2011 Pikesville Men's Softball League
Week 5:  May 8, 2011

Highlights submitted thus far by Kings, NWC, Hammerheads, Stingers, Bombers, Cobras

Northwest Regional Park Field 1:    Umpire- Reggie Grant
 Game 1: Kings 13 (WP-Mike Herr 2-0, Save-Chuck Grant 1) Northwest Corridor 12 (LP-Mark Yokel 0-2) 

Kings overcame an early 6-0 deficit to defeat NWC 13-12. The Kings offense was led by Owings Mills High School junior JC Sologuren (3-3) and senior Brooks Sandler (2-3).

After a scoreless 1st inning, NWC put 6 runs across in t-2nd as the first 6 batters all had basehits, including 4 extra basehits. 2 RBI 3B by Josh Deckelbaum scored Brad Rosenberg and Matt Silverman with the first runs of the game. Jon Goldman (RBI 2B), Mark Yokel (RBI 2B) and Jon Herbst (SF) led to the other runs. In b-2nd, Kings got back all 6 runs and more with a 9 hit attack off NWC starter Mark Yokel. The first 8 batters for the Kings reached base on 6 hits and 2 infield errors. Key hits in the inning were 2 out RBI hits by Alan Varhaftik (2 RBI 1B), Jan Katzen (RBI 1B), and Glenn Savage (RBI 1B).

NWC tied score 8-8 in t-3rd on 2 out 1B by Matt Silverman and RBI 1B by Deckelbaum with 2 errors on the play allowing Deckelbaum to score the tying run. The Kings took the lead again in b-3rd. Sologuren and Grant singled. With 2 out, Kenny Salzman singled (RBI) and Troy Hendricks produced 2 more runs with a single and outfield error.

With the Kings leading 13-10 entering the 7th inning, Chuck Grant relieved Kings starter Mike Herr.  With 1 out and 1 on, Steve Hayes singled, Adam Silverman reached on a fielder's choice error (run scoring on error), and Brad Rosenberg hit an RBI 1B (Hayes scoring). With NWC now trailing 13-12 and runners on 1st and 2nd base, Grant was able to retire Matt Silverman on a forceout of brother Adam at 3rd base. Deckelbaum reached on an infield single, loading the bases. Grant induced Jon Goldman to flyout to RCF to end the game, with the Kings holding onto the 13-12 decision.

NWC offensive leaders:
Brad Rosenberg (2-4,1 R,1 RBI)
Matt Silverman (2-4,2 R,2B)
Josh Deckelbaum (2-4,2 R,3 RBI,3B)
Lee Pollak (3-3,2 R,1 RBI,3B)
Mark Yokel (1-2,1 R,2 RBI,2B,SF)

Kings offensive leaders:
Kenny Salzman (2-3,2 R,1 RBI,W)
Alan Varhaftik (2-4,1 R,2 RBI)
Jan Katzen (2-4,2 RBI)
Glenn Savage (2-4,1 R,1 RBI,3B)
JC Sologuren (3-3,2 R,1 RBI,3B)
Brooks Sandler (2-3,1 RBI)
Mike Herr (2-3,1 R,1 RBI)

 Game 2:  Kings 6 (WP-Chuck Grant 2-0) Northwest Corridor 1 (LP-Howard Goldberg 0-2) 

Game 2 was more of a pitcher's duel between Howard Goldberg and Chuck Grant. Grant and the Kings came out ahead 6-1. In contrast to the 37 hits in game 1, the game 2 total decreased to 20.

NWC took 1-0 lead in b-1st on Jon Herbst leadoff walk, Jeff Kurland 1B, and Goldberg SF. The Kings tied score 1-1 in t-3rd on 2B by JC Sologuren and SF by Grant. Kings took 3-1 lead in t-4th on Troy Hendricks 2B, Alan Varhaftik RBI 3B, and Jan Katzen SF. Kings tacked on another run in t-5th on Sologuren 1B, Grant 1B, and Mike Herr SF. The Kings lead became 5-1 in t-6th on Hendricks 2B and Katzen SF. The SF by Katzen was the 4th in the game for the Kings. The Kings added a final run in t-7th on Grant and Herr singles, along with Salzman RBI groundout.

NWC offensive leaders:
Matt Silverman (2-3)

Kings offensive leaders:
Troy Hendricks (3-3,2 R,2 2B,W)
Glenn Savage (2-3,2 2B)
JC Sologuren (2-3,2 R,2B)
Chuck Grant (2-2,1 R,1 RBI,SF)
Mike Herr (2-2,1 RBI,SF) 

Kings game notes:
►Kings were missing LCF Arin Gelletly, 1B Keegan Rettaliata, RF Koby Sarubin, OF Justin Cohen.
►Kings Chuck Grant recorded his 2nd career save in game 1. Kings all-time saves leaders are Larry Newman 3, Steve Levy 2, Chuck Grant 2.

Northwest Regional Park Field 3:      Umpire- Kory Rosenberg
 Game 1: Bombers 8 (WP- Tom Paulshock 2-0) Cobras 1 (LP- Rick Winepol 0-1) 

In game 1, Tom Paulshock took the mound and shut down the Cobras. In the bottom of the 1st, the Bombers took the lead. Ben Guttman and Marc Loeb started off with infield singles, and Guttman came around to score on an error, making it 1-0. The Cobras went down quietly again in the 2nd. In the bottom of the 3rd, the Bombers added another run. Tzvi Friedman walked, and after a force-out by Loeb, Shuli Hochman walked. Tony Wiggs followed with a double to score Loeb, and make the score 2-0.

Paulshock continued his mastery of the Cobras, and was throwing a no-hitter through 5. In the bottom of the 5th, the Bombers jumped on the Cobras. David Flamm hit a single, and Rashaad Johnson pinch-ran for him. B. Guttman hit a single, and Friedman followed with an RBI groundup. After Loeb reached on an error, Wiggs followed with a 3 run HR over the right CF fence, to make it 6-0. In the top of the 6th, the Cobras got their first hit. In the bottom of the 6th, Flamm and B. Guttman had RBIs. The Cobras scored an unearned run in the 7th, to make the final score 8-1. Tom Paulshock pitched a brilliant game, and is now 2-0.

Cobras looked a little bit off course as catcher Aaron made a throwing error in the first inning to allow the first NEK run to come in. The cobras being a slow pitch softball hitter had to adjust to the mod fast pitch game. There were bases loaded for the cobras in the 2nd inning with 2 outs with catcher Aaron up, which he flied out to center left. In the 7th inning the cobras got some good hits in with pitcher Rick Winepol leading off the top of the 7th with a single, pop out with lcf Josah Vaeth. A triple by RCF Danny which scored Rick Winepol From first their only run.

Cobras Game 1 highlights:
Danny Triple
4 Reg starters absent

Game 2: Bombers 14 (WP- Ted Winner 2-0) Cobras 7 (LP- Rick Winepol 0-2) 

Ted Winner pitched game 2, and did a great job. The Bombers struck early. In the bottom of the 1st, Dave Pridgen hit a single, and Mike Georgie followed with a single. B. Guttman hit a single, to make it 1-0, and after a pop-up, Flamm hit an RBI double, to make it 2-0. The Cobras scored an unearned run in the bottom of the 1st on a 2 out error by the Bombers’ CF. In the 3rd, the Cobras struck for 3 runs, and took a 4-3 lead, but in the top of the 4th, the Bombers stormed back to take an 11-4 lead. After a walk to Dan Guttman, Jason Gardner hit an RBI triple. Chaim Finkelstein followed with an RBI double that gave the Bombers a 5-4 lead. After an infield single by Hochman (RBI), Georgie hit an 2 run single, B. Guttman hit a SAC-fly, and then Loeb hit a 2 run triple. After a SAC-fly by Flamm, the Bombers would have their lead. The Bombers tacked on 3 more in the 5th. Back to back singles by Finkelstein and Johnson, and a 2 run triple by Pridgen, made it 13-4, and B. Guttman followed with an RBI groundout, to make it 14-4.

Pridgen took over the mound in the 5th, and gave up 3 runs in the 7th, to make the final score 14-7, and to move the Bombers into a first place tie at 4-0.

As the cobras were home second game Both teams were pumped with tempers flaired. Cobras struck in the first inning with lead off hitter LF Mike Bowen single, Rick Winepol hit to short fielders choice mike out on 2nd. RCF Danny hit a double and RBI that lead to winepol coming in and scoring cobras first run.

3rd inning the cobras got hot again scoring 3 runs rick winepol drawing a walk Josh Vaeth triple and rbi which scored winepol Danny hitting a single and rbi to get Josh Vaeth in. Along with jason Single with error by NEK letting Danny score with 3 runs that inning. Winepol held down the fort with a shutout with inning 3. Winepol had serious injuries as 1 hard hit him in the stomach and was feeling the pain of a past injury of his squad but still kept playing hard but gave up 8 runs in the forth to NEK. Cobras tried to make a late rally in the 7th with J.DOT getting a single Mike Bowen hitting a single Josh hitting a single to get 3 runs of the board. But with all efforts cobras did great on their first day with mod pitching handed to them.

Cobras Stats & Highlights:
Rick Winepol Hit by ball in stomach 3rd inning 2 singles 1 walk
Mike Bowen 2-3 2 singles
Josh Vaeth 2 singles 1 triple 1 rbi
Danny 2 Doubles 2 Singles 4 rbi's
Grail 2-4 2 singles

Northwest Regional Park  Field 4:      Umpire-Lane Gordon
 Game 1: Stingers 27 (WP-Larry Newman 1-2)  Hammerheads 11 (LP -RJ Seabeck 0-3) 

Stingers opened the day with patience as its first three batters were walked by the Hammerheads pitchers looking to find the Strike zone. Mike Randall plated the first run with a single followed by Joe Binkowski’s double plating an additional 3 runners. Larry Newman took care of the Hammerheads offense making quick work of their first 3 at bats. In the top 2nd, Stingers continued to fill the bases on walks and were plated by Aaron Shifrin rbi single and Mike Beverly’s addition as well. Joe Chambers made his contribution with an SAC to put the Stingers ahead by 10. In the b-2nd, the hammerheads came back to life as they began to drop in some timely hits to pick up three runs, however Newman did get his first strikeout of the season. In the top of the 3rd it was single nation until Tim Palo drove in a 2 run triple over the right side of the Hammerheads outfield. That was quickly followed by Brett Eisenberg’s rbi double. Hammerheads tried coming back again taking advantage of the Stingers defense, but was held only to 2 runs. After 4 innings of play, Stingers lead by 10. In the top of the 5th, the Stingers opened the gates as they would plate 11 from key hits from Shifrins’s double, Beverly’s triple, Eisenberg’s double, and Randall’s double. The Hammerheads would try to get back into the game but were unable as they went down 27-11 after five. This was the Stingers largest victory in franchise history.

After last weeks struggle, the Hammerheads wanted to try and get out off to a better start today. However, after Hammerheads took the field and the first seven batters of the game came in to score, the wind had been knocked out of our sails just a bit. However, Hammerheads didn't call it quits as Chris McAndrews, Jared Block and Matt Zenitz came into to score in our first multiple run inning of the season. McAndrews would later hit the teams first homerun and Matt Zenitz continued his hot play at the plate going 2-2 in the game. However, book end 7 run first and fifth innings put the game out of reach and the slaughter rule would take effect.

Game 2: Hammerheads 12 (WP-Brad Glazer 1-0) Stingers 10  (LP-Larry Newman 1-3 )  8  Innings

The night cap was a different game. Hammerheads took advantage of the Stingers defense again as they would plate 3 early, but Mike Randall held on to Newman’s pitch with runners in scoring position by a foul tip 3rd out. Stingers would battle back in the b-2nd when Beverly would again come through with Randall in scoring position to bring the Stingers within two. In the 4th, the Stingers middle lineup came through again as the Stingers now took advantage of the Hammerheads defense from Joe Chambers hustling down the line on a single and Newman helped himself out plating an rbi each tying the game at three. Stingers and Hammerheads would battle in the fifth with the Singers plating 2 and the Hammerheads plating one, but in the b-6th, the Stingers held the Hammerheads to two more runs and then opened tried closing the game as they scored 5 from Tim Palo’s inside the park 3 run homer, Joe Chambers 2 run triple and James Engler’s rbi single. The Stingers would take a 4 run lead. Unfortunately the Stingers drew in the too much on the Hammerheads bottom of their lineup and allowed the Hammerheads to come back in the top of the seventh to tie the game at 10 all. Glazer then continued in the game after a dizzying spell and closed the Stingers’ bats. This would take extra innings now and the Stingers allowed 2 runs in the top of the 8th putting them in a 2 run hole. The Stingers did battle back. With runners on first and third and 2 outs and filling in for an injured Shifrin, Phil came to the plate and tried to loop one over the right infield, but would not be able to and the Stinger lost a tough night cap by 2 in extra innings.

This game was a different story. With the Hammerheads already down 5 people in the first game, and after 2 people had to leave early for Mother's Day obligations, Hammerheads only were able to play 10. It worked to their advantage. Being the road team, the Hammerheads got out to their first lead of the year when Jeff Kapper, Gary Bosley and Tony Mundell worked their way on base so Matt Zenitz and RJ Seabeck could knock them in. In the field, it looked like people were finally starting to find their niche as RJ Seabeck played a stellar left field, where the left side infield combo of Mundell and McAndrews shined, while Jason Smulson and Jared Block held down the right side. The Hammerheads took a 3-1 lead into the 4th inning, but the bats came alive for the Stingers as they hit their way to a 10-4 lead going into our half of the final inning. Hammerheads would need 4 runs to avoid losing, and 4 runs is what we got. Chris McAndrews started things off with a triple, and after back to back singles by Tony Mundell and Matt Zenitz, the rally was on capped off by starting pitcher Brad Glazer's double where not only did he tie the game, but proceeded to pass out after reaching second base, then came back and actually finished it out throwing an 8 Inning complete game putting the Hammerheads in the win column for the first time in team history. Jeff Kapper started the rally in extra innings to put the Hammerheads up by 2 and RJ Seabeck knocked in the game winning run.