Game Day Gazette
July 24, 2025
Back at our old stomping grounds on K3, we had a couple of old school games featuring good defense, timely hitting and close come from behind wins. Another exciting day at the ballpark!
Game 1 8:30 a.m. Sultans (3-4-0) vs. Pioneers (0-7-0)
First & Second Inning Recap:
Sultans- Donnie Janac bounced out to Jack Adams to open the game. The next three batters (Gary Coyle, Ray Pilgrim and Don Roets) stroked singles to account for the 1st run. Jeff Broussard and Rip Wright followed with back-to back fielder’s choice ground outs to end the innning.2nd- Phil Stanch led off the 2nd with a popup to short. Adam Gordon singled, and Jack Kelly punched a ball just beyond 2B Tim Herer to put runners on 1B and 2B. Ray Saldana grounded to 3B, and Tom Brownfield forced the runner at 3B for the 2nd out. Luther Elmore, playing for the 1st time this season, did likewise and Tom got the fielder’s choice at 3B to retire the side (also allowing Tom another chance to practice his throw to 1B).
Pioneers-still looking for their first win of the current session, the Pioneers were mystified by Sultan’s pitcher, Jack Kelly, in the first two innings. Jack Adams led off the 1st with a fly ball to Ray Pilgrim in left field. Mike Carroll followed with a ground ball back to Jack for the 2nd out. Mickey Poole ripped a shot to right center for a two-out triple. He was left stranded as Alex Valles fouled out to end the inning. 2nd– Larry King reached on a groundball up the middle that caromed off Jack’s leg (game doesn’t really start until Jack gets hit by a batted ball!). Tim Herer drew a walk to put runners on 1B and 2B. Sal Lopez grounded to 3B, and Gary Coyle got the force for the 1st out. Bobby Miller singled to right and Tim lost his footing, coming around 3B and was thrown out at the plate for the 2nd out. Paul Rubin came up with “ducks on the pond” but left them stranded with a flyball out to shallow left center.
End of 2nd Score: Sultans 1 Pioneers 0
Third Inning Recap:
Sultans- picked up a run in the 3rd on three base hits. Donnie led off the inning with a line single to left. Gary popped out to the catcher on a nimble play by Alex Valles for the 1st out. Ray P. flew out to deep center for the 2nd out. Don singled to move Donnie to 3B, and he scored on Jeff’s single to right. Rip popped out to P Sal Lopez for the final out.
Pioneers- Sultan’s pitcher, Jack Kelly, twirled his 3rd consecutive scoreless inning as the Pioneers were set down in order in the 3rd. Tom Brownfield led off with a fly to deep center, but Rip Wright was perfectly positioned and made the catch for the 1st out. Lynn Simpson bounced back to Jack for the 2nd out. Leadoff hitter Jack Adams flew out to Ray in left field to retire the side.
End of 3rd Score: Keystones 2 Pioneers 0
Fourth Inning Recap:
Sultans– continued to peck away with another run in the 4th. Phil and Adam had back-to-back singles to start the inning. Jack K. lined out to short for the 1st out. Ray S. scratched out an infield hit to load the bases. Luther drove in the inning’s only run with a fielder’s choice groundout to SS. Donnie singled to load the bases again, but Sal got Gary to bounce into a force at 2B to end the inning.
Pioneers- broke out of their scoring drought with a five-run outburst in the 4th. Mike C. and Mickey opened the inning with back-to-back singles. Alex and Larry were then retired on back-to-back groundouts for the first two outs. Tim legged out an infield hit to load the bases. Sal delivered a clutch two-out hit with a short fly over the infield that fell in for a two-run single. Bobby Miller followed with a scorching line drive that went over Don’s outstretched glove at 1B. The ball skipped past the RF and Bobby zoomed around the bases for a three-run inside the park home run.
End of 4th Score: Pioneers 5 Sultans 3
Fifth Inning Recap:
Sultans- answered back with four runs in the 5th to reclaim the lead. Ray P. and Don opened the frame with back-to-back hits. Jeff grounded to short for the 1st out. Rip singled to load the bases. Phil looped a hit to right to drive in two runs. Adam’s singled loaded the bases for the 2nd time in the inning; Jack K. popped a ball over 2B that Jack Adams made a diving stop on to get a force at 2B as Jeff scored the 3rd run of the inning. Ray S. grounded sharply up the middle to drive in Phil for the 4th run of the inning.
Pioneers- Paul led off the 5th with a drive to left center but Phil had it played perfectly and made the catch for the 1st out. Tom B. and Lynn singled to put runners on 1B and 2B. Jack laced a single to right to drive in the 1st run. Mike lined out to 2B for the 2nd out. Mickey (today’s Pioneer hitting star!) smacked his 2nd triple of the game to drive in two more runs. Alex lined a ball to short, but Adam was able to make the catch to close out the inning.
End of 5th Score: Pioneers 8 Sultans 7
Sixth “Open” Inning Recap:
Sultans- needing a run to tie and extend the game, the top of the Sultan’s lineup came through with a huge five-run inning to take the lead. Donnie led off with a singled and moved to 3B on Gary’s line single. Ray P. drove in the 1st run with a hard single up the middle. Don capped off a perfect 4-4 day at the plate with a single to load ‘em up. Jeff ripped a run, scoring single to left to drive in the 2nd run. Rip followed with a base hit to push across the 3rd run of the frame. Phil smacked a two-run single to cap off the Sultan’s scoring for the inning. Sal managed to avoid any further damage as he got Adam and Jack on pop ups to the mound and Ray S. to foul out to end the inning.
Pioneers- now chasing four runs to keep the game alive, Larry led off by lining a base hit over 2B. Tim bounced into a force at 2B for the 1st out. Sal flew out to left for the 2nd out. Bobby and Paul had back-to-back singles to load the bases. Tom B. came through with a two-run single to cut the Sultan’s lead to two runs. Lynn bounced out to 2B to end the game as the Sultans squared their record to 4-4-0 and the Pioneers dropped their eighth game to remain winless for the session.
Final Score: Sultans 12 Pioneers 10
Game 2 9:30 a.m. Keystones (4-3-0) vs. Senators (4-3-0)
First & Second Inning Recap:
Keystones- Mike Hill led off the game with a line single to right. John Flowers followed with a base hit to the right side. Patrick Schmidt delivered the 3rd consecutive hit for the Keystones bringing in the game’s first run. Ken Brown walked to load the bases. Barry McRee hit a comebacker to P Raul DeLeon, and he opted to come home for the force at the plate and the 1st out of the inning. Tommy DeLeon grounded sharply to 3B, Jerry Mylius gloved the ball, touched the bag for the out and threw home to complete the 5U 5-2 double play to end the inning. 2nd– Mike Mordecai opened the 2nd with a hard shot down the 3B line for a single. Margarito Canava struck out for the 1st out. Robby Vickery and Johnny Neville followed with back-to-back hits to load the bases with only one away. Mercenary Bobby Miller drilled a double to right to score two runs. Donnie Janac drove in the 3rd run on a fielder’s choice groundout to short. Mike H. flew out to CF on a nice running catch by Henry Flores to end the frame.
Senators- P Tommy DeLeon was almost unhittable in the first two innings. Greg Lloyd drew a walk to start the game but was forced out at 2B on Jerry Mylius’ ground out. Henry Flores popped out to short for the 2nd out. Raul then blasted a booming triple to left center to score Jerry with the Senators 1st run. Tommy ended the inning by retiring Denny Malloy. 2nd-Terry Watts led off the 2nd with a single to right but was erased on Will Scheerer’s 6u 6-3 double play ball that was well executed by Mike Hill and Ken Brown. Jack Adams lined out to Ken for the final out of the inning.
End of 2nd Score: Keystones 4 Senators 1
Third Inning Recap:
Keystones- added three more runs in the 3rd to push their lead to six runs. John was retired for the 1st out leading off the 3rd. Patrick and Ken followed with back-to-back hits to put runners on 1B and 2B. Barry launched a long flyball over the CF’s head that cleared the bases as Patrick and Ken scored easily. Barry reached 3B for a triple but decided to go for broke (not sure if it was his or 3B coaches’ decision?) but Jack’s throw to Rip beat him to the dish for the 2nd out. Tommy then cranked a shot to right field that skipped past the fielders and allowed pinch runner Ken Brown to circle the bases for a “shared” inside the park homer.
Senators– found their hitting stroke and pounded out seven hits enroute to a five-run inning to make this a one run game. The first four batters in the frame were mercenaries and each one reached base. Doc Hobar led off with a single and moved to 2B on Rip Wright’s base hit. Tom Kelm dropped in a base hit to left to load the bases with nobody out. Ray Pilgrim drove in the 1st run with a ground single up the middle. Greg struck out on a borderline low pitch for the 1st out. Jerry slapped a single to right to bring in two more runs. Henry’s pop fly fell in for a single as the Senators loaded the bases for the 2nd time in the inning. Raul lined a clean single to left to score two more runs and complete the five-run 3rd inning.
End of 3rd Score: Keystones 7 Senators 6
Fourth Inning Recap:
Keystones- Raul retired the first two batters as Margarito fouled out and Robby popped out. Johnny kept the inning alive with a single past the shortstop, Bobby followed with a soaring shot to right for a run scoring triple. Raul avoided any further damage by getting Donnie to ground out to short to close out the frame.
Senators- Denny led off with a single to right but was erased on Terry’s groundball to 2B that Mike Hill and Ken turned into a 4-6-3 double play. Will started a two-out rally with a double to right center. Jack Adams absolutely smoked the ball and his shot to center field went for an RBI triple. Doc lined a base hit to left to score Jack to tie the game with the 2nd run of the inning. Rip followed with a single but Tom K. popped out to short to end the inning.
End of 4th Score: Keystones 8 Senators 8
Fifth Inning Recap:
Keystones- in this back-and-forth affair, the Keystones jumped back on top with two runs in their half of the inning. Raul quickly got two outs as he retired Mike H. and got John to line out to 2B. Two-out rallies appeared to be the order of the day and Patrick did his part with a single to right to ignite this rally. Ken doubled to put runners on 2B and 3B. Barry hit a hard grounder to short that Jack could not field cleanly as Patrick scored on the play. Tommy followed with a base hit to right to bring in Ken with the 2nd run. Mike M. singled but Raul was able to retire Margarito on a pop fly to short to end the frame.
Senators- Tommy quickly got two outs as Ray P. ground out to short and Greg fouled out. But it ‘aint over till it’s over and the Senators launched their own two-out rally in the 5th. Jerry and Henry provided back-to-back to get a runner in scoring position for Raul. He came through with a single to drive in his 4th run of the game as the Senators closed the lead to one run.
End of 5th Score: Keystones 10 Senators 9
Sixth “Open” Inning Recap:
Keystones– holding a slim one run lead, the Keystones were looking to add on runs in their half of the buffet. Robby hit a grounder to 1B, and Greg beat him to the bag for the 1st out. Johnny hit a comebacker to Raul for the 2nd out. Bobby finished off a perfect 3-3 day at the plate (hit for mini cycle with single, double and triple) with a base hit to right. Donnie lined a shot to 2B for the final out of the Keystones scoreless 6th.
Senators- needing one run to tie and two to win, Will opened the inning with a flyball to shallow right field. Both Bobby and John converged on the ball, and it glanced off Bobby’s glove for a leadoff single. Jack lined a single to left to move Will to 2B. Doc followed with a flyball to shallow left in front of Donnie. Patrick swooped in from left center and got a glove on the ball but couldn’t hold it as it dropped in for a single to load the bases. Living up to his classic baseball name, Rip Wright, stepped up and “ripped” a single to right scoring both runners and giving the Senators a hard fought come-from-behind win.
Final Score: Senators 11 Keystones 10
Session Three Standings:
|
|
ASSL C league 2025 3rd Session |
|||||||
|
|
Win |
Loss |
Ties |
Win % |
Scored |
Given up |
Diff. |
Games Behind |
|
Braves |
7 |
1 |
0 |
0.875 |
109 |
70 |
39 |
– |
|
Senators |
5 |
3 |
0 |
0.625 |
78 |
77 |
1 |
2.00 |
|
Keystones |
4 |
4 |
0 |
0.500 |
86 |
75 |
11 |
3.00 |
|
Sultans |
4 |
4 |
0 |
0.500 |
70 |
84 |
-14 |
3.00 |
|
Pioneers |
0 |
8 |
0 |
0.000 |
58 |
95 |
-37 |
7.00 |
The Senators took sole possession of 2nd place with their win over the Keystones. The Sultans win over the Pioneers puts them in a 3rd place tie with the Keystones.
Full Session Standings:
|
|
ASSL C league 2025 Season To-date Standings |
|||||||
|
|
Win |
Loss |
Ties |
Win % |
Scored |
Given up |
Diff. |
Games Behind |
|
Braves |
22 |
7 |
0 |
0.759 |
410 |
292 |
118 |
– |
|
Senators |
14 |
14 |
0 |
0.500 |
331 |
352 |
-21 |
7.50 |
|
Keystones |
13 |
16 |
0 |
0.448 |
344 |
354 |
-10 |
9.00 |
|
Pioneers |
12 |
17 |
0 |
0.414 |
301 |
333 |
-32 |
10.00 |
|
Sultans |
11 |
18 |
0 |
0.379 |
313 |
368 |
-55 |
11.00 |
The Senators picked up a .50 game on the idle Braves with just over half of the season completed.
Next Games: Monday July 28, 2025
Game 1 8:30 a.m. (H) Sultans (4-4-0) vs. (V) Senators (5-3-0)
Game 2 9:30 a.m. (H) Braves (7-1-0) vs. (V) Pioneers (0-8-0)
Keystones have a bye on Monday so their players will have priority in the draw.
Will the Senators solidify their position in 2nd place and emerge as a true challenger to the Braves for the session crown with a win over the Sultans? The teams with the best and worst records square off in the late game, anything can happen so stay tunes as all will be revealed come Monday.
Reminder of New Summer Hours:
We will be moving our scheduled start times up by thirty (30) minutes effective August 11, 2025, to help us better deal with the Texas heat. The new start times will be 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m.