Game Day Gazette
March 17,2025
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! It was another beautiful spring day at the ballpark with temperatures just below 50 degrees to start and warming up to the mid-sixties with plenty of sunshine! The Keystones enjoyed their day off as they solidified their hold on first place after five games. No big comebacks or walk-offs today but still at great day at the ballpark!
Game 1 8:30 a.m. Pioneers (1-2-0) vs. Sultans (2-1-0)
The Sultans were looking to keep pace with the league leading Keystones and the Pioneers were hoping to build on last week’s first win with yet another W.
First & Second Inning Recap:
Sultans– Sultans were happy to welcome Peter Atkins back from injury. It was reported here that Peter would be out for 5-6 weeks as a result of torn tendons in his foot, but we’re glad it did not turn out to be as serious an injury as expected (this will also be my last medical update!).
Chris Villareal and Adam Gordon led off the game with back-to-back hits. Peter’s pop fly dropped in front of Paul Rubin in left center for a single to load the bases. Ray Pilgrim ripped a single to left to score the 1st two runs of the game. Donnie Janac hit into a fielder’s choice out at 3rd for the 1st out of the inning. Don Roets continued to swing a hot bat with an RBI single for the 3rd run. Phil Stanch singled to right, but Scott Wright made a strong relay throw from right field that just beat Donnie at the plate for the 2nd out. Don scored the 4th and final run as he scored on Ray Salazar’s base hit. 2nd – Sal Lopez struck out the first two batters in the 2nd before yielding back-to-back hits to Jack Kelly and Chris V. Sal made a nice stop on a hard-hit ball up the middle by Adam to get out of the inning.
Pioneers– responded with four runs of their own in the inning. Scott Wright, Jack Adams and Mike Carroll all had singles to open the frame and produced the first run. Buddy Gaswint finally had a chance to show off his prodigious power with a towering three run homer over the center field fence. 2nd– the Pioneer hitters were stymied by Jack Kelly in the 2nd as they could only muster a single hit and no runs.
End of 2nd Score: Sultans 4 Pioneers 4
Third Inning Recap:
Sultans- doubles by Peter Atkins and Donnie Janac accounted for the Sultan’s only run in the inning.
Pioneers- quickly seized the momentum in this contest with a five-run outburst in the 3rd. Jack and Mike opened the inning with back-to-back hits. Buddy and Butch Barber followed with back-to back doubles to push three runs across. Mickey Poole singled and Sal ripped a double down the left field line scoring the 4th run. Tom Mecredy, playing in his first game of the year, drove in Mickey with a groundball out to 1B for the 5th run of the inning.
End of 3rd Score: Pioneers 9 Sultans 5
Fourth Inning Recap:
Sultans- Sal continued his strong pitching performance as he held the Sultans to only a walk to Lucky Hofman in a scoreless 4th.
Pioneers- stretched their lead, adding four more runs in the inning. Patrick Schmidt (mercenary) led off with an inside the park home run. Paul Rubin (mercenary #2) followed with a double and scored on Scott’s single. Jack’s double brought Scott in for the 3rd run. Buddy completed his perfect 3-3 day at the plate with another double to score Jack, but he was thrown out trying to advance to 3B for the 2nd out. Butch grounded out to 2B to end the frame.
End of 4th Score: Pioneers 13 Sultans 5
Fifth Inning Recap:
Sultans- would not go down without a fight as they rallied for five runs in the open inning. Chris V. ground out to short to open the inning. The next five batters (Adam, Peter, Ray P., Donnie and Don) all had hits to put three runs on the board. Phil fouled out for the 2nd out before Ray S. and Rip both produced RBI singles to get the Sultans within three runs. Sal got Chris H. to pop out for the final out as the Pioneers secured their 2nd win of the season.
Final Score: Pioneers 13 Sultans 10
Game 2 9:30 a.m. Braves (1-2-0) vs. Senators (1-2-0)
First & Second Inning Recap:
Senators- Greg Lloyd opened the game with a sharp single to left. Denny Malloy hit into a fielder’s choice (4-6) for the 1st out. Raul DeLeon singled to move Denny to 2B. Unfortunately, Tim Coles lined a shot up the middle that hit Denny for the 1st out. Happily, it was just a glancing blow, but it does reinforce the need to always be aware of where the ball is going! Terry Watts singled to load the bases but Curt Ashmos grounded to 3B and Tom Brownfield narrowly beat Tim to the base for the final out (Tim did not agree and argued vehemently with home plate umpire Jack Adams but from my vantage point, Tom’s foot hit the bag before Tim so good call!). 2nd– Henry Flores opened the 2nd with a single to left center. Will Scheerer followed a groundball up the middle that Paul Rubin turned into a 6U 6-3 double play. Scott Wright (mercenary #1) singled but was forced out at 2B on Donnie Janac’s (mercenary #2) ground out to short as the Senators failed to score in their first two innings.
Braves- Tom Kelm, Braves manager, changed the Braves batting lineup to hopefully get them untracked after back-to-back losses. New leadoff man, Keith Kreitman, ground out for the 1st out. Bobby Miller followed with a double and he scored on Doc Hobar’s RBI single. Paul Rubin walked on a close pitch from Raul DeLeon ahead of Tom Brwonfield’s double that brought in two runners. Bob Steckler’s double scored the 4th run and Tom Kelm finished off the inning with an RBI single for the 5th run. 2nd– Dave Berra led off with a ringing double to left center over Donnie’s head. Billy Hill singled, moving Dave to 3B. Lynn Simpson stroked a hit up the middle to score Dave but the throw to 2B beat Billy’s pinch runner for the 1st out. Joe Dayoc and Jim Foelker both hit into fielder’s choice ground out to close out the inning.
End of 2nd Score: Braves 6 Senators 0
Third Inning Recap:
Senators- finally got on the board with two runs despite some questionable base running. Ray Pilgrim singled to lead off and his pinch runner moved to 3B on Greg’s double. Donnie Janac hit a grounder to 1B that Dave turned into an out. Inexplicably, Greg broke for 3B on the play, forcing Scott to head home and he was thrown out on a nice play from Dave for the 2nd out. Co-manager, Bruce Barnett, was not at today’s game and his absence as the 3rd base coach was felt! Raul and Tim salvaged the inning with back-to-back hits. The inning ended with Lynn making a great catch on Terry’s sinking liner to right to retire the side.
Braves- flexed their collective hitting muscle in the 3rd as they sent six batters up and scored five runs. Keith singled to lead off and moved to 3B on Bobby’s double. Doc singled to drive in both runners. Paul doubled on a sizzling groundball up the middle that just evaded Raul’s glove. Tom B. followed with a deep fly to left center for a triple to score two more runs. Bob then blasted a shot over the center field fence for a home run (although it only counts as a single as the 5th run was on 3B).
End of 3rd Score: Braves 11 Senators 2
Fourth Inning Recap:
Senators- down by nine, the Senators continued to struggle against Tom K.’s pitching. Curt singled to lead off but was called out at 2B on an interference call on Henry’s groundball to Doc (see safety tip #2 in the last Gameday Gazette). Will singled and Scott Wright followed with another hit. Unfortunately, another baserunning gaffe by the Senators resulted in the 2nd out (don’t recall details but I believe Will was advancing to 3B while the runner there was staying put). Donnie hit into a fielder’s choice ground out to 3B to end the inning.
Braves- continued to pound the ball in the 4th and put up four more runs to stretch their lead to thirteen runs. Tom Kelm, Dave, Billy and Lynn all singled to start the inning and produce the first two runs in the frame. Joe Dayoc laced a drive to left field for a two run double to finish the scoring for the Braves.
End of 4th Score: Braves 15 Senators 2
Senators- down by thirteen, the Senators pushed across two runs in the top of the 5th. Ray P. led off with his third hit of the game. Greg flew out to center for the 1st out on a nice catch by Jim. Denny singled and Raul’s single brought in the first run. Tim ground into a fielder’s choice with the 2nd run coming in on the play.
Braves- at this point with the Braves ahead by a 15-4 score, the umpire called for a flip flop allowing the Senators to stay at the plate for their buffet inning. Several people on the Braves questioned whether this was correct (thanks, Keith) and in hindsight, I don’t believe we followed the rules. The flip flop should only happen in the open inning and each team should have the opportunity to bat in each of their five-run innings before a flip flop is called. I am going to review with the board to make sure we all agree on this interpretation.
End of 5th Score: Braves 15 Senators 4
Sixth Inning Recap:
Senators- now down by eleven, the flip flop rule was initiated and the Senators continued to bat. The first two batters in the inning were retired but then the Senators bats caught fire. Will, Scott, Donnie and Ray P. all singled to score the first two runs. Greg continued the rally with an RBI single. Denny launched an RBI triple over the right center fielders head to score two more runs. Raul’s single scored the sixth run of the inning. Tim ended the game with a fly out to Bob in deep left field as the Braves evened their record at 2-2.
Final Score: Braves 15 Senators 10
Session #1 Standings (through five game dates):
Keystones  3-1-0
Sultans     2-2-0
Braves      2-2-0
Pioneers    2-2-0
Senators    1-3-0
Next Games: Thursday March 20, 2025
Game 1 8:30 a.m. Braves (2-2-0) vs. Sultans (2-2-0)
Can the Braves build on Monday’s big win over the Senators, or will the Sultans bounce back from their loss to the Pioneers? In any case, the winner will emerge from the current log jam for 2nd place to challenge the front running Keystones.
Game 2 9:30 a.m. Pioneers (2-2-0) vs. Keystones (3-1-0)
Can the men in Blue continue their current hot streak and knock the Keystones from their lofty perch atop of the standings or will the Keystones further cement their status as the team to beat by knocking off the Pioneers?
Come Thursday, all will be revealed, see you there!
Senators will have a bye for Game 5 so their players will have priority in the draw.