The Redeemed Team: Group on the left: kneeling: Chuck Schaan and Thom Stephens; standing (left to right): Bill Corso, Kurt Carmichael, Ernie Flores, and Marty Hobby; group on the right: kneeling: Dave Martin; standing (left to right): Kim Whitney, Team Mom Janet Rodgers, Vern Rodgers, and Manager Larry Kaufmann (photo courtesy of Kaufmann’s Kamera Kompany)
Larry Wolfe
In the opening game of the Spring Sun Division Tournament, the fourth-seeded Wolfe & Associates team, managed by Ron Carmichael, surprised Manager Larry Kaufmann’s Redeemed Team by a 21-16 score. Dick Bleich led the Wolves’ attack, going four for five with two homers. Dan Melosi and Bobby Reed also homered. Marty Hobby hit two out for the Redeemers, while Thom Stephens added one.
In game two, Paul Gayer knocked in the winning run in a comeback win for Manager Tom Bersano’s Leckner Realty Team in a 26-25 slugfest versus the Spooner Physical Therapy squad. Dave Cooper (5 for 5), Dave Waibel (4 hits and a walk) and Gregg Lemmon (2 HRs, a single, and walk) led the Realtors. Four players (Player-Manager Randy Neumann, Kelly Anderson, Brad Wendt, and Bob Wicks) reached base five times for the Therapists. Wicks and Dave Platt homered.
In what might have been prophesied, retired Pastor Thom Stephens hit a game-winning homer in the bottom of the 7th to lead the Redeemed Team to a 20-17 victory to eliminate Spooner PT. Ernie Flores and Billy Kee had four hits each for the winners, while Marty Hobby homered twice. Dave Lingen and Dave Platt hit long balls for the losers.
Dave Martin drove in the winning run in game four, securing a 23-22 win for the Leckner Realtors over Wolfe & Associates. Mike Lebet and Dave Lingen both reached base five times for the winners. Lebet and Greg Lemmon each slammed two homers, while Dave Platt added one. Dan Melosi reached base six times for the Wolves, including two homers. Both Ron Carmichael and Bobby Reed had four safeties.
The Redeemed Team then eliminated Wolfe & Associates in a close encounter, 11-9. Ernie Flores, Dave Lingen, and Kim Whitney led the Redeemers with three hits each, while Kurt Carmichael added a homer and double. Bobby Reed had three hits for the Wolves.
In the championship game, the Redeemers unleashed a 32-hit attack on their way to a 25-16 win. Dave Martin had five hits, while Marty Hobby had four hits, a walk, a sac fly, and two homers. But the real hero was Thom Stephens who filled in as pitcher due to regular pitcher Bill Corso being injured. It was his first time pitching “in ages.” Pastor Thom proved to be a savior for the Redeemers! Congrats to Manager Kaufmann and the entire Redeemed Team.
Six players had averages of .800 or better in the tournament, led by Bobby Reed at .867. Other .800 hitters were Billy Kee (.846), Dave Lingen (.833), Kim Whitney (.810), and Ernie Flores and Mike Lebet (both at .800). Marty Hobby was the home run leader with six. Lebet, Greg Lemmon, and Dave Platt each had four round-trippers.
Many thanks to Jim Entwistle, our statistician extraordinaire, for compiling all the box scores and stats.