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Highlands Today

Merchants Outlast Highlands Ridge

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Special to Highlands Today

The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 3, 2009

SEBRING - On Tuesday, February 24, at the Highlands County Sports Complex, the Sebring Senior Softball League spectators were out in full force cheering their teams.

Everyone is welcome to come and enjoy these games at no charge every Tuesday and Thursday at 10:00 a.m. Bleachers are furnished or you can bring your own lawn chair.

Highlands Merchants and Highlands Ridge kept a fairly even keel, but the Merchants pulled ahead for a 15-10 win. Merchants hard hitters were Brian Pluta going 3-for-3, all being home runs. Jose Torres had three hits including a three-run homer.

Cal Saunders had three hits, including a double and Ron Lewis had four singles. For the defensive side, Wayne Hill made some choice plays at shortstop.

The Ridges most productive batters were John Bielman going 3-for-3 and Doug Ebeling and Tommy Gaiowonik each with three hits.
Royal Palms came out on top of their game with Andrews Allstate Insurance with a 14-2 final score. Palms big hitters were Doug Hammond going 2-for-4, including a home run and three RBI, Jim Quartier went 2-for-3 with a triple and four RBI and Larry Lane had three hits.

For Allstate, James Gilbert belted out a two-run homer bringing in Rod Palmer who was on base.

The Rebels and Highlands Independent Bank had a 15-5 final score with Rebels as victors. Rebels top hitters were Jim Munroe, Jerry Mattis, Les Reab and Diz Jones with three hits, while Don Matthews and Rick Vancuren each went 3-for-3.

"Moose" Tom Morrissette had a grand slam, redeeming himself and cancelling a tough strikeout with the bases loaded in a previous game.

The Silent Salesman played the Blue Jays with the Salesman coming out on top 13-9. The Jays trailed 13-5 going into the last inning and staged a valiant effort to rally for four runs, but left the potential tying run in the on-deck circle.

The Salesman played solid defense and banged out 23 hits to compensate for twelve ground-balls for outs. Don Cunningham led the hit parade going 4-for-4, including a triple.
Jerry Johnston had two hits, Mike Jurmu went 4-for-4, while Syd Collins and Roque Socarras each had three hits.

A sincere apology goes to the Blue Jays and their opponents for inadvertently being omitted from last week's write-ups. On Tuesday, February 17, the Blue Jays and Rebels final score was 12-5 with the Rebels at the helm.

Rebels "Moose" Tom Morrissette went 4-for-4 with a double, Tony Caristo had three hits, including a double and five other batters went 3-for-4.

Blue Jays Don Sheets was credited with a home run.

The Blue Jays faced Highlands Independent Bank on Thursday, February 19, ending with a 26-8 victory for the Jays.

It was an unusual game with the Jays having 30 hits, including four homers.

The home run producers were Don Sheets, Dick Schiltz, Russ Moody and Harold Dinel.

The Bank had an exciting fourth inning with the bases loaded when Bob Burley got up to the plate and crushed a grand slam.

Thursday's Games

At the County Complex February 26 the Highlands Merchants trounced Andrews Allstate Insurance with a 30-8 final score.

The Merchants went home-run happy with bats swinging.

Ross McMinn had the seldom accomplished cycle, which is a home run, triple, double and single. Bill Yeager had four hits, including two home runs.

Bobby Fulcher and Jose Torres each had three hits including a homer and Bob Roth had four hits. Four other players had two hits each.

Allstate players are still feeling the sting of the loss and had no report.

Highlands Ridge and Royal Palms had a final score of 14-10 with Ridge in the winners circle in a hard-fought battle.

Curt Brown againplayeda good game for the Ridgegoing 4-for-4 and scoring three runs. Doug Ebeling went 3-for-4 and scored three runs.

Bob Weiss had three hits, including a double for Royal Palms, Jim Quartier and Bob Floodine had two hits, including a double and Ross Anderson and Charlie Quinn each reached base three times.

The Blue Jays and Rebels played a close game ending 14-11 in favor of the Blue Jays. The game was a see-saw battle until the top of the eighth when Don Day and Dick Schiltz each hit a home run for the Jays.

Rebels Jim Strietzel went 2-for-3, including a home run.

Don Purdy had two hits with a double, while Fred Boyd, Jack Grosso and "Moose" Tom Morrissette added three hits to the attack.
Silent Salesman defeated Highlands Independent Bank 14-6.

Salesman put together three good innings in the middle of the game scoring 12 of their 14 runs.

The Bankers defense tightened up in the last three innings, and held the Salesman scoreless, but the damage was already done as the Bankers three-run rally in the eighth wasn't enough.

The Salesman had 11 batters with at least one hit.Don Cunningham had a home run and Mike Jurmu hit a triple.

Roque Socarras was 4-for-4, Bob Flack went 3-for-3, Marvin Knutilla had three hits and four others contributed with two singles each.

Send summaries of your league's play to sports@highlandstoday.com

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