Young Home Team Champs (left to right): Kneeling: Wayne Newman, Dennis Bernaiche, Ron Pennington, Garnet Hammer, Bob Montelione, and Kim Van Nausdle; standing: Doug Friesen, Don Scoggins, Dennis LePore, Bill McCoy, Bob Molter, Charlie Alley, and Mgr. Gary Hillabolt (photo by Larry Wolfe)
Larry Wolfe
The Lakes Division Winter Softball Tournament took place over three days at the Field of Dreams. In Game 1, the second-seeded A-1 Golf Carts club eked out a 20-19 win over third-seeded Young Home Team Realty. Manager Dennis Kennedy’s Golfers banged out 26 hits in the victory, with John Robinson’s four safeties leading the way. Charlie Alley had five hits for Manager Gary Hillabolt’s Realtors.
In Game 2, the fourth-seeded Skyview Digital Media team surprised the number one-seeded Core Consulting club 16-12. The Skyview Drones had four players with three hits each (leadoff man Frank “the Rocket” Rouse, Manager Tom Erpelding, George Kurran, and Larry Maggard). Dan Ziccarelli led Manager Chris Jensen’s Consultants with four hits.
In the opening game of day two, the A-1 Golfers drubbed the Skyview Drones by a 22-10 score. Doug Warwick paced the Golfers with four hits, including a long ringing three-bagger. Bob Molter had three hits for the Drones, who were outhit 21-15. In addition, the Golfers had 12 bases on balls, compared to just two for the Drones.
The Young Home Team Realtors eliminated Core Consulting 14-11 in Game 4. Don Scoggins had three hits for the winners, while Terry Zeltinger and John Seigla had three each for the Consultants. Zeltinger had a double, triple, and homer, just a skimpy single short of the cycle!
On the final day of the competition, the Young Realtors thumped Skyview 18-6, eliminating the underdog, overachievers. The Realtors banged out 25 hits, compared to only eight for the Cinderella Drones. In a well-balanced attack, five Realtors had three hits each (Charlie Alley, Dennis Bernaiche, Doug Friesen, Dennis LePore, and Kim Van Nausdle), with Alley’s including a four-bagger.
The championship contest was a well-fought dual, with the Young Realtors edging the A-1 Golfers 16-15. The Golfers had the tying run on base in the final inning but couldn’t bring him home. Bob Molter went four for four for the winners with two long triples. Four of his teammates stroked three safeties each. Jay Yoakum led the golfers with four hits, including a homer, while Bill Gaston also had four safeties.
The top hitters in the Lakes Division tourney (based upon a minimum of 10 at bats) were Charlie Alley (.867), Bill Gaston (.818), Kin Van Nausdle (.765), and Bob Molter, Frank Rouse, and John Robinson (all at .750).
Kudos to Manager Gary Hillabolt and his Young Home Team!