Softball

Unprecedented power surge propels Matthew’s on Main to title in wild and wooly Fremont Tourney

By RICHARD A. ROSS

FREMONT CENTER, NY - Every softball tournament has a life of its own, replete with unique compelling stories, heroics and champions. To celebrate its brief and poignant life, one must do far more than recount the events of the championship game or merely laud the tournament winner.

Thus it was that the captivating story of the Ninth Annual Fremont Softball Tournament, which ended on August 3 with Matthew’s on Main’s definitive pair of victories over Ron’s Ringers, offered up a multitude of alluring chapters before its dramatic ending.

Set in the gorgeous surroundings of the ballpark in Fremont and fabulously orchestrated by organizer Dennis Brockner and the ballpark staff, this year’s tourney featured official ASA umpiring that eliminated the strife of bygone years. Of course, the food, drink and facilities were stellar, as always.

For years to come, people will hearken back to this year’s tournament highlights featuring the heroics of teams like Ron’s Ringers, R&H Gorr and Fitness Factory. But as tales are told and retold over many a poured cold one, the saga of Matthew’s on Main’s storied run will echo to the clink of glasses, especially for the men in blue who made history by prevailing over the 14-team tournament field packed with talented players and feisty teams.

By the time Matthew’s on Main had beaten the Ringers in the second game of the final series, the team had compiled a weekend total of 125 runs, averaging 17.5 runs per game in its seven-game run. Along the way, they had finally bested two-time defending tournament champion Fitness Factory in a hair-raising 8-7 win in the loser’s bracket final and triumphed over long-time beer-league rival Ron’s Ringers, just like they did in the Ringers’ tourney last July on their way to beating Stone Arch Inn for the title that day.

It was Matthew’s first win over Fitness Factory in at least four years, dating back to the heated rivalry in the Monticello Men’s Softball League, wherein the men in blue donned black jerseys and played as Lewis Auto Parts.

For the riveted fans that braved intermittent downpours, a ball flying out of the yard was a frequent sight, with many of those jacks coming in the most dramatic fashion. Perhaps the most auspicious of those was a walk-off three-run homer by Mike Modrovsky that propelled the Ringers to a 10-9 come-from-behind win over Matthew’s on Main in the winner’s bracket final earlier in the day.

Then, there was John Freeswick’s three-run blast that nearly carried R&H Gorr to an upset victory over Fitness Factory or Denny Rivera’s return to his former fortitude, with homers that defined Fitness Factory’s noble run that fell short in its final loss to Matthew’s.

But, when it comes to reporting on hitting the long ball, it is Matthew’s on Main that deserves the most ink. Tearing through Live Bait, Stone Arch Inn and FYI Graphics with scores of 27-5, 21-9 and 20-1 to start the tournament, Matthew’s on Main got powerful hitting up and down its lineup, which included its core of veterans, who won this title in 2006, and a couple of lively young bats, especially that of Scott Hamlin, who drew accolades all weekend for his powerful hitting.

Adding to the home-run frenzy and multi-hit barrage that lifted Matthew’s to its subsequent wins over Fitness Factory and Ronnie’s Ringers were sluggers Mike Weir, Mike Pickett, Matt Buddenhagen, Chris Reichmann, E.T. Toledo, Joe Meyer and Brian Kitson.

The Main crew got the bulk of its timely pitching from veteran Brian ‘Mooner’ Buday, and great leather from all of its fielders including ageless third baseman Glenn Rosenberger, outfielder Billy Nordenhold and the newest addition backup catcher, Garrett Owen. Last but not least in the Matthew’s arsenal was the renowned Craig Smith.

By beating the Ringers 19-9 in the first of the championship games, Matthew’s forced a final game. In that first game, Matthew’s got homers from Buddenhagen and Pickett, while Kenny “Motown” Morris and Justin Collins went yard for the men in purple. Two seven-run innings by Matthew’s did in the Ringers in the opener.

In the final game, the two teams went toe-to-toe, matching each other with two, three and one runs in the first three innings. Matthew’s took a 7-6 lead in the fourth with a homer by Toledo, and extended their lead to 8-6 in the fifth with a RBI single by Meyer.

But the relentless Ringers had more to say. They scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 10-8 lead. A leadoff homer by Buddy Vail, an E-6 RBI from Kory Keesler and a two-run single by George Muller put the purple wave on top.

But the Ringers’ run for the title was short-lived, as Matthew’s pounded out 10 runs in the top of the sixth to put the game away. A homer by Buddenhagen cut the deficit to one and Reichman’s double over the right field fence tied it up. Matthew’s piled it on with RBI from Meyer, Kitson and Toledo, who went three for three in the final game and just missed hitting for the cycle.

When the smoke cleared, Matthew’s had prevailed 21-12. Its comeback over Ron’s Ringers was reminiscent of the teams’ only meeting in the beer league this year, wherein Ron’s men saw their 9-0 lead over Matthew’s dissipate into a 14-9 loss. The Ringers’ run through the tournament had included a win over Fitness Factory coming back from an 8-0 deficit, victories over R&H Gorr and the earlier win over Matthew’s.

Smiles, handshakes, photos and, of course, the beer tent capped off a great weekend.

Fitness Factory takes third; R&G Gorr gets fourth place but makes hearts race

When winning becomes routine like it has for Fitness Factory, the price is sometimes a lack of urgency. Perhaps that is what blunted the Factory’s run at its third consecutive title this year, as a number of its key players never showed up to help the orange and blue. Missing their top four hitters, including Aaron ‘Red’ Dinkel, who moved to Utah, and captain Edwin ‘Flaco’ Rodriguez, sidelined with a wrist injury, Fitness suffered its first loss after beating Sidetracks in the opener, as poor defense and a lack of hitting put them on the wrong end of a 17-9 tally against the Ringers despite an early 8-0 lead.

Rearmed with its pair of ace pitchers, Tim “Chopper” Ackermann, who opted to pitch for his Monticello teammates in lieu of his beer-league compatriots from Arch Inn, and JoJo VanKeuren, Fitness got better defense with the addition of Mike Weiner and Shane Conner. Conner had pitched in the loss to Ronnie’s.

Fitness came from behind to oust Sutphen East, fought off a feisty American Electric team and hammered FYI Graphics. They survived a scare against R&H Gorr, with seventh-inning two-out RBI from Alex Salazar and Julian Dawson and speed on the base paths, to prevail 10-9, after Freeswick’s three-run jack, in the top of the seventh, had given Gorr a 9-8 lead.

Fitness Factory had seen its first-inning 6-0 lead erased as Gorr got new life following Bob Glassel’s great put out from short that sparked his team toward a comeback. RBI from Dan Spagnoli and John Glassel started the return. Additional runs from Jeff Molusky and Brian Glassel closed the gap. Denny Rivera’s solo shot extended the Fitness lead to 8-5, but an E-4 and Freeswick’s shot put Gorr on top as the men in red celebrated in the latest downpour.

Gorr was one out away from the tournament’s biggest upset when Fitness executed the kind of comeback that has defined its years of success.

R&H Gorr’s journey through the tournament included a pair of wins over Davis Excavating and a victory over American Electric. Pitcher Ed Leroy’s noble efforts deserve ample recognition. Tired, but determined, Leroy never let up and nearly carried his team past its traditional fourth-place stature.

Other teams in this year’s fray included Niero Construction, MMM and Darder’s Stoneworks.

Visit riverreportersports.com for an album of tournament photos.