Game Day Gazette
August 21, 2025
The dog days of August are clearly upon us with another hot and humid start of the day. Good news is the rain held off until later in the day allowing us to get our games in without any delays.
Game 1 8:00 a.m. Keystones (1-1-0) vs. Braves (1-2-0)
First & Second Inning Recap:
Keystones- The Braves drew three players from the bucket for this game (Tim Coles, Jack Adams and Henry Flores). Apparently, Jack did not get the message until the Braves took the field. He quickly raced out to right center to take his position but P Tom Kelm, anxious to get this game going, delivered the 1st pitch to Mike Hill. Mike laced the ball to Jack as he was still getting his glove on, and he was unable to make the catch. Here’s a tip to all of you ball players out there, put your glove on before you hit the field! John Flowers lined a ball to right center and Jack came in to make a great catch and threw to 1B to catch Mike off the base for a double play. Patick Schmidt fouled out to retire the side. 2nd– Tom Kelm continued to keep the Keystone hitters off balance with another scoreless inning in the 2nd. Ken Brown bounced out to short to open the inning. Barry McRee flew out to left before Tommy DeLeon singled to right. Mike Mordecai grounded into a force at 2B for the final out.
Braves– Braves jumped on Tommy for three runs in the 1st. Doc Hobar singled to left center and Bobby moved him to 3B on a sharp single past short. Paul Rubin lined out to short for the 1st out. Lynn Simpson knocked in the 1st run of the game with a line single to right center. Dave Berra bounced into a fielder’s choice for the 2nd out. Tom Kelm ripped a clean single to left to score Bobby with the 2nd run. Jim Foelker followed with a drive to deep center that got over Patrick’s head for a run scoring double. Brian Rider flew out to CF to end the inning. 2nd– Tim Coles lined a bullet to Mike H. at short for the 1st out. Jack Adams singled and moved to 3B on Henry Flores double. Doc drove them both in with a line single to right center. Bobby doubled to put runners on 2B and 3B and Paul smacked a single that went between Tommy’s legs to drive in both runners. Lynn finished off the five-run frame with an RBI single to score Paul.
End of 2nd Score: Braves 8 Keystones 0
Third Inning Recap:
Keystones- Margarito Canava led off the inning with a single but the next three batters Greg Tolander, Johnny Neville and Morris Carter) all grounded into force outs at 2B as Tom hurled his third consecutive shutout inning.
Braves- Dave flew out to CF to start the inning. Tom K. and Jim followed with back-to-back singles to CF. Brian went down looking for the 2nd out. Tim stepped up and blasted the first over the fence home run of the season for either B or C league since the move to K2. Jack doubled and scored on Henry’s single. Doc ripped a shot up the middle that gapped the fielder’s and would have been an inside the park homer but he stopped at 2B as Henry came across with the 5th run of the inning.
End of 3rd Score: Braves 13 Keystones 0
Fourth Inning Recap:
Keystones– finally broke through with three runs in the 4th. Raul DeLeon led off the inning with a single up the middle. Mike H. flew out to Jack for the 1st out. John walked and Patrick singled to load the bases. Ken laced a single to left center to drive in two runs. Barry singled to drive in Patrick with the 3rd run. Tommy bounced into a fielder’s choice at 3B, and Mike M. flew out to CF to end the threat.
Braves- returning to their early season form, the Braves put up their 3rd consecutive five-run inning to put this one out of reach. Bobby opened the frame with a long arching drive over the left fielder’s head for an inside the park homer. Paul and Lynn followed with back-to-back singles. Dave made the 1st out as he hit into a force play at 2B. Tom K. completed his perfect 3-3 day at the plate with a shot down the 3B line to score Paul. Jim’s single (3rd hit in as many AB’s) loaded the bases. Brian looped a ball over short to score Dave with the 3rd run. Tim and Jack ended the inning with back-to-back RBI singles to finish off the five-run frame for the Braves.
End of 4th Score: Braves 18 Keystones 3
Fifth “Open” Inning Recap:
Keystones- were able to make the final score a little more respectable with a five-run rally in the buffet. Morris bounced out to 3B to start the inning. The next seven batters reached on singles to put up five runs before Mike M. flew out and Margarito bounced into fielder’s choice to end the game.
Final Score: Braves 18 Keystones 8
Game 2 9:00 a.m. Pioneers (1-0-1) vs. Sultans (2-0-0)
First & Second Inning Recap:
Pioneers– with only five regulars showing up for today’s game, the Pioneers had to draw six players. Their draw may have been one of the best (on paper) that I have seen as Tim Coles, Bobby Miller, Patrick Schmidt, Raul DeLeon, Barry McRee and Rick Parker joined the Pioneer’s for this one. Jack Adams led off with a single. Sal Lopez flew out for the 1st out. Mike Carroll and Mickey Poole had back-to-back singles to score Jack with the 1st run. Tim Herer grounded into a 6U 6-3 double play to end the inning. 2nd– Rick led off the 2nd by grounding out to SS. Tim smacked a triple to right center and scored on Patrick’s base hit to right. Raul singled to move Patrick to 2B, and he scored on Barry’s line single to left. Jack drilled a ball up the middle for a single, but Paul got the ball in quickly to Adam who made the throw to home to beat Raul by a step for the final out. Lucky Hoffman, living up to his nickname, made an outstanding scoop on the throw to finish the play.
Sultans- this was a tightly contested game from the outset as the Sultans battled back to knot the score at 3-3 with three runs in the 1st. Donnie Janac led off the inning with a base hit to right center. Gary Coyle drew a walk to put runners on 1B and 2B. Don Roet’s followed with a double to right to score Donnie with the 1st run. Ray Pilgrim followed with a sizzling line drive to CF to drive in Gary and Don and tie the score at 3-3. Adam Gordon flew out to CF for the 1st out and Lucky Hoffman followed by grounding into an inning ending double play on a very close play at 1B. 2nd– Sultans failed to score in the 2nd as Luther Elmore ground out to short and Paul Rubin flew out to LF for two quick outs. Ken Brown and Mike Hill had back-to-back singles, but Donnie popped out to 2B to retire the side.
End of 2nd Score: Pioneers 3 Sultans 3
Third Inning Recap:
Pioneers- regained the lead with a three-run outburst in the 3rd. Sal and Mike singled to start the inning. Mickey flew out to CF for the 1st out. Tim H. lined a single over short to drive in Sal with the 1st run. Rick’s single loaded the bases. Tim C. hit a flyball to short right center that fell in for a two-run single. Bobby bounced into a fielder’s choice on a nice stop by Don at 1B and Patrick flew out to right center to close out the frame.
Sultans– answered back with a three-run inning of their own in the 3rd. Gary led off with a sharp single to left center. Don followed his 2nd double to move Gary to 3B. Ray brought in the 1st run with a single to left. Jeff popped out to short, and Adam flew out to CF for two quick outs. Lucky came up with a huge two-out hit as he lined a ball to left center to drive in two runs. Luther kept the inning alive with a single over short, but Paul flew out to Mickey in left to end the inning.
End of 3rd Score: Pioneers 6 Sultans 6
Fourth Inning Recap:
Pioneers- P Ray Pilgrim worked around two hits to hold the Pioneers scoreless in the 4th. Raul led off with a single, but Barry flew out to CF for the 1st out. Jack lined a single to left but Ray got Sal to foul out and Mike C. to fly out to right center to end the threat.
Sultans- grabbed their first lead of the game with three runs in the 4th. Ken opened the inning with a single to right. Mike H. popped out to 2B for the 1st out. Donnie flew out to CF for the 2nd out before the big 3 in the lineup sparked the Sultan’s rally. (Gary, Don and Ray were a combined 12-12 on the day with three doubles, seven singles and two walks). Gary drew his 2nd walk of the game and Don followed with a looping hit to right to score Ken. Ray blasted a shot to CF to score both runners before Jeff lined out to short to end the inning.
End of 4th Score: Sultans 9 Pioneers 6
Fifth Inning Recap:
Pioneers- were unable to score in the 5th despite getting a couple of hits. Mickey led off with an infield single. He was forced out at 2B on Tim H.’s groundball to 3B. Rick grounded into a fielder’s choice for the 2nd out. Tim C. singled and things were looking up with Bobby coming to the plate. He hit a wicked line drive to 3B and Gary used all of his reach and glove size to spear the ball for the final out in the Pioneer’s scoreless 5th inning.
Sultans- Sal shut down the Sultans in order in the fifth inning. Adam was retired on a comebacker to the mound. Lucky fouled out and Luther flew out to CF to end the frame.
End of 5th Score: Sultans 9 Pioneers 6
Sixth “Open” Inning Recap:
Pioneers- down by three runs heading into the buffet, the Pioneers found their stride and put up seven runs to seize a four-run lead in this back-and-forth affair. Sorry that I was unable to capture much of the detail action, must have been standing out in the hot sun for too long as the Pioneer’s batted around in the frame. They put nine men on base and scored a whopping seven runs to take the lead and put the pressure on the Sultans.
Sultans- having to come from behind after seemingly having this game in hand, the Sultans showed their mettle with a four-run inning to tie this one up. Paul finished off a miserable day at the plate by grounding back to Sal to lead off the inning. Ken doubled and scored on Mike Hill’s single (getting dangerously close to getting thrown out at the plate!). Donnie and Gary followed with back-to-back singles to load the bases. Don and Ray completed their perfect 4-4 days at the plate with run scoring singles to get the Sultans within a single run of the lead. Jeff ripped a single to left to score Gary with the 4th run to tie the game, Adam fouled out and Lucky blooped a ball towards the mound that Sal was able to grab for the final out. After going three full sessions without a single tie, we had our 2nd one out of three game dates as the Sultans and Pioneers fought to a 13-13 deadlock.
Final Score: Pioneers 13 Sultans 13
Session Four Standings:
|
|
ASSL C league 2025 4th Session |
|||||||
|
|
Win |
Loss |
Ties |
Win % |
Scored |
Given up |
Diff. |
Games Behind |
|
Sultans |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0.667 |
41 |
36 |
5 |
– |
|
Pioneers |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0.333 |
20 |
17 |
3 |
0.50 |
|
Braves |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0.500 |
40 |
42 |
-2 |
1.00 |
|
Keystones |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0.333 |
36 |
39 |
-3 |
1.50 |
|
Senators |
0 |
2 |
1 |
0.000 |
46 |
49 |
-3 |
2.00 |
Sultans and Pioneers remain undefeated after battling to a 13-13 tie in yesterday’s late action. Ties definitely complicate things in the standings!
Full Session Standings:
|
|
ASSL C league 2025 Season To-date Standings |
|||||||
|
|
Win |
Loss |
Ties |
Win % |
Scored |
Given up |
Diff. |
Games Behind |
|
Braves |
25 |
12 |
0 |
0.676 |
508 |
393 |
115 |
– |
|
Pioneers |
15 |
18 |
2 |
0.429 |
352 |
385 |
-33 |
7.00 |
|
Senators |
15 |
18 |
1 |
0.441 |
410 |
441 |
-31 |
7.50 |
|
Keystones |
16 |
19 |
0 |
0.457 |
418 |
426 |
-8 |
8.00 |
|
Sultans |
15 |
19 |
1 |
0.429 |
392 |
435 |
-43 |
8.00 |
Schedule for August 25, 2025
Game 1 8:00 a.m. (H) Sultans (2-0-1) vs. (V) Senators (0-2-1)
Game 2 9:00 a.m. (H) Pioneers (1-0-2) vs. (V) Keystones (1-2-0)
Braves have a bye on Monday so their players will have priority in the draw.
Will the Sultans solidify their session leading position with a win over the Senators? Will the Pioneers go for their third tie or will the Keystones right the ship and get back to .500 winning percentage. All will be revealed on Monday!
Have a great weekend!