Tag: softball

Softball Umpire Profile: Joe Byrne

Larry Wolfe It takes more than just players to have a softball game. There’s the grounds crew, the scorers, the scoreboard operator, the team managers, and last but not least, the umpires. In senior softball, the umpire is a “one-man crew,” calling the balls and strikes and all the action on the field. Joe Byrne…

Lady Sluggers’ Season Is Underway

Larry Wolfe The Lady Sluggers, sponsored by Serene Solutions, opened their 2026 season by sweeping a doubleheader versus the Roadhaven Rebels. Their second twin bill against the Sunland Village East Panthers was rained out. So, at press time, the Sluggers were undefeated! Their remaining home schedule is shown below: Monday, Feb. 9 vs. the Sunland…

Lady Sluggers Open Season on January 5

Larry Wolfe The Lady Sluggers will open their season with a home game at the Field of Dreams on Monday, Jan. 5. Below is their entire home schedule for the 2026 season. All games start at noon; doubleheaders are played against each opposing squad. Monday, Jan. 5, vs. the Roadhaven Rebels Monday, Jan. 19, vs.…

November Rains Played Havoc with Softball Season

Larry Wolfe Our Fall Softball Season schedule of games was shortened due to the unusual amount of November rainfall. We lost a dozen games and several practice sessions due to the downpours and the resulting unplayable field. At the press deadline for this issue of the Splash, we had close pennant races in both divisions.…

Softball Player Profile: Mike Core

Larry Wolfe Note: This article was first published in the November 2012 edition of the Sun Lakes Splash and is being republished in memory of Mike Core who passed in October. His career may have taken a divergent path from what Mike Core had planned, but it was a major success nonetheless. After earning a…

Softball Short Hops

Larry Wolfe Our Fall Season is now well underway and will continue through Dec. 19. Opening day on Oct. 28 was enhanced by a hot dog cookout. Thanks to Vern and Janet Rodgers for organizing that event. As the legendary actor Humphrey Bogart said, “A hot dog at a ball game beats a steak at…

The Long Season

Larry Wolfe No, this article isn’t just about The Long Season, a book published in 1960, which chronicled pitcher Jim Brosnan’s candid personal diary of the 1959 baseball season when he pitched for both the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds. That book was one of the first “tell-alls” regarding what life was really like…

It’s All About the Stats

Larry Wolfe In baseball and softball, it truly is “all about the stats.” No other sports are as focused on “the numbers” as are baseball and softball. The game’s individual matchups, such as pitcher versus batter, and the ability to track every action has led to a rich history of analyzing those statistics. The noted…

Sizzlin’ Summer Softball

Larry Wolfe As of the beginning of July, we’re nearly halfway through our summer softball season. Our 22-week season started on April 29 and continues through Sept. 18. Doubleheaders are played every Tuesday and Thursday morning, with the first pitch at 7:30 a.m. That’s an attempt to “beat the heat,” but that doesn’t always work,…

Softball Player Profile: Alex Santucci

Larry Wolfe A “Renaissance Man,” or modern-day polymath, is someone who has acquired knowledge, expertise, and proficiency in a wide variety of fields, usually unrelated. To the list of historical figures, such as da Vinci, Galileo, and Aristotle, maybe we should add Alex Santucci. Here are some of his interests and accomplishments: • Baseball player…