Camp Hilby tourney winners: Kneeling (left to right): Ernie Flores, Alex Santucci, Bobby Reed, Don Long, Chuck Schaan; standing (left to right): Mike Aldridge, Mike Lebet, Frank Scarpelli, team owner Cyndy Hilby, Mgr. Marty Hobby, Bob Hubbard, Jack Marti
Larry Wolfe
The Sun Division Winter League Champion Camp Hilby team continued their winning ways and captured the Winter Tournament title in a thrilling final game, but let’s start from the beginning.
In the opener, the third-seeded Redeemed Team, managed by Ron Carmichael, cruised to a 19-12 victory over Manager Kim Whitney’s second-seeded Wolfe & Associates squad. Gino Fiasche went four for four with a homerun. Craig Porchardt and Chris Reese also had four safeties each. Bobby Reed had four hits for the Wolves, including a double and triple. Mike Aldridge and George Siegele both homered.
In game two, Manager Marty Hobby’s Camp Hilby team edged Manager Mike Gloyd’s Spooner Physical Therapy-sponsored team by a 16-12 score. Mike Aldridge went four for four, and Don Long and Jack Martin homered to lead the Campers. Dave Platt had four hits for the Therapists, while Dan Melosi went yard in the losing cause.
In game three, the Redeemed Team upset the Campers, winning 24-15. Mark Kuechler sparked the Redeemers’ win, going five for five, plus a walk and turning in several super-defensive plays at his shortstop position. Mike Fitzenberger also had five hits, while Gino Fiasche added four and Thom Stephens homered. Mike Aldridge and Don Long did all they could for the Campers, with Aldridge going four for four and Long going three for three, including a “Long” homer. This loss by the Campers would force them to fight their way back through the losers’ bracket.
In game four, Spooner “mercied” the Wolves by a 21-6 score that sent them home. Dave Platt went five for five for the winners, with both Ron Carmichael and Craig Porchardt adding four hits each. The Wolves showed very little offense, but Mike Fitzenberger did homer.
In the penultimate contest, the Campers reverted to their winning ways, destroying the Spooner squad by a score of 19-7. That sent the Therapists home. Dan Melosi did his best to keep the Therapists alive, going three for three with a homer. Don Long led the winners, going four for four with two homers, while Mike Lebet had four hits and one homerun.
That win put the Campers in the finals to face the Redeemers who had earlier sent them to the losers’ bracket. In one of the most thrilling games of the year, Camp Hilby held on to win 21-20 in extra innings. The Campers put up a three spot in the top of the extra inning. Gino Fiasche then hit a two-run dinger in the bottom of the eighth, but that left the Redeemers one run short. Don Long was the “star of the show,” going four for four, including three homeruns.
Overall, Long posted a .941 average with seven homers during the tourney. Dave Platt also had a hot bat, hitting .923. Craig Porchardt, Pat Murphy, Dan Melosi, Gino Fiasche, and Richard Lamoree all topped .800.