Spooner PT Tourney Champs: Standing (left to right): John Castro, Randy Neumann, Tom Casady, Mike Fitzenberger, Mark Kuechler, Chris Reese; kneeling (left to right): Mgr. Mike Gloyd, Phil Gutterman, Dennis Henderson, John Doran
Larry Wolfe
Manager Mike Gloyd’s Spooner PT-sponsored team won the Sun Division Winter Tournament in a thrilling come-from-behind championship game. Highlights of the tournament follow.
In the opening contest, Mgr. Marty Hobby’s Wolfe & Associates-sponsored club overcame a six-run deficit by scoring a lucky seven in the seventh inning to beat Mgr. Barron Liebert’s Redeemed Team. The Redeemers hit four long balls (two by John Doran and one each by Mgr. Liebert and Garret Hoyt), but that power display wasn’t enough, as the Wolves’ balanced attack prevailed. George Siegele went four for four with a homer and walk, Mgr. Hobby reached base five times, and Mickey Gregg lashed out four hits for the winners.
In the second game, the Spooner Therapists blasted Mgr. Ron Carmichael’s Camp Hilby team 23-12. Tom Casady led Spooner’s onslaught with five hits, while Gino Fiasche and George Siegele homered. Alex Santucci paced the Campers by going four for four with a double and triple. Dennis Henderson and Frank Scarpelli went yard.
In game three, the Wolves came from behind again to edge Spooner 24-23. Mgr. Hobby led his team by belting three homers, along with a two-bagger and single. Mike Aldridge, Mickey Gregg, and Bob Wicks had four hits each, while Siegele blasted two more homers. Mike Fitzenberger led the way for the Therapists, going five for five with two long balls. Gino Fiasche, Dennis Henderson, and Randy Neumann each had four hits, with Gino homering twice and Dennis once.
The Redeemed Team eliminated Camp Hilby in game four, trouncing them 28-13. Both John Doran and Mgr. Barron Liebert reached base six times, with John belting two homers and Barron one. Dennis Henderson and Gordon Leatherbarrow homered for the Campers.
Game five was another tense affair, with Spooner outlasting the Redeemed Team 17-16. After holding the Redeemers scoreless in the top of the seventh, George Siegele blasted a two-out walk-off homer to win it for the Therapists. Besides the game winner, George also had an earlier homer, two singles, and walked once. Five teammates had three hits each. Rick Ehman and Jon Hendriske each had four hits for the Redeemers, while John Doran smashed two homers.
In the championship contest, the Wolves held a four-run lead heading into the final frame, but the Spooner Therapists scored eight times in the final inning to secure the victory and the championship. Dennis Henderson was the hitting star for the winners, going four for four with a homer and walk. But it was a team effort in that comeback, as the first eight batters in the last inning reached base to ignite that eight-run rally. George Siegele banged out four hits for the Wolves, including two long home runs. Mgr. Hobby and Mike Aldridge also went deep.
If you read the previous recaps, you probably could guess that George Siegele was the tourney leader with eight home runs. John Doran hit six, while Marty Hobby had five, along with an incredible slugging percentage of 2.154. Ralph Estrada, Marty Hobby, George Siegele, Jay Yoakum, Barron Leibert, Bob Hubbard, and Gino Fiasche all had averages of .800 or above.
Congratulations to Mgr. Mike Gloyd and the entire Spooner squad for winning the Winter Sun Division Tournament.