TEAM SCHWARTZ WINS SECOND HALF IN AMAZING FASHION……
In what was one of the wildest and longest games in a long time, TEAM SCHWARTZ showed some
true grit by coming back in the late innings to defeat a pesky TEAM GROH, 12-11…which gave
them the second half title, but it wasn’t easy……
In a game they jumped out in front early, they found themselves in dire straights in the middle
innings and things looking like they were falling apart, only to mount a comeback that tied the game
going into the 7th inning…..
TEAM GROH got the first two runners aboard, but couldn’t produce the go ahead run as a bunt
fielded by HOWARD SCHWARTZ ended with a force out at third base, a grounder to SS MIKE
ROTHSTEIN ended with a force at third base and finally a blooper to RCF was caught by CORY
NORRIS………that set up the winning rally in the bottom of the inning……after a lead-off out by yours
truley, ALLAN LESSURE got his second hit of the game and was replaced by courtesy runner
ROGER ROSENTHAL…..DAVID WERTHEIM singled to put runners on first and second, ZACH
SWADNER then laced a single to load the bases up…….this is when it got interesting…..
Remember a courtesy runner can NOT advance on a passed ball or wild pitch and can NOT tag
up…..up stepped ROTHSTEIN knowing he either needed a clean hit or a grounder somewhere that
could score the winning run……he delivered as he hit a soft liner to LF that dropped in for the game
and second half title winning hit…..
RYAN SMALL had his best game of the season as he played a solid 1B and had three hits including a
home run…..JERRY KIRZNER filled in admirably at 3B for the absent PETE SPOERL…..DAVID
SOLOMON was solid behind the plate and plated the tying run with a sac “pop-up”….NORRIS,
SCHWARTZ, KIRZNER, WERTHEIM and SWADNER were the hitting stars overall…..
The game ball was presented to LESSURE for his effort, but it was once again the whole team
contributing in their own way…..
WERTHEIM is now off to college at that school in Columbus, while SWADNER has night class on
Wednesday nights……
Meanwhile, TEAM BRAFMAN finished the second half with a win over TEAM LEADER and
finished with a 6-2 mark…..same as second half champion TEAM SCHWARTZ, but lost in the head
to head match-up…..
“It was a total team effort as has been the case all season. We hit the ball from all spots in the order
and our defense was to the task once again, ” said captain MARC BRAFMAN after the game…..
On offense, WES WOLF went four for four, GREG HARRIS and DAVID “BP” SNYDER had a
couple of big knocks…..SCOTT WOLF hit a home run and the “meat of the order” of DUFF WOLF,
DAVID “VOTTO” WEIL, DAVE “THE MINISTER OF FUN” COHEN and long time veteran
STEVE “AQUAMAN” EPPSTEIN all had big hits to pad the lead.
“The way EPPY is hitting and pitching this year it’s like he’s found the fountain of youth and I should
know as I’ve been drinking from the same cup” SCOTT WOLF said afterwards…..
While the hitting was impressive, it was the defense that really came to play……PAT “SUNSHINE”
FELDMAN, BRAFMAN, S. WOLF and TYLER WOLF all kept the potent LEADER offense off the
bases……Not to be outdone, COHEN made a nice scoop at first base to help the cause……
“It’s been a pleasure coaching these guys this year. I couldn’t ask for a better group of guys to help me
in my first year of being a captain.” BRAFMAN added afterwards…….
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