IT’s come to my attention that the Tri State area is going through a prolonged drought. Could have fooled all of us as we went what 3 weeks without playing due to weather and “field conditions,” but that hasn’t been a problem the last few weeks and it wasn’t last night on a hot and dusty night on the fields.
On field one we had Team Rick T vs. Team Griff H
Roger for the winners:
TEAM HARRIS 16
TEAM TENENHOLTZ 13
In what could have been one of the more exciting games in recent JCC softball history, TEAM HARRIS defeated TEAM TENENHOLTZ, 16-13, in a game that wasn’t decided until the last inning.
After TEAM HARRIS jumped out to an early lead, TEAM TENENHOLTZ came back to take the lead, only to see the victors score late and often and hold on to the victory to advance to the Tournament Finals next week vs TEAM FOGEL…..
“That was one heck of a game and it was too bad one team had to lose, but we stayed with it and came out with the win. I’ve played a lot of softball games in my day, but this has to be one of the more exciting ones,” captain GRIFF HARRIS said amid the wild celebration after the game.
With TEAM TENENHOLTZ trying to make a comeback in the bottom of the seventh inning, ROGER ROSENTHAL made maybe the play of the year with a backhanded catch on a line drive up the middle to end the game.
“I wouldn’t believe it if I didn’t see it,” veteran DAVID WEIL said while watching the game after his game had already ended. “Actually I didn’t see it. It was too dark.”
A wild celebration ensued as TEAM HARRIS was celebrating like there was NO tomorrow.
“I’m glad I came thru for the team when we needed it the most. I haven’t had a good year and really was glad to help the team out,” ROSENTHAL told ESPNU afterwards. “My hitting has really stunk this season and I try to do my job at 2B the best I can, and this makes it all worth it.”
STU WEINSTEIN once again pitched a nice game and won his third straight……..”I just let my defense do their thing and they did,” he said afterwards.
The offense was aplenty….stats courtesy of GRIFF HARRIS…..how accurate, who knows?
RYAN MARCUS…………on base five times…..three runs scored
PATRICK FELDMAN…..on base four times….three runs scored
GRIFF HARRIS………….three hits….three runs scored…..five rbis
JZ ZEIDENSTEIN………two runs scored
DAN BERNSTEIN………two hits and a sac fly
RYAN BAUM……………..three hits…..one homerun (inside the park)….he doesn’t have the power to hit it over the fence…..
DEE HARRIS……………..two hits
STU WEINSTEIN………..two hits…..two runs scored
ROGER ROSENTHAL….NO DP’S……
Here’s hoping EVAN WEISSER is ok after he had to leave the game due to the heat…..he seemed fine as he was back on the bench after leaving the game……
TIDBITS……pretty simple this week……
*SPECIAL THANKS go out to STEVE EPPSTEIN for his hospitality all season in treating players and there families to chicken wings……he loves those wings!
And on field 2 it was Team Jeremy vs. Team Morris (Brafman)
Team Fogel ended the run of Team Buttermaker last night in a hard fought 19-13 back and forth game. Team Brafman as has been their custom over the last couple of games got on the board first with 4 runs in the first including Harry’s 4 or 5th homer in the last couple of games. Team Fogel got right back in it with 3 of their own in the first with the top of their order of Buckley, Pete “The Straw that Stirs the Drink” Soltesz and Matt “the Bobcat” Brodof leading the charge. In the top of the 2nd Team Brafman got a couple of runs back on a single by Eric Zeid, a great bunt by Eppy and a sac fly by Capt Brafman.
Fogel once again came back to make it close with key hits from both Jeremy and Sparky Fogel. A big hit was after being taunted by Capt. Brafman that he didn’t have opposite field power, Soltesz crushed one to the RF fence. Not to be outdone Matt Brodof hit a two run homer over the fence for Team Fogel to keep it close. After yet another homer by Meisner for Team Brafman (this one more of a JCC version), Team Brafman led 13-9 going into the bottom of the 6th. Unfortunately for Team Brafman, Team Fogel was up for the task and then some. Sam Klinkowitz (who saved Team Fogel with a couple of great plays at second) led off with a single followed by Shorty Adams with a hard single as well. Then the top of the order came up and everyone got a hit. The big blow of the game and the inning was a bases clearing triple by Jamey Kurtzer to put Fogel up 6.
A 1-2-3 top of the 7th clinched it for Fogel who ended up winning 19-13. “We fought hard all game,” Brafman said. “I give those guys a big hand for hitting it where we couldn’t get it and playing great defense all game. We tried to shift, pitch around guys, change our lineup around and they overcame all of it. I wish them luck vs. Team Harris.”
So our finals are set for next Wednesday. It will be Team Harris vs. Team Fogel for the post season championship. The game starts at 5:35, so plan accordingly.
League Notes:
A tip of the cap to Jerry “Doc” Kirzner who is retiring this year. Jerry’s first year in the league was the summer of 1963. To put that into context, President Kennedy was still alive, Pete Rose was a rookie 2nd basemen for the Reds and the Bengals were still 5 years away from being born. Jerry has been the commissioner of the league he still helps put the schedule together each year. He is also one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet. Jerry, congrats on your LONG career with JCC softball. Don’t be a stranger next year. We’ll (I’ll) miss playing with you.
The ASG is coming up on Sunday morning Sept. 29 with first pitch being at 9:30. It’s a fun morning to see the best our league has to offer. Come on out if you’d like.
Evan Gildenblatt had a birthday this week. Happy birthday, Evan.
The Oy Vey 5K is coming up. Please register: Oy Vey 5K – Mayerson JCC
Next year will be 30!!! years since the Reds last won a playoff series. I don’t see that streak ending anytime soon.
One more week to go. Hope to see everyone out next week for the finals.
Marc