Killington Softball League: Of near controversy and blowouts

By Dave Hoffenberg

First Stop vs. Rock Warriors/Chasin’ Tail

First Stop (FS) didn’t even play a real team in the league yet they lost their first place standing… Rock Warriors, after bashing Sushi Yoshi, had a battle with First Stop. The problem for FS, they were playing a combo Rock Warriors/Chasin’ Tail (RWCT) team with the latter combining for 9 of the 14 runs scored.

The first inning was horrible for FS with only one hit by Smith Donelan. RWCT hit through their order, scoring seven runs. FS Pitcher Johnny Sharpe was able to fan Greg DuPrey for a “Cold Beer K” to end the inning.

The second was more of the same for FS with no runs and one hit, this time by Big Time Bobby Dederer. Four runs were added in the second for RWCT off of three home runs. CT’s Dakota Booska and Duane Laughlin hit back-to-back dingers.

FS had its chances in the third inning with Max Elles and Donelan on second and third base but nobody could hit them home, including Sharpe who suffered a “CBK.” FS shone on defense in the bottom by shutting down RWCT 1-2-3 and then finally got on the board in the fourth after Jake “From State Farm” Clark-Trapana jacked a homer. They had a chance for more but Andrew Nevis went down looking for a bad “CBK” to end the inning.

Laughlin was at it again bashing another home run, this time a two run shot in their fourth for a 13-1 lead. Donelan knocked in Sharpe to cut the deficit to 11 and then FS shone again, defensively in the fifth, shutting down RWCT 1-2-3.

FS cut the deficit to 10 after Justin Aker’s solo shot in the sixth. Alex Ramage came out of retirement to knock in Collin “Diz” Clark and put the lead back to 11 (14-2).

The seventh inning was an anomaly after both teams got a runner on first with one out and then ended the inning by hitting into a double play. It gets stranger since both double plays were shortstop to second to first. The game would normally end there after seven innings but this game was anything but normal. They played the eighth, not knowing where the game was at.

FS came out swinging. They woke their bats up and put on a hitting display. Shawn Smith crushed the ball for a grand slam which cut the deficit to 7. Trapana flew out for the first out, FS put runners on first and second and then Nevis flew out for the second out. Things were looking grim for FS but Scooter Watelet knocked in Aker and Sharpe knocked in Big Time Bobby and Scooter. Smith came up with a big two out hit, scoring Elles and Sharpe to cut the deficit to just 2, 14-12. Unfortunately Collin “Hungry Like The” Wolf popped up to the shortstop to end the game.

It would have been an amazing (but controversial) comeback win.

Chasin’ Tail followed that win with a 17-3 bashing of Sushi Yoshi. Officially, Rock Warriors got that earlier win but the CT players earned the victory for them. The win over Sushi Yoshi was a solid team effort with everyone hitting and making defensive plays.

Chasin’ Tail vs. Rivershed Sluggers

Earlier in the week, Chasin’ Tail (CT) poured on the runs in a 29-5 blowout win over Rivershed Sluggers (RS). The game started with RS loading the bases with two outs but newbie Max Zichelli fouled out for a huge “CBK.” Defensively the game couldn’t have started worse for RS after Gus Ruby clicked his heels and led off with an inside-the-park home run after he burned Zichelli. Russell Gallo and Laughlin both hit two run homers to give CT a 5-0 lead. RS Pitcher Ronzoni Hacker was able to strike out Raf Robles for an inning ending “CBK.”

The second inning was ugly for RS after CT hit through their order with seven hits that led to eight runs. One of those runs was an inside-the-park home run by Luis Shannon after he burned Jared Hall in right. Hall played short field and Shannon read him like a book. Dylan Gaberiault started and ended the inning with an infield out. The other out was a “CBK” by Patrick Bowen. RS went down 1-2-3 in the third including a “CBK” by DJ Dave Hoffenberg (yes, yours truly).

The third was even uglier for RS after CT practically hit through their order twice, scoring 15 runs. Ricky Robair had a two-run homer and scored twice in the inning, Dakota Booska hit two home runs and scored twice, Shannon added another inside-the-park home run and Chris “Poppa” Booska scored twice as well. RS finally got on the board in the fourth with four runs.

Justin Brown was given the “Green Light” for a home run and delivered a big blast over the fence in center to break up the shutout. They added three after Hall knocked in Zichelli, Joe “Kruggz” Kruglak knocked in Hall and DJ Dave knocked in Kruggz.

The fourth was the best defensively for RS, holding CT to only one run. Judd “Magnum” Washburn led off the fifth with a blast way over the fence in right but that was all the scoring that RS had in them. They loaded the bases but they stayed that way. Zichelli added another “CBK,” his second of the game. RS wasted the efforts of Nate “Cookie” Cook who was brought up from the farm team.

Standings

1) Rock Warriors 6-1

2) TIE: First Stop

5-2 Chasin” Tail 5-2

4) Rivershed Sluggers 1-6

5) Sushi Yoshi 0-6

Upcoming games

July 20 Library Field on River Road

• 5:50 p.m. Rivershed Sluggers vs Sushi Yoshi
• 7 p.m. Chasin” Tail vs First Stop
• 8 p.m. After Party at Sushi Yoshi on Killington Road

July 25 Library Field on River Road

• 5:50 p.m. Sushi Yoshi vs First Stop
• 7 p.m. Chasin” Tail vs Rock Warriors