Monticello men’s softball

Diamond daydreams or nightmares

By ZAC BRIGHT

MONTICELLO, NY — For ABC Title, the defending champions of the Monticello Men’s Softball league, dreams of continuing their undefeated 11-0 season nearly turned into a nightmare. In the top of the seventh inning, after ABC Title’s lead had been cut down to a mere five runs, ABC third-basemen Bob Yakin belted a three-run inside-the-park homerun, silencing the hopes for comeback of the rallying Ma & Pa squad in a Men’s Modified Pitch softball regular season match-up on July 13 at Somerville Field in Monticello.

Yakin’s well-timed knock could not have come at a better moment for the defending champions as their once comfortable 11-2 lead had faded into the night, along with the sun. Ma & Pa (9-4) provided a four-run, one-out eruption closing the gap to five with clutch hits by catcher Josh Card and first basemen Vinny Radesca.

Not to be undone, ABC struck back in the top of the seventh with four runs of their own. Due to Ma and Pa’s sloppy play early on, ABC proved to have more than enough run support to hold off the underdog’s resurgence, taking the game going away 15-7 to remain unbeaten.

“I’m pretty happy with what I got,” said ABC’s Coach Mike Greco of his team. “I have a lot of young guys who are enjoying playing ball which is the most important reason we’re out here.”

With a double elimination format scheduled for postseason play, Ma & Pa skipper Vinny Radesca is not troubled by the loss to ABC and is looking ahead to future match-ups. “We’re going be tough to beat,” said Radesca. “When it comes time to play playoffs, we’re going to suck it up and play hard. But most of all we’re having fun, which is the most important thing.”

It seems that this theme of having fun no matter what the outcome is a recurring one. Men’s Modified Pitch softball was established purely for recreation and enjoyment purposes. When one takes that first step onto the smooth infield dirt or emerald outfield grass, all cares in the world should disappear. Years from now, no one will remember whose seeing-eye base hit narrowly escaped the shortstop’s outstretched glove to score the game-winning run or whose “Buckner-esque” error in the championship game led the team down the road to defeat.

For that brief hour and a half each night, the players encircle the diamond and immediately retreat to an earlier time, a happier time, when life seemed just a little easier and there was always tomorrow to worry about the future. This setting allows them an important interruption from the trials of everyday life.

And when one sees their smiles glow from under the brims of their caps, one gets a glimpse of what it’s like to live a dream.