By Robin Alberti
“Clearly” Moguls, champions. Pictured (l-r)
Back row: Russell Dalglish, Tom Gilligan.
Second row: Angel Shannon, Jared Hall, Hunter Pike, Brett Regimbald, Brandon Remick, Will Burdick, Jeremy Livesey.
Front row: Keith Lazarczyk, Neal Giberti, Buddy, Ron Hacker, DJ Dave Hoffenberg.
Missing: Judd Washburn, Rob Pelletier.
By Dave Hoffenberg
Congrats again to Clearly Moguls for winning the 2015 Killington Softball League Championship. Last week, the All-Star Game was held which means the season has officially come to a close.
The All-Star Game is fun because teams are randomly selected and teammates get to face each other for the first time. The East Squad was made up of DJ Dave Hoffenberg, Ronzoni Hacker, Jackie Blue Livesey, Keith “Bubba” Lazarcyk, Judd “Eskimo Brother” Washburn and Hunter “Maple Leafs” Pike, Sum Boss Bomber’s Max Zucchini, “Chatty” Cathy O’Brien and Jonathan White and Evan Anderson and Matt “Ajax” Anderson. The West Squad was Russell “The Love Muscle” Daglish, Will “The Thrill” Burdick, “Tall” Tom Gilligan, Neal “Nice Guy” Giberti and Angel “MVP” Shannon, TKDT’s Coach Craig Brothers and Chris Alf, Jeremy “Riding Solo” Prior and Sum Boss Bombers’ Nick Melotti and Phil O’Brien.
The East handed the ball to all time undefeated pitcher Jackie Blue and he got shelled for seven runs as the West batted through their order. The West handed the ball to Giberti who was pitching for the first time and he took a page from his teammate Ronzoni’s book and started out “En Fuego.” He ran down the first batter Pike and then got fellow teammate Washburn to fly out and delivered the game’s first “Keg Stand K” to White. Giberti scored in the second to make it an 8-0 lead. Ronzoni lead off the bottom of the second and put the East on the board with an inside-the-park home run. Unfortunately nobody could follow that up and they remained at one run. Jackie Blue settled down and the “D” stepped up and held the West scoreless for the next four innings. The East’s CM players learned the hard way why it’s so beneficial having Shannon on your team and not against you like in the all star game as he was flying all over the place with web gem catch after catch at shortstop. He was taking a cue from the movie “Angels in the Outfield.”
The East cut the lead to four in the third with Zucchini getting an RBI and Evan Anderson jacking a two run home run. They crept even closer in the fifth, when Ronzoni drove in two runs even though he did not reach first. They had a chance for more but Jackie Blue suffered his team’s first “Keg Stand K.” The East turned the game’s first 1-2-3 inning on the West in the sixth with one of those outs being a “Keg Stand K” to Blue’s fellow teammate Daglish.
The East tied it 8-8 in the bottom of the sixth when Pike and Zucchini got the first ever back-to-back inside-the-park home runs! The inning still ended on a high note for the West as they got power hitter Washburn to go down looking for the game’s biggest “Keg Stand K.” The West finally reawakened their bats in the top of the seventh, scoring two runs with Brothers and Shannon. With their backs against the wall, White didn’t help leading off with a “Keg Stand K.” Ronzoni responded with a single but Jackie Blue flew out for out number two. Ajax came up with a clutch hit and moved Ronzoni to third. DJ Dave Hoffenberg came up in desperate need of a hit. The outfield played him short and he made them pay, burning O’Brien and clearing the bases with a stand up triple to tie the game.
That is how it ended as the game was called for darkness but this was the best All-Star Game in quite some time. It was fitting for such a great competitive season.
Awards were then handed out to individuals for their outstanding efforts this season.
Awards
Championship Series MVP: Angel Shannon
Championship Game Three MVP: Tom Gilligan
Game of the Year: “Clearly” Moguls (vs STF Round Two Playoffs. CM down 6-0, started their rally in the third and tied it in the sixth. Angel Shannon one pitch walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh for the win.)
Gold Glove: Colin Greene (STF)
Rookie of the Year: Nick Melotti (Sum Boss Bombers)
Best Sportsmanship: Neal Giberti (“Clearly” Moguls)
Comeback Player of the Year: Erica Hurd (Sum Boss Bombers)
Best Pitching Stat of the Year: Matt Anderson pitched a no hitter, one hitter and a five hitter in the playoffs (The Killington Deli Team)
Best Offensive Stat of the Year: Angel Shannon (Hit for the cycle twice. Once regular season. Once playoffs)
Best CBK – Jeremy Livesey – (3 CBK’s Game 1 Playoffs vs STF)
Fan of the Year: Stace Maz
Best Burn of a Pitcher: Judd Washburn (vs The Garlic McGrath’s Bob Pauly. Bottom of the seventh down 5-4. Walk-Off Grand Slam.)
