Monticello Men’s Softball Playoffs

One punch and out

Lewis Auto Parts ousts Trotters Tavern in playoffs with a rout and a forfeit

By RICHARD A. ROSS

MONTICELLO, NY —Just like that it was over.

It should have been a best of three series, but after Lewis Auto Parts blanked Trotters Tavern 10-0 in a five-inning series opener abbreviated by the 10-run rule on August 1, Trotters players decided they had had enough and forfeited the second game along with the series. The victory catapults Lewis (14-2) into a best-of-three series against undefeated Fitness Factory (15-0). Twice this season Lewis has come up short by one run against Fitness, the team that most pundits consider the best of the lot in 2005.

The winner of this series, which features the two best teams in the Collins Division, will face the survivor of the Bickham Division playoff rounds for the championship series later this month. ABC Title is the defending league champion but Lewis Auto Parts, the 2003 champs, are looking sharp as they prepare to reverse last year’s curse of losing to ABC Title.

Never at a loss for big bats, Lewis got a great performance from first baseman, Frank Exner, who drove in four runs, three of which came via a soaring home run to deep right. Exner’s swing was compact and sweet as the ball sailed over the fence bringing home Chris Hubert and Craig Smith in the fourth inning. Added to the previous seven runs that Lewis had scored, the men in black earned a ten-run bulge, which proved to be sufficient when Trotters went down in order in the top of the fifth.

‘Chopper’ Ackermann got the win but had his teammates holding their breath when he went down like a rock after stepping in a hole in front of the mound in the fourth inning. Given his history of back problems, that was a scary moment, but the unflappable 40-year-old got up and finished the inning. Bob Head came on to pitch a hitless fifth to close the game.

Frank McFadden had two hits for Trotters including a single and double. Trotters ended its season with an 8-6 record.

Lewis Auto Parts and first-place undefeated Fitness Factory were scheduled to square off in their playoff series on August 9 and 11. Several Fitness players including Keith Shaddock, Jayson Legenos and Derwin Rivera united with a number of Lewis players to fill out the squad for Matthew*s On Main, the victorious team in this week’s Fremont Benefit Tournament. Ackermann and Chris Hubert played for Stone Arch Inn.

Ma and Pa’s makes short work of Sullivan Fire Stingers

Win and advance. Those are the bywords of tournament play and Ma and Pa’s (10-4) wasted no time in moving on to their next series versus ABC Title by using two convincing wins to oust the Sullivan Fire Stingers by the scores of 14-2 and 19-8.

In game one, Ma and Pa’s got out to a three-to-zip lead with RBI’s from Chuck Worthington, Wayne Kozlowski and Vinnie Redesca. A grand slam by Brian Kowal added four more in the second, and a huge fourth inning nailed the coffin shut as Ma and Pa’s sent 10 batters to the plate netting six runs. Mike Schultz, Kowal, Kozlowski, Redesca, Matt Klemm and John Corrie knocked in runs. The Stingers (7-6) scored two runs in the second inning and that was it.

In game two, Ma and Pa’s took the early lead and opened a lead chasm in the third and fourth innings with seven and five runs respectively. The third inning was propelled by four straight walks issued by Stingers’ pitcher Tom Malone. More walks, singles and a double by Redesca did the Stingers in.

Ma and Pa’s will play defending champs ABC Title (13-2) on August 10.