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KARL GROSSMAN CRUSHES 2 HRS, AMASSES 8 RBI
UC National Bank Shuts Down Comcast Cablevision, 23-21
CULINANE SCORES 3; BUCHWALD, WALSH HOMER
Russell Road Roars Engine; Runs Down Hunter, 9-6
By DAVID B. CORBIN
Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times
Union Center National Bank (UCNB) gathered its resources, raking in a windfall 11 runs in the fifth inning, and shut down the powerful Comcast Cablevision team, 23-21, in Union County Senior 50+ Softball League action at Memorial Field in Westfield on July 27. Karl Grossman had an amazing evening for UCNB as he crushed two home runs, cracked a single, drilled a double, drove in eight runs and drew an intentional walk.
UCNB let Comcast know early that a battle was in the making. Alan Cohn led off with a double to left for UCNB and Grossman followed with an RBI double to right. Bob Renaud ripped an RBI single up-the-middle, Pat Catino crashed an RBI triple to deep left field, then Jerry Arkus hacked an RBI single to right-center to give UCNB a 4-0 lead in the first inning.
Comcast emitted a one-run burst in the bottom of the inning. Ron Virgilio stepped to the plate and launched a solo home run toward the tennis courts. Chuck Lehman and Ron Torsiello added singles before
the third out was registered. Charlie Biondi and Alan Schlachman began the second inning for UCNB with singles, but shortstop Dom Deo of Comcast initiated a clean third-to-second double play. With Cohn on first, Grossman singled to right, then John O’Rourke bounced an RBI single to left, making the score, 5-1.
Comcast Cablevision turned on loudly and clearly with seven runs in the bottom of the second. Matt Spanier, Tony Yarussi and Chuck Ramsthaller all singled to load the bases. Deo hit into a force play, then Mel Coren and Jim Airey both had RBI singles. Bob Canales, Carlo Melia and Frank D’Amato all drew RBI walks, then Virgilio whacked a two-run single to left to put Comcast in the lead.
UCNB was stunned and fell victim to another double play in the third as Comcast returned to the plate to inflict more damage. Fred D’Martino and Spanier both singled. D’Martino scored on a misplay by the center fielder, then Norm Stumpf slapped an RBI single to up Comcast’s lead to 10-5.
To avoid a collapse, UCNB rallied for four runs in the fourth. Lenny Zimkus singled, then was forced out at second. Charlie Biondi skid the ball off the glove of the third baseman and Cohn loaded the bases with a walk. The left-handed Grossman positioned himself in the batter’s box, then battered a grand-slam homer into Scotch Plains.
Comcast was shaken and fuzzy but quickly regained its vision to score six runs in the bottom of the fourth. Ramsthaler and Deo both singled,
By DAVID B. CORBIN
Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times
Russell Road geared up for the playoffs by bringing in its big guns and defeated Hunter Avenue, 9-6, in Fanwood Old Men’s Softball Association action at La Grande Park in Fanwood on July 31. Dave Buchwald made a clear opening statement by crushing a home run in the first, Tom Culinane uttered loudly by scoring three runs and Joe Walsh made the final statement by jolting a thunderous home run in the sixth inning.
Culinane, the Russell Road pitcher, retired the first three Hunter batters in the first inning. With one out in the bottom of the first, Hunter became the prey when Culinane drew a walk and Buchwald blasted his tworun homer to deep center field to give the Road men a 2-0 lead.
Due to their very nature, the Hunters turned the tables and forced Russell Road to run for cover in the second. Kyle Bilcher drew a walk and Phil Wein hit a check-swing double down the third baseline. Corey May drove Bilcher home with a sacrifice fly to left and Frank Marcazza drilled an RBI double to center, to tie the score.
Hunter pitcher Paul Ewing allowed only a walk to Kurt Staeudle and a single to Matt Espenshade in the
bottom of the second, then Hunter gained the upper hand with a run in the top of the third. Frank Cuccaro crashed a triple into the dirt in deep center field and Kevin Grimmer bashed an RBI single to right.
The four-time defending league champion Road men evened the score in the bottom of the third. Culinane and Buchwald opened with walks. With one out, Lou Danielle walked to
load the bases, then Joe Walsh sacrificed Culinane home.
Dave Roth polished the Hunters’ scopes in the top of the fourth and hammered a solo home run which rolled onto the road beyond the right field fence. Two batters later, Wein zeroed in and nailed a solo home run to deep center. May reached base on an error, then Marcazza squiggled
PARADISE HITS HEAVENLY TWO-RUN HOMER
Chaos Sweeps A. J. Jersey; Advances to WMSL Finals
By DAVID B. CORBIN
Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times
Chaos reigned supreme and defeated A. J. Jersey, 9-5, to sweep its semifinal series in the Westfield Men’s Softball League, 3-0, at Tamaques Park in Westfield on July 29. Mike Paradise blasted a heavenly two-run homer in the fifth inning which plunged the Jerseymen into a
chaotic purgatory. Tension was extremely high since there was a heated controversy in game two about the legality of an A. J. Jersey pitcher’s style. After a member of the opposing team brought it to his attention in the first inning, the umpire removed the pitcher from the game. A. J. Jersey protested the decision and eventually lost, 4-3.
John Robinson looped a two-out double to left in the top of the first, Chaos pitcher Dave Kervick got the next A. J. Jersey batter to pop up to third. After the first two Chaos batters walked in the bottom of the inning, Jersey pitcher Ed Nugent retired the next three batters.
The next three A. J. Jersey batters failed to reach base and Chaos returned to the plate in the bottom of the second. Bill Harcourt drew a leadoff walk, Ron Greenberg followed with a walk and Scott Rossi popped out to the pitcher. Jim McKeon punched an RBI single to right field and Bob Hassan walked to load the bases. When Kervick flied out to center, Greenberg got caught in a rundown between third and home and was tagged out by the catcher for the third out.
A. J. Jersey posed somewhat of a threat in the third. With Jerry Lipshitz on first, Nugent plunked the ball to very shallow right which forced Lipshitz to stay near first to avoid a
possible double play. The right fielder picked up the ball and threw it to second to get the force play. Paul Meade whizzed a two-out single over second to put a runner in scoring position; however, Billy Beehner blazed a liner right at the shortstop, who caught it for the third out.
Chaos added another run in the third to take a 2-0 lead. Chuck Harcourt singled but was thrown out when Al Rabinowitz grounded in a force play. Matt Costello singled to center to move Rabinowitz to third, then Rabinowitz scored on Steve Kamins’ sacrifice fly.
The Jerseymen got onto the scoreboard with a run in the fourth. Greg Hobson lashed a leadoff single to right, John Kolas blooped a single over short and Leo White whacked a single to right to drive home Hobson.
Chaos broke the game wide open with six runs in the fifth. Kervick knocked a single to center, Chuck Harcourt walked and Rabinowitz loaded the bases with a single to right. Costello ripped a single to left to bring home Kervick, but when the ball was mishandled by the outfielder, Harcourt and Rabinowitz raced home to score. When Kamins reached first on an error, Costello scored, then Paradise stepped up to the plate an launched his two-run homer into the Garden of Eden in faraway left field.
JACKSON JACKS HR IN CRITICAL THIRD INNING
Poplar Place Pounces Upon Shady Lane in Crucial Game
By DAVID B. CORBIN
Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times
Three teams were in the hunt for the final playoff berth in the Fanwood Old Men’s Softball Association and Poplar Place moved a giant step closer to claiming it, by eliminating Shady Lane, 10-5, at La Grande Park in Fanwood on July 28. Shady Lane’s impending demise was evident when Rick Jackson blasted a devastating solo home run in the third inning.
Mike Kelly singled to begin the first inning, but Shady Lane pitcher Al Betau prevented him from scor
ing. Shady Lane, however, scored a run in its half of the inning. Ralph Vasserberg and Al Betau each drew walks and Hal Breuninger banged an RBI single to left.
Defensive doubt entered the minds of Shady Lane in the second inning. Dave Comer reached first safely on a throwing error, Carlos Vasquez followed with a single to left, then Bill Newell loaded the bases when he bounced a ball which was mishandled by the shortstop. Kyle Jones put Poplar ahead, 2-1, when he jerked a tworun single to right.
Shady got a single from Matt Betau in the second but suffered with no runs. Vasquez, the Poplar catcher, threw out the speedy Betau as he attempted to steal second.
Jackson opened the crucial third inning with his “McGwire-like” homer into the playground beyond the remote center field screen. Doom was in the air. John DeNoia ripped a single to left, Steve Skaar slashed a single to third and Steve Newell drew a walk. Matt Smoot smacked a two-run single to right and Comer put Poplar ahead, 6-1, with a sacrifice fly to left.
Phil Manno hopped a single to right for Shady in the bottom of the third. Then, Poplar catcher Vasquez performed an incredible, diving, fully-outstretched catch of a 10-foot foul pop-up off the bat of John Cholankuril. Vasserberg yanked a single down the left field line and Al Betau banged an RBI single to left. Breuninger walked and Ron Greco belted a single to left to score Vasserberg. As Betau rounded third and sped toward home, he was tagged out by pitcher Bill Newell who received the relay.
The evening definitely belonged to Vasquez, as he was just as brilliant offensively as he was defensively. Vasquez sizzled a single to center to start the fourth. Bill Newell looped a single to right and Jones walked. Kelly hit a sacrifice fly to center and Vasquez flew home for the score to put Poplar in the lead, 7-3.
Shady Lane stumbled in its half of
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MURANO, MATUSKA, HOELZEL SPARK THE GETAWAY
St. James Gang Escapes in 7th; Defeats St. Thomas Posse, 9-6
By DAVID B. CORBIN
Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times
The legend of the St. James “Gang” has intensified when the “Posse” from St. Thomas had them corralled in the early innings but watched helplessly as the “Gang” scored a four run breakout in the top of the seventh then held off the “Posse” to win 9-6 at Brookside Park in Scotch Plains on July 30. Bandits Steve Murano, Joe Matuska and “Gang” leader Jim Hoelzel engineered the successful breakout.
The St. James “Gang” attempted to plunder unchecked in the top of the first. Pete DeChristofaro led off with a single to left and Hoelzel banged another single to left. Dan Perrine brought DeChristofaro home with a sacrifice fly, then Hoelzel scored when Murano reached base safely on an error. The “Posse’s” defense assembled and got the next two batters out to prevent any further damage.
Down 2-0, the St. Thomas “Posse” went on the attack and scored three runs in the bottom of the first. Jerry Baker bashed a single to left and Lee DiDonato wired a single down the left field line. Dave Hagan yanked a single to right as Baker and DiDonato sped around third and scored. Hagan darted to third on the throw to home, then Tony Blasi blasted a single to left to make the score 3-2. Later, Stan Lesniewski wobbled a single past short but no further runs were scored in the inning.
In the second, the St. James “Gang” returned fire and tied the score. Tom Maher hopped a single to right, Bob Pielhau looped a single to left, then Matuska mangled an RBI single to center.
The St. Thomas “Posse” captured the higher ground with three more runs in the bottom of the inning and had the “Gang” hemmed in. Fred Schwager slapped a single to center, Frank Pepe peppered a single by second and Baker loaded the bases with a walk. DiDonato grounded into a force play at home, then Terry Gallagher whammed a single to left
to score Pepe. After the relay was mishandled at third, both Baker and DiDonato scored to put the “Posse” in control, 6-3.
Perrine and Lou Balestriere singled in the third but the St. James “Gang” was unable to weaken the “Posse’s” advantage, so the “Gang” dug in and took a defensive posture. Tom Litterio singled in the bottom of the inning but St. Thomas failed to score.
Al Antoine singled in the fourth for St. James, Baker singled and DiDonato doubled for St. Thomas; however, neither team could gain an
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ALL CORBIN TEAM ALL CORBIN TEAM ALL CORBIN TEAM ALL CORBIN TEAM ALL CORBIN TEAM In the August 27 issue, there will be a special “All Corbin Softball Team”. The selections will be based on interesting photos only and are dedicated to all the men who participated in softball this season!
David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader and The Times
BLASTING A SINGLE TO LEFT…Hal Breuninger of Shady Lane blasts a single to left field in the first inning against Poplar Place at La Grande Park in Fanwood on July 28. See additional picture on page 15.
David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader and The Times
TROTTING INTO THIRD…Birthday boy Dom Deo of Comcast trots into third as UCNB third baseman Pat Catino observes the action. UCNB defeated Comcast, 23-21, in a slugfest at Memorial Field in Westfield on July 27.
David B. Corbin for The Leader and The Times
BALL ONE…John O’Rourke of UCNB takes a ball one count before chopping a single to left in the second inning.
David B. Corbin for The Leader and The Times
HARD CONTACT…Jerry Lipshitz of A. J. Jersey nails a sizzler to short in the third inning.
David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader and The Times
PRELUDE TO A WALK…Kyle Bilcher of Hunter Avenue whacks a foul ball in the second inning against Russell Road at La Grande Park in Fanwood on July 31. Bilcher drew a walk, then ran home to score.
David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader and The Times
SINGLE DOWN THE THIRD BASELINE…Lee DiDonato of St. Thomas drills a single down the third baseline against the St. James “Gang” at Brookside Park in Scotch Plains on July 30. The James Gang eluded the “Posse”, 9-6.
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