Week #9: Holliston Senior Softball Wrap-Up: (thru 6/12)

June 17, 2022 / Ken Sawyers /

Week 9:

Brentwood edged Johnson North, 9-8 behind the bat of SS Shawn Thompson who went 2-3 with 3 RBI and drove in the winning run in the bottom of the 6^th while P Ken Engstrom tossed a gem keeping Johnson scoreless through 5. Johnson had a brain freeze in the 5^th after a guy named Doug on Brentwood laced a double down the line that the Johnson catcher called fair yet, they stopped to argue the call while Brentwood took extra bases. Johnson was again paced by the red-hot Shawn Whitehead who went 3-3 w 4RBI in the loss.

*Johnson North OF Chuck Kerchner and SS Chris King console each other after the loss to Brentwood.*

After scoring 24 runs the previous week, DYR laid an egg in a pivotal match up vs Dalton Rd and was beaten, 11-1. Credit Dalton P Dave Birmingham for twirling a gem for his undermanned squad (just 9 guys). OF Steve Cotto broke open a 3-0 game in the 5^th with a 3-run HR over the fence in left while Birmingham helped his cause with 3 hits on the night as well. DYR CF Jay Miller prevented the 2^nd shut-out this year in HSS (Mudville maintains that dubious honor in a week 2 loss to Anthony’s) with a bomb over the fence in right in the 6^th. In a HSS first, 35-year-old Dalton newbie SS Mitch Cotto was pinch run for by his elderly father, Steve. There was no noticeable injury sustained by the young buck as he stayed in the game so, when this reporter went to question Mitch post game about the substitution, he had already left the locker room with his teammates.

*The scene postgame in the Dalton locker room. Cotto and teammates exited quickly to avoid the press and answer questions surrounding the health of SS Mitch Cotto.*

The Hood kept the ~~Queens~~ KingZ winless with a 15-10 victory. OF Colin Fields went 4-5 in the win w a HR and 5 RBI while P Shawn Peters found his groove in the circle giving up just 3 ER in 7 innings of work.

In the game of the week, Kampersal pounded South, 19-3 as OF Brad Rowe went 5-5 with 5 RBI while 3B turned -permanent-DH Keith Carlton went 4-5 with HR and 3RBI. Appears Carlton was shot in the hamstring by a sniper trying to score from second on a triple to left. Thought & prayers headed his way… Kampersal clamped down defensively again behind emergency SS Tom Kampersal and 2B Mike Defazio who turned 2 stellar double plays to squash South rallies in the 4^th and 5^th inning. Grumblings in the South dugout about how the overall age of the team is beginning to affect games. This may blow up should South lose their 3^rd straight this Sunday vs Jasper. We’ll keep an eye on this one late on Sunday night. Also of note, SS Jason Smith missed the contest for his daughter HS grad party but was later seen at a Hookah bar with the cast from Wicked until the wee hours of the morning. Clubhouse grumblings here as well and Smith will have to answer them sooner than later…

*Photo of suspected sniper who took aim at Kanpersal 3B Keith Carlton*

*South 2B Steve Lawless and P Bryan Sweeney discuss the direction of the team after their 2nd straight loss.*
*Photo credit: S. Lawless*

*Unconfirmed photo of SS Jason Smith (exposed abdomen) at a Hookah bar in Boston Sunday night*.

Mudville beat up on Lions, 26-4 as 3B Eric Kuharich went 4-5, scored 4 times from his lead-off spot, and was a triple shy of the cycle. P Steve Miller was dialed in as well not giving up a hit until the 5^th.

In the upset of the week, Downtown surprised Anthony’s, 14-9 creating a log jam in the bottom half of ‘A’ division. So many scenarios now are possible thanks to the Downtown win. OF Todd Kiley broke open a tie game in the 4^th with a 2-run double to left-center and 1B Joe Gentile followed with his own 2-run double to expand the lead to 4. Anthony’s was without player/manager Mike Delprete which led to some confusion as to who would start on the mound. Tempers flared briefly in pregame as P Alan Lisak and P Chris Landers had to be separated by teammates as both were expecting the start. C Jack Connors left the locker room quickly after the game to avoid the questions over who he prefers to catch.

*P’s Lisak and Landers arguing pregame over who should get the start.*

Braggville remained undefeated as they pounded Jasper Rock, 20-6. This game was actually tied 4-4 heading into the bottom of the 4^th but, in typical Braggville fashion, they turned it on when needed most. After Jasper turned a double play, B’ville then scored 10 runs to break the game open and cruise from there. OF Rich Cordani kicked off the scoring in the 4^th with a 2-run double and 2B Matt Baker had a bases clearing triple later in the inning and finished w 6 RBI on the night.