The Fall has gotten underway and already there are teams flexing their muscles and pulling away from the rest of the competition. The returns of the players from long ago have produced mixed results thus far. This week, there will be more to gain from each team as they all try to round themselves back into true playing form:
(0 – 2) Shadyville Sluggers at (4 – 0) Raging Bulls
They began against one of the elites and came up short, but the returning Sluggers still pose a threat to the famed title. With their young stud Marvin Rosario, who helped lead the Sluggers to two Finals berths in their previous two seasons, giving up only 2 runs in his first game since the Spring, the Sluggers appear to be once again ready to take it to the big boys. They will have another chance this Saturday morning against the top team so early in the season when they travel to Murray Street School in Larchmont against the Bulls. Another week, another sweep for the already hot Raging Bulls. They were able to take two greats on and come up with more incredible offensive performances. Joe Annoscia hit 4 homeruns, 2 in each game, to catapult his squad over last week’s opponents and threw a 1 hitter with 20 strikeouts. Jim Wendling followed up with another 1 hitter in the bottom half and 13 strike outs. He also hit 2 homeruns in the opener to push his team ahead early. They will have a chance at avenging their previous postseason meeting this Saturday against the Sluggers.
(0 – 2) Clippers at (0 – 2) Whitestone Aces
After many years away from the league, the Clippers reconvened last week, showing some rust as they were unable to squeak out two close games. The opener showcased Steve Chodan, who gave up only 1 run in his 7 innings of work while fanning 8 batters and getting 3 hits. The group then turned on the offense and were leading until extra innings thanks to the efforts of Bill Chodan, who hit 2 homeruns, and returning Sammy Caccamise, who also went deep. Sammy was able to throw 7 quality innings as well showing the wealth of pitching and hitting this group still has. They will wind up in Electric Playground Saturday morning to face off against the Whitestone Aces. Their return to the league was unceremonious as the Aces had difficulty hitting and some trouble pitching. John Quinn went all 7 and gave up 4 runs in the opener while Greg Leonardo marked his return with a triple. The Aces will have to turn up their game immediately when they face up against their stiff rivals from long ago.
(0 – 2) Tornadoes at (1 – 3) Gashouse Gang (Sun.)
Two weeks ago, the Tornadoes began their Fall season in rather troubling fashion. They opened by narrowly being perfect gamed until Steve Dachtera went deep to break up both the no-hitter as well as the shutout with two outs in the final inning. Then, the group showed their true hitting prowess as Steve Dachtera once more, Joe LaMicela, Steve Tomasik, and returning Evan Rivels went deep in the bottom half though they were incapable of pulling out the win. Following their bye, they will now go to Pulaski Park off the Bruckner Sunday morning to meet up with the GasHouse Gang. They weren’t able to come up with wins but the boys from Mamaroneck showed some real strength on the rectangle. Scott Almazan and Sean O’Malley threw sparkling gems as they only yielded 2 runs against the defending champions in both games; O’Malley striking out 12 in the process. They will have to turn up the hitting if they wish to keep up with the heavy bats of their opponents in their home field and get their season started.
(0 – 2) Shadyville Sluggers at (4 – 0) Raging Bulls
They began against one of the elites and came up short, but the returning Sluggers still pose a threat to the famed title. With their young stud Marvin Rosario, who helped lead the Sluggers to two Finals berths in their previous two seasons, giving up only 2 runs in his first game since the Spring, the Sluggers appear to be once again ready to take it to the big boys. They will have another chance this Saturday morning against the top team so early in the season when they travel to Murray Street School in Larchmont against the Bulls. Another week, another sweep for the already hot Raging Bulls. They were able to take two greats on and come up with more incredible offensive performances. Joe Annoscia hit 4 homeruns, 2 in each game, to catapult his squad over last week’s opponents and threw a 1 hitter with 20 strikeouts. Jim Wendling followed up with another 1 hitter in the bottom half and 13 strike outs. He also hit 2 homeruns in the opener to push his team ahead early. They will have a chance at avenging their previous postseason meeting this Saturday against the Sluggers.
(0 – 2) Clippers at (0 – 2) Whitestone Aces
After many years away from the league, the Clippers reconvened last week, showing some rust as they were unable to squeak out two close games. The opener showcased Steve Chodan, who gave up only 1 run in his 7 innings of work while fanning 8 batters and getting 3 hits. The group then turned on the offense and were leading until extra innings thanks to the efforts of Bill Chodan, who hit 2 homeruns, and returning Sammy Caccamise, who also went deep. Sammy was able to throw 7 quality innings as well showing the wealth of pitching and hitting this group still has. They will wind up in Electric Playground Saturday morning to face off against the Whitestone Aces. Their return to the league was unceremonious as the Aces had difficulty hitting and some trouble pitching. John Quinn went all 7 and gave up 4 runs in the opener while Greg Leonardo marked his return with a triple. The Aces will have to turn up their game immediately when they face up against their stiff rivals from long ago.
(0 – 2) Tornadoes at (1 – 3) Gashouse Gang (Sun.)
Two weeks ago, the Tornadoes began their Fall season in rather troubling fashion. They opened by narrowly being perfect gamed until Steve Dachtera went deep to break up both the no-hitter as well as the shutout with two outs in the final inning. Then, the group showed their true hitting prowess as Steve Dachtera once more, Joe LaMicela, Steve Tomasik, and returning Evan Rivels went deep in the bottom half though they were incapable of pulling out the win. Following their bye, they will now go to Pulaski Park off the Bruckner Sunday morning to meet up with the GasHouse Gang. They weren’t able to come up with wins but the boys from Mamaroneck showed some real strength on the rectangle. Scott Almazan and Sean O’Malley threw sparkling gems as they only yielded 2 runs against the defending champions in both games; O’Malley striking out 12 in the process. They will have to turn up the hitting if they wish to keep up with the heavy bats of their opponents in their home field and get their season started.