Patrick was retired on a pop out to short. John singled to drive in the 3rd run. Ken followed with a single to score Doc, but John was called out trying to advance to 3B for the 2nd out. Terry W. ground out to short to end the inning.
End of 4th Score: Red 9 Orange 1
Fifth “Open” Inning Recap:
Orange– facing an eight-run deficit, Orange scratched out a single run in the buffet. Raul and Ray started the inning with back-to-back singles. Adam bounced into a fielder’s choice for the 1st out. Terry T. fouled out for the 2nd out. Jack A. came through with a single past Ken at short to drive in Raul. Jim hit a routine grounder to Ken who flipped to Doc for the force at 2B to end the game as Red evened their record at 4-4.
Final Score: Red 9 Orange 2
Current Session Standings:
|
|
ASSL C league 2026 2nd Session |
|||||||
|
|
Win |
Loss |
Ties |
Win % |
Scored |
Given up |
Diff. |
Games Behind |
|
Green |
5 |
2 |
0 |
0.714 |
94 |
67 |
27 |
– |
|
Red |
4 |
4 |
0 |
0.500 |
75 |
69 |
6 |
1.50 |
|
Orange |
4 |
4 |
0 |
0.500 |
85 |
76 |
9 |
1.50 |
|
Gray |
4 |
5 |
0 |
0.444 |
100 |
104 |
-4 |
2.00 |
|
Blue |
3 |
5 |
0 |
0.375 |
65 |
103 |
-38 |
2.50 |
Green enjoyed their off day as both Red and Orange fell to push Green’s lead to 1.50 games. Red moved into 2nd place with their win over Orange and are only two games out of the lead. Blue’s win Gray brought them withing 2.5 games as things remain very competitive this session!
Season-to-date Standings:
|
|
ASSL C league 2026 Season to-date Standings |
|||||||
|
|
Win |
Loss |
Ties |
Win % |
Scored |
Given up |
Diff. |
Games Behind |
|
Gray |
14 |
7 |
0 |
0.667 |
259 |
203 |
56 |
– |
|
Green |
11 |
5 |
0 |
0.688 |
212 |
157 |
55 |
0.50 |
|
Orange |
9 |
8 |
0 |
0.529 |
189 |
166 |
23 |
3.00 |
|
Blue |
6 |
11 |
0 |
0.353 |
125 |
215 |
-90 |
6.00 |
|
Red |
4 |
13 |
0 |
0.235 |
162 |
206 |
-44 |
8.00 |
The gap between the front running Gray Ghosts and the Green Machine has shrunk to a half-game. Red, despite their 0-9 start, in back in the race with their strong turnaround in the 2nd session.
Next Games: Thursday June 4, 2026
Game 1 8:30 a.m. Green (5-2-0) vs. Red (4-4-0)
Looking to make up some ground on the session leaders, Red will be facing off against the front running Greenies three times over the next four scheduled dates.
Blue has umpiring duties for this one.
Game 2 9:30 a.m. Blue (3-5-0) vs. Gray (4-5-0)
Rematch of Monday’s battle that saw Blue taking down Gray by a 14-11 score. Can Gray break out of their four-game skid and exact revenge on the boys in Blue? Can Blue climb out of the cellar and become a serious contender for the session #2 crown? All will be revealed come game time!
Green will be taking on the umpire responsibilities in this game.
Orange will have a bye on Thursday so their players (along with the unassigned players) will have priority in the draw.
Other News & Notes:
Lost & Found- couple of black batting gloves were left in the parking lot after the B league 12:30 game. Also, someone left behind a black Short Porch Wig Popper 26-ounce bat. I will have these in the wagon if you want to claim them as yours on Thursday,