SPORTS

Senior Softball: Division races tighten; Doreen’s earns first win

Randy Wesolowski
Special to the Eagle

With two weeks remaining in the regular season, Verdi’s lead in the Island Division of the Marco Senior Softball League is reduced to one game over DaVinci’s who have now won eight straight games.

Sami’s continues to hold the top spot in the Marco Division but now by a single game over Mango’s. The Oyster Society extended their lead in the Gulf Coast Division to two games after defeating second place Crazy Flamingo.

Doreen’s was the last team in the league to earn their first win as they defeated Crazy Flamingo. For the complete, up-to-date results and standings, visit the league website at marcoseniorsoftballleague.com.

Marco Island Senior Softball results as of Feb. 17:

WEEK 5Senior Softball: Verdi’s and Sami’s maintain their division leads

WEEK 4Senior Softball: Verdi’s, Sami’s and Oyster Society lead their divisions

WEEK 3Senior Softball: Crazy Flamingo and Sami’s remain unbeaten

WEEK 2Senior Softball: Verdi’s and Sami’s hold early lead in their divisions

WEEK 1Senior Softball: Marco league kicks off its 24th season

ISLAND DIVISION

Tuesday, Feb. 14

Verdi’s, 17; Dolphin Tiki, 15

Verdi’s and Dolphin Tiki were locked in a 15-all tie when Verdi’s pushed across two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning and then held Verdi’s scoreless in the ninth to prevail. Paul Nussbaum led a balanced attack with four hits for Verdi’s, followed by Vito Iacovazzi, Mike Porreca, Dan Gulick, Jeff Kaczka, and Gary Grefer with three hits each. Iacovazzi drove in four runs, Peter Kane three, and Kaczka, Chuck Stathopoulos, and Steve Hummel two. Brian Alexander and Mike Faria both hammered triples among their three hits for the Tiki, and Bruce Winer, John Nicholas, and John Stuart also had three hits. Ed Caster and Bill Krausmann had three RBIs, and Alexander, Nicholas, and Faria two apiece.

DaVinci’s, 12; Speakeasy, 6

DaVinci’s used a combination of strong defense and timely hitting to subdue Speakeasy. Wayne Bombaci hit a three-run bomb to lead the DaVinci offense. Gary Revall, Dave Johnson, and Jack Tizio all contributed three hits, and Revall and Johnson added two RBIs for the winners. Rod Lashley tripled home two runs and Eric Phillips had three hits for Speakeasy. Eric Jeanotte and Don O’Connell also knocked in two runs in the loss.

Nacho Mama’s, 15; Salty Dog, 14

In a wild one, Nacho Mama’s overcame a 14-4 deficit with a five-run eighth followed by a six-run ninth to stun the Salty Dog. Joe Rocco had a two-run walk off single to end it for Nacho’s. Rocco finished with three hits, along with Kevin Smith, Jon Wiseman, and Mike Garofalo. Rocco and John Haskins plated three runs, and Ken Polarek two. Ed Adrian, Mark Whealy, and Ed Seery all had three hits for the Dog. Seery and Bill Novakovich knocked in three runs, and Whealy, Bill Thompson, Sal Tidona, and Mike Schwab two.

Thursday, Feb. 16

DaVinci’s, 17; Verdi’s, 14

In a battle between red-hot DaVinci’s and first-place Verdi’s, DaVinci’s came out on top with a late burst of offense to claim their seventh consecutive win and climb within a game of Verdi’s. Tom Polston launched a home run, Dave Johnson had four hits, and Gary Revall, Dave Falls, and Tom Gazzillo all chipped in with three hits to lead DaVinci’s. Polston, Johnson, and Steve Friend each knocked in three runs, Revall, Falls, and Jack Tizio two. Paul Nussbaum pounded out four hits, and Dave Mayo and Vito Iacovazzi added three for Verdi’s. Iacovazzi and Mike Porreca plated three runs, and Dan Gulick and Chuck Stathopoulos two.

Dolphin Tiki, 9; Nacho Mama’s, 5

Mike Reale blasted a home run and Bruce Winer tripled to lead Dolphin Tiki to victory over Nacho Mama’s. Reale and Winer both had three hits, Reale and Brian Alexander drove home three runs, and Winer and Nick Jacullo two. Tom Vander Aarde cracked a home run and Kevin Smith knocked in two runs for Nacho’s.

Salty Dog, 19; Speakeasy, 14

Salty Dog broke open a close game with a five-run seventh inning and held on for the win over Speakeasy. Bill Novakovich hammered a home run, Sal Tidona tripled, and Tidona, Ed Seery, and Dave O’Brien each had three hits to lead the Dog. Novakovich plated three runs, and Seery, Bill Thompson, Mike Schwab, and Todd Rodgers two. Rod Lashley crushed a home run among his four hits and George Grygorcewicz also had four hits for Speakeasy. Eric Jeanotte had three RBIs, and Lashley, Grygorcewicz, and Don O’Connell two in the loss.

Friday, Feb. 17

Salty Dog, 19; Dolphin Tiki, 4

Salty Dog jumped out to an early 11-2 lead and kept tacking on runs as they soundly defeated Dolphin Tiki in a game called after eight innings due to the mercy rule. Bill Thompson had a big day for the Dog with four hits and five RBIs, Ed Adrian, Sal Tidona, and Todd Rodgers also contributed four hits, and Mark Whealy and Bill Novakovich added three, one of Novakovich’s a home run. Whealy and Novakovich drove in three runs, and Tidona, Rodgers, Ed Seery, and Dan Marinelli two. Injury-depleted Dolphin Tiki was limited to ten hits by Salty Dog pitcher Dave O’Brien.

Verdi’s, 15; Speakeasy, 4

Verdi’s scored the game’s first ten runs and coasted from there to claim the victory over Speakeasy. Mike Porreca and Jeff Kaczka blasted triples and Paul Nussbaum had three hits to lead Verdi’s. Dan Gulick knocked in three runs and Gary Grefer two for the winners. Tom Buettner crushed a home run and Rod Lashley had three hits for Speakeasy.

DaVinci’s, 17; Nacho Mama’s, 16

DaVinci’s and Nacho Mama’s were locked up in a 16-all tie after seven innings before DaVinci’s scored once in the eighth inning and managed to hold on to edge Nacho’s and win their eighth straight game. Gary Revall lashed out four hits including a triple and drove in four runs to lead DaVinci’s. Mike Shone contributed three hits and Tom Polston had two RBIs for the victors. Tom DeAngelo, Jim O’Toole, and Kevin Smith all hammered home runs and Lou Marinaccio tripled for Nacho’s. DeAngelo, Joe Rocco, Ken Polarek, and Jon Wiseman each had three hits, O’Toole and DeAngelo drove home three runs, and Polarek and Smith two in a losing cause.

MARCO DIVISION

Monday, Feb. 13

Mango’s, 20; Joey’s Pizza, 10

Mango’s had the bats working as they scored in every inning and took down Joey’s Pizza. Howie Reitz blasted a home run, Ed Kingsbury tripled among three hits, and Jim Burroughs, Rob York, Mario Lucca, and Gary Swink also added three hits to lead the Mango’s offense. Burroughs drove home five runs, Reitz and Larry Locks three, and Kingsbury two. Jim Willert crushed a home run and knocked in three runs, and Dick Folsom had two RBIs for Joey’s.

Stonewalls, 15; Sami’s, 14

Stonewalls scored five times in the bottom of the fifth inning to overcome a 13-10 deficit and made it stick as they defeated Sami’s. Tom Irions hammered a three-run homer, and Dean Stone and Gary Young pitched in with three hits apiece to lead Stonewalls. Mitch Eil knocked in three runs, and Young and Mike Puskar two for the winners. Bob Traver tripled among three hits and John Gross also had three hits for Sami’s. Traver drove in five runs, John Remhoff three, and Steve Chasin and Pete Oellrich two.

Sand Bar, 15; Snook Inn, 11

Sand Bar scored all their runs in the final four innings and withstood a late rally by the Snook Inn to prevail. Jim Burroughs tripled and had three RBIs to lead the Sand Bar. Paul Sullivan, Doug Stang, and Murph Knapke also contributed two RBIs for the victors. Robert Stried, John Binns, and Tim McKenna all blasted home runs for the Snook, McKenna’s a grand slam. McKenna, Randy Wesolowski, and Dick Carson punched out three hits each, and McKenna had five RBIs, Carson and Stried two.

Wednesday, Feb. 15

Sand Bar, 23; Stonewalls, 7

After a scoreless first inning, Sand Bar pounded the ball every inning on their way to trouncing Stonewalls in a game called after six innings due to the mercy rule. Ray Capella led the assault with three hits including a grand slam home run, Warren Uhl also homered among his three hits, Tom Breslin tripled, and Paul Sullivan added three hits for the Sand Bar. Breslin, Ray Kane, and Doug Stang all drove in two runs for the winners. Gary Young smacked a two-run homer and Bob Hermann had two RBIs for Stonewalls.

Mango’s, 15; Snook Inn, 12

Mango’s pushed across two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to break an 11-all tie and added two more in the sixth inning to defeat the Snook Inn. Howie Reitz lashed out four hits and drove in three runs to lead Mango’s. Brian Craig tripled and added two RBIs, and Ed Kingsbury and Rob York also had two RBIs. Dave Korte cracked a home run, Jack Martin tripled, and John Barrett had four hits for the Snook. Martin, John Binns, Geo Giacobbi, and Mike Arnold all contributed three hits, and Barrett plated three runs, Korte, Martin, and Arnold two.

Joey’s Pizza, 18; Sami’s, 14

Home runs by Mark Waks, Jim Stewart, and Geoff Bentley powered Joey’s Pizza to victory over first-place Sami’s. Jim Dorey punched out four hits, Waks and Tom Whitlock three. Stewart knocked in three runs, Waks and Larry Locks two. Bobby Williams homered among his three hits, and John Remhoff added three hits for Sami’s. Williams and Bob Traver drove in two runs apiece in a losing cause.

GULF COAST DIVISION

Monday, Feb. 13

Crazy Flamingo, 20; Doreen’s, 7

Crazy Flamingo jumped out to an early lead and coasted the rest of the way as they claimed the victory over Doreen’s. Chuck Reich and Matt Opperman homered for the Crazy Birds, with Reich, John Ranieri, and Ray Niemeyer all contributing three hits. Reich knocked in five runs, Ranieri, Opperman, and Niemeyer two. Joe Barry blasted a three-run homer for Doreen’s.

Oyster Society, 25; American Legion, 10

Oyster Society scored the maximum of five runs in each of the first five innings to trounce the American Legion in a game called after five innings due to the mercy rule. Ed Kopecky had three hits including a home run and Nick Brooks also had three hits to lead the Oyster Society. Brooks was responsible for five runs, and Kopecky and Hal Jurgensen each had three. The Legion was led by Al Schneider who tripled twice among three hits, and Dean Leffleman and Jerry Kratz who also tripled. Schneider had three RBIs in the loss.

Wednesday, Feb. 15

Oyster Society, 12; Crazy Flamingo, 3

The Oyster Society jumped out to an early 10-1 lead and never looked back as they soundly defeated Crazy Flamingo to remain in first place in the Gulf Coast Division. Hal Jurgensen led a balanced attack with three hits and two RBIs, and Steve Levesque, Andy Pressler, and Steve Risch also had two RBIs for the Oystermen. Crazy Flamingo was limited to eight hits by pitcher Ed Kopecky.

American Legion, 20; Doreen’s, 14

Dean Leffleman was a one-man wrecking crew for the American Legion as he blasted three home runs and a double and drove in nine runs in their win over Doreen’s. Jerry Lenhoff added a home run and a triple, Gary Badger had four hits and Jim Battye three. Jerry Kratz knocked in three runs, Badger and Lenhoff two for the Legion. Joe Barry clobbered a grand slam home run for Doreen’s. Don Mandetta lashed out four hits, Barry and Jack Facciolo three. Mandetta plated three runs, Facciolo and Rand Krueger two for Doreen’s.

Friday, Feb. 17

Doreen’s, 6; Crazy Flamingo, 4

In a game featuring good defense by both teams, Doreen’s bested Crazy Flamingo to win their first game of the season. Dave Chroust had three hits and two RBIs, and Matt Lewis added two RBIs to lead Doreen’s. Donnie Rooksberry knocked in two runs for Crazy Flamingo.

STANDINGS

ISLAND DIVISION / Wins / Losses

  • Verdi’s / 11 / 4
  • DaVinci’s / 10 / 5
  • Dolphin Tiki / 7 / 8
  • Nacho Mama’s / 6 / 9
  • Salty Dog / 6 / 9
  • Speakeasy / 5 / 10

MARCO DIVISION / Wins / Losses

  • Sami’s / 10 / 4
  • Mango’s / 9 / 5
  • Stonewalls / 8 / 6
  • Sand Bar / 7 / 7
  • Joey’s Pizza / 7 / 8
  • Snook Inn / 2 / 13

GULF COAST DIVISION / Wins / Losses

  • Oyster Society / 12 / 2
  • Crazy Flamingo / 10 / 4
  • American Legion / 5 / 9
  • Doreen’s / 1 / 13