2005 PMS at
Northwest Regional Park
Week 21:
August 21, 2005
Playoffs Round 5
Northwest Regional Park Field 3:
Eastern Savings Bank (#2) 5 (WP-Larry
Hineline) Kings (#3) 2 (LP-Dan
Frignito 2-2)
With Chuck Grant in Atlanta serving as best-man in a
wedding, Dan Frignito drew the start for the Kings. Frignito had not faced ESB
in 2005, but was 1-1 in 2004. Eastern Savings Bank brought out Larry Hineline.
Hineline had never started against the Kings as part of the ESB team. As the
undefeated team in the tournament, the Kings took the field as the home team.
The Kings were riding a 9 game winning streak, with Grant having started the
last 8 games of the streak following Frignito's start to the streak July 10th
against the Cannons.
Frignito struggled early with his control. 4 walks in the t-1st including bases
loaded RBI walk to Glenn Ackman and Scott Snyder put ESB ahead 2-0. ESB still
had the bases loaded with 1 out in their half of the inning, but Frignito
settled down and ESB left the bases loaded. The Kings got on the scoreboard in
b-2nd with leadoff singles by Keegan Rettaliata and Alan Varhaftik, with Mike
Frignito bringing home Rettaliata on a fielder's choice. Kings looked to tie
score in b-3rd loading bases with 0 outs, but Hineline escaped the inning
unscathed by coaxed 3 straight groundouts. ESB added 2 insurance runs in t-6th
on SF by pinch-hitter Aaron Shifrin and RBI single by Jim Davis. ESB added 1
more run in t-7th via Jason Schwartzberg RBI groundout. The Kings threatened in
b-7th with consecutive 1 out singles by Alan Varhaftik, Scott Katzen, and Mike
Frignito, bringing the tying run to the plate. However, Troy Hendricks grounded
out to score Varhaftik and Jan Katzen grounded out to end the ballgame.
In order for ESB to reach the championship game they would
have to beat Mike Herr and the Kings in game one. Larry Hineline started game
one and pitched a brilliant game and helped lead ESB to a 5-2 victory. ESB
played its normal outstanding defense to back Hineline getting several brilliant
plays from third baseman Gabe Silber. Even though the Kings put 12 men on base,
Hineline kept snuffing rallies with his outstanding pitch selection. ESB jumped
on Dan Frignito for two runs in the first taking advantage of Frignito’s
wildness. ESB added two more runs in the sixth inning on a sac fly by pinch
hitter Aaron Shifrin and an RBI single by Jim Davis (2-3, 1 RBI) and one more in
the seventh on an RBI by Jason Schwartzberg. ESB was very proud to have won this
game and to be the only team in the league to make it to back to back
championship games.
Pitching Lines:
Larry Hineline: WP, 7 IP,30 AB,10 H,2 R,2 ER,2 W,0 K,0 2B,0 3B,0 HR
Dan Frignito: LP, 7 IP, 30 AB,8 H,5 R,3 ER,7 W,0 K,0 2B,0 3B,0 HR
Surprisingly for a FINALS game, there were no extra basehits. The only 2 errors
of the game were commited by Kings SS Shilo Merwitz. ESB's 8 hits came from just
4 players: Chris Zoeller (2-3,1 W), Cap Poklemba (3-3,1 R,1 W), Jim Davis (2-3,1
RBI), Gabe Silber (1-3). Of the Kings 10 hits, 6 came from Alan Varhaftik (2-3,1
R), Mike Frignito (2-3,1 RBI), and Troy Hendricks (2-3,1 RBI).
For Dan Frignito, it was his 1st loss since April 17, 2005 against NWC. Hineline's last appearance against the Kings was as a member of Palmgard, defeating the Kings in Round 3 of the 2001 Playoffs.
Playoffs Round 6
Northwest Regional Park Field 3:
Kings (#3)
8 (WP-Dan Frignito 3-2)
Eastern Savings Bank (#2)
3 (LP-Larry Hineline)
The Kings had hoped to wrap up the title in game one, but with their loss, the home team advantage became ESB's. Despite Ted Winner having started at least 1 game every week of the Regular Season and Playoffs up to this point, ESB decided to sit a healthy Winner and go again with Hineline. The Kings came back with the 26 year old Dan Frignito, starting a doubleheader for the first time in his 3 year Pikesville Men's League career. The 90ºF+ temperature and high humidity was taking its toll on both teams for the 2nd consecutive week. The Kings were also thinking twice about their switch to black jerseys for the 2005 season. Although he could not be there in person, Chuck Grant, live from Atlanta, gave the Kings their game 2 pep-talk via speakerphone. Grant's motivational speeches take a much different tone than those of Manager Mike Herr.
The teams went scoreless in the 1st inning. Dan Frignito started the Kings t-2nd with a single and scored on Keegan Rettaliata's 10th triple of the season. Following an Alan Varhaftik walk, Rettaliata scored on a shallow SF to RCF by Troy Hendricks. With 2 outs, Mike Frignito singled and Jan Katzen hit a 3 run HR to give the Kings a 5-0 lead. In b-2nd, Scott Snyder singled, Ben Gutman and Jim Davis walked to load the bases with 0 outs. Sam Luxenberg lined out to second base for the 1st out. Gabe Silber followed Luxenberg with an RBI walk. Larry Hineline had a golden opportunity to get himself back into the ballgame, but Hineline's hard linedrive was speared by Frignito on the mound, who doubled-up Silber at firstbase, ending the huge threat with just 1 run for ESB. In t-4th, Frignito again helped his own cause with a leadoff 3B. 1 out later, Alan Varhaftik hit a 2-run HR to RCF, putting Kings ahead 7-1. Dave Sandler hit an RBI 3B in t-5th to build Kings lead to 8-1. With Frignito seemingly under control, things looked real good for the Kings. ESB however was not ready to give up. In b-6th, Chris Zoeller tripled to start inning and scored on Mark Rothermel's SF to LCF. Cap Plokemba and Jason Schwartzberg singled following the SF. With 2 outs Scott Snyder doubled to RCF to score Plokemba, but Schwartzberg was nailed at the plate when Kenny Salzman threw to Mike Frignito, who delivered a perfect 1 hopper to catcher Mike Herr. Frignito set the side down in order in the b-7th, giving the Kings an 8-3 win and their 1st League Title since 1996.
Since joining the league ESB has worked its way up from
being a below 500 team to a league powerhouse over the past two years. They are
a team that enjoys playing together and showing up Sunday mornings for some
softball. It’s a real mix of veterans such as Feldman, Winner, Akman, Silber,
Davis, Kopel, Shifrin, Hineline, Snyder and Finkelstein and the core of the team
that features young stars in their 20’s – Lazerow, Zoeller, Gutman, Luxenberg,
Plokemba, Schwartzberg and Rothermel. It is a real team in every sense of the
word.
The ESB team took this camaraderie and talent into the championship game against
the Kings. Hineline had dominated the Kings in game one and the team gave him
their blessings by sending him out to start game two. Hineline pitched another
terrific ballgame. Unfortunately the ESB defense which carried the team all year
picked this game to make very costly errors that lead to six unearned runs by
the Kings. ESB threatened late in the game but couldn’t get timely hits to pull
out the victory and lost 8-3. Congratulations to the Kings on their win.
The hitting stars for game 2:
ESB: Jason Schwartzberg (2-3), Scott Snyder
(2-3,1 R,1 RBI,2B).
Kings: Dan Frignito (2-3,2 R,3B), Jan Katzen
(1-2,1 R,3 RBI, HR), Alan Varhaftik (1-2,1 R,2 RBI)
Pitching Lines:
ESB: Larry Hineline-- LP, 5
IP,22 AB,7 H,8 R,8 ER,2 W,1 K,0 2B,3 3B,2 HR
Ted Winner--
2 IP,6 AB,0 H,0 R,0 ER,0 W,1 K,0 2B,0 3B,0 HR
Kings: Dan Frignito-- WP,7 IP,25 H,8 H,3 R,3
ER,5 W,1 K,1 2B,1 3B,0 HR