B League Picayune
Often in error, never in doubt.
Volume 5, Issue 54 – October 19, 2023
Weather: Another gorgeous, dry day – 83 degrees with 35% humidity at the start of the 12:30 game, blue skies throughout – the relatively low sun was tough on the fielders when balls were hit in the air.
Games of Thursday October 19:
10:30 a.m., Maroon (5-2) at Red (4-3):
1 2 3 4 5 BUFFET FINAL Maroon 5 3 0 5 0 4 17 Red 2 5 4 2 1 0 13 Pitchers: Maroon – Joe Bernal; Red – Donald Drummer. Mercenaries: Maroon – Anthony Galindo; Red – Larry Fiorentino, Fritz Hensel, Donnie Janac, Ray Pilgrim, and Jeff Stone. Umpires: home plate – George Romo and Spike Davidson; bases – Eddy Murillo and Mark Dolan. Perfect at the plate: Maroon – Marvin Krabbenhoft (4 for 4) and Pat Scott (4 for with a homerun; Red – Donald Drummer (3 for 3 with a walk), Jack Spellman (4 for 4 with a walk), and Jeff Stone (4 for 4). Homerun: Pat Scott (inside the park).
Maroon started hot, scoring five runs in the top of the first without making an out, on six singles and a walk to Scott Wright, but Red didn’t give in, putting up crooked numbers in each of its first four at bats, scoring twice in the bottom of the first on two walks, two singles, and Larry Fiorentino’s double, though the team lost a run to a baserunning mistake, as David Ferley ran through the third-base coach’s hold on Hal Darman’s single and was thrown out 8-2, Peter Sundquist to Marvin Krabbenhoft, a picture-perfect throw home.
Maroon scored three times in the top of the second, on five more singles, but Red hurler Donald Drummer began to find his groove, getting three force outs on ground balls, one back to the box for a force at third, the others to shortstop for outs at second, leaving two runners stranded. Red then got five runs on seven singles, taking advantage of a couple errant relays for extra bases. Shortstop Scott Wright made a very good play on Hal Darman’s short fly to left for the second out, but Larry Fiorentino delivered a single to drive in the fifth run.
Maroon seemed poised for a big inning in the third, loading the bases on singles by Joe Bernal, Peter Atkins, and Markin Krabbenhoft to open the frame. But Donald Drummer again kept the next three batters from reaching the green: Larry Shupe grounded a ball to the 5-6 hole that shortstop Jack Spellman backhanded and threw home for the force there. Mike Velaney hit a short pop in front of third base; third baseman Ray Pilgrim lost it in the bright sun, but communicated that clearly, and Spellman at shortstop was able to play it on the bounce and throw home for another force out. Billy Hill grounded to the right of second base – Jeff Stone came up with the ball and tossed to second for the inning-ending force.
In the bottom half, Red scored four runs on a walk and five singles and briefly took the lead, 11-8, Maroon jumping back ahead with five runs in the top of the fourth on eight singles, making only one out along the way. Red tied the game at 13 apiece with two runs on four singles in the home half, then held Maroon scoreless in the top of the fifth, that inning ending with Hal Darman making another fine play at first base, snagging Scott Wright’s liner that looked headed for extra bases.
Red looked poised for a big inning when David Ferley and Donald Drummer opened the bottom of the fifth with back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners. But Peter Atkins started a 5-4-3 double play, Mike Velaney on the pivot, on Hal Darman’s one-hop grounder. Larry Fiorentino drove in David with a single, but that was the only run Red managed, as Ray Pilgrim grounded into an inning-ending 6-4 force.
Entering the buffet, Maroon trailed 14-13. They immediately tied the game as Pat Scott led off with an inside-the-park homerun, a drive to right-center that rolled to the fence.
Pat Scott took off before I could get a post-game picture of him. Here’s one from earlier this season.
Donald Drummer got Johnny Lee to ground out for the first out, but the next six batters hit safely (five singles and Peter Atkins’ double), three runs scoring, though Red did get a second out on a strong throw from right fielder Donnie Janac to shortstop Jack Spellman at second base to get Larry Shupe advancing on Mike Velaney’s single – I swipe-tagged Larry, and I thought I hit him with enough force to separate him from his gall bladder, but in the moment’s adrenaline rush, Larry didn’t even realize he’d been tagged and briefly argued the (correct) out call. Anthony Galindo’s hard one-hopper up the middle turned into an inning-ending 6-4 force.
Red came up in the bottom half needing three to tie, and with three mercenaries and the top of the order due. Joe Bernal retired Donnie Janac for the first time in the game, getting him to fly to right-center fielder Pat Scott. Jeff Stone singled, his fourth hit in as many at bats. Fritz Hensel grounded back to the box; Joe might have had a play at second, but took the sure out at first. Jack Spellman singled through the 3-4 hole. Paul Rubin went opposite field, but his fly to left-center hung up long enough for Peter Sundquist to gather it in for the final out. Final score: Maroon 17, Red 14
11:30 a.m., Green (2-5) at Blue (5-2):
1 2 3 4 5 BUFFET FINAL Green 1 0 3 5 2 2 13 Blue 1 0 5 5 1 2 14 Pitchers: Green – Tommy Deleon; Blue – Spike Davidson. Mercenaries: Green – Jack Spellman, Peter Sundquist, and Scott Wright. Umpires: home plate – Dave Berra, Jeff Stone, and Joe Roche; bases – Marvin Krabbenhoft. Perfect at the plate: Green – Donnie Janac (4 for 4 with a double) and Jack Spellman (3 for 3).
No scorebook for Blue, so I’ll be light on details. Each team scored a singleton in the first. In the top half, Mike Hill led off the game with a walk, took second on Donnie Janac’s single, third on Tommy Gillis’s fly to left-center, and then scored on Jeff Fisher’s line single to right. The inning ended with George Romo starting a 6-4-3 double play, Mark Dolan on the pivot. In the bottom half, mercenary third baseman Scott Wright, playing without sunglasses, lost two pops in the high glare, but Blue still only managed one run. (Scott and Jack Spellman, who began the game at second base and had sunglasses, subsequently swapped positions.)
Neither team scored in the second. Green put across three runs on four hits, Donnie Janac’s double the key blow, in the third, and then five runs on six hits in the fourth, Jeff Fisher driving in the last two with a double to right field. But Blue scored five runs in the bottom haf of each frame – sorry, no details, just a lot of hits, including several pops into short left field, frustratingly out of Mike Hill’s reach.
Green scored two runs on Ray Pilgrim’s lead-off walk and three singles in the top of the fifth, briefly tying the game 11-11 before Blue got a singleton in the bottom half for a one-run lead entering the buffet.
In the top of that inning Greens’s first three batters hit safely: Donnie Janac completed a perfect day at the plate with a single, then scored the tying run from first on Tommy Gillis’s double off the fence in left-center field. Jeff Fisher’s single put runners on the corners. Joe Bernal got Ray Pilgrim to foul off a two-strike pitch for the first out, Joe’s fifth strikeout of the game. Tommy Deleon’s line single to right field scored Tommy, putting Green ahead by one. But that was all: Boo Resnick hit a grounder down the third-base line that, yes, EDDY MURILLO fielded cleanly; Eddy stepped on third for the force there, then made a strong cross-diamond throw to first that beat Boo by half a step for an inning-ending 5u., 5-3 double play.
I believe the bottom of the buffet went like this: Anthony Galindo led off with a line single to left-center. George Romo came up and knocked a double, Anthony scoring the tying run from first. Morgan Witthoft hit a grounder to third base that I fielded cleanly (blind squirrel finding a nut); I looked George back to second, but when I threw to first, George advanced anyway because he knows what he’s doing out there. EDDY MURILLO came up with the winning run on third and one out, and he also knows what’s he doing out there: needing to find the green, Eddy drove a pitch to left-center over the outfielders’ heads to drive in George with the winning run, Blue walking off the victory. Final score: Blue 14, Green 13
EDDY MURILLO, basking in the glow of knowing that turning a key double play and socking a walk-off hit will guarantee him face time in the Picayune.
12:30 p.m., Gray (2-5) at Gold (3-4):
1 2 3 4 5 BUFFET FINAL Gray 1 0 0 5 1 6 13 Gold 5 4 5 1 0 X 15 Pitchers: Gray – Jerry Mylius; Gold – Jeff Stone. Mercenaries: Gray – Tommy Gillis, Mike Hill, and Johnny Lee. Umpires: home plate – Scott Wright; bases – Peter Sundquist. Perfect at the plate: Gray – Tommy Gillis (3 for 3 with a double); Gold – James Chavana and Larry Young (both 3 for 3).
This seemed like it would be a total blowout early on, as Gray managed just one run in its first three at bats – David Kruse led off the game with a double to left-center and scored on Doc Hobar’s single; Rick Kahn followed with an infield single, Tim Bruton’s throw to first pulling Joe Roche off the bag, but Jeff Stone retired nine of the next 11 batters, starting an F-1, 1-3 double play to end the second inning – while Gold scored 14 of a possible 15 runs over the same stretch, five runs on eight singles in the first, four runs on five singles and Tim Bruton’s double in the second, and five again in the third, all with two out, on two singles, consecutive doubles by Ralph Villela, Tim Bruton, and Jeff Stone, and Joe Roche’s single.
But Gray regrouped starting in the third and got back into the game. They scored five runs on Tony Viera’s walk and seven singles in the fourth after James Chavana at third base made a good play to his left and a strong throw to put out Jerry Mylius leading off. James scored Gold’s lone run in the bottom half: he singled to start the frame, took third on Denny Malloy’s double, and scored on Larry Bunton’s ground out to second base.
Gray got one run in the top of the fifth, Jeff Stone escaping a jam when Gold turned an outstanding double play. Doc Hobar led off with a single and took third on Rick Kahn’s base hit to center field. A walk to Jerry Mylius loaded the bases. Alex Valles grounded back to the box; not sure why, when he had a force at home, but Jeff Stone threw to third for the force there, but the throw was dropped, everyone safe, Doc scoring. Jim McAnelly grounded to the 5-6 hole; Tim Bruton moved to his right and made a nice pickup and a quick throw to James Chavana at third for the force; James turned and snapped a quick throw home across his body – he couldn’t get a lot on it, and it short-hopped the mat, but catcher Joe Dayoc made a terrific play to catch it cleanly and force out Rick Kahn to complete the double play. It was a very close play at home, but I thought Scott Wright made the correct call, that Rick’s foot was still in the air when Joe caught the throw.
Jeff Stone returned from a weeks-long absence to pitch for Gold. I thought I’d make the Picayune look more like a newspaper (and angle for that Pulitzer Prize) by going with a black-and-white photo. That’s James Chavana manning the hot corner.
Gray wound up winning the inning when Jerry Mylius blanked Gold in the bottom half. Larry Young completed a 3-for-3 day with a lead-off single on a pop behind first base. He was forced at second on Joe Dayoc’s grounder to third base. Ralph Villela, trying for his fourth hit in as many at bats, lined a ball down third base way – Mike Hill managed to get a piece of it and deflect it to shortstop David Kruse, who fielded it on the hop and threw to second for the force there, an outstanding defensive play. Tim Bruton refused a walk and singled, putting two runners on base for Jeff Stone, also trying for a perfect day at the plate. He hit a sinking fly to left-center that Jeff Fisher came in for and caught at his shoetops for the third out.
Gray came up in the buffet trailing by eight and made a good go of it. The first eight batters hit safely, six singles and doubles by Tommy Gillis and David Kruse, five runs scoring. Alex Valles hit a fly to short left-center that Ralph Villela charged in on and caught for the first out. Jim McAnelly singled to left, loading the bases. Tony Viera’s single to the right of shortstop Tim Bruton drove in Rick Kahn with the sixth run of the inning, the bases still loaded, tying run now on second, Gray’s mercenaries due up. Mike Hill swung and missed at a two-strike pitch that was some inches short of the mat, not something I’ve ever seen Mike do before. Johnny Lee was next. He hit a pitch hard up the middle, just to the left of second base; Tim Bruton got a terrific jump on the ball, made an outstanding catch on a short hop, and tagged second for the final out of the game. Final score: Gold 15, Gray 13
Standings – Session Four:
Games Runs Runs Run W/L
W L Win %: behind: for: allowed: differential: streak:
Maroon 6 2 .750 — 116 93 +22 W4
Blue 6 2 .750 — 114 93 +21 W2
Red 4 4 .500 2 114 101 +13 L1
Gold 4 4 .500 2 105 112 – 7 W1
Green 2 6 .250 4 98 115 -17 L3
Gray 2 6 .250 4 78 111 -33 L2
Home Visitor Walk-off Extra-inning Flip-flop 1-run games
W-L: W-L: Wins: W-L: W-L: W-L:
Maroon 3-2 3-0 2 0-1 1-0 3-1
Blue 3-0 3-2 1 0-0 1-0 2-1
Red 2-2 2-2 2 0-0 2-0 2-2
Gold 3-1 1-3 0 0-0 1-0 0-2
Green 1-3 1-3 0 1-0 0-1 0-1
Gray 0-4 2-2 0 0-0 0-4 1-1
2023 total victories (read across) and losses (read down):
Blue Gold Gray Green Maroon Purple Red TOTAL
Blue X 6 6 7 3 2.5 6 30.5
Gold 3 X 4 7 4 1 4 23
Gray 2 5 X 4 4 2 6 23
Green 3 4 4 X 4 4 4 23
Maroon 5 6 4 4 X 3 6 28
Purple 1.5 1 2 0 1 X 1 6.5
Red 4 3 4 5 3 3 X 22
_______________________________________________________________
TOTAL: 18.5 25 24 27 19 15.5 28 156
Schedule for Monday October 23:
10:30 a.m.: Gold (4-4) at Maroon (6-2), Gray umpiring
11:30 a.m.: Blue (6-2) at Gray (2-6), Gold umpiring
12:30 p.m.: Green (2-6) at Red (4-4), Blue umpiring
Preview: Maroon and Blue remain tied for first for the session, with Gold and Red two games back. Gold has a chance to get back in the race with a head-to-head versus Maroon at 10:30. Gray will try to knock Blue down a peg at 11:30 in a match between the teams that finished 1-2 in Session 3. One of Green and Red will end their losing streak at 12:30. Will the Huntsman participants be back in Austin to affect Monday’s results? Only one thing is certain: Time will tell.
Keggy’s Korner:
1. League president Jack McDermott forwards this from the board:
The end of year banquet/lunch is scheduled for next Thursday, October 26. It will be held at the field after our games. I have put in a request to the city to relocate us to field 6 on that day as the area outside of that field is more suitable for gathering. There is a chance of rain for next Wednesday and Thursday (of course there is), and the board will notify the league if there are any changes. We have available, the fire department under building space in the event of a rainout, but we will wait and see what the weather brings.
The lunch will be catered by Lupe’s Tortilla, chicken and beef fajita tacos with sides, there will be limited drinks, iced tea, so bring your own if you want something different. No desserts will be furnished, so feel free to bring your favorite to share. Also there is limited seating, bleachers and a couple of picnic tables, so bring a lawn chair or two. We have a limited, 90-minute serving time from the caterer starting at 11:30 and ending at 1:00, so the games are as follows:
C-division-please get with your managers, but I was told that they will be playing one pitch games and will be finished by 10:00am.
B-division-Starting at 10:00am, all games will be one-pitch with a 40-minute clock and no extra innings – a tie game will end as a tie; further, if any time remains on the clock after 4 innings, then the 5th inning will be the buffet. Game 2 will start at 10:45am, and game 3 will start at 11:30am.
Hope to see you all there.
ASSL Board
2. Rick Jensen checks in from the Beehive State:
Tom Kelm’s 70 Huntsman team atop winners bracket in Utah. Run differential in last 3 wins +3. Jack Crosley, Terry Watts, Richard Battle, Tom Kelm, Don Solberg, Terry Thompson, Ken Brown, Gary Coyle, Tom Brownfield, Rick Jensen.
3. Keep in your thoughts and prayers C-Leaguer, former B-Leaguer, and flat-out great guy Brian Flynn, in the ICU.