Game Day Gazette
July 31, 2025
Spoiler alert, Thursday was topsy turvy day at the ballpark as the teams with the worse records beat the teams with the better records in both contests. As a result, the race for the session #3 crown is now as three team race with only 1.50 games separating first from third. There are only two more play dates in the session, so the Sultans and the streaking Pioneers have been mathematically eliminated. Next week will be our last time with the 8:30 and 9:30 start times so enjoy that little bit of extra sleep while you can.
Game 1 8:30 a.m. Keystones (4-4-0) vs. Braves (7-2-0)
First & Second Inning Recap:
Keystones- Mike Hill doubled to right center to get this one started. John Flowers bounced out to 2B for the 1st out. Patrick singled to right to bring in Mike with the 1st run. Barry McRee singled before Braves pitcher Tom Kelm righted the ship by getting Tommy DeLeon to foul out and striking out Mike Mordecai. 2nd– Bobby Hawthorne led off the 2nd with a line single to left. Margarito Canava went down on strikes for the 1st out. Robby Vickery ripped a single down the 1B line past Ray Pilgrim to advance the runner to 2B. Johnny Neville struck out for the 2nd out. Tom struggled to find the plate and walked Morris Carter to load the bases. The Keystones lone mercenary, Gary Coyle, came through with a bases clearing three run triple down the left field line. Mike H. knocked him in with a sharp single to right. John’s base hit moved Mike to 3B and he scored on Patrick’s double to right center to complete the five-run inning for the Keystones.
Braves- with three starters out for this game (Bobby Miller, Lynn Simpson and Jim Foelker), the Braves had to draw four players for the contest. Doc Hobar led off the Braves 1st with a line single to left. He was forced out at 2B on Paul Rubin’s one-hopper to 2B. Tom Brwonfield continued to rake with a smash double to left to score Paul with the 1st run. Dave Berra flew out to CF and Tom Kelm lined out to 3B to retire the side. 2nd- Braves put up a five-spot in the 2nd to knot the score at 6-6. Billy Hill led off with a line drive over Mike Hill for a single. Joe Dayoc popped out to short for the 1st out. Ray Pilgrim and Phil Stanch followed with back-to-back hits to load the bases. Donnie Janac laced a single to center to score the 1st run. Luther singled over 3B to bring in the 2nd run. Doc kept the hit parade going with a run scoring single to left. Tommy walked Paul on three pitches to force in the 4th run and Tom B. wrapped up the scoring with an RBI single to tie the score.
End of 2nd Score: Keystones 6 Braves 6
Third Inning Recap:
Keystones- posted their 2nd five-run inning of the game as they rallied again with tow outs. Barry popped out to short leading off the 3rd. Tommy and Mike M. followed with back-to-back singles. Bobby flew out to CF for the 2nd out. Margarito drew a walk to load the bases and Robby followed with a hard shot to right to score two runs. Johnny singled to reload the bases. Tom walked Morris for the 2nd time in the game to force in the 3rd run. Gary ripped a two-run double to right center to complete the Keystone’s five-run inning.
Braves- P Tommy DeLeon shut down the Braves attack in the 3rd, allowing a leadoff single to Dave before retiring the next three batters.
End of 3rd Score: Keystones 11 Braves 6
Fourth Inning Recap:
Keystones- extended their lead to ten runs with their 3rd consecutive five-run inning. Mike Hill (my nominee for best leadoff hitter in the league!) ripped a sinking line drive to left that Donnie made a valiant effort to catch, but it got past him and rolled to the fence for a leadoff homer. John bounced out to 2B for the 1st out. Patrick and Barry followed with back-to-back hits. Tommy walked to load the bases. I feel there must have been another out somewhere in the inning as the Keystones did most of their damage with two outs all day. The next four batters (Mike M., Bobby, Margarito and Robby) ostensibly reached base to produce three more runs. Johnny finished up the five-run frame with a base hit to put the Keystones up by a score of 16-6.
Braves– showed a little life with a two out rally of their own as they put up three runs in the bottom half. Ray led off with a single but was forced out at 2B on Phil’s grounder to short. Donnie singled but Luther popped out to short for the 2nd out. Doc blasted a ball that soared over LF Barry McRee for a three run inside the park home run. Paul and Tom B. followed with back-to-back singles, but Tommy got Dave to ground out to Gary at 3B to retire the side.
End of 4th Score: Keystones 16 Braves 9
Fifth “Open” Inning Recap:
Keystones- the only thing stopping the Keystones from posting a fourth consecutive five run inning was the ten run “flip flop” rule. Morris led off the inning with an infield single. Gary topped off a perfect 3-3 day at the plate with his 3rd extra base hit to put runners on 2B and 3B. Mike laced a double to right that narrowly evading being caught by Dave to bring in two more runs (thus completing Mike’s perfect 4-4 day at the plate with three XBH’s). John reached base on an infield single and Patrick’s base hit (another 4-4 perfect day at the plate) loaded the bases. Barry flew out to CF for the 1st out but Tommy’s single scored Mike for the 3rd run and put the lead back to ten runs. The teams flip flopped at that point and the Braves came up for their final at-bat.
Braves- came out fighting but the seven-run rally was too little, too late. Tom K. led off the inning with a sharp single to left. Billy bounced into a fielder’s choice out at 2B for the 1st out. Joe lined a single over short and Ray crushed a ball down the left field line that Barry got a glove on but couldn’t catch for an RBI double. Phil knocked in two runs with a line single down the 1B line, Doc flew out to CF for the 2nd out. Paul’s double to left center brought in two more runs and Tom B. finished off his perfect 4-4 day at the plate with an RBI single to left. The rally ended with a ground out to 2B and the Keystones emerged victorious by a final score of 19-16 (this one was not as close as the final score indicated!).
Final Score: Keystones 19 Braves 16
Game 2 9:30 a.m. Senators (6-3-0) vs. Pioneers (1-8-0)
First & Second Inning Recap:
Senators- with a chance to move into a 1st place tie with the Braves after their loss to the Keystones in the early game, the Senators struggled to do much damage against Pioneer’s pitcher Sal Lopez in the initial two frames. Terry Thompson was retired leading off the game. Henry Flores singled but was forced out at 2B on Raul DeLeon’s grounder to short. Denny Malloy ripped a single to left but he was forced out at 2B on Terry Watts grounder to short to end the inning. 2nd– Greg Lloyd fouled out leading off the 2nd. Jerry Mylius ground out to short for the 2nd out and Will closed out the frame by bouncing out to short as the Senators were held scoreless in the first two frames.
Pioneers- continued to feed off the positive vibes from their 1st win on Monday as the Pioneers busted out with five runs in the 1st inning. Jack Adams led off with a double and moved to 3B on Mike Carroll’s single. Sal Lopez brought in the 1st run with a line drive hit to left. Scott Wright grounded back to Raul, and he got the force at 2B. Mike came around to score on the play to 1B narrowly beating Greg’s throw to home. Mickey Poole’s line drive up the middle drove in the 3rd run. Larry King followed with an RBI single to plate the 4th run. Bubba Barnett fouled out for the 2nd out. Alex followed with a ground single to the right side to score the 5th and final run of the frame. 2nd-Peter Atkins led off the 2nd with a double. Patrick Schmidt was retired on a nice play by Greg Lloyd as he fielded Patrick’s hot smash down the line and beat him to the base by a step. Jack singled to drive in Peter with the 1st run of the inning. Mike moved Jack to 2B with a single. Sal grounded to short, and Jack made the flip to Scott to get the force. The relay to 1B was not in time to get the double play but Jack rounded 3B and broke for home. Greg’s throw beat him by at least five steps as Jack crossed the commit line and basically gave himself up for the final out.
End of 2nd Score: Pioneers 6 Senators 0
Third Inning Recap:
Senators– came out of their slumber and erupted for five runs in the inning. Roger grounded back to the pitcher for the 1st out. Mike H. singled to left and Barry followed with a well struck double to left. Patrick made a great effort on the play but couldn’t quite make the catch. Terry T. drove in the Senators’ first run with a sacrifice fly to CF. Henry reached on a groundball to short as Jack’s throw to 1B sailed high and up the line allowing the 2nd run to score. Raul followed with a booming triple to down the left field line to score Henry. Denny’s hit to right scored Raul with the 4th run. However, base umpire Dave Berra thought Denny had driven in the 5th run so the Pioneers left the field. After checking with the unofficial scorekeeper (me), we determined that only four runs had scored so the Senators went back to bat. Terry W. singled to move Denny to 2B and he scored on Greg’s hard hit up the middle to get that elusive 5th run.
Pioneers- Scott and Tim led off the 3rd with back-to-back singles. Mickey followed with a blast to left center for a two-run double. Larry’s single moved him to 3B. Bubba bounced into a tailor made 6U 6-3 double play for the first two outs. Alex delivered with an RBI single to the right side for the 3rd run before Peter flew out to right center to retire the side.
End of 3rd Score: Pioneers 9 Senators 5
Fourth Inning Recap:
Senators- Jerry opened the frame with a single but was forced out at 2B on Will’s grounder to short. Roger walked and Mike H. followed with a drive down the right field line that just landed in fair territory (Mike seemingly thought it was a foul ball based on his slow jog coming out of the box). The ball skipped past the right fielder for a two-run triple. Mike was left stranded as Barry lined out to short and Terry T. bounced out to 2B to end the inning.
Pioneers- extended their lead back to four runs with a two-run outburst in the 4th inning. Patrick led off the inning with a wicked shot that caromed off Greg’s glove for a double. Jack single to move Patrick to 3B. Mike H. bounced a ball up the middle, but Terry T. was late in covering 2B, so everyone was safe. Patrick was able to score on the play. Sal bounced into a fielder’s choice for the 1st out. Scott grounded sharply up the middle and Terry T. made a nice stop on the ball and got the force at 2B as Jack scored the Pioneer’s 2nd run of the frame. Tim flew out to center to end the inning.
End of 4th Score: Pioneers 11 Senators 7
Fifth Inning Recap:
Senators- Sal was able to shut down the heart of the Senator’s order and keep the Pioneers lead at four runs by holding them scoreless in the inning. Henry ground out to SS to open the inning. Raul and Denny followed with back-to-back hits. Terry W. bounced back to Sal, he threw to 3B to get the force. Tim then fired a beautiful throw across the diamond to IB that beat Terry by a step to complete an inning ending 1-5-3 double play.
Pioneers- despite lead off hits by Mickey and Larry (each completing perfect 3-3 days at the plate), the Pioneers failed to score in the frame. Bubba struck out for the 1st out and Alex bounced into a fielder’s choice for the 2nd out. The final out came when Peter hit a ball in front of the plate that Sal was able to glove and make a throw to the plate ahead of the runner for the 3rd out.
End of 5th Score: Pioneers 11 Senators 7
Sixth “Open” Inning Recap:
Senators– trailing by four runs, the Senators put up a good fight but came up just short in the buffet. Greg walked to start the inning and moved to 2B on Jerry’s base hit. Will lined a ball up the middle and Sal made a great catch on a ball that was a few inches above the ground. Saul was able to quickly fire to 1B to double off Jerry for a huge double play. Mike and Barry followed with back-to-back run scoring singles to close the gap to two runs. Terry T. fouled out to end the game as the Pioneer’s secured their 2nd win in a row.
Final Score: Pioneers 11 Senators 9
Session Three Standings:
|
|
ASSL C league 2025 3rd Session |
|||||||
|
|
Win |
Loss |
Ties |
Win % |
Scored |
Given up |
Diff. |
Games Behind |
|
Braves |
7 |
3 |
0 |
0.700 |
136 |
103 |
33 |
– |
|
Senators |
6 |
4 |
0 |
0.600 |
102 |
98 |
4 |
1.00 |
|
Keystones |
5 |
4 |
0 |
0.556 |
105 |
91 |
14 |
1.50 |
|
Sultans |
4 |
5 |
0 |
0.444 |
80 |
99 |
-19 |
2.50 |
|
Pioneers |
2 |
8 |
0 |
0.200 |
83 |
115 |
-32 |
5.00 |
Full Session Standings:
|
|
ASSL C league 2025 Season To-date Standings |
|||||||
|
|
Win |
Loss |
Ties |
Win % |
Scored |
Given up |
Diff. |
Games Behind |
|
Braves |
22 |
9 |
0 |
0.710 |
437 |
325 |
112 |
– |
|
Senators |
15 |
15 |
0 |
0.500 |
355 |
373 |
-18 |
6.50 |
|
Keystones |
14 |
16 |
0 |
0.467 |
363 |
370 |
-7 |
7.50 |
|
Pioneers |
14 |
17 |
0 |
0.452 |
326 |
353 |
-27 |
8.00 |
|
Sultans |
11 |
19 |
0 |
0.367 |
323 |
383 |
-60 |
10.50 |
Next Games: Monday August 4, 2025
Game 1 8:30 a.m. (H) Senators (6-3-0) vs. (V) Braves (7-2-0)
Game 2 9:30 a.m. (H) Keystones (5-4-0) vs. (V) Sultans (4-5-0)
Pioneers have a bye on Monday so their players will have priority in the draw.
Can the Braves find their winning ways again or will the Senators knock them off and move into a 1st place tie for the session crown? Will the Keystones top the Sultans and maintain an outside shot at the crown? Will the Pioneers rue the timing of their bye given their recent success? 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.