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Highlands Today

Seminole Tire Rallies Past Schooni's

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Special to Highlands Today

Published: January 9, 2009

LAKE PLACID - The Lake Placid senior softball league saw the Seminole Tire team come from behind with two outs in the last inning to earn a 13-12 victory over the Schooni's Family Restaurant team in league play on Wednesday.

The winning effort was led by 74-year-old shortstop Tom Walsh, a Marine Corp veteran and a retired Cicero, Ill., police officer with 31 years of service.

Not only did he make the defensive plays in the field, but he also had three timely well-placed hits to help his team come from six runs down in the last two innings. Teammates Gary Van, Ed Engler and Glenn Minnich also added three hits each for the winners. The Schooni's team offense was led by Don Cunningham with three hits and Haward Carney, Paul Stephenson, Darrell Richards, Dick Heinbeck and Bob Sheets with two hits each.

Play on the other field saw Lake Placid Marine easily defeat Michelle Yates Insurance team by a score of 22-12. Their high-scoring effort was led by Moe Pier with five hits, Kyle Saunders with five hits (including a home run), Duke Hensley with four hits and Tom Gaiownik and Larry Lne with three hits each. The Yates' offense saw manager Rocky Soccarras and Jim Kahn producing four hits each and Dusty Hensley with three hits.

The results of league play to date shows a well-balanced and competitive league with Lake Placid Marine, Yates Insurance, and Seminole Tire each with records of 1-1 and Central Security at 1-0 and Schooni's at 0-1.

Jan. 5 marked the beginning of play for the league.

On opening day, Michelle Yates Insurance team routed Seminole Tire 32-10 during the first game played by the league on the new softball field at Lake June Park. Play on this field will take some getting used to as home plate is located in the southeast corner of the field causing considerable problems in the field with the late morning sun.

Several fly balls were "lost" in the sun in left center through right field, helping to contribute to the high score. The Yates team was led by Paul Brand and Art Miller, who had perfect days at the plate with Brand knocking six hits and Miller getting four hits and two walks. Dusty Hensley, Dave Holloway, Ray Heissenberg, Frank Hedges and manager Rocky Soccorras contributed four hits each in the win.

The Seminole Tire offense was led by Ed Engler with three doubles, Harley Smith with three hits and Fred Moore and Max Hein with two hits each. Hein also made a couple of difficult catches fighting the sun in right field.

Play on the other field saw Central Security prevail over Lake Placid Marine, 10-4, but the game was much closer than the final score indicated.

Excellent fielding plays by 81-year old shortstop Cal Bready, whose professional baseball career in the Philadelphia Athletics organization was ended by "Uncle Sam" when he was called up for the Korean War, and right fielder Richard Rivera, curtailed two or three bases loaded scoring efforts by the Lake Placid Marine team.

The Central Security team was led at the plate by Larry Oser with 4 hits and Richard Rivera, John Miller, and Manger Charlie Quinn with three hits each. The hard luck Lake Placid Marine team was led at the plate by third baseman, Tommy "G", and manger Glenn Wearsch with three hits each.

All games are at the Lake June ball fields and league play will continue through the end of March.

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