Monticello Men’s Softball

Payback time

Lewis Auto Parts’ win over ABC offers a whiff of revenge for last year’s playoff defeat

By RICHARD A. ROSS

MONTICELLO, NY — Ask any Lewis Auto Parts player about last year’s one-game championship playoff defeat to ABC Title and you’ll still get sour grapes. Rainouts, players returning to college, the imminent flag-football-league startup date and the use of Somerville Field by AYSO teams were the reasons that league organizer and ABC head man Mike Greco cited for making the finals a one-game affair instead of a three-game series in late August of 2004. Lewis players had no quarrel with the outcome of the game, acknowledging that ABC Title’s bats were alive that night as they defeated Lewis by eight runs. But Lewis players were hot about not having a second chance. Lewis was also hurt that night by having to play a marathon game against Sauschuck’s just prior to their game against ABC.

With the 2005 playoffs soon to begin, Lewis may get its belated revenge against ABC. On July 26 the men in black got their first taste of payback by soundly defeating ABC Title, the Bickham Division regular-season champs by the score of 13-3. It was the first time the two teams met since that fated night a year ago. ABC got one run in the top of the first after Lewis star hurler Tim ‘Chopper’ Ackerman surrendered an uncharacteristic four-pitch walk to John Bell. Julian Dawson advanced Bell with a single and Kyle Bright brought him home on a fielder’s choice.

By hitting ABC’s pitcher D.J. Pugh early and often, Lewis piled up a five-run lead in the first inning. Chris Hubert led off with a walk. A double by Brian Kitson and a three-run homer by a Lewis star, who wished to remain anonymous for personal reasons, fueled the early lead. A two-run homer by E.T. Toledo brought in Bob Glassel and just like that Lewis led 5-1.

After getting ABC to go down in order, Lewis came back with four more runs in the bottom of the second. Kurt Buddenhagen led off with a single, followed by an RBI single by John Fanning. Craig Smith singled, Kitson walked and the same “nameless” player smacked a triple to drive in two more runs. That 9-1 lead was never in danger of being compromised. ABC combined singles by George Brandis and D.J. Pugh to garner a run in the fourth and got another in the fifth when Jeryl Scott drove in John Bell. Lewis won by virtue of the 10-run rule by picking up three runs in the fourth with RBI’s from Glassel, Toledo and Glenn Rosenberger. Smith drove in a run in the fifth. Greco came on in relief of Pugh to start the fourth inning.

ABC’s status was unaffected by the loss in a game that meant a lot to Lewis’ psyche. Moreover, ABC has been missing players, who have been fulfilling their commitments in other league playoffs in the area.

Playoffs begin on August 1 with a best-of-three series between Lewis and Trotters, which is scheduled to go through August 3, but may end on August 4 if a team wins two straight. The other first-round series features Ma and Pa’s versus Stingers but both teams have playoffs in their other respective leagues, which is the Matamoras League for Ma and Pa’s and the Liberty League for Stingers. ABC and Fitness Factory, who won their divisions, will play the winners of the first-round series. Fitness Factory will play the winner of the Lewis-Trotters series, while ABC will play the winner of the Stingers-Ma and Pa’s fray.

Pesky Mustangs hang around but fall to Lewis Auto Parts

MONTICELLO, NY — In the early game on July 26, the Mountain View Mustangs put in their best imitation of the Energizer Bunny as they took a licking but kept on ticking, refusing to succumb to the 10-run rule, despite giving up 14 runs to Lewis Auto Parts over the course of the first three innings.

Lewis hitters teed off on Mountain View pitcher Mike Sobolowski. Active in the eventual 20-run onslaught were Craig Smith who went four-for-four with four RBI, Brian Kitson who knocked in a pair of runs and went three-for-five, that pesky anonymous player who registered a pair of doubles, a single and knocked in four runs, Rob Glassel who contributed with a pair of RBI via a single and double and Steve Musso who went three-for-four with a triple and an RBI single. The Mustangs got off the mat with three five-run innings to keep things interesting.

In the second, fourth and fifth innings the Mustangs touched up Lewis’ “Mooner.” The team’s number-three starter Sobolowski helped his own cause with a quartet of singles and three RBI. Shane Gorr went four-for-four with a pair of RBI. Hot hitting Eric Hipsman went five-for-five with a double and a quartet of singles driving in two runs, and John Davies went three-for-four with a double and a pair of RBI singles. The Mustangs had the tying run at the plate in the top of the seventh inning but couldn’t get the runs in.