Week 9:
Anthony’s East edged The Hood, 8-7 thanks to that bat and glove of OF Travis Jonassen (3-5, 2B, 3RBI) who’s key defensive play on the bottom of the 7th kept the tying run at 3rd where P Chris Landers (7IP, 8H, 5ER) would eventually leave him stranded. Down 3 heading into the bottom of the 7th, Hood would plate 1 on back-to-back doubles by 1B Shawn Peters (4-4, 3R) and SS Greg Andreola (3-4, 2B, 2RBI). Then, with runners on the corners with 1-out, P Colin Fields (4-4, 2 2B, 3R, 2RBI) laced a would-be gapper that Jonassen cut-off on his backhand and then fire it to the cutoff man to hold the runner at 3rd leaving The Hood still down 1. Landers then received help from All-HSS LF Ben Pratt (3-4, 2B, 3B, R) when he robbed 3B Tony Porcello (3-4, R RBI) of a game-tying single with a shoestring catch of a sinking liner for the 3rd out to end it. Despite the heartbreaking loss, The Hood found time to celebrate post game with Raffi Devers Red Sox World Series rings that C Bruce Stebbins ‘liberated’ during a tour of Fenway Park. Nice work, Bruce.
Hood teammates showing off the Red Sox bling a teammate snagged from Fenway on a recent tour.
Johnson North came back to beat Mudville, 15-12 with an 8-run 4th that erased an 8-3 Mudville lead. LF Jared Jordan (4-4, 3B, 3R, 2RBI) and IF Chris Stanek (4-4, HR, 2B, 4RBI) had key hits in the 4th to take the lead. After Mudville cut it to 1 on a Rob ‘Josh Allen Fluffer’ Klemezko (3-4, 2R, 2RBI) 2-run single in the 6th, Stanek laced a 2-run inside-the-park HR to CF in the bottom of the inning for the 3-run cushion. Luckily for him Chris King was his pinch runner and rounded the bases in roughly 3.9 secs. Mudville had the tying run at the plate in the bottom of the 7th with 2-out and a certain hot-head 3B popped out to the catcher to end it. BREAKING HSS NEWS: In an effort to top Kingz and their Offense/Defense Chain, Johnson North unveiled their HR Chain for this one. I think I speak for the league when I say please STOP with these props. We’re not in Omaha in the CWS or in the big leagues, just old, cranky suburban dudes looking to stay ‘competitive’.
Reaction of Tom Kampersal when he heard about another Team Chain gimmick.
In the late game, DYR smacked Kingz, 17-6 as OF Matt ‘the Hebrew Hammer’ Rider (4-5, HR, 2B, 3R, 4RBI) and SS Jason MacDonald (4-5, 2B, 4R, 2RBI) led the 23-hit onslaught while P Justin Lessard (7IP, 9H, K, 4ER) was in control throughout the contest. Down 11-0 in the 3rd, Kingz got on the board with a 3B Ross Dubuc (2-2, HR, 2BB, 2R, 2RBI) 2-run HR to left-center. DYR would answer with 3 more in the 4th and then Rider’s 3-run blast in the 7th put the game on ice. 3B Ben Leverone (1-3, BB, R) was spectacular defensively for DYR in this one making several key plays. A 4th inning stab of a bases loaded 1-hopper that he fired home to get the force out was pivotal. Leverone also made a ‘diving’ snare of a line drive down the line in the 2nd to end a threat.
DYR 3B Ben Leverone snares a liner in the 2nd inning of Sunday night’s game versus Kingz.
Brentwood clipped Lions, 15-10 as early-season waiver pick up, OF Mike Jonesie (4-4, 2 HR, 3R, 3RBI) hit HRs in consecutive at-bats and 3B Brian Callahan (3-3, HR, 3B, 4RBI) launched a 2-run shot in the 4th to propel Brentwood passed Lions. With 2 on and 2 out in the bottom of the 7th, C Dave Carosella (2-3, 2R) made a spectacular diving catch of a foul tip pop-up to secure the victory and proving he’s still the gold standard at catcher in ‘B’ though, Lions C Navin Kennan (3-4, 2R, 2RBI) is starting to make a case for himself hitting at a .667 pace these last 3 games and playing spectacular defense (see wk 8 write-up). Veteran OF Mike McKenna (3-4, 2B, 2R, 2RBI) made his long-awaited return for Lions having successfully recovered from a sprained knee he suffered when he tried a cartwheel on a dare from his niece.
Brentwood’s Carosella diving catch of the foul ball to end the game on Sunday.
Dalton Rd edged Braggville, 6-4 as OF Ty Cotto (3-3. 2B, 3 RBI) drove in 2 with a 2-out single to left center in the top of the 7th to break a 4-4 tie. P Chris Munroe (7IP, 9 H, 3 ER, K) kept The Fighting Cotto’s in this one inducing 2 DPs that were nicely turned by 2B Matt Saari (2-3, R) and SS Brendan Hines (2-3, 2B, RBI). Trying to ignite their sluggish offense, Braggville deployed an interesting strategy in the 3rd. DH Kevin LoMuscio (1-3) required a pinch runner so, Chris Connors stepped behind him. Moose hits a roller to first and both players take off down the line and about 1/2 down, Moose realizes he has a runner and slows down as Chris runs by. 1B Kevin Lauze (2-3, RBI) fields it cleanly but sees 2 guys running at him and freezes and Chris runs safely to first. Nice work..
The view Dalton 1B Kevin Lauze had when he went to tag Moose on a grounder to 1b..
Kampersal clipped South, 6-5 thanks to a base loaded walk off single by 3B Keith Carlton (4-4, 2B, 2RBI) that scored SS Tim “Ozzy’ Swift (2-3, 2B, R). South scored 4 in the 4th to take a 4-2 lead thanks to a 2-out, 2-run double off the bat of SS Jason Smith (2-3, 2B, 2RBI) who would later pop out to All-HSS C Brian McShane (2-3, R) in the 6th to draw the ire of teammate Bryan Sweeney (1-3). Kampersal would tie it at 4 in the 6th on a single by 2B Mike DeFazio (2-3, R, RBI) to help set up a dramatic 7th inning in which P George Kampersal Jr (3-3, 2B & 6IP, 7H, 4BB) suddenly turned into Nuke LaLoosh by walking 2 to load the bases w 2-out. Brother/Manager Tom had seen enough and yanked Nuke in favor of himself and faced OF Dave Franco (3-3, R) who laced a liner down the 3B line that Carlton ‘dove’ for and stopped but had no play, 1 run scored. He then induced a fly to LF to end the threat. Tom then led off the bottom of the inning with a single to RF and Swift followed w a double to LF to put runners on 2nd and 3rd. Copeland would intentionally walk Rowe (his first BB of the yr!) to put the force in order but face Alex ‘The Big Hurt’ Kampersal (1-2, R, RBI) who hit a sac fly to score Tom with the tying run. Copeland would issue his second intentional walk of the inning to RF Denis Dietz (1-2, R) to put the force in play again, but Carlton made it a moot point with his game winning single in the hole at SS to score Ozzy.
George, Jr’s face says it all in the almost disastrous 7th Sunday night.
Downtown clipped Jasper Rock, 7-5 as P Mike Adams (7IP. 9 H, 3ER and 2-3, 2RBI) delivered in the circle and at the plate. His 2-run single in a tie game in the bottom of 6th proved to be the difference in the one. Jasper had an early lead in this one thanks to a 2B Tom McHugh (2-3, 2B, 2RBI) double in the 2nd that drove in 2. Downtown would tie it at 5 in the 5th on a 2-run double by OF Gerry ‘The Bull” Luzinski (2-3, 2B, R, 2RBI). Adams would pitch a 1-2-3 7th for the complete game win. Scary moment in the 4th when Jasper 3B Doug Herman (2-3, R) took a bad hop grounder off the bat of OF Scott Burke (3-3, 2R) to the head. Herman, ever the warrior, refused medical attention and a trip to the hospital for observation.
Herman after the bad hop to the head. Seems he made the right call to defer medical attention.
COMMUNITY NOTES:
- Happy 85th Birthday to the patriarch of the Kampersal franchise, George, Sr.!
- A friendly reminder (AGAIN!) that for pre-game BP, keep it to 5-8 swings. This is not the time for you to work on launch angle and weight shift and take 10+ hacks.
GAME OF THE WEEK for Wk 9 (6/22/25))
Johnson North (6-2) vs. Dalton Rd (6-2) at Damigella @ 6pm
- Can Dalton avenge the early season 17-4 pounding by Johnson North? They haven’t lost since, winners of 6-straight and playing their best ball of the season.
- Johnson North has been scuffling lately with the upset loss to Downtown and squeaking by Mudville. Can the right the ship??
*Prediction: Dalton Rd 12 Johnson N 10
(My Record: 7-1)
