Game Day Gazette
August 18, 2025
One of the things that makes this league fun is having a high degree of competitive balance. The possibility of a team beating any other on any given day makes for exciting games!
After the Braves blazing start to the season, there were cries to break up the Green! We do have a mechanism in place called the revamp rule that allows for a supplemental player draft if any team(s) have a winning percentage below .400 through the end of the 3rd session.
By beating the Braves in the final game of that session, the Sultans’ winning percentage crossed that .400 mark for the 1st time all season and thus avoided the implementation of the revamp rule.
But somehow things have a way of working out in this league and we have seen the return of tightly contested games in the last few play dates and Monday was no exception.
Game 1 8:00 a.m. Sultans (1-0-0) vs. Keystones (1-0-0)
Game Summary:
The battle between the two unbeatens did not disappoint! For the first time all season, the ever-present Keystones had to draw two players (Raul DeLeon and Jack Adams) to fill their roster. On the flip side, visiting Sultans had to draw four players (Paul Rubin, Terry Watts, Mickey Pool and Jim Foelker) to reach eleven players. Unfortunately, none of the Sultan’s roster included a pitcher so I initiated a post-draw trade to move Raul to the Sultans, and I joined the Keystones. There were only two other players at the park at game time so Bobby Hawthorne agreed to take his first turn behind the plate to umpire and Henry Flores filled in as the filed umpire. All of this and the game actually started on time@
First & Second Inning Recap:
Sultans- Keystone pitcher, Tommy DeLeon, quickly retired the first two batters as Phil Stanch grounded out to 2B and Donnie Janac flew out to CF. The next three batters (Don Roets, Jeff Broussard and Adam Gordon) all singled to load the bases. Lucky Hoffman hit a line drive to left but Jim Foelker had him well positioned and made the catch for the final out. 2nd– Luther Elmore opened the 2nd inning with a base hit over short. The mercenaries followed as Raul and Terry had back-to-back hits to drive in the 1st run of the game. Mickey bounced into a 4-6-3 double play but Jim blooped a hit over the infield to score Raul with the 2nd run. Phil went down swinging to retire the side.
Keystones– quickly took control of this one as they scored three in the 1st and four in the 2nd to take an early five run advantage. Mike Hill and John Flowers led off with back-to-back singles. Ken Brown bounced into a fielder’s choice at 2B on a nice play by Jeff. Barry grounded to short, and Adam made a great play to get to the ball but could not make a play as Barry reached to load the bases. Tommy DeLeon slapped a single to right to bring in the 1st run. Mike Mordecai grounded out to short for the 2nd out as Ken cruised in with the 2nd run. Margarito Canava dropped a flyball just inside the left field line to drive in Barry with the 3rd run of the frame. 2nd– Keystones kept up the pressure in the 2nd as they pounded out six hits to produce four runs. Johnny Neville led off with a clean single to left but Paul Rubin grounded into a fielder’s choice for the 1st out. Jack Adams and Mike H. singled to load the bases. John popped out to 1B on a nice catch by Don for the 2nd out. Ken drilled a single to right center to drive in two runs and the Keystones were off and running. Barry ripped a single to left to drive in the 3rd run and Tommy continued to swing a hot bat as he lined a single to right to score the 4th run of the frame.
End of 2nd Score: Keystones 7 Sultans 2
Third Inning Recap:
Sultans- got themselves right back into this one with a big five-run outburst to tie the score. The first three batters all reached as Donnie, Don and Jeff singles to score the 1st run of the frame. Adam grounded to 3B, and Mike M. tagged out Don running from 2B to 3B for the out. Lucky followed with a sizzling grounder that got past Mike M. at 3B to drive in the 2nd run. Luther bounced out to 3B and Mike again made a play to tag out Adam going to 3b (may have been the 3rd or 4th time Adam was on the ground in this game!). The mercenaries came through as Raul, Terry and Mickey all had RBI singles to help the Sultans tie the game.
Keystones- Margarito grounded out to SS to lead off the inning. Greg Tolander beat out an infield hit ahead of Johnny’s line out to short. Paul double to left center and both he and Greg scored on Jack’s single to left center to give the Keystones a two-run lead.
End of 3rd Score: Keystones 9 Sultans 7
Fourth Inning Recap:
Sultans- Tommy made short work of the Sultan hitters in the 4th. Jim led off with a single, but Phil fouled out for the 1st out. Donnie hit into a fielder’s choice back to the mound with Tommy making an excellent throw to 2B for the force. Don fouled out to end the inning.
Keystones– Raul matched Tommy’s pitching prowess by shutting down the Keystones in the 4th. John singled to lead off the inning but was thrown out at 3B trying to advance on Ken’s single to left center. Barry popped out to Raul for the 2nd out and Tommy was retired on a grounder to 2B to end the frame.
End of 4th Score: Keystones 9 Sultans 7
Fifth Inning Recap:
Sultans- caught fire in the 5th as they marched nine batters to the plate and only incurred a single out on their way to a huge five-run inning. Jeff and Adam opened the inning with back-to-back hits. Lucky grounded sharply to 3B, and the busy Mike M. made the play for the force out. Luther, Raul, Terry, Mickey, Jim and finally Phil followed with singles to drive in all five runs as the Sultan’s jumped on top in this battle.
Keystones- rallied back to tie the game with a three-run outburst in the 5th. Mike M. singled to start the inning but the next two batters grounded into fielder’s choice outs. Johnny came through with a two-out single to keep the rally alive. Paul singled in a run with a ground single up the middle. Jack’s single loaded the bases and Mike H. came through with a single to right center to drive in two more runs.
End of 5th Score: Sultans 12 Keystones 12
Sixth “Open” Inning Recap:
Sultans- Donnie led off the open inning with a double to right center. Don followed with an infield single as Donnie remained on 2B. Jeff completed his perfect 4-4 day at the plate with another line single to center to score Donnie with the 1st run. Adam was retired but Lucky came through with a big hit (hit the ball hard in all three at bats!) to score Don with the 2nd run of the frame. Tommy retired Luther and Raul to close out the frame and keep the lead at two runs.
Keystones- chasing two runs, Ken led off with fly ball to the opposite field. Luther made an excellent play to reach the ball and secure the catch to rob Ken of at least a double. Barry singled but Tommy ground out to Jeff at 2B for the 2nd out. Mike hit a comebacker to Raul for the final out as the Sultans moved into 1st place alone after this impressive win!
Final Score: Sultans 14 Keystones 12
Game 2 9:00 a.m. Braves (0-2-0) vs. Senators (0-1-1)
First & Second Inning Recap:
Braves– looking to put the brakes on their current three game skid, the Braves matched up against the other winless team in the late game on Monday. Doc Hobar led off with a single to right center. Paul Rubin grounded to short for the force at 2B for the 1st out. Tom Brownfield launched a deep fly to right for an RBI double. Lynn Simpson’s single moved him to 3B and he scored on Dave Berra’s line single to right center. Jim Foelker knocked in the 2nd run with a base hit to left. Tom Kelm ripped a line single to left to drive in the 3rd run. 2nd– Scott Wright opened the frame with a sharp single to right. John Flowers flew out for the 1st out. Doc singled to move Scott to 3B, and he scored on Paul’s fielder’s choice out.
Senators- Terry Thompson lined a ball up the middle that caromed off P Tom Kelm and went directly to 1B Scott Wright for the 1st out. Henry Flores and Raul DeLeon followed with back-to-back singles. Denny bounced into a fielder’s choice for the 2nd out. Terry Watts drove in the 1st run with a single to right center. 2nd– P Tom Kelm quickly got two outs after Rick Parker opened with a single by getting Roger Geras and Ken Brown on groundball outs. Donnie Janac and Jeff Broussard singled to bring in the 1st run in the inning. Terry T. laced a single to left to load the bases. Henry had the big hit of the inning as he drove a ball over Jim’s head in left for a bases clearing triple. Raul smacked a hard single up the middle to complete the five-run inning and give the Senators a two-run lead.
End of 2nd Score: Senators 6 Braves 4
Third Inning Recap:
Braves- Dave delivered a one-out single to start the Braves rally in the 3rd. Jim flew out to CF for the 2nd out. Tom ripped another line-drive to left to put runners on 1B and 2B. Brian reached on an infield single to load the bases. Mike H. singled to left center to score Dave for the 1st run. Jim, running for Tom K., was called out at home trying to score from 2B on a very close call at the plate by Johnny Neville to end the inning.
Senators– Tom K. held the Senators in check in the 3rd as he got Denny to foul out, Terry W. to ground out to short and Rick on a fielder’s choice after Will’s two-out single.
End of 3rd Score: Senators 6 Braves 5
Fourth Inning Recap:
Braves- regained the lead with a big five-run inning in the 4th. Scott opened the inning with a line single to right. John and Doc followed with singles to load the bases. Paul ripped a line shot up the middle that gapped the fielders for a bases clearing triple. Tom B. knocked him home with a single to left. Singles by Lynn, Dave and Jim brought in the 5th run.
Senators- responded with a five-run inning of their own in the 4th to take back the lead in this back-and-forth affair. The Senators sent eight men to the plate and the only out was on a fielder’s choice ground out to 2B by Ken. Roger, Donnie, Jeff, Terry, Henry, Raul and finally Denny all had base hits contributing to the five-run inning.
End of 4th Score: Senators 11 Braves 10
Fifth “Open” Inning Recap:
Braves- Tom K. led off the buffet with his third hit in as many times at bat. His pinch runner was retired on a sharp grounder that caromed off Terry T. at 3B to Ken for a 5-6-4 put out. Mike H. popped out to Raul for the 2nd out. Scott and John had back-to-back singles to load the bases. Doc came up with the big blow as he smacked a two-run single to the right side to put the Braves on top. Paul flew out to Denny in left center to end the inning.
Senators- only down by one run, the Senators seemed primed to use the “hammer” and extend the Braves losing streak to four games. But Tom K. was up to the task and held the Senators to a single hit and no runs as the Braves held on to stop their losing streak at three games as they escaped with a one-run victory over the Senators.
Final Score: Braves 12 Senators 11
Session Four Standings:
|
|
ASSL C league 2025 4th Session |
|||||||
|
|
Win |
Loss |
Ties |
Win % |
Scored |
Given up |
Diff. |
Games Behind |
|
Sultans |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1.000 |
41 |
36 |
5 |
– |
|
Pioneers |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0.500 |
20 |
17 |
3 |
0.50 |
|
Keystones |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0.500 |
36 |
39 |
-3 |
1.00 |
|
Braves |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0.333 |
40 |
42 |
-2 |
1.50 |
|
Senators |
0 |
2 |
1 |
0.000 |
46 |
49 |
-3 |
1.50 |
Full Session Standings:
|
|
ASSL C league 2025 Season To-date Standings |
|||||||
|
|
Win |
Loss |
Ties |
Win % |
Scored |
Given up |
Diff. |
Games Behind |
|
Braves |
24 |
12 |
0 |
0.667 |
508 |
393 |
115 |
– |
|
Keystones |
16 |
18 |
0 |
0.471 |
418 |
426 |
-8 |
7.00 |
|
Senators |
15 |
18 |
1 |
0.441 |
410 |
441 |
-31 |
7.00 |
|
Pioneers |
15 |
18 |
1 |
0.441 |
352 |
385 |
-33 |
7.00 |
|
Sultans |
15 |
19 |
0 |
0.441 |
392 |
435 |
-43 |
8.00 |
Schedule for August 21, 2025
Game 1 8:00 a.m. (H) Braves (1-2-0) vs. (V) Keystones (1-1-0)
Game 2 9:00 a.m. (H) Sultans (2-0-0) vs. (V) Pioneers (1-0-1)
Senators have a bye on Thursday so their players will have priority in the draw.
Other items for your consideration:
- Isn’t it nice to know if you miss breakfast or just looking for a tasty treat, there are always breakfast tacos and donuts available at the field. Do you ever wonder where these wonderful treats come from? We can thank Tommy DeLeon for providing these goodies. But did you know these “healthy” snacks are not provided by the league but through donations to the “Tommy” fund (not to be confused with the Bobby Fund). If you ever partake of this “free” food or just want to make sure it’s available to others, please consider bringing a cash donation to the field on Thursday (I’m told Tommy does not accept Pay Pal, Venmo or Zelle!) and give it directly to him as he does not have a tip jar set up by the food. He does not know we are making this request so let’s keep this between us. Thanks for your support.
- Kids in the Austin Independent School District (AISD) will be returning to school today meaning traffic is going to get heavier starting on Thursday. Please allow some extra time so you can arrive at the field by no later than 7:45 a.m. at the latest. Thanks.
- Year end party for C league…. We are tossing around some ideas for a year-end celebration of this season so watch your email for more information.