Week 4:

Kampersal nipped Mudville, 9-8 in 8 innings behind a clutch 1-out single off the bat of 2B Mike DeFazio in the top of the 8^th that drove in the go ahead run.  But, not before LF Bill Sticka pulled a ‘DelPrete’ (see wk #1 article) and decided not to run home from 3^rd on a slow grounder to 2B.  Alex ‘The Big Hurt” Kampersal got the scoring started in the 1^st with a massive 2-run homer to left that had the animals in the barn scurrying for cover at Kampersal Field.  Kampersal sparkled defensively, per usual, as SS Josh Jolicuer (great garage door guy too if you’re in the market for them) was spectacular with his great range to keep runners from advancing.  HSS 1^st-Team catcher, Brian McShane’s hustle in backing up first on infield grounders proved valuable again as he kept runners from advancing into scoring position on 2 overthrows.  But, the play of the game was made by another HSS 1^st teamer, LCF Brad Rowe who made a sensational diving catch of a liner off the bat of P Eric Higgins (who pitched well in the loss) in the bottom of the 6^th to prevent possibly 2 runs from scoring.

Brentwood beat Lions, 5-1 as SS Shawn Thompson paced the offense with 3 hits and 3 RBI’s in the win.   (It’d be great if either of these teams would text me a gm summary sometime).

Braggville took out their frustrations on Dalton Rd with a 28-12 beatdown.  Six players had 4 hits or more but OF Dan Kittridge was the star on offense going 6-6 with 8 RBI while SS Jason Cooper collected 5 hits and scored 5 times.  No word on the status of Dalton P Dave Birmingham who witnessed this offensive onslaught firsthand.

In a collapse worthy of the ’86 Red Sox Gm 6 World Series debacle, Downtown edged DYR, 9-8 after trailing by 5 in the bottom of the 7^th with 2-out and nobody on.  Yes, read that sentence again…. A couple of singles and approximately 31 errors in the fateful 7th aided Downtown to victory.  Lost in this collapse for DYR were the 2 mammoth HR’s by OF Doug Reeley and 2B Zach Raymond.  Just a brutal loss for DYR but, luckily, we have Braggville this week so all will be OK (add your own appropriate sound).

Like death, taxes, and Mudville’s Eric Kuharich buying stockpiles of explosives for his annual July 4^th celebration, the HSS season is certain to have in-game controversy featuring South.  Though South defeated Jasper Rock, 13-8 behind wily veteran P Greg Copeland (who has yet to be put out offensively going 8-8 in 2 gms), we had an incident early in this one. With SS Jason Smith on 2B w 2-out in the 2^nd, South OF Sean Jacquet laced a single to left and Smith tried to score.  Apparently, he appeared to be out to everyone on the field except 1^st-base coach/umpire Chris “Sgt Schultz” Gioffre who called him safe. 

In contrast, Jasper P Derek Cordon, in the 4^th corrected a pop out ruling on South batter Bryan Sweeney. After his C Greg Williams (dressed in an umpire uniform, no joke – thanks for the photo, Derek) caught a foul tip off Sweeney’s bat for an apparent out, Cordon advised Sweeney & the South bench that the tipped ball did not go above shoulder height and, therefore, could not be ruled a catch.  Kudos, Derek…we want to get calls correct!

The Hood upended KingZ, 14-10 as LF Greg Andreola collected 4 hits and 4 RBI in the win and P Shawn Peters cruised through the first 4 innings as they led 10-2.  KingZ made a bit of a comeback in the 6^th to cut it to 3 but Andreola’s 4^th RBI in the bottom of the 6^th extended the lead back to 4.  KingZ rookie 1B Ross Dubuc’s hot start continued w 2-run HR in the 6^th that sparked the rally and he’s now 7-7 on the yr.  Welcome, rookie! 

Johnson North took care of Anthony’s, 13-4 behind the bats of IF Sam Zack and OF Eric Higgins (no relations to Mudville’s Eric Higgins as that would be weird with siblings having the same name, unless your George Foreman) who both went 3-3 with 3 RBI.  Andrew ‘Pony-boy’ Langlois continued his hot start to the season with 2 hits in 3 trips.  P Tom McMahon went the distance giving up just 5 hits and 2 ER’s while knocking in 2 with a triple in the 4^th to break the game open for Johnson.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS:

** I’ve said this in the past, but it bears repeating…Pregame BP: take 5-6 swings maximum! It is not the time to work on your 2-strike approach with multiple attempts to go the other way.  Games should start promptly at 6pm..

*** Let’s leave each field better than how we found it regarding trash.  If anymore ‘tips’ roll in like the one below, you will be called out:

GAME OF THE WEEK for WK #5 (5/14/23)

Mudville (1-1) vs Downtown (2-0) at Stoddard (2) 6pm

• Huge trap game for Mudville as they come off a heartbreaking loss to Kampersal and could be looking ahead to next wk’s ‘A’ showdown with Johnson North
• Can Downtown ride the momentum of their miraculous comeback win and remain undefeated?
• I will have complete coverage of this one next week.

*Prediction: Downtown 9 Mudville 6

*Prediction Record (2-0)