2009 Pikesville Men's Softball League
Week 12:  June 21, 2009

Highlights submitted by all 6 teams that played 6/21/09.

Game ON! Saturday Ground's Crew Help Allows Sunday Father's Games To Be Played
For the 11th time in our 11 scheduled weeks of play, rain and/or wet fields threatened our scheduled games. This week it was Thursday and Saturday morning rain, not to mention the brief shower at 7:15 A.M. Sunday. The grounds crew helpers on Saturday were Eric Radom, Matt Friedman, Howard Goldberg, Brad Rosenberg, and Mike Herr. Fortunately all 3 scheduled games did get played on Sunday using 2 fields at Northwest Regional Park and 1 field at Randallstown High School.

The Stingers surprised Sky in game 1 of their doubleheader and earned a split. The Kings swept NEK/ESB Bombers, while the Raptors took over sole control of 1st place with a sweep over Northwest Corridor.

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Randallstown High School Field 1:    Umpire- Kory Rosenberg
Game 1: Kings 16 (WP-Mike Herr 1-0)  NEK/ESB 4 (LP-Ted Winner)  5 Innings

The Kings sent 12 players to the plate in b-2nd, staking Kings starter Mike Herr to an early 8-0 lead. The Kings steadily expanded the lead and won the opener 16-4 in 5 innings. With Kings ace Chuck Grant unable to pitch due to an upper body injury, the Kings were counting on run support to help out their 2,3, and 4 pitchers. Runs came across in Kings b-2nd on 2 RBI 1B by Keegan Rettaliata, and Jeff Slutzker, with Rob Barrow contributing with a 3 RBI HR. The Kings lead became 10-0 in b-3rd on RBI singles by Troy Hendricks and Mike Herr.

NEK/ESB got on the board in t-4th on a David Pridgen RBI single and 2 RBI single by NEK/ESB starting pitcher Ted Winner. The Kings added 5 more runs in b-4th on RBI single by Arin Gelletly, and 2 RBI singles by both Rettaliata and Hendricks.

NEK/ESB trailed 15-3 into the 5th inning and needed to score to keep the game going. Shaya Katz led off the inning with a single, moved to third base on a Ben Gutman single, and scored on Dan Gutman's SF to LCF. The Kings got back the 12 run lead and ended the game in the bottom of the inning when Koby Sarubin lined a pinch hit single and scored on Dave Sandler's 3B to RCF.

NEK/ESB Bombers game 1 multi-hit players:
Ben Gutman (2-3)
David Pridgen (2-2,1 R,1 RBI)
Ted Winner (2-2,2 RBI,3B)
Shaya Katz (2-2,1 R)

Kings offensive leaders:
Dave Sandler (3-4,1 R,1 RBI,3B)
Arin Gelletly (2-3,2 R,1 RBI)
Alan Varhaftik (1-1,3 R,2 W)
Keegan Rettaliata (2-3,2 R,4 RBI)
Troy Hendricks (2-3,2 R,3 RBI)
Mike Herr (2-2,1 R,1 RBI)

Game 2: Kings 15 (WP-Rob Barrow 1-0)  NEK/ESB 12 (LP-Dave Finkelstein ) 

The pitching match-up for the nightcap was the unexpected duel between NEK/ESB David Finkelstein and Kings Shilo Merwitz. The final score typified the match-up with the Kings coming out ahead in a back-and-forth game 15-12. The Kings blew leads of 7-0 and 11-9, before scoring 4 runs in the t-6th to re-take the lead. Kings Rob Barrow pitched 3 scoreless innings while the Kings came from behind and he claimed his first PMSL pitching victory.

The Kings thought the game would be easy when they sent 12 players to the plate in t-1st. 6 hits and 3 walks led to 7 runs. 2 RBI singles were hit by Keegan Rettaliata and Rob Barrow, while Shilo Merwitz and Koby Sarubin also had 1 RBI hits. NEK/ESB quickly got back into the game with 2 runs in b-1st on Ben Gutman 2B and Dan Gutman 2 RBI single. NEK/ESB scored 4 more times in b-2nd on a Dave Finkelstein RBI 2B, Ben Gutman 2 RBI 3B, and Jason Gardner SF. The Kings were held off the scoreboard in the 2nd and 3rd innings.

In b-3rd, NEK/ESB loaded the bases with 2 outs and sent Ted Winner in to pinch-hit for Dave Finkelstein. Winner delivered his 3rd hit of the day, a 2 RBI single that put NEK/ESB ahead 8-7. Another run came home the following batter when Stephen Georgie stroked an RBI single. Ben Gutman was the next batter and he also singled, but Chaim Katz, pinch-running for Winner was nailed at the plate on a strike from LCF Arin Gelletly to Kings catcher Chuck Grant.

With NEK/ESB now ahead 9-7 after 3 innings, the top of the Kings line-up came through as the first 5 batters reached on 4 singles and an infield error. Shilo Merwitz's 2 RBI single tied the score. Arin Gelletly's single put Kings ahead by 1 run, and Alan Varhaftik's SF put the Kings ahead 11-9. The lead lasted just until NEK/ESB came to bat in the bottom half of the inning. With 2 out and a runner on first base, Dave Pridgen drew a walk, Rashaad Johnson lined an RBI 1B, and Cameron Brown put NEK/ESB back ahead 12-11 with a 2 RBI 1B.

The Kings went 3 up 3 down in t-5th and went to the bullpen in the bottom of the inning with Rob Barrow making his Kings pitching debut. Barrow allowed a single to the first batter he faced, Damon Corbin, but retired the next 3 hitters. Meanwhile, in t-6th, the Kings loaded the bases with 1 out on a Kenny Salzman 1B, and walks to Jeff Slutzker and Shilo Merwitz. Arin Gelletly tied the game with an RBI linedrive 1B off an infield glove. With the bases still loaded and 1 out, Alan Varhaftik hit a 2 RBI SF to deep LCF. A walk to Jan Katzen brought Ted Winner in from the NEK/ESB bullpen. Keegan Rettaliata hit a scorching RBI single that scored Gelletly and put the Kings ahead 15-12.

Rob Barrow allowed just 1 single in the 6th and 1 walk in the 7th inning, shutting down the NEK/ESB offense and earning his first Kings and first PMSL pitching win.

NEK/ESB offensive stars:
Ben Gutman (3-4,2 R,2 RBI,2B,3B)
Dan Gutman (2-3,2 RBI,W)
Rashaad Johnson (2-3,1 R,1 RBI,W)
Cameron Brown (2-4,1 R,2 RBI)
Damon Corbin (2-3,2 R,W)

Kings multi-hit players:
Kenny Salzman (2-5,2 R)
Dave Sandler (3-5,2 R)
Shilo Merwitz (2-2,2 R,3 RBI,2 W)
Arin Gelletly (2-3,2 R,2 RBI,W)
Keegan Rettaliata (2-4,1 R,3 RBI)
Koby Sarubin (2-4,1 RBI,2B)

Kings Game notes:
►One of the strangest boxscore hitting lines was achieved by Kings Alan Varhaftik (0-1,1 R,4 RBI,1 W,2 SF) in game 2. He was 0-for-1 on a flyout, but had 4 RBI's in his other 3 plate appearances coming on a bases loaded walk in 1st inning, SF to RF in 4th inning, and 2 RBI SF in 6th inning.
► Chuck Grant was the starting catcher for the 1st time since 2005 when he caught several games for Dan Frignito. While recovering from an undisclosed upper body injury, Grant will again be rested from the mound next week when the Kings meet the Raptors.
►Keegan Rettaliata had 7 RBI's on the day, matching his season total coming into the game.
► With his 1st Kings pitching win, Rob Barrow is now in 17th place on the Kings all-time list, and is just 1 win away from a current 4 way tie for 13th place -- Mark Friedman (2-1), Joel Gordon (2-2-1), Shilo Merwitz (2-1-1), and Ken Zalis (2-1).
► Kings game 1 starter Mike Herr yielded his first walk in 54 innings dating back to the 2005 season. Cameron Brown drew a 4 pitch walk in t-4th to end the streak.

Northwest Regional Park Field 1:    Umpire- Reggie Grant
Game 1: Stingers 12 (WP-Albert Hoffman) Sky & Sky Inc. 11 (LP- Larry Newman) 

Neither team gave an inch matching the opposition run for run through three innings.  A four-spot in the first and runs traded in the 3rd had things knotted at 5 runs a piece.  The visiting Stingers kept adding to their total every inning a few at a time, until Sky & Sky was faced with a 5-run deficit and down to their last at-bat.  The top of the line-up did what was expected of them producing 4 runs through the first 5 batters.  Erik Hanson's 3B with two down left the tying run one base hit away, but The Stingers defense clamped down and retired the last hitter for to preserve the win 12-11.  Albert Hoffman got the win while Larry Newman took the loss. Stingers started the morning off on Greg Cooper’s left foot and made the most of it. With bases load in the T-1st, Mike Randall got the Stingers on the board with a towering shot over the left field fence to put the Stingers up 4, but Sky would come back to tie the inning with triples and key singles. The second was a pitcher’s duel between Newman and Hoffman keep both teams at bay. In the 3rd, the Stingers got a string of singles and Hoffman helped himself scoring Shifrin to put the Stingers ahead, but again it was Sky keeping up with the Stinger to tie the game at 5 after three innings of play. The fourth inning would be the move that the Stingers had awaited all season for as they moved ahead of Sky with a young Brett Eisenberg SAC to plate Cooper and take the lead. Sky would try to battle back in the 5th but the Stingers would be too much for them as the strung their singles and key base running together for a 9-7 lead after 5 innings. IN the top of the 6th, the Stinger would get the bats going as they began to find the sweat part of their hitting creating another string of singles and a SAC from Shifrin to move further ahead of Sky. Stingers outfield played the wind with great care and provided a key defense to Hoffman shutting down 3 of 4 at bats for Sky in the b-6th. In the 7th Innings Ian Horowitz kept things going for the Stingers as he did leading off almost every inning with a key single for the inning. Cooper made the game for the Stingers as he made got himself into scoring position with key base running and another RBI single from Eisenberg. Sky would do everything possible to make it interesting in the b-7th as they would score 4 to come within one run of tying the game. However, Nate Meyl and “the toe” of James Engle would be the team needed to hold off the tying run of Sky and put the Stingers back in the win column.

Game 2: Sky & Sky Inc. 17 (WP-Alex Newman ) Stingers 12 (LP- Mike Beverly) 

This game saw much more solid offense spread out over 7 innings for Sky & Sky, while The Stingers bats stayed just as hot.  By the t-4th inning Sky & Sky had already matched their total from the first game.  Meanwhile The Stingers put together a big 3-rd inning, puching across 5 runs, to stay within striking distance down 11-7.  The Stingers added four more in the 5-th.  However, while each team only had two blank innings, The Stingers had three innings of solo runs while Sky & Sky scored 2 or more runs in their five run-producing innings.  A final score of 17-12 lifted Alex Newman over Mike Beverly.

Game two would be almost a mirror of game one for both teams. Mike Beverly and Alex Newman would duel on the mound as both teams continued with the offense. Sky would jump ahead on walks and singles to take a 4 run spot, but the Stingers came together on a cannon assist by Lieberman to Friedman at the plate to keep the Sky scoring at 4. Stingers would have a little trouble with the young Newman and only be able to bring in Cooper from his lead off triple. Sky would then have difficulty with Beverly as they would again stop 3 of the Sky 4 at bats in the t-2nd. Stinger would climb back within 2 runs as Mike Randall crushed another into left center for a solo homer. In the t-3rd Sky would plate another two runs off Beverly finding holes in the Stingers fielding. IN the b-3rd Stingers would again string their singles together along with a 2 run double from Beverly and a 2 run single from Meyl. Mike Randall would then keep his hot bat going with a driving single to score Meyl and put the Stingers ahead by a run.

Sky would take a page from the Stingers with a string of singles for the lead plating 5 and holding off the Stinger from scoring in the inning. In the 5th it would be a reverse and the Stinger would shut down Sky. Cooper got things going again and had help from another Randall scorcher and a Friedman line drive to plate 4 as the Stingers would tie the game at 11 each after 5 innings of play. Sky would move ahead in the t-6th plating 4 more runs for the lead. Stinger would try to get back the lead but would only be able to plate one as Sky would then go on and split the day with the Stingers.

Northwest Regional Park Field 2:    Umpire- Scott Snyder
Game 1: Raptors 7 (WP-Jeff Harris 10-3)  Northwest Corridor 0 (LP-Howard Goldberg 5-6) 

Game 2: Raptors 8 (WP-Jeff Harris 11-3 )  Northwest Corridor 1 (LP-Howard Goldberg 5-7)