2011 Pikesville Men's Softball League
Week 11:  June 19, 2011

Highlights submitted thus far by  Kings, Sky, NWC, Bombers

Northwest Regional Park Field 1:    Umpire- Brian Machin
Game 1: Sky & Sky Inc. 12 (WP-Jeff Harris 8-0) Hammerheads 1 (LP- Brad Glazer 1-5)  5 Innings

Sky was coming off of four straight victories by the slaughter rule, and the streak continued. The Hammerheads were short on players so Sky lent a catcher, but the Hammerheads played with just 3 outfielders and Sky took advantage of the gaps. Sky stranded two runners in the first, while the Hammerheads took a 1-0 lead. Sky then put up 8 runs in the second. Bloom started it with a single, followed by a walk to Ken Zalis, and a line drive to the gap by Holley resulted in a 3R HR. Mike Pavsner, Jeff Harris, Eric Radom and Steve Truitt all followed with singles, and then after a fielders choice and flyout, Brian Sky found another gap down the right field line resulting in another 3R HR. Neither team scored in the 3rd. In the 4th, Truitt led off with a single, followed by triple by Elliot Blank, and then singles by Andrew Vanlandingham and Brian Sky. Andy Bloom hit a Sac Fly making it 11-1. Jeff Harris continued pitching well, shutting down the Hammerheads the rest of the way. Sky ended it in the 5th after singles by Truitt, Blank and Vanlandingham. Final score was 12-1 after 5 innings. The Hammerheads were forced to end the game early when a player had to leave.

Offensive stars for Sky:
Steve Truitt 3-4, 3R
Matt Holley, 2-3, HR, 2B, 3RBI, R
Brian Sky 2-4, HR, 3RBI, R
Andy Bloom 2-2, 2B, RBI, R
Elliot Blank 2-3, BB, 3B, RBI, 2R
Andrew Vanlandingham 2-4, 2RBI, R
Eric Radom 2-4

Game 2:  Sky & Sky Inc. 15 (WP-Ken Zalis 2-2) Hammerheads 0 (LP- Brad Glazer 1-6)  5 Innings

Ken Zalis had been the victim of poor run support for Sky, but that was about to change for Game 2. Sky put up 7 runs in the first inning. Radom led off with a triple, followed by a walk to Truitt, and then a 2RBI triple by Blank and then a single by Vanlandingham. After 2 groundouts, Zalis singled, Holley walked and then Pavsner hit a line drive to left center that found the gap and he used his speed to leg out a 3 run HR. Sky tacked on one more in the 2nd inning when Brian Sky hit into a fielders choice allowing Truitt to score. In the 3rd, consecutive triples by Holley and Pavsner were followed by a single by Radom, plating 2 more runs and giving Sky a 10-0 lead after 3 innings. Sky ended the game in the 4th after consecutive triples by Vanlandingham and Brian Sky were followed by a Bloom double, single by Zalis, a walk by Pavsner, and singles by Harris and Radom. The game ended by slaugher rule after 4 innings, with Sky on top 15-0.

Offensive stars for Sky:
Mike Pavsner 2-2 HR, 3B, BB, 4RBI, 3R
Eric Radom 3-4, 3B, 2RBI, R
Andrew Vanlandingham 2-3, 3B, 2R
Ken Zalis 2-3, 2RBI, R

Northwest Regional Park Field 3:      Umpire- Kory Rosenberg
Game 1: Kings 6 (WP- Mike Herr 5-1) Bombers 5 (LP- Ted Winner 3-3) 

The Kings squeaked by the Bombers 6-5 in the opener. Mike Herr picked up the win over Ted Winner. Both teams were missing several starting players, but the game itself was typical of the many close ballgames the teams have played against one another over the years.

The Kings took 4-0 lead in b-1st on 4 singles sandwiched between 2 walks. RBI singles came from Arin Gelletly, Alan Varhaftik, and Keegan Rettaliata. The 4th run of the inning came on a SF by Koby Sarubin. The Bombers scored 3 runs in t-4th, taking advantage of 2 Kings fielding miscues to pull to within 4-3.

With the Kings clinging to a 1 run lead, 4 singles in b-5th including a Chuck Grant 1 out 2 RBI single built the Kings lead to 6-3. In t-6th, pinch hitter Damon Corben led off the inning with a 1B. Following a forceout, Shulie Hochman reached on an infield error. Following another groundout, Jason Gardner and Dan Gutman both came thru with 2 out RBI singles, pulling the Bombers back to within 1 run 6-5. The Bombers went down in order in t-7th, preserving a 6-5 win for the Kings.

The Kings and Bombers played 2 tight games and the Bombers were in position to win both games but fell short and were swept by the Kings. The Bombers played without their 4-7 hitters but reserves Aaron Birnbaum and Joe Rombro filled in admirably. Ted Winner who was battling the stomach flu came out shaky against the Kings line up and the Kings jumped on him for 4 runs. After the rocky first Winner shut down the Kings line up as the Bombers chipped away at the lead. Great defense by Shulie Hochman, Dan Gutman and Chaim Finkelstein helped keep the Bombers in it.

In the 4th, Mikie Georgie reached on an error and Hochman followed with a double to the fence in CF .Ben Gutman then hit a shot over the right fielder’s head for a 2 run triple. Jason Gardner cut the lead to 4-3 with a SAC fly. After a leadoff walk in the 4th the Bombers turned in another double play on a grounder by Mike Herr and kept the score at 4-3.

In the 5th the Kings struck for their final 2 runs but the Bombers scored 2 in the 6th to cut the lead to 6-5. The 5th run was driven in on a Gardner single. Chaim Finkelstein’s bid to tie the game was thwarted on a nice play by Gelletly who needed his height to catch the scorching liner. The Bombers scored a moral victory by playing hard and scrappy all game but moral victories don’t affect the standings.

Bombers offensive leaders:
Jason Gardner (1-2,2 RBI,SF)
Dan Gutman (2-3,1 RBI)

Kings offensive leaders:
Kenny Salzman (2-3,W)
Shilo Merwitz (3-3,2 R)
Alan Varhaftik (2-2,2 R,1 RBI,W)
Keegan Rettaliata (2-3,1 RBI)
Chuck Grant (1-1,2 RBI,2 W)

Kings Game notes:
►Shilo Merwitz reached the Kings 400 career hit milestone with 1B in b-1st.
►Keegan Rettaliata re-injured his surgically repaired knee, but refused to come out of the lineup.

Game 2: Kings 8 (WP- Chuck Grant 6-0) Bombers 3 (LP- Tom Paulshock 3-2) 

The Kings took advantage of wildness from Bombers starter Tom Paulshock, drawing a season high 15 walks in an 8-3 game 2 win. Chuck Grant did not yield any walks, improving his pitching record to 6-0.

The Kings loaded bases in t-1st on walks, but did not score. A leadoff 1B by Koby Sarubin, 2 walks, and a fielder's choice RBI groundout by Mike Herr gave Kings 1-0 lead in t-2nd. Consecutive hits by Dan Gutman, Chaim Finkelstein, and Aaron Birenbaum (RBI 2B) tied score in b-2nd. The Kings again loaded bases on walks in t-3rd and did not score. Paulshock single to CF to begin b-3rd and his courtesy runner scored on a 1 out RBI 1B by Shulie Hochman. The Bombers extended lead to 3-1 in b-4th on singles by Jason Gardner, Dan Gutman, and Birenbaum (RBI 1B).

Paulshock's wildness caught up to him in t-6th as the Kings scored 6 runs on 6 walks and just 2 hits. The key hit was a 2 out 2 RBI 1B by Troy Hendricks. The long inning ended with the Kings ahead 7-3. The Kings added an insurance run in t-7th on leadoff 2B by Arin Gelletly and RBI 1B by Alan Varhaftik.

In game 2 Tommy was flirting with trouble all day but the Bombers still led 3-1 going into the 6th. After being down1-0 the Bombers tied the score in the second on an RBI double by Birenbaum that scored Dan Gutman who led off with a single. Tommy had a leadoff single in the 3rd and courtesy runner Rombro came around to score on a Hochman RBI single. The Bombers took a 3-1 lead on singles by Gardner and D. Gutman and an RBI single by Birenbaum who played great in his Bomber debut. Tommy struggled in the 6th with his control and the Kings showed discipline by taking a myriad of walks and the Bombers fell to 6-6 losing 8-3.

Bombers offensive stars:
Shulie Hochman (2-3,1 RBI)
Dan Gutman (2-3,2 R)
Aaron Birenbaum (2-3,2 RBI,2B)

Kings multi-hit players:
Alan Varhaftik (2-3,1 R,W)
Koby Sarubin (2-3,1 R,W)

Kings Game notes:
►Chuck Grant ended the day with just 1 hit, leaving him 1 shy of the 400 Kings career level.
►Jared Levine filled in for the Kings who were missing Jan Katzen, Rob Barrow, Glenn Savage, JC Sologuren.
►On the day, the Kings had more walks (21) then hits (20). Kings pitching issued no walks on the day, allowing 20 hits.
►The Kings would like to congratulate Rob and Julie Barrow on the birth of their son, Austin John Barrow, born 12:25pm June 9, 2011; weight was 6 lb. 5.8 oz, height 18.75"