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Schooni's Tops Yates To Cap Somber Week

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Special to Highlands Today

Published: March 6, 2009

LAKE PLACID - The Schooni's Family Restaurant team scored big early and often and held off a fierce really by Michelle Yates Insurance on Wednesday to hold onto a 24-11 victory in Lake Placid Senior Softball League play at the lake June ball fields, capping off a somber week for the league.

Carl Hensley, a 13-year member of LPSS, lost his battle with cancer on Saturday. The 68-year-old Hensley, an Army veteran, and Indiana native, played with all four of his brothers (Dale, Jim, Bob, league Ray) and two of his nephews (Duke and Dusty) during his years in the league.

The league was special to him as evidenced by his last actions, where he cheered on his Lake Placid Marine team from a gurney during the last weeks of his life. One of his last requests was that he provide for the refreshments for a short memorial service which was held at the ball fields after league play on Wednesday.

The Insurers' bats came alive in the last inning, cheered on by the Harland Newby fan club (daughters and grandchildren from Wisconsin visiting their parents over Spring Break) to score eight runs, but it was too little to late.

Mike Jurmu, a 65-year old Green Bay, Wisc. native, U.S. Air Force Vietnam War veteran and winter resident of Buttonwood Bay, led the way for the win, at shortstop and at the plate.

Jurmu is finishing up building a two-seat, sport aircraft, which he hopes to fly this spring when he returns to Green Bay. He was 5-for-5 at the plate including a home run, but a member of the Newby fan club who coaches a high school girls fast pitch softball team said that a couple of those bloopers over the infield would have been caught by her girls!

However, in the scorebook they look like any other hit.

Also contributing to the high scoring for Schooni's were Don Cunningham and Darrell Richards, each 4-for-5 with Cunningham's hits including two home runs, and manager Dorin Quigg, Howard Carney, Dick Heinback and Rod Palmer with three hits each. The Yates team bats were held in check until the last inning with only George Quay managing to hits to that point. In the end, Fred Cooper, Paul Brand, Frank Hedges, Ray Wilson and Ross Anderson managed two hits each with Anderson delivering a three-run double and Harvey Jones smacking out a triple in the loss.

Play on the other field saw a close game get away from Central Security as the league leading Seminole Tire team scored big in the last few innings for an 18-11 victory. Gary Van, Ed Engler and substitute Duke Hensley were each 4-for-5 with Van having a home run and Cliff Bluml , Tom Walsh and Jeff Stanley adding three hits each with Stanley deliving two doubles for the Tiremen.

Central Security was missing some key players, but still had a lead until the late innings. Larry Oser had four hits, Manager Charlie Quinn, Cal Bready, Dave Hoffman, John Miller and substitute Moe Pier had three hits each with Miller having a home run and a double and Hoffman two doubles and Dick Harmich with a home run for the Security men.

In league play on Monday Lake Placid Marine team, who has dedicated their season to Carl Hensley, stayed tied for the league lead with a hard fought 10-9 win over Central Security.

Fittingly, nephew Duke Hensley led the win in the field and at bat where he was 3-for-4 with a double. Kyle Sanders had two doubles, Mo Pier had a two bagger and a single and Manager Glenn Wearsh also had two hits for the winners.

Central Security had the tying run on second with no one out in the bottom of the last inning, but shortstop Larry Lane mowed down the lead runner at the plate. One more run scored on a ground out but another ground out preserved the Mariner's victory. The Central Security offense was led by Manager Charlie Quinn, Jim Hensley, John Miller and Larry Oser with three hits each. Miller had two doubles and Hensley one among their hits.

Play on the other field saw the Seminole Tire team jump out to an early lead that was not threatened until the last couple of innings as they held on for a 15-12 win over the Michelle Yates Insurance team. Cliff Bluml, Fred Moore and Garry Van continued their hot bats, each going 4-for-4 at the plate and were assisted by substitute Mike Jurmu who was 3-for-4 with a home run for the winners. Fred Cooper was 4 for 4 including a 4 bagger, Dave Holloway was 3 for 4 and Ray Heissenberg, Dusty Hensley, Harlan Newby and Ray Wilson all had two hits each for the Insurance team.

Seminole Tire, with a record of 9-6 went a half-game up on the idle Lake Placid Marine team at 8-6, followed by the Schooni's Family Restuarant team at an even 7-7, the Central Security team at 6-8 and the Yates team at 6-9. Play continues through March 30.

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

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