Game Day Gazette
June 23, 2025
Kudos to the Keystones, their team had a bye today but eight of the fourteen players on the roster showed up at the field and seven of them played in the games talking full advantage of their priority status in the draw.
Our two newest players, Dean Hector and Tim Heher, have been assigned to new teams. Dean will be joining the Senators and Tim will become a member of the Pioneers. Glad to have you guys in the league!
Game 1 8:30 a.m. Senators (1-0-0) vs. Sultans (1-0-0)
First & Second Inning Recap:
Senators– Terry Thompson opened the game with a flyball out to Ken Brown in CF. Greg Lloyd followed with a base hit to right field but he was forced out at 2B on Terry Watts inning ending double play ball. Jeff Brousard knocked down the drive off Terry’s bat and made a quick flip to Adam Gordon to complete the 4-6-3 double play. 2nd– Raul DeLeon led off the 2nd with a clean single up the middle. Dean Hector, the newest member of the Senators, ripped a single over the shortstop to move Raul to 2B. Jerry Mylius knocked in the 1st run with an RBI single to right field. Will Scheerer popped out to 2B for the 1st out of the inning. Paul Rubin drilled a pitch to the gap between LF and left center for a three-run inside the park home run to stake the Senators to an early four run lead. John Flowers and Barry McRee singled ahead of Johnny Neville’s groundout for the 2nd out. Terry T. delivered with a line single up the middle to drive in the 5th run for the Senators.
Sultans- Phil Stanch led off with a ringing single to right center. Gary Coyle hit into a fielder’s choice on a hard groundout to 3B that Dean gloved and threw to 2B for the force. Ray Pilgrim ground a single up the middle and Don Roets smacked a base hit to left to load the bases. Jeff Broussard popped out to 2B for the 2nd out. Adam Gordon hit a flyball to shallow CF that Paul caught on a dead run to retire the side. 2nd– Senator’s pitcher, Greg Lloyd, struggled with his control in the 2nd walking the first two batters (Lucky Hoffman and Chris Hurst) to open the inning. Jack Kelly singled to load the bases with nobody out. Ray Saldan ground into a fielder’s choice with Lucky scoring from 3B on the play for the Sultans 1st run. Ken Brown lined a single to right to drive in the 2nd run. Phil kept the hit parade going with a ground single up the middle. Gary Coyle hit a fly ball deep enough in left center to score the runner from 3B for the 3rd run. Ray P. topped off the Sultan’s scoring with a line single to left to drive in the 4th run.
End of 2nd Score: Senators 5 Sultans 4
Third Inning Recap:
Senators- Greg flew out to CF to start the Senator’s 3rd inning. Terry T. doubled and scored on Raul’s triple to right center. Dean ground out to short as Raul scored the 2nd run on the play. Jerry ended the frame by bouncing out to Jack Kelly.
Sultans– responded with a five-run inning to grab a 9-7 lead in the game. Jeff led off the inning with a single but was forced out at 2B on Adam’s grounder to 3B. Lucky ripped a shot to left center that skipped past my outstretched glove for an RBI double. Chris singled to left on a sharply hit ball to move Lucky to 3B. Greg walked Jack K. to load the bases. Ray hit a hard grounder to 3B that Dean fielded cleanly, stepped on the base for the force and threw across the diamond to try and complete the double play (Ray’s pinch runner was safe). In hindsight, the better play would have been to go home and try to beat Lucky running from 3B, but Dean is new and no doubt he’ll learn the little nuances of our game. Ken smoked a single up the middle to drive in the 3rd run. Phil followed with a single to bring in run number four. Gary completed the Sultan’s five-run outburst with a line shot to center to score Ken and put the Sultans on top.
End of 3rd Score: Sultans 9 Senators 7
Fourth Inning Recap:
Senators– Jack held the Senators to a single run in the 4th to protect the Sultans slim lead. Will led off with an infield single and moved to 2B on Paul’s pop fly single to left. John flew out to Ken for the 1st out. Barry came through with a clutch single to left to score Will. Johnny bounced out to short to end the inning.
Sultans- padded their lead with two more runs in the 4th. Ray and Don opened the inning with back-to-back hits. Jeff ground into a fielder’s choice for the 1st out. Adam’s single brought in the 1st run and Don scored on Lucky’s groundout to SS. Greg walked Chris and Jack to load the bases but was able to retire Ray S. to avoid any further damage.
End of 4th Score: Sultans 11 Senators 8
Fifth (Open) Inning Recap:
Senators– heading into the buffet, Senators needed three runs to tie and four to take the lead. Terry W. slapped a single to right to put runners on 1B and 2B. Raul followed with his 2nd triple of the day on a gapper to right center to score both runners. Dean bounced back to the pitcher for the 2nd out. Jack then retired Jerry to end the game leaving the tying run stranded on 3B as the Sultans squeaked out a narrow 11-10 victory.
Final Score: Sultans 11 Senators 10
Game 2 9:30 a.m. Pioneers (0-1-0) vs. Braves (0-0-0)
First & Second Inning Recap:
Pioneers- Braves pitcher, Tom Kelm, had his best stuff today and stymied the Pioneer hitters in the first two innings. Scott Wright led off the 1st with a line shot to 1B that was snagged by Dave Berra for the 1st out (Scott has had more hard-hit outs in the last few weeks than any other player in the league!) Jack Adams followed with the Braves shortstop for the day, Bobby Miller, for the 2nd out. Sal Lopez fouled out as his grounder down the 3B line went just foul. 2nd-Gene Nelson bounced out to the Braves 3B for the day, Paul Rubin, to lead off the inning. Mickey Poole smacked a single through the 5/6 hole for the Pioneer’s 1st hit of the day. Larry King followed with a base hit to left. New guy, Tim Herer, ripped an RBI single over short to get the Pioneers on the scoreboard. Bobby Hawthorne ground into a fielder’s choice for the 2nd out and Tom K. retired Greg Tolander to close out the frame.
Braves- Doc Hobar flew out to CF to open the game for the Braves. Bobby Miller laced a double to RF to get into scoring position. Paul Rubin received a walk but elected to refuse it and promptly fouled off the next offering from P Sal Lopez for the 2nd out. Jim Foelker came through with a big two-out hit to score Bobby with the Braves 1st run. Dave Berra smacked a hard hit to left center and Jim attempted to go from 1B to home on the play but Jack Adams perfect throw to Ray Saldana nailed him at the plate to end the inning.2nd-The Braves marched seven men to the plate in the 2nd and all of them got hits to put up five runs without making a single out as the Braves jumped out to a five-run lead.
End of 2nd Score: Braves 6 Pioneers 1
Third Inning Recap:
Pioneers– Morris Carter led off the 3rd with a looping single to right field. Scott drilled a one out double to right center to put runners on 2B and 3B. Jack A. doubled down the left field line to score both runners. Sal followed with a single to advance Jack to 3B. Gene fouled out and Mickey bounced into a force at 2B to retire the side.
Braves– Sal held the Braves to a single run in the 3rd to keep the Pioneers in the game. Bobby led off the inning with a double. Paul followed with a walk (no refusal this time!). Jim hit a low line drive to Jack at SS. I’m guessing Bobby thought he caught it in the air as he momentarily froze at 2B. Once he saw Jack had not made the catch, he was thrown out at 3B for the 1st out. Paul was able to move to 2B on the play and scored on Dave’s line drive shot to LC. Sal retired Joe to end the frame.
End of 3rd Score: Braves7 Pioneers 3
Fourth Inning Recap:
Pioneers- failed to score any runs after the 3rd inning as the Braves pitching and defense held the Pioneer’s in check. Larry led off the inning by lining out to Bobby at SS. Not to be outdone, Tim did the same thing except Bobby had to jump a little for this one. Bobby H. singled past 3B but was forced out at 2B on a groundball to 3B to end the inning.
Braves– pretty much put this one out of reach with a five-run outburst in the 4th. Billy Hill walked to start the inning, and his pinch runner (me) scored on Tom K.’s inside the park homer that sailed over Morris’ head in center field. Barry flew out to left for the 1st out. John and Doc had back-to-back singles followed by an RBI double from Bobby (his 3rd of the game!). Paul grounded a single just past 2B to drive in both runners and complete the Braves five-run inning.
End of 4th Score: Braves 12 Pioneers 3
Fifth Inning Recap:
Pioneers- Morris led off the inning with a walk. Ray S. lined out to P Tom K. and the pinch runner from 1B was doubled off to complete the double play. Scott cracked his 2nd double of the game. Jack reached on an infield hit but could not advance the runner on 2B. Sal grounded to Paul, and he made the put out at 3B just ahead of the runner to retire the side.
Braves– up by nine, umpires opted not to flip flop until the lead reached ten runs per C league rules. A leadoff single by Jim and Dave’s double quickly produced a run and the teams went ahead and did a flip flop with the Pioneers batting in their open inning.
End of 5th Score: Braves 13 Pioneers 3
Sixth (Open) Inning Recap:
Pioneers– Gene singled to start the buffet but was erased on Mickey’s fielder’s choice groundout to SS. Larry went down swinging for the 2nd out. Tim singled to put runners on 1B and 2B, but Bobby popped out to third base to end the game.
Final Score: Braves 13 Pioneers 3
Session Three Standings:
|
|
ASSL C league 2025 3rd Session |
|||||||
|
|
Win |
Loss |
Ties |
Win % |
Scored |
Given up |
Diff. |
Games Behind |
|
Sultans |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1.000 |
20 |
18 |
2 |
– |
|
Braves |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1.000 |
13 |
3 |
10 |
0.50 |
|
Senators |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0.500 |
17 |
17 |
0 |
1.00 |
|
Keystones |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0.000 |
6 |
7 |
-1 |
1.50 |
|
Pioneers |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0.000 |
11 |
22 |
-11 |
2.00 |
The Sultans seem to have figured out how to win close games this session and still sit atop the standings after two weeks.
Full Session Standings:
|
|
ASSL C league 2025 Season To-date Standings |
|||||||
|
|
Win |
Loss |
Ties |
Win % |
Scored |
Given up |
Diff. |
Games Behind |
|
Braves |
16 |
6 |
0 |
0.727 |
314 |
225 |
89 |
– |
|
Pioneers |
12 |
11 |
0 |
0.522 |
254 |
260 |
-6 |
4.50 |
|
Senators |
10 |
12 |
0 |
0.455 |
270 |
292 |
-22 |
6.00 |
|
Keystones |
9 |
13 |
0 |
0.409 |
264 |
286 |
-22 |
7.00 |
|
Sultans |
9 |
14 |
0 |
0.391 |
263 |
302 |
-39 |
7.50 |
With back-to-back losses, the Pioneers are now trailing the front running Braves by 4.50 games. Don’t look now but the surging Sultans are only three games out of 2nd place in a season that has not yet reached the half-way mark.
Next Games: Thursday June 2, 2025
Game 1 8:30 a.m. (H) Braves (1-0-0) vs. (V) Keystones (0-1-0)
Game 2 9:30 a.m. (H) Pioneers (0-2-0) vs. (V) Senators (10-1-0)
Sultans have the bye on Thursday so their players will have priority in the draw.