BASEBALL ROUNDUP
MAJOR LEAGUE
GAME DATE: 5/31/16
Slovak 9, Moose 2
Slovak Club matched against Moose at Cross Street Field. Carlos Rodriguez took to the mound to pitch for Slovak Club delivering five great innings. Troy Hevey relieved Rodriguez in the sixth inning. Jimmy Krumpski made a great defensive play at third base running in to home and grabbing a bunted ball down the third base line bare handed and delivering a hard throw to first base. Collin Freeman made an outstanding play catching a fly ball and hitting the ball on the offensive side. James Coach made several great plays at third base. Sullivan Donohue, and Jax Grady worked hard behind the plate for Rodriguez. Slovak Club top of the order number 3 hitter Derek O’Dea, and number 4 hitter Hevey both put out their second homeruns of the season. Slovak went on to win their fifth game in a row by having a strong defense and offense.
Game date 5/24/16
Slovak 10, Sons of Erin 5
Even with a late game rally in the 6th inning, the Sons of Erin were unable to defeat Slovak, who were the victors in a game ending with a score of 10-5. The precise pitching from Slovak was tough to compete with throughout the first four innings.
The Sons got their bats moving in the fifth, though, as Jeremy McCormick slammed an out of the park home run over the right field fence, bringing in 2 runs. This late game rally continued into the sixth inning as Bryan Bolio and Eli Perez each reached first on hits. With those hits, good eyes, and smart base running the Sons were able to bring in another three runs.
On the defensive side, the Sons made some impressive plays. In the first inning, third baseman, Andrew Therrien, charged in and delivered a perfect throw to catcher, Caden Matuszczak, who tagged the runner out and saved a run. In the second inning, first baseman, Nathan Pudlo, hustled in and threw to catcher, Matuszczak again, saving another run. On the mound for the Sons were Scotty Hepburn with three strikeouts, and McCormick and Therrien, each with recording one K. This brings the Sons of Erin’s record to 8-7
GAME DATE: 5/22/16
Westfield Police 7, Air Compressor Engineering 6
The entire Police team came out swinging the bats against Air Compressor, and Kareem Zaghoul , Nick Montanoro each had their first home runs of the season. Timely hits by Zac Olsen and Andrew Bruno helped keep the game tied. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Sean Roselli singled with one out. Zaghoul hit into a fielders choice getting Roselli out at second base. With two outs, Jacob Wagner hit a frozen rope to the fence for a game winning triple scoring Zaghoul. That’s all Police needed to hold on for the victory.
Sons of Erin 10, Moose Lodge 0
The Sons of Erin showed up ready to play as they shut out Moose Lodge with a score of 10-0. The offense was hot, right from the start as Nathan Pudlo nailed a long shot to the center field warning track and earned a double. Jeremy McCormick followed and smashed a triple. Scotty Hepburn was up next, reaching first on a solid hit. This hitting streak continued with Noah Gardner up at the plate. He swung and crushed an out of the park homerun bringing in two runs. The Sons continued to make contact throughout the game.
Top hitters were Bobby Dellapenna with a triple, Pudlo with a double and a single, McCormick with two triples and Gardner with a homerun. Leading the team in RBI’s were McCormick with four and Gardner with two. On the mound for Sons were Ted Dunn with two strikeouts and Eli Perez with one. The defense was strong, as well, and assisted their pitchers with some notable fielding plays. Third baseman, Nate Pelligrini, grabbed a grounder and made a perfect throw to catcher, Caden Matuszczak , who tagged the runner at home saving a run. In the same inning, pitcher, Dunn, knocked down a line drive and hustled to throw to Pelligrini making another impressive out. This win brings the Sons record to 7-7.
Kiwanis 7, Commercial 6
In what will go down as one of the greatest Little League games this year, if not in history, Kiwanis and Commercial battled for 8 grueling innings. Cam Hoynoski started for Kiwanis and pitched 5 masterful innings. Hoynoski was dealing all day and gave up only 2 unearned runs. After trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the first, Riley Sullivan got the bats going for Kiwanis with a Home Run over the right center field fence. It was Sullivan’s 3rd homer of the year. The hot hitting continued with Dylan Arooth who secured two doubles on the day.
Things looked great for Kiwanis heading into the top of the 6th with a 6-2 lead. But “never say die” Commercial scored 4 in the 6th to tie the game and push it into extra frames. Clutch hits from Commercial’s Aidan King and Darin Towle lead the way.
With the score still tied heading into the bottom of the 8th, old Commercial nemesis, Anthony Schabowski strode to the plate. A year earlier, Schabowski beat Commercial with a walk off home run in the bottom of the 6th, and unbelievably he almost did it again. Schabowski hit a towering drive to deep left field that hit the top cross bar of the fence, only to have the ball bounce back into the field. It seemed a cruel twist of fate, would Commercial escape and head to the 9th? Well, not if Jimmy Cloutier had anything to say about it. Cloutier came up to the plate, calm, cool and collected. After taking a pitch, Cloutier drilled a line drive into left field scoring Schabowski from second and securing the Kiwanis walk-off win, 7-6. Kiwanis improved to 8-6 on the season winning its 4th straight.
Anthony Schabowski was 3 for 4, Jimmy Cloutier 2 for 4, Dylan Arooth and Riley Sullivan 2 for 3. Cam Cusack, Bryce Alaconis, and Colin Cusack were 1 for 3, and Ryan Goyette was 1 for 2. Colin Cusack also had a masterful sacrifice bunt in the bottom of the 7th.
GAME DATE: 5/21/16
Kiwanis 9, Air Compressor 6
Both Kiwanis and Air Compressor would battle it out on Paper Mill field both trying to get to the top of the National League. Riley Sullivan had a masterful pitching appearance for Kiwanis with 12 strikeouts in 4 innings of work.
The game was very tight heading into the top of the 5th with Kiwanis leading 2-1. Kiwanis was able to push across 7 runs in the top half.
Leading 9-2 heading into the bottom of the 6th things looked great for good ol’ Kiwanis. But that’s when the wheels started to fall off. Air Compressor battled back scoring 4 times in the bottom half on multiple Kiwanis errors. With the bases loaded and two outs, Jimmy Cloutier came in to get the third out of the inning on a strikeout and secure the save and the win, 9-6. Kiwanis improved to 7-6 on the year.
Anthony Schabowski was 1 for 3 with 2 runs scored. Jimmy Cloutier was 1 for 3 with a run scored. Cam Cusack was 2 for 3 with a double and run scored. Riley Sullivan was 2 for 3 with 2 runs scored. Jared Noel was 2 for 3. Cam Hoynoski was 1 for 3. And Colin Cusack and Logan Hansen each had a run scored.
GAME DATE: 5/19/16
Kiwanis 9, Moose 4
There are times in a players’ career where they may be off during a game, out a whack, if you will. It’s the great champions who battle through those tough times to help their team win, even when they don’t have their best stuff. For Kiwanis that player tonight was Joey Calderella. Calderella’s pitching was uncharacteristically off tonight. But he battled for 4 strong innings leaving the game down 3-1. It was due to seeing Calderella’s toughness that finally got the Kiwanis bats going in the 5th. Kiwanis scored 2 runs in the 5th and 6 runs in the top of the 6th with help from a 3rd run Home Run from Riley Sullivan into the “Cross Street Green Monster”. Kiwanis went on to victory and beat Moose Club 9-4.
Anthony Schabowski was 1 for 2 with a run scored. Jimmy Cloutier was 2 for 3 with a run scored. Cam Cusack was 1 for 2 with 2 runs scored. Riley Sullivan was 2 for 3 with a HR, Triple, and 2 runs scored. Colin Cusack was 1 for 1 with a run scored. Colin secured his first Major League hit of the season. Kiwanis also has some great defense from Bryce Alaconis, Logan Hansen, Dylan Arooth, and Jimmy Cloutier.
GAME DATE: 5/15/16
Kiwanis 8, Sons of Erin 4
Kiwanis headed to Cross Street to play Sons of Erin hoping to jumpstart its season. Cam Hoynoski and Anthony Schabowski were great on the mound for Kiwanis, giving up only 4 runs in 6 innings of work. With Kiwanis up 2-0 in the top of the 3rd, Anthony Schabowski extended the lead to 3-0 with a Home Run over the center field fence. Kiwanis had some very timely hitting in the game from Cam Cusack, Jared Noel, and Bryce Alaconis. Noel was great behind the plate catching. A very well played game between both teams. Kiwanis went on to win 8-4.
Anthony Schabowski was 1 for 3 with a Home Run and run scored. Jimmy Cloutier, Dylan Arooth, and Joey Calderella were 1 for 3 with a run scored. Cam Cusack was 2 for 3 with a run scored. Jared Noel was 2 for 3 with a run scored. Cam Hoynoski was 1 for 3 and Bryce Alaconis was 1 for 3 with a double.
GAME DATE: 5/14/16
Slovak 4, Kiwanis 0
In what turned out to be another great pitching duel between Kiwanis’ Riley Sullivan and Slovak’s Troy Hevey. Riley and Troy were both dominate for their respective teams, but Slovak was able to squeak out 4 runs. Kiwanis had some great defense from Logan Hansen, Ryan Goyette, and Bryce Alaconis.
Kiwanis went on to lose, 4-0. Jimmy Cloutier, Dylan Arooth, Cam Cusack, and Jared Noel were all 1 for 2. Cam Hoynoski was 2 for 2.
GAME DATE: 5/12/16
Kiwanis 6, Advance 0
In a must win situation for Kiwanis, old Advance nemesis Joey Calderella once again took to the mound for Kiwanis. Calderella was dazzling all night long, pitching all 6 innings and securing 9 strikeouts. Anthony Schabowski got things going early for Kiwanis in the bottom of the first with a long Home Run over the Center Field fence. Jimmy Cloutier followed that up with a ringing double to left field. Kiwanis had some great defense from Ryan Goyette, Logan Hansen, Colin Cusack and Bryce Alaconis.
Anthony Schabowski was 2 for 3 with a Home Run. Jimmy Cloutier was 2 for 3 with two doubles and a run scored. Cam Cusack was 1 for 2 with a run scored. Riley Sullivan had a walk and a run scored. Jared Noel was 2 for 2 with a run scored. And Ryan Goyette was 1 for 1 securing his first Major League hit on the season.
WHEELER DIVISION
GAME DATE: 5/25/16
Firtion Adams Funeral Home 15, Tucker’s Restaurant 8
Darrin Schnopp and Gavin Connors combined to pitch five solid innings with a combined 10 strikeouts to lead Firtion Adams Funeral Home to a 15-8 victory. Schnopp also reached base four times with two hits, two walks and three runs scored. Alejandro Rogers walked four times and scored three runs from the leadoff spot while Brian MacIntosh, Mike Miller, and Will Halbert each scored two runs for Firtion Adams who improved to 8 wins and 4 losses.
Luke Grabowski had a hit and scored a run while Nick Gauger reached base twice and scored two runs for Tucker’s Restaurant.
GAME DATE: 5/22/16
Specialty Bolt came up with a good win over division rival Tuckers Restraunt 10-7.
SBS came out swinging the bats with great hits by Brandon Chapman, Cole Torres , Logan Allen.It was a nail bitter for the first half of the game with each team scoring runs. Jacob Hanselman had a timely hit scoring 2 runs giving Specialty Bolt the lead. That is all they needed when Joshua Wagner to take the mound. Wagner had 9 Ks in three innings worth of work, preserving the win for SBS. Specialty Bolt has a two game lead in their division.
SOFTBALL ROUNDUP
10U DIVISION
GAME DATE: 6/2/16
Kiwanis 9, Southampton 7
Kiwanis showed off a lot of heart pulling off a great come from behind 9-7 victory on the road against a tough Southampton. Trailing 6-3 in the top of the 5th, with two outs and bases empty, things looked bleak for Kiwanis.
The team’s fortunes turned when Allie Stucenski ignited a rally with a single and the first of her two hits. Mia Tavares followed with a triple to plate Stucenski and cut the lead to 6-4. Moja Premny then singled to drive Tavares home cutting Southampton’s lead to 5-4. Premny would advance to third and score on Ali LaPanne’s single to tie the game. Grace Leduc then crushed her first ever home run to put Kiwanis ahead.
Southampton wouldn’t relent and tied it up in the fifth. Kiwanis took the lead for good in the top of the 6th when Alaina Raco walked and advanced to third where she scored the go ahead run on Camille Bruno’s single. Bruno would also advance to third and scored a second huge insurance run when Tristan Macznik singled her home. Raco then pitched a scoreless bottom of the 6th with good defensive help from Leduc and Bruno to cement the win for Kiwanis.
Raco pitched three strong innings for Kiwanis striking out six and walking only one. Ali LaPanne started for Kiwanis and pitched three good innings striking out seven. The win pushed Kiwanis record to 9-5 on the year.
GAME DATE: 5/25/16
Kiwanis 11, Firtion Adams 8
Kiwanis got a great start against Firtion Adams when Ali LaPanne struck out six and allowed only two runs in her three innings on the mound. LaPanne also had three hits and drove in three. Moja Premny was hot at bat with four hits including two doubles. Mia Tavares and Alaina Raco followed up with three hits each for Kiwanis. Grace Leduc hit a double and had two RBIs. Katelyn Connor helped with two RBIs of her own with groundouts.
While Allie Stucenski did not have a hit she helped her team out with three great innings behind the place, catching a clutch foul tip that sent the batter back to the dugout. Alaina Raco nailed down the game with three strong innings on the mound for the save. The win pushed Kiwanis record to 8-4 and won the season series with a tough Firtion Adams 2-1. – Courtesy of Westfield Little League
