Don’s Auto revs up triple play in week’s featured softball game

RMSA DIAMOND DUST, Week 7 (June 13 – June 19, 2010)
By Mike Kohli, RMSA Board Member

[RMSA Diamond Dust is a weekly synopsis of action in the Rome Men’s Softball Association.  It will spotlight feature games and stand-out players from each week’s games]

A showdown in the Community League opened week six action in the Rome Mens Softball Association.  Undefeated Western Legion and Don’s Auto battled in the week’s featured game. 

The game lived up to its billing as defense and big hitting took center stage.  Don’s Auto took an early 3-2 lead as the bottom of their batting order took charge early.  Mike Sreca and Tim and Mike Destito got the hitting started for Don’s. 

In the fourth inning, Western mounted a mini-rally as Joe Koenig, Andy Miller and Don Blanchard all reached base safely to lead off the inning. Bill Dibble hit a sharp ground ball to the shortstop Sreca, initiating a 6-4-3 double play that turned into a triple play for Don’s as Blanchard was cut off at the plate trying to score from second.  Koenig and Miller were able to score in the inning, however to give Western a 4-3 lead. 

The sixth inning proved to be the back breaker for Don’s as Don Blanchard destroyed a ball into the woods beyond right center field for a two-run home run giving Western the
win going away. 

With the victory, Western remained undefeated in league play at 6-0.  Don’s dropped to 5-1 and will look to rebound in another tough contest next Sunday against 4-2 Bravo’s/Wagoner-Hickok. 

Monday’s spotlight game in the Burt Smith League featured a couple of one-loss teams looking to keep pace with the unbeaten Performance Wire.  Bucky’s and Black River Ale
House/D&D Carpets battled back and forth for most of the game. 

Bucky’s took a 9-5 lead into the sixth inning and then the wheels fell off.  Black River
exploded for twelve runs in the sixth to put the final nail into Bucky’s coffin.  John Brawdy had three hits, including a three RBI triple in the sixth to lead the Black River attack.  Steve McGowan added four hits and five RBI of his own and Tony Dombrowski chipped in three hits for the victors. 

Bucky’s offense was led by team newcomer Bryan Brockway, who had three hits, including a home run and finished with three RBI while teammate John Cawl added three hits as well. 

Thursday’s Korpela League featured a matchup between two of the league’s oldest rivals:  Mattacola Law Firm and Midnight Mikey’s/Federated Insurance. After a slow start, Mattacola’s got their offense kick-started in the third inning, plating four runs to take a 5-1 lead.  Jeff Tarbania, who finished the game with three hits, got the inning started with a single to left field.  Matt Vitalone smashed a single up the middle to score Chris Marrello and Bob Taylor with the second and third runs of the inning. 

Mikey’s played long ball much of the night as Larry Fisher, Paul Straney and Andy White all went yard, but could muster little else in the way of offense. 

Mattacola’s tacked on six runs in the following three innings to put the game out of reach and send them to a 11-7 victory and remain undefeated in Korpela League play. 

Mattacola’s offense was led by Chris Marrello, who finished a perfect four-for-four and Scott Podkowka and Marc Kohli, who had three hits apiece in the win.