2009 Pikesville Men's Softball League
Week 16:  July 19, 2009

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Northwest Regional Park Field 1:    Umpire- Reggie Grant
Game 1: LOFT 14 (WP-Rick Winepol 5-8) Stingers 13 (LP-Albert Hoffman 2-5) 

The Stingers follow up last weeks long double header with a marathon double header this weekend.  The Stingers bats started cold in this game with a count of 4-1 heading into the 4th inning.  The Stingers bats woke up in the 4th with singles by Randall, Beverly, and Eisenberg.  Horowitz followed these hits with a  double with a count of 4 for the inning.  The Stingers stayed hot in the 5th with hits by McGee, Cooper, Sheridan, and a couple walks leading to 3 runs in the inning.  In the 6th LOFT broke the game open by batting 15 players scoring 10 runs on numerous walks and some sloppy fielding making the score 14-8.  The Stingers would make a fight for the game clamping down on defense shutting out LOFT in their last two at bats.  The Stingers in the 6th lead by a one out double by Engler and singles by McGee, Liberman, Cooper and Randall plated three in the 6th.  In the bottom of the 7th the Stinger strung together singles and walks to make the game 14-13 with two outs and the winning run on second base.  The Stingers would come up just short ending the game on a fly out to right field. 

Game 2:  Stingers 15  (WP-Brett Eisenberg 1-1)  LOFT 13 (LP-Andy Peksa 0-2)

In game two of the marathon double header (the official end time for this game was 12:55 pm) the Stingers picked up where they left off with a reach on error by McGee and hits by Liberman and Cooper.  Randal flew out to deep left field leading to two sacrifice RBIs.  In total the Stingers scored 3 runs in the top of the first inning.  Leading into the top of the third the Stingers held a 3-1 lead and the bats would get hot again.  McGee who single scored on Liberman's double, who scored on Coopers single.  Cooper would be brought in on a double by Randall.  Palo lined one to score the 4th and 5th runs of the inning.  LOFT answered in the bottom of the inning batting around (plating ten players); however, the Stingers defense held LOFT to four runs in the inning.  As the back and forth continued the Stingers would score three more in the 5th inning by stringing together a bunch of singles.  Headed into the 6th inning the Stingers were winning with the count 15-7.  In this game the tables turn and LOFT would not go down without a fight plating ten guys and scoring another four runs.  The Stingers had no answer in the top of the 7th leaving LOFT with their final at bat with the score 15-11.  LOFT would make it interesting after the first out with a walk, triple and a couple runs.  With the tying run on first base LOFT lines one up the middle right into the glove of Eisenberg to end the game.  With the marathon over the teams ended the day with a split with the final count 15-13.  Eisenberg records his second start and his first victory of the year.

Northwest Regional Park Field 2:    Umpire- Kory Rosenberg
Game 1: Raptors 8 (WP-Eric Radom 2-1)  Sky & Sky Inc. 3 (LP-Larry Newman 3-7) 

A Raptors infield error on the very first Sky & Sky batter, followed by two singles and a SF allowed for an early 2-0 lead. The Raptors had themselves an inning in the t-3-rd pushing 6 runs across to take a commanding lead. Seven hits including a 2-run blast to LF did major damage and would be more than enough to seal the win. In the b-3rd with two outs Eric Radom issued two free passes which Sky & Sky’s Brian Weiss quickly capitalized upon with an rbi 2B. Radom escaped further damage, and actually continued a trend which had materialized in the first two innings. Sky & Sky left two runners on base in each of the first three innings, and managed to leave two base runners aboard in each of the last three innings. In fact, with two runners aboard and at least 1 out, The Raptors held Sky & Sky batters to a paltry 1for 8, which epitomized Radom’s knack for pitching out of a jam all game. Radom of course captured the victory over Larry Newman 8-3, as his team added a few insurance runs in the t-7th aided by an infield error. Elliot Blank did produce 3 hits in 4 plate appearances.

Game 2: Sky & Sky Inc. 15  (WP-Alex Newman 5-5)  Raptors 0 (LP-Eric Radom 2-2) 4 Innings

After their poor offensive performance in game one, a between games speech by ‘manager-for-a-day’ Brian Mekiliesky saw his team flip the switch. Fifteen runs of support in 4 scant innings barely allowed starting pitcher Alex Newman to get warm as he collected the win over Eric Radom. He pitched to 16 batters, only two of whom even reached second base. His infield worked hard recording 9 of 12 outs including a game ending DP. Frankly everyone did well at the plate for Sky & Sky in this game, but of note was Elliot Blank’s 4-4 game with 4 rbi, 2 doubles and 2 runs. Brian Weiss reached safely in each of his 3 plate appearances with 2 hits, and Mike Pavsner followed suit scoring 3 runs and notching his first base hit of the season.

Northwest Regional Park 3:    Umpire- Scott Snyder
Game 1: Cannons 14 (WP-Dan Kassel 3-0) Kings 3 (LP-Mike Herr 5-2) 

Battling for 1st place, the Kings turned in a lackluster performance in the doubleheader, dropping the opening game to the Cannons 14-3. The game was close thru the first 3 innings with the Cannons clinging to a 2-1 lead after 3, but 3 runs in the 5th and 6 runs in the 6th put the game away for the Cannons. In a battle of Emory University alumni, Cannons Dan Kassel defeated Mike Herr.

Cannons game 1 offensive leaders:
Jeff Kurland (3-4,3 R,2B)
Mike Dubansky (3-4,3 R)
Chuck Easter (3-4,4 R,3 RBI,2 2B,SF)
Jason Schwartzberg (2-3,1 R,4 RBI, SF)
Dan Kassel (2-3,1 R,2 RBI,3B)

Kings multi-hit players in game 1:
Kenny Salzman (2-2,1 R)
Shilo Merwitz (2-3,1 R)
Alan Varhaftik (2-3,1 R)
Troy Hendricks (2-3)

Game 2: Cannons 5 (WP-Tom Paulshock 7-3) Kings 2 (LP-Chuck Grant 7-5) 

Cannons Tom Paulshock limited the lifeless Kings bats to just 8 singles (7 walks) in a game 2, 5-2 victory. A rare good piece of news to come out of the day for the Kings was the return to the mound in game 2 of ace Chuck Grant. Grant had been out of the rotation for the past 3 weeks with an upper body injury. In his return, he did limit the Cannons to just 12 hits (1 walk), with the only extrabasehit a 3B by Jason Schwartzberg.

Steve Hayes singled home Mike Dubansky with a 2 out 1B in b-1st. In Kings t-2nd, RBI singles by Scott Katzen and Rob Barrow put Kings ahead 2-1. Both teams were kept off the scoreboard thru the middle of the 5th inning.

In b-5th, Jeff Kurland led off with a single. Mike Dubansky reached on an error. Chuck Easter singled home the tie run. Jason Schwartzberg hit a 2 RBI 3B to put Cannons ahead 4-2. Still with 0 outs, Steve Hayes delivered an RBI 1B to build lead to 5-2.

The Kings threatened in t-6th leaving 2 baserunners aboard. In t-7th, the Kings loaded the bases with 1 out, putting the tie run on first, but Paulshock was able to get out of the inning on a strikeout and groundout.

Multi-hit game 2 Cannons:
Chuck Easter (2-3,1 R,1 RBI)
Steve Hayes (2-3,2 RBI)
Dan Kassel (2-3)
Harris (2-3)

Kings multi-hit players:
Mike Herr (2-2,W)