By Robin Alberti
Kayla Sarajian (left) jogs in the outfield watching as Jonathan White lays out diving for a catch.
Max Team vs. Garlic McGraths
Max Team started the week battling Garlic McGraths and jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. There was a pitcher’s duel with the very first batter because G.M.’s pitcher Bob Pauly walked pitcher Johnny Sharpe to start the game. Max Rowe singled, moving Sharpe to second. Sam Budusky popped up and an infield fly was called and that was a lucky break for G.M. since shortstop Jamie Rameau muffed the catch which would’ve made it bases loaded with no outs. Colin Wolfe singled, scoring Sharpe and G.M. had Rowe dead to rights at second but his hard slide knocked the ball out of Jeremy Prior’s glove to make him safe.
Dan Boute then laid down a bunt single to load the bases. Jake Nelson singled, scoring Rowe and the bases were still juiced. Xavier Van Den Boogaard tried the bunt single approach but that put Wolfe out at home. Matt McKinney got up with bases loaded but flew out to end the inning.
G.M.’s Ezrah Lemieux burned the right center fielder for a double with the old ball drops between three guys trick. Bus Bob Schaffner then burned the right fielder for an inside-the-park home run to tie it 2-2. G.M. got runners on the corners but Prior and Rameau flew out to end the inning.
Max Team was shut down 1-2-3 in their next at-bat with Sharpe ending the inning with a “Cold Beer K.” Schaffner struck again, this time burning the right fielder for a triple, scoring Lemieux to take a 3-2 lead. Max Team had a good third inning, when Wolfe and Nelson drove in three runs to regain the lead 5-3. They had a chance for more with Nelson at third but McKinney suffered a “CBK” to end the rally.
They turned on the “D” and held G.M. scoreless in their third and delivered Prior a “CBK” to keep their lead. Unfortunately they could not add to it and went down 1-2-3 in the fourth.
Lemieux got a run back to cut the lead in half and then held Max Team scoreless with another 1-2-3 inning. Max Team returned the favor, limiting G.M. to one hit and no runs to maintain their slim 5-4 lead.
Nelson’s hit streak came to an end at the worst time since he suffered a “CBK” in the sixth and his team was held scoreless again. Joe Montemurro singled, Schaffner doubled and both scored to take a 6-5 lead.
Max Team had their chance to win in the seventh putting runners on first and second but Sharpe “CBK’d” again and Rowe was out at second to end the game.
Max Team vs. Killington Resort, game one
Their next heart-breaking defeat came at the hands of Killington Resort. This stung a bit more because they had a five run lead twice in the game. K.R. went scoreless in their first at-bat with Evan Anderson suffering a “CBK.”
Max Team put on a hitting clinic in their first at-bat, scoring five runs and practically hitting through the order. In the top of the second they turned a double-play on Nate Stoodley, got K.R. to strand two runners and kept them scoreless. They could not build on their lead and went down 1-2-3 with a “CBK” in the second. Chandler “KOS” Burgess led off the third with a double and eventually scored the team’s first run. Bailey Peters added a run to make it 5-2 but his dad Matt suffered a “CBK” in that inning. Max Team had yet another scoreless inning, this time with Mike “Bouff” Bouffard suffering a “CBK.”
The fourth saw both teams go scoreless but K.R. did get runners on second and third compared to the 1-2-3 outs inning of Max Team.
K.R. got two on again in the fifth but couldn’t capitalize and Peters suffered his second straight “CBK.” Max Team woke up their bats with Wolfe, Sharpe and McKinney scoring to make it 8-2.
K.R. got one back in the sixth when Corey Stearns singled and scored. Bouff had a lead off double in the bottom but they couldn’t get him home to keep their lead at 8-3.
The wheels fell off the defensive wagon for Max Team when K.R. exploded for nine runs in the seventh to take their first lead of the game (12-8) and it could not have come at a better time. The team scored four runs without an out and eventually hit through their order. Max Team got their first three guys on with two of them scoring but the next three guys got out and Max Team suffered the crushing 12-10 defeat.
Max Team vs. Killington Resort, game two
In the second game of the doubleheader, K.R. picked up where they left off. Unfortunately this game was very different for Max Team. They managed one run in the first but K.R. batted through their order to the tune of eight runs. Max Team had a big second inning, scoring four runs to cut the lead to four. Anderson belted a two-run shot to stretch the lead 10-4 good buddy. Max Team couldn’t get anything going in the third but K.R. did and added four runs to make it a 10-run lead at 14-4.
Bailey Peters had an outstanding web gem when he robbed Wolfe of a home run as he jumped up, snagging the ball at the fence and then leaped over it to avoid crashing into it. Sharpe was able to score a run but Boogaard “CBK’d” to end the inning.
K.R. was not done yet. They added another seven points to win 21-6 with the 4th inning mercy. Sharpe was able to deliver back-to-back “CBK’s” to Matt Peters and Ian Smith.
Clearly Moguls vs. Killington Resort
Clearly Moguls caught another case of the Monday Blues but they couldn’t catch a win. They’re winless on Mondays this season, they hope to buck that trend in the playoffs.
The first inning wasn’t bad since for C.M., ending 1-1.
Burgess and Matt Peters each drove in a run in the second to take the lead 3-1. Elliot “Charlie Murphy” Avery led off with a double and Jared Hall singled but C.M. could not get them home.
Justin “You Need Some Glue” Guth scored in the third to stretch the lead 4-1. Again, C.M. stranded two runners, this time on second and third. Burgess and Matt Peters were a great duo in this game, this inning they both scored to make it 6-1. C.M. finally got back on the board, when Tucker Zink and Avery scored to make it a three run deficit. C.M. used that momentum to step up their “D” and shut down K.R. 1-2-3.
Unfortunately they went back to their stranding runners ways with two on the corners. K.R. had a good sixth, putting five on base and scoring three runs before a single out. C.M. settled down and eventually got the next three batters out but now in the hole 9-3. K.R. felt bad for C.M. and spotted them a run so it was only an 8-3 deficit.
Zink scored in the sixth but C.M. stranded another two and Russell “The Love Muscle” Dalglish suffered a “CBK.”
K.R. has a tendency for finishing big and this game was no different as they added six runs in the seventh to make it 14-4. Collin Greene drove in two and Kyle Amos, Matt Kinsman, Matt Peters and Smith each drove in one. Ronzoni Hacker was able to end the inning strong by striking out Lucas Godfrey looking for a big “CBK.”
C.M. was shut down 1-2-3 to end the game with one of those outs being a “CBK” to Hunter Pike.
Clearly Moguls vs. Killington Deli
C.M. tried to rebound in their next game against the Killington Deli. They started out alright with two runs but Brando Remick hit into an inning ending double-play with bases loaded. The Deli scored three in the bottom to take a 3-2 lead. Chris Alf, Dan Muller and Benedict Bubba Lazarczyk all had a RBI. C.M. exploded for 6 runs in the second inning and practically batted through their order. C.M. welcomed back “12 Pack” Jack Livesey to end the inning. Ronzoni was “En Fuego” next inning when he delivered back-to-back “CBK’s” looking to both Nathan Brady Crain and Nick Melotti. He also threw out Rob “Rambo” Ranberg to end the inning 1-2-3.
Remick scored in the third and Melotti redeemed himself with an outstanding web gem, a diving and sliding catch of Pike. The Deli could not do anything as they went down 1-2-3 for three straight innings. Sandwiched in there was a “CBK” to Jimbo Cassineri.
C.M.’s Angel Shannon scored in the fourth off a nice looking sac by Judd Washburn and Steve “Killer” Kent scored for the Deli in the fifth to 10-4 good buddy. Hacker led off the sixth with a triple and DJ Dave Hoffenberg knocked him home with a rope over Alfie’s head. C.M. added six after that to make it 17-4. Three of those came off a base-clearing double by Livesey who blasted it over former teammate Bubba’s head. The Deli got two on, but that was all and they suffered the mercy loss.
Outback Wolf Pack vs. Killington Deli, game one
The Outback Wolf Pack had a winless week just like Max Team (0-3) but they emerged with the now best pitcher in the league, Forrest Baker. They started their week with two blowout losses to the Deli, 19-3 and 25-7. These games were close until the teams took the field.
The Deli jumped all over them and pitcher Steve “Wheels” O’Neil right from the start of game one, scoring six runs. They almost hit through their order twice in the second, adding 10 runs to their ever growing total. This win was a solid team effort with zero “CBK’s,” everyone getting at least one hit and some with many more. Alf was three for three with 2 runs scored. Matt “Ajax” Anderson was two for three with 3 runs scored and was even hotter on the mound. He only gave up two hits with two walks.
Outback Wolf Pack vs. Killington Deli, game two
The nightcap of the doubleheader was more of the same except each team scored more and there were more “CBK’s.”
Alfie stayed hot, this time going four for five with four runs scored and three RBI. Phil O’Brien scored four runs, Crain was four for four with four RBI and Anderson was “En Fuego” both with his bat and his pitching. This game he had five RBI’s and started the game delivering a “CBK” looking to Kayla Sarajian. Wolf Pack Wheels was able to deliver a couple “CBK’s,” with one each to Melotti and Bubba. The Outback had a bright spot in the third when Chris George blasted a monster two-run home run to deep center. It was his first of the year.
Outback Wolf Pack vs. Garlic McGrath’s
The Outback ended their winless week with a 19-1 mercy loss to Garlic McGrath’s. G.M. hit through their order in the first and second inning. They only got up three times but it was the third inning that was the charm for the Outback. Chris George drove in the run that saved the shutout and then Wheels was pulled and Baker came in for relief. Baker established himself as the best pitcher in the league since he stopped the onslaught and shut down G.M. 1-2-3 with a “CBK” to Denel Mcintire. His ERA is zero. Could there be a pitching change looming?
SCHEDULE:
Wednesday, July 6
Killington Resort vs. Killington Deli 5:50 p.m. at Killington
Max Team vs. Outback 7 p.m. at Killington
Clearly Moguls vs. Garlic McGraths 5:50 and 7 p.m. at Bridgewater
Post-game party at the Clear River Tavern 8-11 p.m.
Wednesday, July 13
Outback vs. Clearly Moguls 5:50 p.m. at Killington
Garlic McGraths vs. Killington Resort 7 p.m. at Killington
Killington Deli vs. Max Team 5:50 and 7 p.m. at Bridgewater
Post-game party at McGrath’s Irish Pub 8-11 p.m.
STANDINGS
Garlic McGrath’s 9-1
Killington Resort 9-2
Clearly Moguls 8-2
Killington Deli 3-7
Max Team 2-10
Outback Wolf Pack 1-10
