It’s Rec League tourney time; Select League all knotted up

It’s the biggest event on BAJA softball’s schedule — the annual double-elimination tournament!

From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., both fields at Sahuarita Park were full of old-timers trying for a second chance at winning a championship, after six of the seven teams failed in that quest in the regular league.

BAJA apologizes, but current economic conditions prevent us from having the usual valet parking and the sky boxes for spectators, but the hot dogs, desserts, and drinks are on the house!

The tournament winds up on Monday, March 23, with the champion crowned around 1:30 p.m., following another 9 a.m. start.

After action on March 9, 2 Girls Pizza were still clinging to their narrow half game lead over San Ignacio Resort.

In their first game, the top of the order — Tom Kennedy, Steve Rankin, Wally Towne and Glenn Carter — got on base 13 times in 14 at bats to pace the 12-8 victory over 3 Barbers.

In game two, Greg Pettet made the difference with a triple and a double to spark the 11-6 win. Pitcher Bob Schwankl helped himself, going 4-6 and an unassisted double-play by Terry Charney snuffed a Barber rally. The brightest spot for the Barbers was a grand slam home run by Nick Charles. Bob Hoyler, Dave Hyslop, and Mal Perlich hit well for the losers.

The Inn at San Ignacio kept their championship hopes alive by sweeping the Cow Palace, 13-4 and 17-14. Gale Van Hoorn hit one out of the park in game one and Bill Land, John Houghton, and Jim Larson provided timely hitting. The Inn came from behind in game two behind home runs by Chuck “Legs” Catino and Tom “Mickey” Burns. Steady defense also contributed to the win, per Manager Art Janssen. For the Palace, Dennis Dion, Jim Dickey, Mike Miller, John Brennan, Jim Meredith, and Walter Schultz were the team’s better hitters as they almost pulled the second game out of the fire.

Triple Play downed the Arizona Family Restaurant 19-7 and 18-3 in the other doublebill. Jim Click had the bye for the day.

Things pretty well stayed the same in Wednesday’s actions as both league leaders swept double headers.

2 Girls Pizza maintained their half game lead by downing Arizona Restaurant, 18-4 and 16-4. A running grab of a hard-hit fly ball by Tom Kennedy and a grab of a tough foul ball by Jeff Harrison were the defensive highlights for the Girls. San Ignacio Inn kept pace by blasting an inept Jim Click team, 18-9 and 14-0 — yes nothing!

Shutouts are a rarity in slow pitch softball but this one actually happened.

In game one, after falling behind 7-1, the Inn rallied behind a towering home run by Gale Van Hoorn and won going away. The win in game two was the second shutout victory pulled off by SI this season. Bob Fluecher and Chuck Catino handled the pitching chores while team offense and defense iced the “W.” Manager Art Janssen attributed the victories to total team play — no heroes here, just solid team play. If you do the math, SI outscored the Clickers 31-2 after falling behind early!

Three-and-a-half Barbers split with Triple Play, winning the first by a field goal, 23-20, but dropping the second by two touchdowns, 18-4 in an all-too-familiar Jeckyl-and-Hyde performance.

There were few defensive gems on either side, but the Barbers offense was led by Jerry Sutherland, Bob Hoyler, Gil Moss and Bobby Allen’s bases-clearing triple.

In game one, Triple Play took a three-run lead into the seventh inning, but were unable to stave off the Barbers and their bats. In game two, behind the pitching of Jim Mollson, the Trips made it look easy behind the hitting of Rod Lichtenberger, Andy Lynch, Dick Putdy, Bill Sullivan, Dan Patterson, and Bob “Special K” Kaiser. The Cow Palace had the bye of the day.

Friday Select League

It isn’t only all the old muscles knotted up this late in the season.

The two top teams, Keagy Edward Jones and Green Valley Insurance are all knotted up at 13 wins and 5 losses.

In last Friday’s action on Field One, Green Valley Insurance put their stamp on the season by taking two must games from former front-runners Keagy. The Insurers have been on a hot streak winning their last eight games to tie Keagy with two games left in the season.

In addition to big hitters, Mike Iannacchino (one home run) and Tommy Liedtke (one home run), John Brassell, Jerry Brotz, Craig Burgess, John Fawcett, Dick Fryan, Randy Higa, Mark Haskoe, Gil Massey, Jim Sladky and Mike “No Gum For You” Sommer all pounded out hit after hit and were aided slightly by some sloppy defense by Keagy.

While Gil Massey and Mark Haskoe, pitching for the Insurers, didn’t keep the big bats from Keagy from launching six long balls of their own, they did ensure that those six long balls were only good for nine RBIs by shutting down the Keagy bats at every key situation in both games.

For Keagy, Gale Van Hoorn went yard three times, Steve Wentz one time and Dick “The Grizzled Veteran” Purdy added one home run to give him three on the year. Other Keagy hitters who had a good day were Jim Molsen, Steve Heath and Rick Keagy.

Randy Higa, coach for the surging Insurers, wants it made clear that his team’s great hitting and fielding are a result of clean living not performance enhancing substances, though the entire league of four teams took and failed both a Geritol and Prune Juice Test. Green Valley Insurers win two over Keagy Edward Jones, 19-13 and 19-16.

Field two was host to the highest score posted by a team this season. Hickey Automotive scored 31 times and also turned a league leading four double-plays in the contest. Hickey hitters Marty Camacho, Bob Epstein, John Houghton, Arly Lyons, Dave McKinley, Fred Searle, Tom Vincent, Joe “Oh My Hamstring” Wilson and Bill O’Malley (two home runs) had a field day and may have scored even more runs but got tired from running all those bases.

Final outcome Hickey Automotive 31-16 over Comfort Inn of Green Valley. But what a difference 15 minutes between ball games makes. In game two, the well-rested Innkeepers, held, heretofore, unstoppable Hickey Automotive to only five runs in the game while scoring 20 runs of their own.

Lead-off hitter, John Ledford went 6-6, Jim “The Beard” Larson muscled up and deposited a ball into the desert against a stiff wind and Harley Thompson, Bill Land, Dennis “Rifle Arm” Dion, Mike Miller, Dave Ahner, Bob Barry, Art “March of Dimes” Janssen, Tom Kennedy, Husten Pettet, DeWayne Schmidt and Lu Smith all hit for both high averages and total bases.

Norm Brooks and Steve Wentz are your faithful BAJA correspondents.

Rec League standings

Two Girls Pizza: 25-8

San Igancio Inn: 26-10

3 1/2 Barbers: 19-15

Jim Click: 18-16

Triple Play: 18-16

Cow Palace: 11-22

Arizona Restaurant: 2-32

Select League standings

Keagy Edward Jones: 13-5

Green Valley Insurance: 13-5

Comfort Inn of GV: 6-12

Hickey Automotive Repair: 3-15