2011 Pikesville Men's Softball League
Week 6:  May 15, 2011

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

Northwest Regional Park Field 1:    Umpire- Kory Rosenberg
Game 1: Northwest Corridor 6 (WP-Mark Yokel 1-2) Stingers 2 (LP-Larry Newman 1-4) 

Stingers came into their 3rd week looking for continued momentum. In a bit of Luck the younger Palo, Steven, came to the aid of a short staffed Stingers defense. NWC would only be able to muster 2 runs up through the top 4th In the bottom of the 4th, James Engler drove in a speedy young Palo to plate and cut NWC’s lead in half. It would be a battle between Larry Newman and Marc Yokel until the 6ths when NWC opened up their lead plating 3 for a 4 run lead. The Stingers answered back with Newman helping his own cause plating Mike Beverly. Unfortunately the Stingers would only be able to score in the game as then dropped the early bird by 5.

Game 2:  Stingers 8 (WP-Larry Newman 2-4) Northwest Corridor 6 (LP-Howard Goldberg 0-3) 

In the night cap it was Tim Palo working his magic and making things happen as he was plated by Mike Randall’s long SAC to put the Stingers ahead to start the game with one. NWC answered quick with two of their own. Goldberg would keep the Stingers quiet in the 2nd and had help as NWC would tack on two more for a 4-1 lead after 2 innings of play. Things were relatively quiet through 6 innings as NWC was only allowed 2 more runs making it a 6-1 game after 6 innings of play. In the top of the 7th, the Stingers looked to be giving the day away. James Engler did his best getting on base, but was almost stranded with two outs and only him on the bases. Then the Stingers began loading the bases with Goldberg struggling to find the plate. Joe Binkowski rip a shot into left followed by Stewart Sheridan helping out with a ripped double to bring the Stingers within 2 of the lead. Mike Randall did his job with a solid shot to plate another run for the Stingers and bring them with 1 of a tie. Now, with two outs, bases load and the Stingers down by 1 run, Tom Bahne came to the plate. He held his ground a drew a walk to bring the Stingers tied. Now it was Engler’s turn with runners in scoring position to take the lead. Facing Goldberg, Engler drove a single to plate two for the Stingers and take the lead. In the bottom of the 7th, Newman, with new life, took the mound. Newman was able to keep all but two runners to make it is as far as first base. With two outs and a runner on 1st, Brad Rosenberg would come to plate who driving the ball well all day. Newman gave it his best and Rosenberg got a hold of it, but it was a diving face first Brett Eisenberg to catch the last out a hold onto the split.

Northwest Regional Park Field 3:      Umpire- Scott Snyder
Game 1: Sky & Sky Inc. 15 (WP- Jeff Harris 2-0) Kings 3 (LP- Mike Herr 2-1)  6 Innings

Game 1 was slated to be the typical Sky & Sky vs. Kings match up as history has dictated; however, the new look Sky & Sky hoped to change history. The Kings started off the scoring in the bottom of the 1st after Sky & Sky went down 3 and out with a sacrifice fly by Alan Varhaftik. Sky & Sky tied the game up in the top of the 2nd with a single from Brian Sky. Jeff Harris was able to keep the Kings bats in check while Sky & Sky bats awoken with a 3 run blast off the bat of Elliot Blank in the 3rd. Andy Bloom knocked in another run in the 4th with a single and another run scored on an error. After 4, Sky & Sky led 7-1. In the 5th, Sky & Sky scored 3 more times thanks to Andy Vanlandingham’s 2 run triple. The Kings were only able to piece together a few more hits in the bottom of the 5th scoring twice to cut the gap to 9-3, but Sky & Sky opened their lead with 6 additional runs in the top of the 6th Key hits were a 2 run triple off the bat of Shaun Poulton and a 2 run single from Elliot Blank. Sky & Sky were able to close out the game in 6 innings with the Kings going down in order in the bottom of the 6th. Game 2 would be played out just like past year, very close!

Sky offense exploded with 20 hits off Kings starter Mike Herr in 15-3, 6 inning victory in game one. With the scored knotted at 1-1 in t-3rd, Elliot Blank launched a 2 out 3 RBI HR. Sky built upon their lead each inning, with 2 runs in t-4th, 3 runs in t-5th, and finishing off the Kings with 6 runs in t-6th. Jeff Harris, meanwhile, limited the Kings offense to just 10 singles, holding the Kings to 3 runs.

Sky offensive stars in game 1:
Eric Radom (3-4,3 R)
Elliot Blank (3-4,2 R,5 RBI,HR)
Andy VanLandingham (3-4,2 R,3 RBI,3B)
Brian Sky (2-2,1 R,1 RBI,W)
Jeff Harris (2-3,2 R,1 RBI)

Kings offensive leaders:
Troy Hendricks (2-3)

Kings game notes:
►Troy Hendricks' 5th inning 1B was the 200th hit of his Kings career.

Game 2: Kings 6 (WP- Chuck Grant 3-0) Sky & Sky Inc. 4 (LP- Ken Zalis 1-1) 

Kings Chuck Grant face Sky's Ken Zalis in the nightcap, with the Kings coming out ahead 6-4. The Kings scored out of the gat in t-1st on 1 out singles by Troy Hendricks and Shilo Merwitz, followed by an Arin Gelletly RBI 1B and Jan Katzen SF. The Kings made lead 3-0 with a Kenny Salzman 2 out RBI 1B. The lead was cut by 2 when Sky batted in bottom of inning. Pat Wilcox led off with a 3B and scored on an error on the relay throw. With 1 out, Zalis reached on an error and scored on singles by Andy Bloom, Matt Holley, and Eric Radom (RBI).

In t-4th, singles by Katzen and Grant, along with walk to Justin Cohen and 2 RBI 1B by Rob Barrow made the Kings lead 5-2. Sky again rallied in their turn of the inning. Bloom led off with a 1B. Following 2 forceouts, Radom reached on a 2 out infield error. The error was costly as Steve Truitt and Elliott Blank (RBI) followed with singles to load bases with 2 outs. Grant was able to retire VanLandingham on a deep flyout to Cohen in RF to end threat, with Kings maintaining 5-3 lead. The teams exchanged single runs in the 6th inning. The Kings were able to load the bases with 2 outs in t-7th, but Harris retired Katzen on an infield popout. In b-7th, Zalis drew a 2 out walk to bring Bloom to the plate as the tie run. Grant got Bloom on a flyout, giving the Kings the game 2, 6-4 win.

Sky game 2 hitting stars:
Steve Truitt (2-4,1 R,reached on error)
Elliott Blank (2-4,2 RBI,2B)
Brian Sky (2-4)
Andy Bloom (3-4)

Kings offensive leaders:
Troy Hendricks (2-4,1 R)
Shilo Merwitz (1-2,1 R,2 W)
Jan Katzen (2-3,2 R,1 RBI,SF)
Chuck Grant (2-3,2 R)