The Westfield Leader Newspaper
The Times of Scotch Plains-Fanwood

CYAN YELLOW MAGENTA BLACK

THE WEEK IN SPORTS Check it out on the Web/ site! www. goleader. com Sports Section Pages 1315

GRIZZARD, GIANNACI HR; GROSSMANN GETS 4 RBI

St. Paul Pounds Out 5 in 6th; Burns Dazed St. Blaise, 1110

By DAVID B. CORBIN

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times

What a difference two innings can make! St. Paul scored three runs in the fifth inning and pounded out another five in the sixth to overcome a 73 deficit then held on to burn St.

Blaise, 1110, in St. Bart’s Oldtimers Softball League action at Brookside Park in Scotch Plains on the 31st anniversary of Man’s first walk on the Moon (July 20). St. Paul’s comeback was highlighted by Randy Grizzard and Tony Giannaci hitting backtoback rocket shots in the sixth.

St. Paul totaled 14 hits, 10 in its last two innings, and were led by Floyd Roberts, who went 3for3 and scored two runs. Although the Blaisers had only seven hits, they mixed them well with the 11 walks they received and were led by “Krunching” Karl Grossmann, who drilled two doubles and a single, scored twice and drove in four runs.

The Blaisers were on fire in the top of the first and cooked up a 30 lead. Bob Stratton and Glen Walz both walked, then Grossmann yanked a tworun double down the right field line. Joe Cocuzza followed with an RBI single to left.

The score tightened to 32 in the bottom of the second. Joe Romash reached safely on an error and Paul Naldony singled to center. Giannaci lofted an RBI sacrifice fly to left, allowing Romash to score, but the relay home was dropped by the

PBA “BIG BLUE” SCHMIDT SMASHES GRAND SLAM

Summit Northstars Bombard Berkeley Heights PBA, 2114

By FRED LECOMTE

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times

The Summit Northstars squeezed out an 87 victory over Berkeley Heights PBA in game two of the first round in the Men’s TriTown Slow Pitch Softball League “B” Division Playoffs to even the series on July 18. Then on July 21, the Northstars won the rubber match, 2114, in New Providence.

The Northstars jumped in front, 40, in the top of the first. Two runs trotted in on bases loaded walks, then an RBI single by Tom Philips and an RBI sacrifice by Paul Sachs followed. But Berkeley Heights added two as John DiPasquale opened

up the bottom of the inning delivering a blistering shot deep to left for a triple. Mike Delia followed with an RBI single to center and Gary Del Duca ripped an RBI double.

The PBA scoring machine erupted with nine runs in the second to take a commanding, 114, lead. Bob Deitch and Mike Nelson each singled leaving it up to Mike Mathis who ripped the ball deep to center for an RBI. With bases loaded, DiPasquale’s hot bat scored two RBI. Mike Delia and Brad Countryman joined with RBI singles to make it 74. Then Ernie Schmidt stepped to the plate with bases loaded and hammered a viscous shot deep into the woods for

a grand slam. Unfortunately for the Blues, ace pitcher Dave Bogert was out of the lineup after suffering a broken arm in game two and the Northstars took full advantage, battling back with a vengeance. In the third, the Northstars scored on a sacrifice fly by Tom Phillips and added two more RBI on a single by brother Jim Phillips, narrowing the score to 117. Then in the fourth, the Northstars closed to within 119 on a sacrifice fly by Frank Veite and an RBI single by Rick Frank.

By the top of the fifth, the Northstars scored five runs to take a 1411 lead. Paul Sachs’ RBI single

ROWBOTHAM RAPS SOLO HOMER

St. Bart’s Angels Take Saints in AllStar Game

By DAVID B. CORBIN

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times

It’s the way it should be! The St. Bart’s Oldtimers Softball League AllStar game was a thriller right down to the final out. The Angels Division came from behind, took over the lead, then held on to edge the Saints Division, 1514, at Brookside Park in Scotch Plains on July 23.

St. James “Gang” hitman Don Rowbotham rapped a solo home run which excited a fourrun sixth inning to give the Angels their first lead of the game. But it was St. Louis posse members Gerry Spitzer – four RBI –

and Norm Hansen – three RBI – who really tumbled the Saints. Meanwhile, Saints Dan Perrine and Dave Rothenberg – St. Jude – Lee DiDonato and Pat Nigro – St. Patrick – and Jeff Friedlander – St. Anne – also exercised plenty of offensive muscle.

Defensive magic was demonstrated by Angel Brian Williams – St. Michael –, who performed an incredible diving and rolling grab of a grounder and followed it up with a brilliant backhanded toss to record a force play. Also teammate Tony

ZIPLER ZAPS WINNING RBI, PANCOAST RAPS 3RUN HR

Russell Robs Marian in 7th; Score Three Runs, Win, 87

By DAVID B. CORBIN

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times

Ouch! That stung! Kevin Zipler zapped a tworun single in the bottom of the seventh to give Russell Road/ Sun Tavern an 87, kneequivering victory over Marian Avenue in Fanwood Old Men’s Association action at La Grande Park in Fanwood on July 18. Additionally, the win gave the “Road” gang possession of first place.

Along with Zipler, Jordan Scher and pitcher Tom Culinane each contributed two hits to Russell’s 12hit attack. Also, Tim Walsh added a tworun single. Marian made good use of its six hits, one which included a threerun home run from slugger Gary Pancoast. But it was Bill Swisher and Dan Kennedy who led Marian with two hits each.

Culinane had great control and superb fielding support in five of the seven innings he pitched, but he had a shaky start, yielding four runs in the top of the first. Bill Swisher and Jack Sullivan both received free passes and Kennedy jerked an RBI single to right. Pancoast pranced to the plate and pounded his threerun shot over the left field fence.

Marian pitcher Bob Swisher was effective in the first two innings, keeping the “Road” gang offbalance, and allowed only a walk to Mike Bernardo in the first. Culinane also followed suit, blanking Marian in the second and third innings but received fine fielding assistance from second baseman Bernardo, who made a quickthinking grab of a deflection in the second, and from center fielder Dave Buchwald, who made a majorleague galloping snag in the third.

The Russell Road “thunder sticks” came to life in the third with an electrifying four runs. Pat Brady hacked a lowvoltage single over second. Then, with two outs,

Culinane jolted an RBI single to center and Zipler zinged a single to left. Bernardo bolted an RBI single to center, then Tim Walsh whacked a jittering tworun single past third.

Marian quickly changed the temporary, 44, tie with three runs in the fourth. A little shaky again, Culinane allowed a dribbling infield single to Kennedy. Pancoast reached base safely on a throwing

error and Steve Walsh slashed an RBI single to right, but a bad throw to first allowed a second run to score. Bill Swisher then slapped an RBI single to center.

The “Road” men responded with one in the bottom of the inning when Clint Factor tripled and scored on Scher’s single to left. But, Marian would not score in the fifth or sixth as

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catcher and Naldony barreled home. Consecutive walks to Grossmann, Cocuzza and Steve Pietrucka got St. Blaise on the right foot in the third. Charlie Laskowski laced a tworun single over short and Steve Polak poked an RBI single to center, upping the score to 62.

Roberts singled, Tom Engelman doubled and Romash bopped an RBI sacrifice fly to left to give St. Paul a run in the fourth. But, St. Blaise pushed the lead to 73 in the fifth when Walz, who walked, whizzed to third on Grossmann’s double and scored on Cocuzza’s infield single. Further runs were prevented when St. Paul right fielder Bill Zechman made a stellar running snag.

The tide changed in the bottom of the inning. Giannaci and Bob Veeck both singled and Zechman zipped an RBI single down the right field line. After Bruce Logan lashed a single to left, Tom Ulichny sliced a tworun single to right, narrowing the score to 76.

St. Blaise appeared offensively burned out in the sixth, but the Blaisers must have been seething when St. Paul shelled them with five runs to take an 117 lead. Paul

LEHMAN GETS 5 RBI, KOPACZ 3; HARRELL HOMERS

Comcast Cablemen Crumble Marion Jacobson Men, 134

By DAVID B. CORBIN

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times

Comcast Cablevision kept in the hunt for the top spot of the Union County Senior 50+ Softball League with a 134 crushing of Marion Jacobson Roofing at Memorial Field in Westfield on July 17. Pitcher Dom Deo kept the Roofers offbalance with a splendid mix of pitches and Charlie Lehman lashed a threerun triple, an RBI single and an RBI sacrifice fly to lead the 22 hit Comcast bombardment.

Although Marion Jacobson amassed 15 hits, Deo’s craftiness

spread them out to yield a minimum of damage. Additionally, Deo was supported by a solid infield of Norm Stumpf at third, Pat Serullo at short, Fred DiMartino at second and Art Kopacz at first, who gobbled up nearly every grounder which bounced their way.

In addition to Lehman’s proficiency with the “metal stick,” Kopacz damaged the Roofers with two singles and three RBI. Matt Spanier, DiMartino and Deo contributed three hits apiece. The Roofers got power

from Chuck Harrell, who hammered a tworun homer, and three singles from Larry Chisler.

Truly a pleasure to observe was the outstanding play of Marion Jacobson, left fielder Bill Granata and center fielder Johnny Wacter, who each made several running and leaping snags.

Comcast broadcast loudly in the top of the first with a fiverun bellow. Serullo walked, DiMartino singled to left and Bill Reichle walked, loading the bases. Spanier’s grounder to short was overthrown and Serullo scored. Lehman followed with a threerun triple to deep left and Kopacz dribbled an RBI infield single.

Granata led off with an infield single for Marion in the bottom of the first. Wacter singled and Chisler made the score 51 with a lined RBI single past third. But Comcast got the run back in the second when Deo singled and scored off DiMartino’s triple to right. During that inning, Granata and Wacter both made brilliant catches and second baseman Gene Waltz made an onthemoney relay to nail DiMartino, who attempted to stretch his triple to a home run.

The Cablemen zoomed to a 91 lead in the third. Reichle and Spanier both singled, Lehman lofted his RBI sacrifice fly to right and Steve Mihansky singled to center. Stumpf and Steve Ferro respectively followed with RBI singles to center.

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VINCE FIORINO AND MIKE YEE HAMMER HOMERS

Roselle Park Grabs, 98, Win Over Westfield Blue in 7th By STEVEN KRAKAUER

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times

The John Fiorino Memorial Baseball Tournament kicked off at Gumbert Field in Westfield on July 22 with 12 teams, including teams from Glen Ridge to New Providence, making the trip. Westfield had two teams in the games, the Blue and the White.

The Fiorino Tournament is a Little League commemoration to John Fiorino; a Westfield firefighter who lost his life tragically in 1998. His son, Vince Fiorino has been quite active in little league and has competed in the games every year. This year he was on the Westfield Blue team which dropped a firstround, 98, heartbreaker to Roselle Park.

Andrew Lent took to the mound for the Blue and retired the first three Park batters in the top of the first. Then the Blue’s offense responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning. As cheers of “hit one for mom” arose from the crowd, Fiorino strutted to the plate and clobbered a 200plus foot, tworun homer over the fence.

Roselle Park growled back and took a 32 lead in the second when slugger Pete Dercole launched a threerun home run. But, the “Blue”

were unfazed as they equaled Park’s three runs with three runs of their own. Mike Yee started the inning by hammering the first pitch off Park’s pitcher Kevin McLaughlin for a solo home run. At the end of the inning, Chris Patterson drilled a textbook tworun double.

The third and fourth innings were scoreless for both teams, with their respective pitchers completely in control. McLaughlin and Lent each struck out two batters in those innings, before each being replaced in the fifth.

Roselle Park saw Eric Williams

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David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader and The Times AFTER THE FACE DIVE… Jordan Scher of Russell Road begins to get to his feet after facediving into second for a double. Marian’s John Swisher holds the ball in his glove.

Steven Krakauer for The Westfield Leader and The Times NOT BITING AT THE LOW PITCH… Westfield Blue’s Eric Williams does not bite at the low pitch that catcher Ken Marciano grabs in a game against Roselle Park during the Fiorino Tournament held at Gumbert Field in Westfield.

David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader and The Times LANDING SAFELY ON SECOND BASE… Comcast’s Dom Deo stomps safely on second base in the game against Marion Jacobson Roofing.

David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader and The Times HIGH FLY TO LEFT FIELD… St. Paul’s Joe Shea lofts a high fly to left field in the first inning against St. Blaise.

David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader and The Times ROWBOTHAM SLAMMING A SOLO HOME RUN… Don Rowbotham, playing for the Angels Division, has catcher Nick Barattucci and umpire Paul Morello gazing in awe as he slams a solo home run to faraway right field in the St. Bart’s AllStar Game.

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