Killington Softball League season opener recap

By DJ Dave Hoffenberg,
commissioner

Finally softball has come back to Killington. Games are underway and will be played at the Ada Hall Softball Field behind the Sherburne Library on River Road in Killington every Monday and Wednesday 5:50 and 7 p.m.

First Stop vs. Rivershed

First game of the season was Rivershed versus First Stop (FS). The Rivershed team has a new sponsor (formerly Flannels and Clear River Tavern) and started with new results, a mercy loss. They’ve never suffered a mercy the first game of the season. This game was close until the teams hit the field. Rivershed’s starting pitcher, veteran Ronzoni Hacker, was still playing in Florida for the Orlando Rainbows so the team got Matt “Ajax” Anderson to come out of retirement and take the mound for the first time in four years. Rivershed started by going down 1-2-3 and FS peppered Ajax with 3 hits, 2 walks which led to a 3-0 lead.

Tall Tom Gilligan and Judd “Magnum” Washburn both scored in the second to cut the deficit to 1. That’s the closest they would get and also the last time they would score.

FS regained their 3-run lead in the second with 2 runs. They had a chance for more but Bobby Dederer popped out and stranded the bases loaded. Rivershed went down 1-2-3 again including the first “Cold Beer K” of the season by DJ Dave Hoffenberg (yours truly). Scott “Scooter” Watelet drove in Max “Down Under” Rowe to give FS a 6-2 lead. Rivershed’s hero’s from inning two were zeros in the fourth. With runners on second and third and one out, Tall Tom suffered a “CBK” and Washburn flew out. Rookie Joe Brown blasted a home run in the fourth for a 7-2 lead. FS defense shone in the fifth when Joe Krugs hit into an inning-ending double-play. FS made it a mercy in the fifth after they batted through their order with an 8 run inning to win 15-2. Brown went four for four with four runs scored.

Rock Warriors vs. Rivershed

Rivershed had a doubleheader that night and the next game was even more dismal for them. They had a rematch of last year’s championship against Rock Warriors. Last year they lost the championship two games to one and all the games were close. This game was a 19-0 mercy loss. They’ve never suffered back-to-back mercies, nor have they started 0-2. Rock jumped all over Ajax from the start, batting through their order, scoring 10 runs. Everyone scored in that inning, some twice, except for Team Captain Josh “Good Cop” Stevens and Chris. Rock added runs in every inning to take the shutout win. The only bright spot for Rivershed were the web gems by Tall Tom and Dalton Delay. Rock’s Warren “The Bomb” Bombardier pitched a masterpiece. He held Rivershed to 2 hits, 0 runs and delivered four “CBK’s” to Krugs, DJ Dave and back-to-back K’s to Delay.

Sushi Yoshi vs. Rivershed Sluggers

Rivershed finally got into the win column on their next game against league newcomers, Sushi Yoshi. Ronzoni was still in Florida so the team got Jackie Blue Livesey to come out of retirement and try to keep his best winning percentage record intact. Rivershed took an early 2-0 lead but Jimbo Cassineri suffered a “CBK.” After Dan Sesko led off the second with a “CBK,” Rivershed exploded for six runs to take an 8-0 lead. It was 10-0 after three.

Sushi got on the board in the third after Tall Phil and Maddi both scored. It was also the first runs in team history. There went the shutout for Jackie Blue. Newly signed Evan Anderson jacked a grand slam in the fourth to stretch the lead 14-2. They had a chance for more but Sesko suffered his second “CBK” and then Luke Carey went down looking to end the inning. Anderson blasted another in the fifth, this time a two run shot, and Rivershed three more for a 19-2 lead. Tall Phil scored for Sushi in the fifth but that was all she wrote for Sushi Yoshi’s first league game. Jackie Blue was able to deliver one “CBK” and kept his record intact.

Chasin’ Tail vs. First Stop

Chasin’ Tail had their first ever league game and it didn’t go as planned. They battled First Stop but fell short 11-7. It was the league’s first 7-inning game of the season. CT jumped out to a 2-0 lead but FS scored five. CT had nothing in the second but FS added another five for a 10-2 lead. CT got two back in the third for a 10-4 good buddy deficit.

FS scored their last run of the game in the bottom but didn’t need any more. CT scored three in the fourth which were their last runs of the game. Both teams shone on defense the next 3 innings, holding each other scoreless. First Stop gets their first ever 2-0 start in league history. Just two years ago, they had a winless season.

Standings

First Stop 2-0*

Rock Warriors 1-0*

Rivershed Sluggers 1-2*

TIE: Chasin Tail 0-1*

Sushi Yoshi 0-1*

*Team qualified for the playoffs