July 23 - Fan Club Evens Season Record
With 2 of 3 in Softball Action
by Don Girone
Having secured a play-off berth last week, the Devils Fan Club looked to improve its post-season seeding in a 2-game match vs. Car Kings, a 6-6 club, at Holster. Prior to the twinbill, the DFC first completed a suspended game from July 9 vs. Bergen B&M at Latteri Field. While the outcome seemed a formality (DFC had a lead with one out in the Bergen 6th), starting pitcher Marc Platkin's shoulder injury incurred last week necessitated relief work on Sunday. Veteran hurler Dan Gabbianelli took the mound and finished the contest. Although Bergen threw a scare into the Fan Club with a 3-run HR in their 7th, the guys hung on for a 7-5 win to even their ledger at 6-6.
Danny Gabb settled into his usual steller form as the Car Kings' opener unfolded. He was treated to a 3-0 lead in the DFC 3rd as Kyle Kasper, Alfredo Rojas and Scott Peterson all stroked run-scoring singles. However the offense could only manage 3 hits thereafter, which put the pressure on Gabby's shoulders. Dan nursed this edge until the 5th, when the Car Kings sprayed 9 singles which produced an 8-3 deficit. An unearned run in the 7th brought the final count to 9-3, with the Fan Club held to just 7 singles.
The DFC pieced together a run to start the nightcap courtesy of a Car King's miscue, an infield hit, a force out and a Tom Waggner RBI single. Once again, both opposing hurlers threw goose-eggs as defense played an important role. After allowing a double in the home 3rd, Gabbianelli was aided by an alert Kyle Kasper, who retrieved an outfield overthrow and cut down the Car Kings' baserunner at thrid to end the threat. In the 5th, Waggner saved the 1-0 lead by firing a strike to Kasper at home to erase another runner trying to advance after an infield error. After managing just 6 hits in the first 5 frames, the Fan Club exploded for 6 tallies and a 7-0 bulge. An outfield error on a Dave Nathanson hit scored Brian Kazmierski, who had singled. Peterson's RBI single followed, and after 2 fly-outs, a Nick Marshall base-hit plated run #3. Rich Loftus banged out an RBI hit, a Car King's error brought home another, and Kasper finished the rally with an RBI single. Waggner and Marshall closed the DFC scoring with RBI singles in the 7th. Danny Gabb limited the Car Kings to just one hit after the 3rd inning as he finished off a magnificent 4-hit shut-out. The 9-0 triumph brought the Fan Club back to a 7-7 mark with just one more week remaining in the regular season.
The closing double-bill (7/30 vs. defending champion E.G.Bulldogs at Richardson Oval) is make-up of a 5/21 rain out. Next week, I'll report on this action and preview the play-off pairing on the August 6th, which is a best 2 of 3.