Game Day Gazette
July 13, 2026
Congratulations to the Relentless 75’s for rising from the ashes to win four straight games in bracket play to claim the 75-80 championship in the Heart of Texas tournament in Waco. The squad includes C leaguers Tommy DeLeon, Gary Coyle, Donnie Janac, Tom Brwonfield, Rip Wright, Patrick Schmidt, Butch Barber, Ken Brown and Terry Watts. Not to be outdone, the Austin Wizards including Alex Valles, Raul DeLeon and Henry Flores won in the 65 division. Great showing for the Austin Senior Softball league!
With the return of most of our road warriors, the mercenary frenzy experienced last week was largely a thing in the past. Now on to the games…
Game 1 8:00 a.m. Orange (2-3-0) vs. Gray (3-3-0)
First & Second Inning Recap:
Orange-Terry Thompson got things started with a pop up to 3B. Jack Adams laced a single to center for the 1st hit of the day. Bobby Miller followed with a drive to right field that resulted in a run scoring triple. Jim Foelker smacked a single to left center to plate Bobby with the 2nd run. Steven Kendig ripped a ball that skied over the center fielder’s head for an RBI double. Adam Gordon’s line single to center moved Steven to 3B. P Ray Pilgrim avoided any further damage by getting Barry McRee to pop out to short and Bubba Barnett on a grounder to 2B. 2nd – Greg Tolander grounded to 3B to open the 2nd inning. Luther Elmore lined a single to center to get things going. Raul DeLeon was retired on a deep fly to left center for the 2nd out. Paul Rubin drilled a shot to left center that got past Patrick Schmidt allowing Luther’s pinch runner to score on the two-base hit. Terry walked and Ray got Jack to hit into a fielder’s choice to retire the side.
Gray– both managers agreed to draw to twelve players given the oppressive humidity for today’s game. Gray fielded seven of their own players resulting in a five-player draw including Jack Spellman, Donnie Janac, Bobby Hawthorne, Morris Carter and Patrick Schmidt. P Terry Thompson was virtually untouchable in the first two frames as he shut down Gray on no runs and only two hits. Scott Wright grounded sharply to Raul at 2B for the 1st out. Mike Carroll and Ray Pilgrim followed with back-to-back singles. Lynn Simpson bounced into a fielder’s choice for the 2nd out. Larry Coons flew out to center to close out the initial frame. 2nd– Dave Safely (not to be confused with Lord Stanley as I referred to him in Thursday’s edition) worked a walk leading off the 2nd. Margarito Canava fouled out for the 1st out. Jack Spellman hit a well struck ball to center, but Jack Adams was well positioned to make the “snow cone” catch for the 2nd out. Donnie Janac bounced out to 3B and Adam Gordon got the force at 2B to retire the side.
End of 2nd Score: Orange 4 Gray 0
Third Inning Recap:
Orange– Orange failed to add to their lead despite Bobby’s leadoff single to center. Jim bounced out to 3B on a nice play by Jack Spellman for the 1st out. Steven ground out to short for the 2nd out. Adam left Bobby stranded at 3B as Jack squeezed his flyball to shallow center to end the scoreless 3rd inning.
Gray- Bobby Hawthorne ripped a single to left to open the 2nd inning. Morris Carter dribbled one in front of the plate for an infield single. Patrick Schmidt flew out to left center for the 1st out. Scotty smacked a single to right to load the bases. Mike grounded out to 2B allowing Dave to cross the plate with Gray’s first run. Ray flew out to center to end the inning.
End of 3rd Score: Orange 4 Gray 1
Fourth Inning Recap:
Orange- cardinal rule in slow-pitch softball is you have to keep scoring as no lead is ever safe and you have to avoid shutout innings. Orange failed to meet wither of these and left the door open for Gray in this one. Barry hit a laser to center for a leadoff single. Bubba hit one in front of the plate and Dave showing his defensive prowess, gathered up the ball and fired to 1B for the initial out. Greg grounded out to short and Luther bounced out to 3B to close out the scoreless 4th inning.
Gray– helped by some fielding lapses by Orange, Gray stormed back to knot this one at 4-4. Lynn hit a slow roller between short and 3B to open the 4th, Adam got to the ball but had no chance to get the out at 1B and his throw went awry allowing Lynn to get an extra base. Larry reached on an infield hit with Lynn holding steady at 2B. Dave was retired on a liner to 2B with Raul ranging to his left to make the play. Margarito popped a single to left center to load the bases. Jack S. bounced into a fielder’s choice to push in the 1st run. Donnie grounded to short for what should have been an inning ending force out at 2B. Bobby and Raul unfortunately had a “failure to communicate” and Raul didn’t move to cover 2B on the play leaving the bases loaded. Bobby H. made them pay with a double down the left field line to tie the game. Morris lined out to 3B to close out the frame.
End of 4th Score: Orange 4 Gray 4
Fifth Inning Recap:
Orange- Raul grounded out to short to open the 5th inning. Paul slashed a single to left center and moved to 2B on Terry’s single to center. Jack A. bounced into a fielder’s choice for the 2nd out. Bobby completed his perfect 3-3 day at the plate with a line single to drive Paul in with the 1st run. Jim flew out to medium deep center to retire the side.
Gray– Patrick slapped an opposite field single to open the 5th. Scotty smoked a double down the right field line to score the speedy Patrick to tie the game. Mike slapped a hard single to left center to plate Scotty and give Gray their first lead of the game. Ray bounced into a 6-4-3 double play to clear the bases. Lynn popped out to 3B to retire the side.
End of 5th Score: Gray 6 Orange 5
Sixth “Open” Inning Recap:
Orange-chasing a single run, Orange came up short in the buffet. Steve and Adam led off with back-to-back singles and things looked promising for the Orange men. Barry grounded to short and Scotty made a heads-up play to tag Steven out to get the lead runner heading to 3B. Bubba fouled out for the 2nd out. Greg ripped a two-out liner down the 3B line but unfortunately the ball found 3B Jack Spellman’s glove for the final out.
Final Score: Gray 6 Orange 5
Game 2 9:00 a.m. Green (3-2-0) vs. Blue (3-3-0)
First & Second Inning Recap:
Green-Paul Rubin beat out an infield hit on a grounder to short to lead off the game. Jack Spellman hit into a fielder’s choice for the 1st out. Luis Sanchez back in the lineup also hit into a fielder’s choice out at 2B for the 2nd out. Green rallied with back-to-back singles by Denny Malloy and Tom Brownfield to plate the 1st run. Robbie Vickery looped a single town the right field line to score Denny with the 2nd run. Tom Kelm bounced out to short to end the inning. 2nd– William Powell and Larry King started the 2nd with back-to-back sharply hit groundballs to 3B that got past Daniel Baladez to put runners on 1B and 2B. Mercenary Bobby Miller lined a single to right to bring William in for the 1st run. Paul grounded sharply to Mike Hill to get the force at 2B but Raul’s relay to 1B was wide of the mark and ended up in the Green dugout as all runners moved up an extra base (allowing Larry to score from 3B). Jack slapped a single to right to drive in Bobby for the 3rd run before Luis grounded out to retire the side.
Blue- greeted returning starting pitcher, Luis Sancez, with four straight hits leading off the game. Tommy DeLeon led off with one of his patented line drives to right for a base hit. Mike Hill followed with a hard liner to the same vicinity. Raul DeLeon ripped a single up the middle to load the bases. Henry slapped a single to left center to drive in the 1st run. Don Roets was retired on a flyball to center for the 1st out. Donnie Janac’s single dive in the 2nd run. Luis was able to retire Alex and Dave to avoid any further damage and close out the frame. 2nd– Blue continued to pepper the ball all over the yard as they used four singles to put up two more runs in the 2nd. After Daniel Baladez popped out to short, mercenaries Ken Brown and Ray Pilgrim delivered back-to-back singles. Luis retired Tommy on a pop to short but was unable to get out of the inning unscathed. Mike H. and Raul came through with back-to-back RBI singles to close the lead to a single run. Henry closed out the inning with the 3rd pop fly out to shortstop Jack Spellman.
End of 2nd Score: Green 5 Blue 4
Third Inning Recap:
Green- Back-to-back doubles by Denny and Tom B. pushed across the 1st run for Green. Tommy got Robby looking for the 1st out. Tom K. singled to move Tom B. to 3B but Green was unable to get him the final 65’. William went down looking for the 2nd strikeout of the inning and Larry popped out to short to retire the side.
Blue- the game turned in this frame as Blue pounded out six hits included three of the extra base variety to put up a five-spot and seize control of this one. Don’s single started the rally, and he moved to 3B on Donnie’s double to left center. Alex and Dave followed with back-to-back RBI singles. Daniel bounced into a fielder’s choice for the 1st out. Ken doubled to right to bring in two more runs and Ray wrapped up the five-run frame with a screaming line drive to deep center for an RBI double.
End of 3rd Score: Blue 9 Green 6
Fourth Inning Recap:
Green- closed the lead to a single run as Bobby led off with a double to left center. Barry ground out to 3B for the 1st out. Paul lined a single to left to score Bobby with the 1st run. Jack drilled a base hit to right to move Paul to 3B. He scored on Luis’s ground out to 2B. Denny also hit into a fielder’s choice to close out the inning.
Blue- extended their lead to four runs with a three-run outburst in the fourth inning. Tommy was retired for the first out, but Mike slapped a hard single to right for his 3rd hit in as many at bats in the contest. Raul stayed hot with a double to the gap in left center (also perfect at the plate for the day). Henry singled to center to bring in the 1st run. Don obliterated the softball with a drive over Tom B.’s head for a two-run triple. Donnie reached on an infield single but Don was unable to advance on the play. Alex grounded up the middle and Luis was able to turn a 1-6-3 double play to get out of the inning.
End of 4th Score: Blue 12 Green 8
Fifth “Open” Inning Recap:
Green– needing four runs to tie the game, Green failed to muster much of an attack in the buffet. Tom B. looped a single down the left field line to get things started. Robby popped out to 1B and Tom K. was retired on a pop fly to 2B and there were quickly two men out. William kept Green’s slim hopes alive with a sharp single down the left field line. Larry followed with a low liner up the middle, but Raul had moved to the 3B side of 2B and made an unassisted put out at 2B to end the ballgame.
Final Score: Blue 12 Green 8
Current Session Standings:
|
|
ASSL C league 2026 3rd Session Standings |
|||||||
|
|
Win |
Loss |
Ties |
Win % |
Scored |
Given up |
Diff. |
Games Behind |
|
Gray |
4 |
3 |
0 |
0.571 |
58 |
67 |
-9 |
– |
|
Blue |
4 |
3 |
0 |
0.571 |
79 |
73 |
6 |
– |
|
Red |
3 |
3 |
0 |
0.500 |
51 |
50 |
1 |
0.50 |
|
Green |
3 |
3 |
0 |
0.000 |
80 |
74 |
6 |
0.50 |
|
Orange |
2 |
4 |
0 |
0.333 |
48 |
52 |
-4 |
1.50 |
In a topsy-turvy session, Gray and Blue moved of the head of the pack with their respective wins on Monday. Red and Green are lurking in 2nd place only .50 games behind. Orange lost their 2nd in a row to fall into the cellar.
Season-to-date Standings:
|
|
ASSL C league 2026 Season to-date Standings |
|||||||
|
|
Win |
Loss |
Ties |
Win % |
Scored |
Given up |
Diff. |
Games Behind |
|
Gray |
19 |
10 |
1 |
0.633 |
338 |
290 |
57 |
– |
|
Green |
15 |
9 |
0 |
0.625 |
320 |
246 |
68 |
1.50 |
|
Orange |
11 |
13 |
1 |
0.440 |
254 |
239 |
19 |
5.50 |
|
Blue |
11 |
14 |
0 |
0.440 |
213 |
293 |
-86 |
6.00 |
|
Red |
7 |
17 |
0 |
0.292 |
219 |
276 |
-58 |
10.50 |
Gray extended their lead back to 1.50 games over Green with today’s victory over Orange. Don’t look now but Blue is inching closer to Orange for 3rd place with lots of games left to be played.
Next Games: Thursday July 16, 2026
Game 1 8:00 a.m. Red (3-3-0) vs. Gray (4-3-0)
Gray put themselves back in familiar position atop the league with Monday’s win, which Gray team will show up on Thursday. Red is riding a two-game winning streak, can they keep riding the wave or will Gray knock them off. All will be revealed on Monday.
Green has umpiring duties for this one.
Game 2 9:00 a.m. Green (3-3-0) vs. Orange (2-4-0)
Green is looking to bounce back after a disappointing loss to Blue and Orange wants to get back to their winning ways with a chance to escape the cellar with a win over Green.
Red will be taking on the umpire responsibilities in this game.
Blue will have a bye on Thursday so their players will have priority in the draw.