Week #1 -- Sunday, April 8, 2012

Highlights submitted thus far by  Kings, Stingers, NWC, Hammerheads, Deuces Up

Northwest Regional Park Field 1:    Umpire- Reggie Grant
Game 1: Deuces Up 13  (WP-Rick Winepol 1-0) Hammerheads 11 (LP- RJ Seabeck  0-1)  8 Innings

Game 1 of the season seemed more like the Hundred Years' War; a two hour and thirty five minute marathon that was filled with high intensity and riddled with controversy. The game started well for the freshly renamed Deuces Up squad. The eternally self-baptized leadoff Rick Winepol started his team off well with a walk and some fine base running advancing to 3rd base on a Brad Verbosky single. After a Mark Winkel single to drive in Winepol, Josh Vaeth drove in the second run of the inning to get Deuces Up off to a good 1st inning. The Hammerheads got a big 3rd inning, which left Deuces Up scrambling to come back for the rest of the game. A bases clearing triple by third baseman Joe - fueled a big 6th inning cut the gap significantly. In the 7th inning, the Deuces Up LCF Mikey took advantage of a wild Hammerheads pitcher, as they had all game, to get the all important game tying run on base. A single by JDot put Mikey on 3rd base to score on the Andy sac fly and tie the game. An impressive 1-2-3 inning for pitcher Rick Winepol got the game into extra innings, where the Deuces Up team strung together 5 consecutive hits from the top of their order to get 3 runs on the board in the top of the 8th. The Hammerheads threatened in the bottom half, scoring 1 run and getting the tying run on base, but a Rick Winepol strike out ended the game in dramatic fashion.

17-0 (4 Innings) and 18-1 (5 Innings). That was the score of last year's opening day games for the Hammerheads. 96 runs, 2 wins and 14 losses later the season ended and they immediately started looking towards the future.

In game one, down 2-0 after 1 inning, one of Hammerheads new key additions, Jarret Smith pulled up and clutched his hammy after singling and running to second base on the next play. Instead of sticking their heads in the sand and imploding like last year, RJ Seabeck settled down and the offense picked him up. New additions Eric Blum & Jon Veditz got things going while Jarrett Smith, who could no longer play SS because of his hammy, hopped to the plate on one leg and crushed a bases clearing "single" as he hopped on one leg to first base. The game went back and forth from there with Dave Robb and Gary Bosley both coming through in clutch situations, but ultimately, in extra innings, Hammerheads let up 3 runs and while scoring one and had men on base in bottom half of inning, coming up just short in the first game of 2012.

Deuces Up offensive stars:
Rick Winepol: 6 IP 1 K 3-4 1 BB 4 R
Martin Harris: 3-5 2 R
Joe Chambers III: 3-5 1 3B 3 R 3 RBI
Brad Verbosky: 4-4 1 BB
Mark Winkel: 3-4 1 BB
Andy Peska: 3-4 2 RBI

Game 2:  Hammerheads 11 (WP-RJ Seabeck 1-1 ) Deuces Up 7 (LP-Rick Winepol 1-1) 

When you pitch a 2 1/2 hour, extra inning game to anyone, you are going to be tired. However, RJ Seabeck conjured whatever strength and intestinal fortitude he had and simply pitched his heart out in game 2. After giving up just 1 run through the first 4 innings, the Hammerheads offense came through with a huge 7 run inning to give them the lead for good. Jeff Kapper played a great emergency shortstop while RJ not only pitched his heart out, but came through with his bat singling twice and hitting a homerun late in the game to seal the deal. Just when Deuces Up thought they were attempting a comeback in the 6th inning, RJ settled in and struck out the final batter ending a rally.

So after just one week, the Hammerheads team has half as many wins and scored 23% as many runs as all of last year, showing PMSL that they will no longer be a doormat. ighlights pending.

The second game went by much quicker, although still had the same tension of the first game. Deuces Up got off to another early lead thanks to another lead off single by Rick Winepol. A big 4th inning for the Hammerheads had Deuces up struggling to comeback for the second straight game. In the 6th inning, 6 runs were put up as part of a monster comeback, although that comeback was dealt a huge blow with a controversial call. With 2 runners on base, JDot got a clutch hit with 2 outs which should have scored 2, however Mikey was inexplicably called out for "3rd base coach interference." Deuces Up started the rally going again in the 7th inning with hits from Todd and Rick, but a Mark Winkel fly out ended the potential comeback.

Deuces Up game 2 offenisve leaders:
Rick Winepol: 6 IP 1 SO 4-4 1 2B 2 R
Brad Verbosky: 2-3 1 2B
Chuck: 2-3 2 R
Todd Pule: 2-3 1 2B

Northwest Regional Park Field 3:      Umpire- Kory Rosenberg
Game 1: Sky & Sky Inc. 11 (WP- Jeff Harris 1-0)  Kings 10 (LP- Mike Herr) 

The opening week draw featured a rematch of the 2011 PMSL Finals. Although it was a holiday weekend, both teams had the bulk of their regular roster. The Kings grabbed an early lead, but the Sky offense, which led the league by 45 runs in 2011, battled back and won the opener 11-10.

The Kings sent 10 batters to the plate in t-1st, with RBI singles by Arin Gelletly and Troy Hendricks, along with SF by Jan Katzen. 2 infield errors by Sky prolonged the Kings rally. Sky chipped away at the Kings lead with single runs in b-1st and b-2nd on SF's by Elliot Blank and Andy Bloom. Sky took 6-5 lead with 4 runs in b-3rd. 1 our RBI hits by David Kowitz (2B), Elliot Blank (1B), and Andy Vanlandingham (RBI) helped to produce the runs.

In t-4th, leadoff singles by Steve Levy, Troy Hendricks, and Chuck Grant (RBI) tied the score. Brooks Sandler hit a SF to RCF to give Kings 7-6 lead. Sky offense came right back in b-4th with 3 runs aided by 2 out RBI singles by Eric Radom and David Kowitz. Sky extended lead to 11-7 with single runs in b-5th on RBI 1B by Brian Sky and in b-6th on RBI 3B by Radom.

The Kings threatened in t-7th. With 2 on and 1 out, Gelletly hit an RBI 2B and Alan Varhaftik hit a 2 RBI 3B. This pulled the Kings to within 11-10 with 1 out and a runner on third base. Sky starter Jeff Harris was able to retire Jan Katzen on a groundout to third base and then retired Steve Levy on a hard lineout to second baseman Brian Sky.

Sky Hitting Highlights Game #1:
Eric Radom (4-4,3 R,2 RBI,3B)
David Kowitz (2-3,1 R,2 RBI,2B,W)
Elliot Blank (1-3,1 R,2 RBI,SF)
Andy Vanlandingham (3-3,1 RBI,3B)
Jeff Harris (2-3,3 R)

Kings offensive leaders game 1:
Shilo Merwitz (2-4,2 R)
Arin Gelletly (3-4,2 R,2 RBI,2B,3B)
Alan Varhaftik (2-4,1 R,2 RBI,3B)
Steve Levy (2-4,2 R)
Troy Hendricks (2-3,1 R,1 RBI)
Chuck Grant (2-2,1 RBI,2B,W)

Game 2: Kings 6 (WP- Chuck Grant 1-0) Sky & Sky Inc. 5 (LP- Jeff Harris 1-1) 

Kenny Salzman's 1 out 3B in b-7th broke a 5-5 tie as the Kings won the nightcap 6-5. With the rust of game 1 gone, both teams put on a stronger defensive effort, committing just 1 error combined. The largest lead in the game was 2 runs and the lead switched back and forth.

Sky got on the board in t-1st as Eric Radom led off with a 1B and Elliot Blank hit a 1 out 2B. In b-1st, Arin Gelletly's 2 out RBI 1B scored Kenny Salzman (W) with the tying run. In b-2nd, with 2 outs and bases loaded, Brooks Sandler cracked a 2 RBI 1B past the outstreched glove of Sky second baseman Brian Sky to put Kings ahead 3-1. In t-3rd, David Kowitz hit a 2 out 3B and scored on an Elliot Blank RBI 1B. Sky knotted score 3-3 in t-4th on RBI groundout by Jeff Sacks.

With the score still tied 3-3, in Sky t-6th, Andy Vanlandingham and Pat Wilcox hit leadoff singles. Vanlandingham advanced to third base on a Welling flyout to RCF. Brian Sky hit a SF to LF scoring Vanlandingham with the go ahead run. 2 out singles by Andy Bloom and Jeff Sacks loaded the bases, but Kings starter Chuck Grant was able to retire Mike Pavsner on a groundout to end further damage.

In Kings b-6th, Alan Varhaftik hit a leadoff 2B and scored on Steve Levy's 1 out 1B. Following a flyout, Chuck Grant delivered a 3B to LF, scoring Levy and putting the Kings ahead 5-4 heading to the 7th inning.

In t-7th, Jeff Harris reached on an infield error to start inning. Kings first baseman Steve Levy made 2 great plays. First retiring Harris on an Eric Radom hard grounder to first base. Then Levy stared a wicked line drive off the bat of Dave Kowitz. With 2 outs a runner still on first base, Elliot Blank singled and then Vanlandingham came thru with a clutch 2 out RBI 1B to tie the score 5-5. Grant was able to retire Wilcox on high flyout to LCF.

In b-7th, Brooks Sandler led off with a 1B to LCF. Following a lineout by Koby Sarubin, Kenny Salzman launched a 3B to the alley in LCF, scoring Sandler from first base and giving the Kings an exciting game 2 opening week victory 6-5.

Sky Hitting Highlights Game #2:
Elliot Bland (3-4,2 RBI,2B)
Andy Vanlandingham (3-4,1 R,1 RBI)
Welling (2-3)
Andy Bloom (2-3)
Jeff Sacks (2-3,1 RBI)

Kings offensive leaders Game #2:
Koby Sarubin (2-3,W)
Steve Levy (2-3,1 R,1 RBI)
Chuck Grant (2-2,1 R,1 RBI,3B,W)
Mike Herr (2-3)
Brooks Sandler (2-3,1 R,2 RBI)

Kings opening week game notes:

►The Kings improved their all-time opening day record to 38-10 (.792). Chuck Grant (12) has the most career opening week starts, followed by Mike Herr (10) and Steve Levy (8).

►Kings all-time Opening Day Starting Pitcher Records (24 Seasons)
Chuck Grant 11-1 (2001, 2002, 2005, 2007 x2, 2008 x 2, 2009 x 2, 2010, 2011, 2012)
MIke Herr 7-3 (1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2012)
Steve Levy 6-2 (1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998)
Larry Newman 3-2 (1993, 1996, 1997 x2, 1998)
Dan Frignito 3-0 (2004, 2005, 2006)
Ted Winner 2-1 (1999 x 2, 2000)
Jeff Goldstein 2-1 (1998, 2001, 2002)
Dave Sandler 2-0 (1994, 1995)
Ken Zalis 1-0 (2003)
Lane Gordon 1-0 (2000)

►With a 1B in game 1, Mike Herr reached the 700 hit plateau in a Kings uniform. His current total of 702 hits for the Kings are the most in league history for any player with a single team. His 738 career hits in PMSL are believed to be the most in league history. NWC's Jeff Kurland has been seen as a threat to the career mark, but a season ending injury to Kurland will delay his quest. Alan Varhaftik is 2nd on the Kings all-time list.