Softball heats up, teams head to playoffs

By Dave Hoffenberg

First Stop had a chance for the number one seed but lost their last regular season game to Rock Warriors. Those two will meet in the first round of the playoffs. Sushi Yoshi put up a fight in their final regular season game against Chasin’ Tail. CT started with a fury, batting through their order while scoring nine runs. It was 15-0 before Sushi could get on the board with three runs in the third. CT went scoreless the next two innings because of the great defense by Sushi who turned a double play in each inning. They also added three runs to make it 15-6 to stave off the mercy. CT got one in the sixth and two in the seventh to stretch their lead 18-6. Sushi put a scare into CT in the last inning as they batted through their order, scoring five runs but it wasn’t enough and they fell 18-11 to remain winless on the season. CT pitcher Chris “Poppa” Booska delivered four “Cold Beer K’s” in the game.

The playoffs started last Wednesday with a game between Sushi Yoshi and Rivershed Sluggers that’s in the running for “Game of the Year”. RS pitcher Ronzoni Hacker was en fuego to start the game as he delivered back-to-back “CBKs,” including one looking to Tall Phil Kluge. Sushi was able to get a run on the board. RS answered with three runs with two of those coming off a bases clearing double by Brando Remick. The inning ended with a “CBK” by DJ Dave Hoffenberg. Sushi got another run in the second but also suffered two more “CBKs” including another one looking by Kluge. They went down 1-2-3 in the third with another “CBK” from Ronzoni. A series of doubles led to three runs in the third for a 6-2 RS lead. Sushi’s Nieko Young scored his second run of the game in the fourth but his team experienced two more “CBKs” from Ronzoni. Both Captain Joey Gaspar and Jack Hopey went down looking. RS Jimbo Cassineri showed his jumping ability as he had a web gem snow cone catch for the third out. Tall Tom Gilligan drove in two runs for RS to stretch the lead 8-3. They had a chance for more with bases loaded but Tyler Radil and Dan Sesko flew out to end the threat. RS turned a sweet double play, first back to second, to keep Sushi scoreless in the fifth. They added four in their at-bat after DJ Dave, Jared Hall, Joe “Krugzz” Kruglak and Nate Mispel all got on base and scored. Once again, Sushi staved off the mercy by only being down nine runs.

That feat has been their wake-up call. Young and Gaspar both drove in two runs and scored as part of a five run inning for Sushi. They left runners on the corners after Hopey again went down looking and Lizzy Grenier got her first “CBK” but they were only down 12-8. Radil scored an important run for RS in the sixth but DJ Dave’s “CBK” and Luke Carey’s pop up left two on base to keep the score 13-8. Kluge led off the seventh with a much needed single. He and another scored off an Addison Schaub hit.

The next two batters grounded out with the score 13-11. Young stayed hot and perfect with his fourth hit of the game, this one scoring Schaub. Pitcher Madison Martin knocked him in with a single to left. Sushi was one run away from completing an incredible comeback and getting their first ever win. RS were one out away from not suffering the second biggest collapse of the season. The latter happened as Hopey went down looking to end the game with back-to-back-to-back “CBKs” looking. It was Sushi’s best game of the season. You could see the look of relief on the RS. Ronzoni had a record night, delivering ten “CBKs” with six of those happening after the batter watched the ball bounce for the third strike.

RS had to immediately face number one seed Chasin’ Tail. They started out strong with four runs, three of which came off a huge blast by Radil for his first home run of the season. A series of errors by RS led to a 5-4 CT lead. Ronzoni stayed hot with a “CBK” looking by JoJo Holland and scored in the second to tie the game 5-5. Dakota Booska broke that tie with a sac fly. The third saw Brando with his first ever “CBK” looking, part of a scoreless inning. Patrick Bowen jacked one over the fence for a 7-5 lead. RS went down 1-2-3 in the fourth to stay ice cold. CT scored five in the fourth with three of those runs batted in by Booska and Ricky Robair. DJ Dave hit his second single of the game but was part of a double play and another scoreless inning. CT sealed the mercy win 16-5 after a four run fifth which included a long home run by Holland.

Regular season standings:

1) Chasin’ Tail 9-3

2) Rock Warrior 9-3

3) First Stop 8-4

4) Rivershed Sluggers 3-8

5) Sushi Yoshi 0-11

Upcoming games:

Aug. 10 – Library Field on River Road (loser’s bracket elimination games)

5:50 p.m. Rock Warriors/First Stop v. Sushi Yoshi;

7 p.m. Winner v. Rivershed Sluggers

Aug. 15 – Library Field on River Road (playoffs)

5:50 p.m. Loser’s bracket elimination game;

7:00 p.m. Championship game one (best of three)

Aug. 17 – Library Field on River Road

5:50 p.m. championship game two;

7 p.m. championship game three (if necessary).