Lyons own softball league ends with a bang
Pre-Playoffs
COMMENTARY BY CHRIS COPE:
We’re at the end of the co-ed rec softball league for the year. 8 games is a bit short, and we can’t pull off a fall league without lights, but after a 7 year absence, it feels really good to get here.
It’d feel better if my team was in contention…. but as Gamecock fans the world over say every year (Neil Sullivan), “we’ll get ’em next year”.
Here are the match-ups for tonight’s playoff games. Rec leagues don’t typically do a full playoff. They do a championship game with consolation games, sort of like what the Big10 tried to do last year.
Wednesday 8/18:
Appetizers:
Bohn Field, 6pm: 5v6 – Natural Disasters vs The Howlers
The two teams with enough talent and/or “experience” to have been a threat, but couldn’t quite put together big innings when they needed them. Flip a few close games, and the standings look very different. “If wishes were horses…” – Jayne, Firefly
Vasquez Field, 6pm: 7v8 – Red Sauce vs Free Agents
Two new teams that showed signs of putting it together throughout the season and will definitely be improved next season.
Vasquez Field, 7pm: 3v4 – Green Sauce vs Hooligans
Two teams in different places than they thought they’d be. One has shown remarkable improvement late in the season. One looked like the odds on favorite to win it all for most of the year but couldn’t close the deal in the last two games, which were effectively play-in games. Both will be threats to win it all next year.
The Main Event:
Bohn Field, 7pm: 1v2 – Jr’s Offspring vs Spirit Hound
One new team with very talented players and a thought-provoking infield strategy.
One team loaded with young, hungry and experienced fast-pitch players…and some eager dudes as well. Here’s hoping that they’ve put off going back to college for one week….
Come out and watch the finale tonight. Guaranteed to be a fun-filled conclusion to a great first season back.
Thanks again to Lisa Ramsey, Dave Cosgrove and all of the town staff that made this possible.
Final Scores 8/25/21
1. Jr’s Offspring over 2. Spirit Hound 13-12 (bizarre finish due to lightning delay and darkness… but the Jr’s got up big in the top of the 5th before darkness forced the ump to roll back to the final after 4).
3. Hooligans over 4. Green Sauce 11-3. From all accounts, the Hooligans won angry. Bottle that energy for next year.
5. Natural Disasters over 6. The Howlers 10-6. Many thanks to The Howlers for allowing a temporary suspension of the “no-slide” rule. It’s the only tool I have left and it was glorious.
7. Red Sauce over 8. Free Agents. 1-0 by forfeit. Both teams improved over the season and had some close losses. Come back stronger next year.
LEAGUE TEAM PHOTOS
“It’s been very gratifying to help bring back something that so many people loved. It’s also been great that so many new people have joined our league. I hope this makes us even stronger in the years to come. Of course, none of this would have been possible without everyone at the town working tirelessly to bring back Bohn Park better than it was before,” said Chris Cope as his parting words.
Winning Team: Jr’s Offspring ~ Congratulations!
Players, left to right: Cormac Osborne, Hannah Paton, Jaz Enny, Avery Joy, Alora Cross, Gyli Hay, Nick Boggess, Zach Boggess, Davis Abernathy, Bode Shiver, Cassidy Batts
Not pictured: Wyatt Bashor, Alexa Karsel, Harrison Abernathy, Karson Bean, Hannah Schweiger, Charlie Gau, Grant Gau
Coach: Jaiden Batts
Spirit Hound, 2nd Place
Left to right — Bottom row: Emily Crane, Erika Carlson, Amanda Engelhorn, Brittni Hamilton, Amanda Millard
Top Row: Chris Rudnick, Jeff Hellman, Colton Nieman, Terrri Humphries, Joe Boswell, Justin Nieman, Kelly Olson
Not Pictured: Kyle Kolakowski & Michelle Kolakowski and Lauren Helstad.
Hooligans, 3rd Place
Top row-left to right: Cory Pierce, Steve Simms, Debbie Simms, Drew Neal, Laura Neal, Dan Major, Matt Rooney, Doug Stahl
Bottom row: Wendy Hutt, Emily Dusel, Connie Eyster, Dan Bruckner, Gwynn Dumbauld
Not Pictured: Bill VanLeeuwen and Aleta Wilson (both out for injuries)
Green Sauce, 4th Place
From left to right back row: Danielle Zielmann, Ginger Palmeri, Cole Thomas, Charlie Gau, Roy Palmeri, Carolyn Corry, Michael Ebeling
Front row left to right: Hillary Peddicord, Michael Thompson, Eliza Marks, Jill Jacob, Jennifer Rookey, Mat Hughey, Alicia Thompson
Not pictured, but played: Jennifer Ward, Jake Ward, Bron Scott, Caitlyn Bolton-Dudas, James Hart
Natural Disasters, 5th Place
Way Back Row from left: Chris Squires (partially obscured), Ethan Marlatt
Sort of Middle Row: Pete Sutcliffe, Mike Richardson, Alexis Glover, Julia Lenarz, Tracie Ernst, Heather Squires, Shelley Roderick
Front Row, kneeling: Jack Crawford (ballboy), Jed Crawford, Chris Cope, Bailey (mascot), Christy Cope
Howlers, 6th Place
Back row, left to right: Cole Thomas, Toby Russell, Pat Thomas, Jason Hicks, Noelle Wilson, Jeff English, Kelly Taylor Russell, Stephen Irvin
Bottom row, left to right: Marily Melis, Billy Shaddox, Jenny Bach
Not pictured: Pam Davis, Aimee Kane, Stephen Kane, Siobhan Asgharzadeh, Alison Snider
Red Sauce, 7th Place
Back row standing from Left to Right:
Laura Mayo, Patricia Romero, Matthew Vavrina, Tommy Holley, Malte Winkler, Caribe Postigo-Martell, Angela Nelson, Judith Nowlin, and Michael Ebeling.
Front row kneeling from Left to Right:Hilary Peddicord, Donnie Mortimer, Jill Jacobs, and Mat Hughey.
Not pictured but played: Jennifer Ward, Sarah Wolfe Vasel and Ty Hammes.
Free Agents, 8th Place (no photo)
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