ARLINGTON A monster third inning carried Cuz Concrete to a 14-10 victory over Menzel Lake in Arlington recreational league co-ed softball in their July 25 clash.
The two teams both produced plenty of offense, but Menzel Lake could not keep up with the hot bats of Derek Chapin and Mike Tutlis.
Both teams got started slowly as nobody crossed the plate for either side in the first inning.
In the top half of the second, both Christi Weiland and Mike Tutlis crossed the plate for Cuz Concrete. Becky Freeman drove home Weiland and Tutlis scored on a groundball out off the bat of Jeremy Handran.
Brandi Bergley got Menzel Lake on the board in the second as she beat out an infield hit before scoring on a Ladd Lanz triple. Menzel Lake might have produced more runs in the second inning but they were called out for an illegal batting order. Teams in the recreational co-ed leagues must bat male-female in order down through the entire lineup. It is permissable to have two women bat back-to-back but not two men. Thomas Payne followed Lanz to the plate and singled to score Lanz, but the run was voided and Payne declared out by the home plate umpire.
At that point the wheels fell completely off the wagon for Menzel Lake. Tim Reilly singled to start the Cuz Concrete third and Vic Lacernza walked behind him. Paul Galovin hit into a fielders choice and Reilly scored from second on the play. Derek Chapin blasted a two-run home run on the following pitch, crashing around third base in a wild attempt to get home ahead of the relay throw. Chapins tumble could have proved costly but he righted himself and trotted across the plate as the Menzel Lake outfield could not return the ball in time.
Two singles by Michele Reitz and Brandon Zachry led to a Christi Weiland RBI single as well. Mike Tutlis brought home Zachry and Weiland to make the score 7-1. Becky Freeman singled before a Jeremy Handran double scored both Tutlis and Freeman. The march of Cuz Concrete around the basepaths became routine and Tim Reilly doubled home Handran to complete the carnage. All told, Cuz Concrete tallied eight runs in the inning to extend their advantage to 10-1.
They werent even close to finished. In the fourth inning, Cuz Concrete brought out their whooping sticks again. Paul Galovin doubled to start the inning. Kelli Kenney scored Galovin with a double of her own. Two more RBI singles from Christi Weiland and Mike Tutlis brought the lead up to 13-1 and only a fine diving stop at third base prevented further damage.
Trailing by 12 runs, Menzel Lake mounted something of a comeback in the bottom half of the inning. Angel Tilton singled and scored on a Steve Baker triple. Stacy Kline singled to score Baker and Bob Bergley singled behind Kline. Ladd Lanz connected with a two RBI single and later scored on a two RBI triple off the bat of Thomas Payne. Payne scored as well on a fielders choice to bring the score back to within respectable distance 13-8.
Cuz Concrete tacked on another run in the fifth after Jeremy Handran walked. The two base walk put Handran in scoring position for Tim Reilly to drive in. Reillys RBI made the score 14-8.
In the bottom of the fifth Bob Bergley drove home two runs for Menzel Lake, but that was all the scoring the team would do the rest of the way. The final score of 14-10 barely captures the dominance of Cuz Concrete in the matchup.
After the game home run hitter Derek Chapin seemed less concerned with the victory, and more disappointed in himself for a strike out looking in the fourth inning.
I felt like an idiot. Nobody strikes out looking in this league, said Chapin. And on my home run, I fell down. So I felt like an idiot then too. Basically I just felt like an idiot.