The tournament opened with a shocker Wednesday morning as a large hotdog-loving crowd watched last-place Triple Play knock off first-place 3½ Happy Barbers, 24-20, in eight innings. Trailing early, the playboys took a 20-14 lead into the bottom of the seventh. Capping a clipper comeback, Gregg “Triple G” Hartman’s clutch two-out single tied it at 20. In the eighth, Triple Play scored four, and then iced the Barbers for the win. Playboy Wayne Weinrich (6 RBIs) had two gargantuan homers, while Rick Hoen (4-for-4) and Nick Longo (3-for-4, 5 RBIs) also starred. For the Barbers, Benny “The Brute” Hayes was 5-for-5 with three bombs, and the profound Audy Amos went 4-for-5 with a dinger. Another jaw-dropping upset followed as Two Girls Pizzeria knocked off the No. 2 seed Health Insurance Solutions, 13-10. Frankie Trusiano (3-for-3) and Vince Robinett (HR) led the pepperoni hit parade. After icing his massive arms, Billy “Biceps” Seavecki, along with his insurer teammates, crushed several pitches to the warning track in a valiant last-inning comeback attempt. Still, they were no match for the golden gloves and blazing speed of the 2GP defense.
The Barbers then rebounded with style, eliminating HIS, 19-14. The Clippers totaled 30 hits, with every batter getting at least two. Tom Trecker, Tony Gennaro and Amos homered. Round-trippers for HIS came from Seavecki (2), Steve Calton (2), Randy Drenning and Steve Wentz. On Friday, Two Girls stunned the fans with yet another story-book finish. Down by one, with a runner on second and two outs in the bottom of the final inning, Timmy “Lightning Legs” Saylor launched a rocket to the fence for an inside-the-park walk-off homer, punching the pizza boy’s ticket to the championship series with an 11-10 victory. Immediately after the jubilant shouts of “Hero!”, fundraiser initiative talks were heard regarding the erection of a life-size bronze statue of Saylor near the ballpark entrance to commemorate the historic feat. Robinett and Mike “Hawkeye” Hale (3-for-3) belted magnificent homers as well. Big bats for the three-baggers were Longo (3-for-3), Mick Iannachino (3-for-3), Weinrich (HR), and Tommy “The Adorable” McKeon (HR). Next, the Barbers, a self-described “dream team," proved they were just that by dismantling Triple Play, 13-0, and then trimming the upstart pizza-slingers in the first championship bout, 22-17. The finale was a thriller that came down to the final stress-filled out, with the Barbers shaving Two Girls, 24-22. The Barbers’ ripped hit after hit, including multiple home runs and perfect plate days by Hartman, Hayes, Trecker, Amos, Gennaro, Mike Djureen and Dave Feagan. Big pizza sticks in the championship games were contributed by Trusiano (HR), Saylor (5-for-7), Hale (2HR), Robinett (2HR), Mike Hulse (3-for-4), Doug Arenson (4-for-4), Dan Coleman (5-for-7, double), and Greg Schoenberg (3-for-3, 5BB).
CHUCK CATINO LEAGUE
The Scott Chancellor Realty Executives team dominated the Catino League throughout the season and was a perfect 3-0 in the tournament. Chancellor scored a run-rule win over Insurance Center of Green Valley in Wednesday’s opener, 15-1, aided by flawless defense and Mike Gempel’s best pitching performance of the season. Jerry Miller had two clutch singles and made the defensive play of the game with a shoestring catch of a sinking line drive. Paul Hill and Don Newman each had a pair of singles and a double. Steve English tripled and collected three RBIs. In game two, Longhorn Grill & Saloon prevailed in the bottom of the seventh over Jeff LeFave/Edward Jones Investors, with Bill Kuhn smashing a dramatic bases-loaded hit for the 18-16 win. Jane Soukup drove in a timely run and David Lee homered. For LeFave, Dennis Newitt hit a two-run bomb. Next, LeFave eliminated the insurers, 16-15. IC had the winning runs on base in the bottom of the seventh, but LeFave pitcher Rich Malinowski coaxed a groundout to end the game.
In Friday’s action, Chancellor walloped Longhorn, 15-3. Paul Hill led off the scoring for Chancellor with an inside-the-park home run. Owen Decker and Jim Doran each doubled and tripled, while Don Newman and Gary Peelman collected two doubles apiece. Steve English added a double, a homer and five RBIs. Longhorn then eliminated LeFave, 13-6. LeFave bats were as cold as the air temperature until Dave Thompson and Jerry Watkins clubbed RBI doubles, followed by key singles from Dave Erickson and DeAnn Feagan. Longhorn’s defense stepped up, assisted by key hits from Mike and Jane Soukup. In the title game, Chancellor captured the crown against Longhorn, 17-9, completing their perfect tourney run. After five innings, Longhorn showed resilience with a five-run outburst to narrow the lead, but Chancellor immediately answered with a matching five of their own. In the top of the seventh, Mike Gempel promptly struck out the side to secure the win for Chancellor, backed by clutch hitting from Gary Peelman, Owen Decker and Steve English (2HR, 4 RBI).
BAJA Senior Softball is played MWF from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM at the Chuck Catino Softball Complex in Canoa Preserve Park, Green Valley. For more information about this sports, social and charity club, go to bajasportingclub.org.
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