Senior Softball: It’s March madness time
The regular season of the Marco Senior Softball League concluded last week with the completion of a few makeup games from earlier season rainouts, and now its tournament time for the league with all sixteen teams participating.
The double elimination tournament begins on Monday, March 13.
In the Island Division, regular season champ Verdi’s is the top seed and DaVinci’s is the second seed. Both with get a bye in round one.
Sami’s, who finished as the regular season champ in the Marco Division, and second place Mango’s both receive a first-round bye.
All four teams in the Gulf Coast Division will play in round one, with Division Champ Oyster Society as the top seed.
The division tournament brackets are updated daily and can be viewed on the website marcoseniorsoftballleague.com under Results and Tournaments.
Marco Island Senior Softball results as of March 10.
WEEK 8Senior Softball: Verdi’s, Sami’s, Oyster Society are division champions
WEEK 7Senior Softball: Division leaders increase lead heading into final week
WEEK 6Senior Softball: Division races tighten; Doreen’s earns first win
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
MARCO DIVISION
Monday, March 6
Sami’s, 22; Sand Bar, 16
A grand slam home run by John Gross and a three-run homer by Gary Menzies powered Sami’s to the victory over the Sand Bar. Gross had a huge day for Sami’s with four hits and eight RBIs, and Tom Purtell, Bob Traver, and Pete Oellrich all blasted triples. Purtell and Frank Caso contributed four hits, and Traver and Ray Capella three. Capella drove in four runs, Menzies three, and Caso and Todd Whitney two for the winners. Jim Vitas tripled and had four RBIs to lead the Sand Bar. Doug Stang, Joe Logisz, and Gary Young each had three hits and two RBIs, and Murph Knapke also knocked in two runs in the loss.
Stonewalls, 20; Mango’s, 17
Stonewalls did most of the damage in the final three innings erasing a 12-6 deficit and held on for the win over Mango’s which secured third place in the final Marco Division standings. Bob Bejnerowicz led the way with a grand slam home run and five RBIs, and Gary Young, Mitch Eil, Steve Sauerberg, and Tom Irions pitched in with three hits apiece for Stonewalls. Irions plated four runs, Eil and Dean Stone two.
GULF COAST DIVISION
Monday, March 6
Oyster Society, 10; Crazy Flamingo, 5
The Oyster Society pushed across four late inning runs to pull away from and ultimately defeat the Crazy Flamingo. John Klebauskus hammered a home run among his three hits, and Ed Kopecky and Andy Pressler also had three hits for the winners. Klebauskus, Kopecky, Pressler, and Roger Fleming all drove in two runs. John Ranieri had three hits and Matt Opperman had two RBIs for the Crazy birds.
Doreen’s, 16; American Legion, 8
Doreen’s erased an early 7-1 deficit by scoring 15 runs in the final five innings to coast to the win over the American Legion. Rand Krueger bashed a triple and Ray Zielinski had three hits to lead a balanced attack for Doreen’s. Zielinski and Joe Barry knocked in three runs, and Al Cenicola and Matt Lewis two. Rick Condle tripled and drove home two runs, and Jim Battye also had two RBIs for the Legion.
FINAL REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS
ISLAND DIVISION / Wins / Losses
- Verdi’s / 15 / 5
- DaVinci’s / 12 / 8
- Nacho Mama’s / 10 / 10
- Dolphin Tiki / 9 / 11
- Salty Dog / 9 / 11
- Speakeasy / 5 / 15
MARCO DIVISION / Wins / Losses
- Sami’s / 15 / 5
- Mango’s / 12 / 8
- Stonewalls / 11 / 9
- Joey’s Pizza / 10 / 10
- Sand Bar / 8 / 12
- Snook Inn/ 4 / 16
GULF COAST DIVISION / Wins / Losses
- Oyster Society / 17 / 3
- Crazy Flamingo / 12 / 8
- American Legion / 7 / 13
- Doreen’s / 4 / 16