We’re now heading to the midway point of the regular Fall season. The pitching has been dominant, in most cases, leading to some rather tight scores. With such close competition carrying throughout the league, this next week has high potential for even better games. These are the match-ups that will determine how the league standings will be altered moving ahead:
(6 – 0) Raging Bulls at (4 – 0) Frozen Ropes
The Bulls get back to it following their week off. Before then, they upped their record with 2 more victories the weekend before, starting with a homerun that made the difference by Joe Annoscia. Along with Jim Wendling, they combined for 19 strike outs in a 3 hitter. Then, Joe Annoscia, Jim Wendling, Anthony Pogioreale, and Artie Von Weigand all hit a homerun each as they won going away in the second game. They go home to face their rival Ropes Saturday morning at Murray Street Middle School. The Ropes returned last week with two rather large victories, showcasing Steve Yurchak. He hit an unthinkable 8 homeruns in the 2 games – 4 in each game – and drove in 20 runs combined, 12 in Game 1 and 8 in Game 2. In that game, he fanned 16 in his 7 innings of work. Kyle Lucas also hit a homerun in the second game and Tim Yurchak struck out 9 in 4 innings of 1 hit ball. These two sides are playing great and now face each other on fabled ground. This could be a match-up for the year so early in the last season.
(4 – 0) Pelham Village Wine at (5 – 1) Shut’Em Down
Pelham kept their winning streak going strong this past weekend with two more rather gritty performances. Game 1 was magnified by Randy Belfiore’s no-hitter, where he struck out 18 batters and hit a 2 run shot. Joe Battaglia got the game started with a 3-run blast of his own that broke the scoreless game in the 5th inning. Greg MacKoul then did his work, pitching a 12 strikeout 3 hitter and getting out of a 7th inning jam to gain the victory. The Wine are set and now send themselves to Pulaski Park off the Bruckner in the Bronx to face the Shut’Em Down. Still rolling on strong, the Shut’Em Down came away with 2 rather large victories last weekend. Randy Rhyne hurled a shut out, giving up only 4 hits, while Alex Garcia and Gustavo Martinez both hit 2 homeruns in the opener. Fabrizio Peralta also went deep that Game 1 victory. Then the trio each went deep again in the bottom half with Alex Garcia driving in 7 and Gustavo pulling in 6. They appear to be in top form but they are facing one of the best teams this season is bringing forth thus far. It will be interesting to see how this double header turns out.
(2 – 4) Shadyville Sluggers at (2 – 4) Whitestone Aces
The Sluggers picked up their first two wins of the season in dominant fashion and now look to build off on what they were able to accomplish last weekend. They will head to their old field – JHS 074 – on Oceania street to meet the Whitestone Aces. Two more tough-to-swallow losses leave the Aces somewhat reeling after a positive weekend prior. John Quinn fanned 19 batters in his Game 1 performance that then gave Bhishmi Robinson the floor. He went 6 innings, struck out 10, and gave up only 1 run. However, as was the case in the first week, the Aces’ offense needed to come through. So far, they haven’t been able. They hope to turn that around this week, but the Sluggers have made the Finals their last two straight seasons due to their own dominant pitching. These can end up being two hard, low scoring affairs that will be fun to watch and play through.
(1 – 5) Tornadoes at (0 – 6) Clippers (Sun.)
The Tornadoes have been running into trouble thus far the Fall season. Last week, they were able to put up a second game performance as Steve Tomasik went a double short of a cycle and Evan Rivels missed it by a triple. Steve Tomasik drove in 6 to cap off his offensive feat. They travel up to Mohansic Middle School Sunday morning to see if they can turn it all around against the equally struggling Clippers. In their first season back, the Clippers have been having difficulty getting that first win. Following four heartbreakers, they ran into a buzzsaw and barely came out alive. Steve Chodan remains a bright spot as he went deep in the second game. Vinny Burns showed with another bomb in that second game and struck out 6 in 2 innings of work. Both these teams are in need of something positive and hope to get it this weekend. Whichever group will come out on top depends on who can show with the better quality pitching performances.
(6 – 0) Raging Bulls at (4 – 0) Frozen Ropes
The Bulls get back to it following their week off. Before then, they upped their record with 2 more victories the weekend before, starting with a homerun that made the difference by Joe Annoscia. Along with Jim Wendling, they combined for 19 strike outs in a 3 hitter. Then, Joe Annoscia, Jim Wendling, Anthony Pogioreale, and Artie Von Weigand all hit a homerun each as they won going away in the second game. They go home to face their rival Ropes Saturday morning at Murray Street Middle School. The Ropes returned last week with two rather large victories, showcasing Steve Yurchak. He hit an unthinkable 8 homeruns in the 2 games – 4 in each game – and drove in 20 runs combined, 12 in Game 1 and 8 in Game 2. In that game, he fanned 16 in his 7 innings of work. Kyle Lucas also hit a homerun in the second game and Tim Yurchak struck out 9 in 4 innings of 1 hit ball. These two sides are playing great and now face each other on fabled ground. This could be a match-up for the year so early in the last season.
(4 – 0) Pelham Village Wine at (5 – 1) Shut’Em Down
Pelham kept their winning streak going strong this past weekend with two more rather gritty performances. Game 1 was magnified by Randy Belfiore’s no-hitter, where he struck out 18 batters and hit a 2 run shot. Joe Battaglia got the game started with a 3-run blast of his own that broke the scoreless game in the 5th inning. Greg MacKoul then did his work, pitching a 12 strikeout 3 hitter and getting out of a 7th inning jam to gain the victory. The Wine are set and now send themselves to Pulaski Park off the Bruckner in the Bronx to face the Shut’Em Down. Still rolling on strong, the Shut’Em Down came away with 2 rather large victories last weekend. Randy Rhyne hurled a shut out, giving up only 4 hits, while Alex Garcia and Gustavo Martinez both hit 2 homeruns in the opener. Fabrizio Peralta also went deep that Game 1 victory. Then the trio each went deep again in the bottom half with Alex Garcia driving in 7 and Gustavo pulling in 6. They appear to be in top form but they are facing one of the best teams this season is bringing forth thus far. It will be interesting to see how this double header turns out.
(2 – 4) Shadyville Sluggers at (2 – 4) Whitestone Aces
The Sluggers picked up their first two wins of the season in dominant fashion and now look to build off on what they were able to accomplish last weekend. They will head to their old field – JHS 074 – on Oceania street to meet the Whitestone Aces. Two more tough-to-swallow losses leave the Aces somewhat reeling after a positive weekend prior. John Quinn fanned 19 batters in his Game 1 performance that then gave Bhishmi Robinson the floor. He went 6 innings, struck out 10, and gave up only 1 run. However, as was the case in the first week, the Aces’ offense needed to come through. So far, they haven’t been able. They hope to turn that around this week, but the Sluggers have made the Finals their last two straight seasons due to their own dominant pitching. These can end up being two hard, low scoring affairs that will be fun to watch and play through.
(1 – 5) Tornadoes at (0 – 6) Clippers (Sun.)
The Tornadoes have been running into trouble thus far the Fall season. Last week, they were able to put up a second game performance as Steve Tomasik went a double short of a cycle and Evan Rivels missed it by a triple. Steve Tomasik drove in 6 to cap off his offensive feat. They travel up to Mohansic Middle School Sunday morning to see if they can turn it all around against the equally struggling Clippers. In their first season back, the Clippers have been having difficulty getting that first win. Following four heartbreakers, they ran into a buzzsaw and barely came out alive. Steve Chodan remains a bright spot as he went deep in the second game. Vinny Burns showed with another bomb in that second game and struck out 6 in 2 innings of work. Both these teams are in need of something positive and hope to get it this weekend. Whichever group will come out on top depends on who can show with the better quality pitching performances.