The Westfield Leader Newspaper
The Times of Scotch Plains-Fanwood

CYAN YELLOW MAGENTA BLACK

THE WEEK IN SPORTS

MCKENNA CLOBBERS 2 HOME RUNS, GETS 5 RBI

Cellular Signal Plus Staggers Bravo Landscaping, 10-6 By DAVID B. CORBIN

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times

Cellular Signal added the Plus to its name, overcoming a 4-2 deficit, with three runs in the fifth inning and four in the sixth and went on to stagger Bravo Landscaping, 10-6, in the first game of a double header in Scotch Plains Softball League action at Brookside Park in Scotch Plains on June 23. A big plus was Mike McKenna who clobbered two, “no questions about it,” home runs while driving in five runs.

The first homer came when McKenna led off the first with a solo homer over the left field fence. Al Checchio followed with a chopping single to left, then Louis Mele mangled an RBI triple down the right field line to give the Signal men a 20 lead. Bravo center fielder John Mastriani quelled additional scoring with a magnificent sliding catch.

Bravo immediately roared back to grab a 3-2 lead. Marty Bernstein slapped a single to right-center and Jerry Isolda drilled a double to deep center. Matty Hoynowsky followed with a two-run single past short. After an error, Ryan Van Sickle slashed an RBI single to center. The inning ended when McKenna made a great running stab of a line shot off the bat of Raphael Martinez.

Pitching prevailed for the next twoan-one-half innings. During that time only Jason Hoynowsky of Bravo beat out an infield single in the third and Mike Patriarca of Cellular singled in the fourth. Also, in the fourth, shortstop Bernstein of Bravo grabbed a grounder, tagged second for a force out and tossed to first for the double play.

Bravo’s Matty Hoynowsky led off with a looping double to left in the bottom of the fourth. After a fine catch in right field and an infield ground

out, Van Sickle handcuffed the shortstop to bring home Hoynowsky.

Down 4-3, the Cellular Signal men flashed in the fifth to take a 6-4 lead. Gabe Bravo bashed a leadoff single to left and Jairo Henao ricocheted a single off the glove of the second baseman. After a force play at second, McKenna strutted to the plate then launched a three-run homer into the trees in remote center field. Checchio followed with his second single but no further runs crossed the plate.

McKenna added a superb shoelace catch to retire Bravo in the fifth, then the Cellular men multiplied with four runs in the sixth. Although the inning began with a brilliant backhand stab by Bravo third baseman Isolda, the offense took over. Mike Bernardo reached safely on an error, Frank Mastrocola mashed a single to left, then Gabe Bravo dribbled a single to

DOM DEO SCATTERS 5 HITS; DEFENSE PREVAILS

St. Anne Softballers Shut Out Bewildered St. Joseph, 8-0 By DAVID B. CORBIN

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times

Pitcher Dom “The Destroyer” Deo kept all batters off-balance, scattering five hits and exercising a strategic intentional walk, to lead St. Anne to a rare, 8-0, shutout over St. Joseph in St. Bartholomew’s Oldtimers Softball League action at Brookside Park in Scotch Plains on June 24. Both teams combined to turn in no less than 10 brilliant defensive plays.

Swiftness of foot was demonstrated early as Pete DeChristofaro of St. Anne led off the first inning with an infield single. Jerry Reipe received a walk, then Dan Margolis ripped a two-run single to left-center. Steve

Mihanski hobbled a single past short but St. Joseph shortstop Ed Marchelitis snagged a line drive off the bat of Dave Bell to end the scoring.

St. Joseph posed a threat in the bottom of the first. Mark DiFrancisco blooped a two-out single over short then Pete Chemidlin gave the first baseman nervous hands as he tramped on the bag at first as the ball bounced off his glove. A line drive to left was grabbed by DeChristofaro for the third out.

A virtual pitchers’ duel was performed by Deo and St. Joseph pitcher Joe Matuska until the sixth inning. Matuska retired all three St. Anne batters in the second thanks to a splendid running catch by Marchelitis. In the bottom of the

second, Deo yielded a leadoff single to Dave Rothenberg then got the next two batters out. Al Antoine reached base on an error, then Deo strategically intentionally walked dangerous hitter Rich Worth. Deo’s strategy worked as the next batter flied out.

DiFrancesco made a great running catch in center in the third. Later, in the fourth, after Tony Giannaci of St. Anne wiggled a single up-the-middle and Karl Grossmann grounded out, Marchelitis alertly fielded a grounder which deflected off the third baseman’s glove and fired the ball to first for the second out. On the very next play, Marchelitis made a picture-perfect,

MF SCORE 7 IN FIRST; SCHER SMASHES HOMER IN 5TH

Mattress Factorymen Spring Ahead of A. J. Jersey, 11-3 By DAVID B. CORBIN

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times

A determined and unified Mattress Factory surged early with a seven-run first inning and avenged an earlier season loss to slow down A. J. Jersey, 11-3, in Westfield Softball League action at Tamaques Park in Westfield on June 25. Jordan Scher put the topping on the cake by icing a solo home run in the fifth.

Previously, the rugged A. J. Jersey squad defeated the understaffed Factory in a 15-12, home-run slugfest. This time, the Mattress Factory got a full attendance and a solid effort from the entire team.

The Jersey men struck first with a run in the top of the first. Tony Ciullo

singled, advanced to third on John Robinson’s single then scored on Greg Hobson’s sacrifice fly.

Bouncing with energy, the Mattress Factory threw the Jersey men off balance in their half of the inning. Tim Walsh reached safely on an error, rounded second on Tom Perotta’s single then scored when the relay escaped an infielder. Scott Johnson jarred an RBI single to right and Ron Shovlin fooled everyone by bopping a single over third.

Clint Factor added another run with an RBI single to center and Joe Walsh followed with an RBI sacrifice fly to left field. Chris Masterson batted an

RBI single past short and dashed to second on the throw home. Mike DeClerico jumped the score to 7-1 by clocking a two-run double to center.

Brilliant defensive plays prevailed for the next inning an one half. In the second, Leo White of A. J. Jersey looped a single to left-center, but the Factory’s Factor fired White out at first as his turn was too wide. Jersey shortstop Jerry Lipshitz showed his great range in the bottom of the inning by snaring a grounder and whipping the ball to first for the out. In the top of the third, after Tony Cedula chopped a single by third, Factor made a fabulous running stab of a

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FLEISHMAN POUNDS TWO HOMERS, ONE TRIPLE

Fiery Red Thunder Rumbles; Ices C. B. I. Blue Men, 16-15

By DAVID B. CORBIN

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times

Survival seemed to be first and foremost on the players’ minds, but the Red Thunder endured the grueling heat and rumbled past the C. B. I. Blue, 16-15, in Jewish Community Center (JCC) action at Tamaques Park in Westfield on June 27. Thunder man Larry Fleishman clapped loudly with two home runs, a triple and four RBI.

Aside from the intense heat, it was a hitter’s paradise due to the rockhard outfield and the lumpy infield conditions. Balls hit into the outfield would roll on and on and routine grounders in the infield would take shockingly bad hops.

The seasoned C. B. I. men struck swiftly with six runs in the top of the first. Doug Schwartz benignly drew a walk. Glenn Frank stung a single to right-center, then Jason Weisholtz maliciously hammered a three-run homer over the hill in right-center. Jeff Meyerson mashed a single past short, then Jay Lowenthal launched a two-run homer into the adjoining softball field beyond left field. Andy Port and Jerry Kirschenbaum both singled and Alan Haftel looped an RBI single to right.

Ron Abramowitz got the Thunder roaring with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first. Danny Shinderman

scribbled a single over second and Gary Wasserman wiggled an infield single. Fleishman stepped forward, whacked a shot to center which took a huge hop on the concrete-like ground and rolled nearly to infinity, resulting in a three-run homer.

In the second, C. B. I. improved upon its 6-4 lead with three runs. Frank hopped a single past second, Meyerson singled to right but the ball escaped the fielder and both runners

moved to scoring position. Lowenthal lashed a single to right-center and both runners scored when the ball eluded the fielder. Ben Lavoy deflected a single off the pitcher, then Port powdered an RBI single to left.

Warren Cohen stirred the Thunder with a leadoff single to center, Jerry Powers reached base safely on an error and Dan Parisi poked a single to left. Abramowitz grounded out to

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BARRETT AND ALICEA GET 4 HITS, 2 RBI EACH

The Diamond Units Silence Chrone’s Tavern Men, 13-5

By DAVID B. CORBIN

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times

The team now known as the Units took control early and went on to silence Chrone’s Tavern, 13-5, in Mountainside Men’s Softball League action at Echo Brook Field in Mountainside on June 21. Jim Barrett and Wally Alicea led the muting, collecting four hits and two RBI each.

The Chrone’s brigade did muster 14 hits but were unable to bag a big scoring inning. Greg LaPore, Troy Bradley, Ray Hurtt, Pat Cerria, Chris Pipher and Kevin Burns had two hits apiece with Burns adding two RBI.

Barrett started the action for the Units in the first inning with a lead

off single down the third baseline. After tagging and advancing to second on a fly ball, Barrett scored when Jimmy Morrison beat out an infield single and the throw to first sailed out of play. The ‘Doors’ of opportunity remained opened when Justin Everet looped an RBI double to right field. Alicea made the score 3-0 when he ripped an RBI single to left-center.

LaPore led off the bottom of the first by plunking a single over third. Bradley bashed a single to left and Hurtt spanked a single to left, loading the bases. Jeff Kole got Chrone’s on the scoreboard with an RBI sacri

fice fly to left. With two outs and runners on first and second, Pat Brady zinged a shot down the right field line, but a great running snag by Barrett prevented further scoring.

Acting well as one, the Units assembled a five-run inning in the second. Jim Nasto and Brian Costello opened with walks. Barrett drilled an RBI double off the screen in left field. Dan Lamorges lofted an RBI sacrifice fly to left and Chris Brown yanked an RBI single past short. Morrison hooked a single over third, then Alicea slapped an RBI single past short. Chris Monaco drove in the fifth run with a single to center.

Although down, 8-1, and feeling a bit woozy, Chrone’s threatened in the second. Dave Augenstein drew a oneout walk, Burns flew out to center and Cerria dribbled an infield single. Pipher plopped a single over short to load the bases, but a line drive to the left fielder’s glove quieted the threat.

In the third, Costello ricocheted an infield single off the pitcher’s shin. Barrett bopped a single to left, then Lemorges sizzled a grounder off the shortstop’s glove, allowing Costello to score.

Third baseman, Doug Heintz initiated a smooth third-to-first double play to allow Chrone’s to escape the fourth. Chrone’s made the score, 9-1, with a run in the bottom of the inning. After drawing a base-on-balls and moving to second on a ground out, Brady tagged up on a fly ball to center and zoomed to third. Burns brought him home with a single to left.

Back came the Units. Costello

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