Player-manager Kim Whitney of the Wolfe & Associates team awaits the pitch as catcher Dan Malachuk and umpire Garnet Hammer look on.
Larry Wolfe
Even though they still had two games to play at the press deadline, the A-1 Golf Carts team, managed by Dave Kratz, had clinched the Lakes Division Winter League title with an impressive 12-4 record. That was four games better than Manager Tom Erpelding’s First Response Roofing squad’s 7-7 mark. In the Sun Division, it was still too close to call, with Manager Kim Whitney’s Wolfe & Associate team sporting an 8-4 record, while Marty Hobby’s Camp Hilby team was at 8-6.
In the Lakes Division, the top 10 batters were Frank Rouse (.790), Jay Yoakum (.770), Jerry Smith (.754), Ralph Wolf (.722), Tim Loeffler (.719), Jim Entwistle (.708), Craig Thompson (.704), Dan Malachuk (.701), Mike Willits (.696), and Charlie Alley (.691). Brian Brockman led the circuit in homers with six, followed by Jay Yoakum with four.
In the Sun Division, the top hitters were led by George Siegele at .805, followed by Don Long (.780), Kim Whitney (.751), Mike Lebet (.724), Bob Hubbard and Dave Platt (both at .723), Dan Melosi (.717), Mike Aldridge (.711), Dennis Henderson (.710), and Edward Palacios (.708). Don Long had slugged 31 homers. Others reaching double digits were George Siegele (28), Barron Liebert (17), Bob Hubbard (16), Marty Hobby (14), and Joe DiLabio (10).
The Winter League wrapped up on Feb. 20 and was followed by seeded tournaments in both divisions played during the week of Feb. 25. Our Spring League will start on March 4 and run through April 18. Recaps of the Winter League and the Winter League tournaments will appear in next month’s Splash. You can also read about the results on our website at www.sunlakessoftball.com.
Players and alumni: Save the date. Our annual Social Event will be held on Tuesday evening, April 1. Tickets will be on sale from 10 a.m. until noon at the Field of Dreams on March 4, 6, 7, 11, 13, and 14. The price per person is $25, payable via cash or check. The event is for all players and former SLSSA members and their spouses or guests. We hope to see everyone there.
Baseball quote of the month: “A hot dog at a baseball game beats a steak at the Ritz anytime.” —Humphrey Bogart