What was that crazy yellow/orange thing in the sky last night? The SUN was actually out on a Wednesday night and that led to some hot action on and off the field, so let’s get right too it.
Let’s start with Team Wolf vs. Team Kamrass on Field 4. Wes for the winners:
Both teams started off the game slowly with no runs scored in the first two innings, when Team Wolf got on the board in the top of the third with a two-run homer by Wes Wolf and an RBI single from Tyler Wolf.
Team Kamrass scored in the third, but Team Wolf came back quickly with a two-run homer from Eli “lil Z” Zawatsky and contributions from the rest of the team. Mike Gray capped off the game with a fifth inning to remember, striking out the side and leading Team Wolf to a 12-2 run rule after the sixth.
Now onto the rest of the games:
On Field 1 it was a titanic struggle between Grefer and Team Solomon
Stu for the winners in a marathon game:
It was a real Rumble in the Jungle last night as Team Solomon defeated Team Grefer in a great 11-inning game, 5-4.
The defense was solid all around. Ken “Anderson” Groh pitched an amazing game keeping Team Grefer off-balance all night. Team Grefer scored 3 runs in the 3rd and didn’t score again for 8 innings.
The offense was bleak for the first 4 innings of the game as Team Solomon were held hitless until the 4th inning. Ben “Jarvus Green-Ellis” Charlton was a terror on the base pads, scoring our first run off of a walk, steal, and two flyouts. Team Solomon did not score again until the 6th inning when Ryan “Finley” Small had a bunt single stop on the foul line. Two batters later, Brandon “Tate” Lindsey ROPED a triple to bring us within two. The bottom of the 7th was started with Adam “Pacman” Cronstein hitting a triple to RCF. He scored off Stuart Solomon “Wilcox” single to RF. He scored on Ken “Riley” Groh’s triple, taking us to extra innings.
Three scoreless innings later, Team Solomon walked off in a classic JCC manner. Ben “Utecht” Charlton hit a liner to LF off the glove of Zach “Carter” Mayer. Then, up steps “Sam Adams” Cronstein, who laced a “single” to RF. With the outfielders playing so deep Ben was able to score from first.
Team Grefer played amazing. Oren had two great catches at second base, Mayer made an amazing diving play in shallow LF and Tim was amazing fielding his position.
After the game an APB for a Missing Persons was sent out for Howard Goldwasser. He was last seen in the field in the 6th inning of our 11 inning game. If you know anything about his whereabouts, please contact Team Grefer.
After the game AJ “Green” Goldhoff had this to say. ” This was one of the best games I have ever played in, but I knew our team would pull this one out. Our team is so tight knit and it’s amazing that we have the confidence to play all of our players even in the most critical times.”
Team Solomon will be rolling into the bye on a 4-game winning streak and look forward to continue our winning ways on 7/31.
On Field 2 Team Brafman did their best vs. Team Fogel unfortunately it wasn’t enough. Jeremy for the winners:
In the first game since the Red Sea was parted (seemingly), Team Fogel was able to fight off a pesky comeback from Team Brafman. Falling behind 4-0 in the first inning, captain Jeremy Fogel stepped to the plate and hit a missile down the right field line which was destined to be foul but quickly boomeranged inside of the foul pole for a home run. After loading the bases with nobody out in the second and failing to score, Team Fogel scored 8 runs in the third inning ignited by a leadoff single from Keith Kombrinck, which was the start of the team cycle in the inning. Keith singled, Scott Friend doubled, Jamey Kurtzer tripled, and Matt Miller hit a home run. Here’s to hoping for more sunshine than rain for the rest of the season.
For Team Brafman Jamey Drennan had a great game going 4-4 with a bunch of RBI’s and also made two very nice plays at 3rd. Jerry Doc Kirzner also made a good catch at first. Team Brafman would like to thank Benji and Rick for their help in subbing.
And last but not least on Field 3 it was Team Wagner vs. Team Harris
Brad leads off for the winners:
On a hot and humid Wednesday night, Team Wagner defeated Team Harris with a final score of 14-10. Captain Brad Wagner took the mound for Team Wagner in place of Corey Norris, who is currently sailing around Italy. Zac Hiudt played an outstanding third base, while Wagner, Michael “De La” Askin, Matt Leader (game-winning hit), Anton Loon, Zac Hiudt, and Bob Pelberg delivered big hits that contributed to the team’s victory. Daniel Hiudt also had a great game as catcher, calling great pitches which kept Team Harris off-balance for part of the night.
Team Wagner will play Team Tenenholtz next week, with Dan Hoard and Greg Hoard providing commentary. Meanwhile, Team Harris will face Team Grefer, with Mark Gordon and Mark Wolf on the call.
Roger for the losing Harris team:
After two weeks away from the field due to the weather, TEAM HARRIS came up short of a 14-10 score vs. TEAM WAGNER.
“We fought back at the end, but things just didn’t work out for us. I like this team and still feel our better days are ahead of us,” team captain GRIFF HARRIS said afterwards.
It should be noted that the losers left a very high number of runners on base and just couldn’t come up with the BIG hits at the time.
“We had our chances, but just couldn’t get that one big hit. We had the right guys up at the plate, but it just didn’t turn out the way we wanted, ” HARRIS added.
Kudos go out to RYAN MARCUS for parking one over the fence and playing a solid third base. Also, HARRIS made a nice running catch in LCF to turn a double play when one ANTON LOON wasn’t aware how many outs there were and got doubled up.
“I was thinking more about my post-game meal than the game,” LOON said afterwards.
It should also be noted that nephew, MATTHEW LEADER, hit the game winning three-run homerun to propel the victory to save the day for the LEADER/LOON family.
“I hope I see ROGER (ROSENTHAL) at the gym soon so I can get a bit of a dig in on that hit. He’s been badgering me a lot lately about how I’m the second best athlete in the family behind my younger brother, EVAN,” LEADER said.
In attendance were his parents, former player GREG, who couldn’t hold a candle to either son and wife, CARLA and grandfather, MARTIN.
TIDBITS….
*Next week, XAVIER UNIVERSITY fan ROGER ROSENTHAL and UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI fan JZ ZEINDENSTEIN have agreed to change their caps in order to change the team’s luck of late.
“You know it will really hurt my XAVIER pride to be wearing a cap of that other school, but if we can turn our season around, it’d be worth it,” ROSENTHAL said.
**CONGRATS go out to RICK LEFTON and his son NATHAN LEFTON on his recent engagement!
***Here’s a suggestion…..maybe JEFF WEISBROT’s father ALBERT could sing the national anthem at the JCC all-star game……he would do a lot better than what was heard at the MLB Home Run Derby…..
****Finally, ZACH MAYER was seen throwing batting practice to his young son before the game…..he’s almost ready to play in the league!
Until next week….take care and stay safe and GO X!!!!!!!
League notes:
I moved offices since our last game and I can’t find my notes for birthdays from the last couple of weeks. So, for all of you that had a birthday since our last game Happy Birthday and sorry that I missed it.
Roger mentioned it but congratulations to Nathan Lefton for getting engaged.
It’s everyone’s favorite time of the year again. That’s right, the Oy Vey 5K will once again happen this fall on November 10. Please mark it down come out and run to support the JCC and all of the sports that happen each year, including softball.
It’s a week late but a fond farewell and good luck to first sister of the league, Brooke Fogel on her new job and life out in Denver.
I love Paul McCartney, I love the Beatles but unless the new opera he wrote has Beatles songs in it, I would rather hear the singer who sang the National Anthem at the Home Run Derby sing. (Sober please next time) His opera is opening in Cincinnati this week.
Speaking of music, today the Kennedy Center Honors announced that they are going to honor the Grateful Dead this fall. I’m going to be curious to see what songs they pick performers to sing. My guess is Ripple, Touch of Grey, Sugar Magnolia and Truckin.
It’s the All-Star Game break in baseball, so for 4 days my blood pressure and David Weil’s has been down. Won’t it be nice if the Reds looked at their team and said F’it we are going all in and went out and got some players and tried to make a run at it. Of course they won’t and I think they should be sellers but it would be nice to dream right? On the flip side, Rece Hinds is hitting homers like he is in our league.
Finally, Roger is continuing to tell me that he is pricing his Brandon Larson Louisville bobble head at the proper price of 20 bucks or more…I can’t remember. For those that don’t remember, Larson was another in a long LONG line of Reds prospects that was going to be the next big thing when, as it turns out, he couldn’t A) hit or B) field at a major league level. But Roger says that people that collect minor league Reds players are hard to find. Which gets me onto my final topic of the day. Instead of the Reds making another Elly or India bobblehead next year, I want there to be a vote on the most random Reds players of the last 20 years series. Let’s go back to the wonderful 2022 62-100 season. Seriously, who wouldn’t want the following bobbleheads:
Max Schrock, Aramis Garcia, Alejo Lopez, Ryan Hendrix, Joel Kuhnel or my man TJ Zeuch who believe it or not actually started 3 games that season.
See ya next week. Let’s hope for no more rain!
Marc