Local Sports
Seniors take the diamond
TBO.com
Published: January 18, 2013
SEBRING - Paul Stephenson is a seventh-generation blueberry farmer from South Haven, Mich. Stephenson Farms employs 25 people on 35 acres right on Lake Michigan near Kalamazoo. The growing season runs from June through September. The farm also harvests apples, cherries and peaches.Published: January 18, 2013
Stephenson spends winters in Florida and enjoys playing senior softball in both venues. He can usually be seen wearing a Stephenson Farms hat and T-shirt during practice time.
In Lake Placid, he plays for Central Security. On Monday, Schooni's Restaurant rallied from a seven-run deficit in the last inning to win 24-23 over Central and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat in Lake Placid Senior Softball League play. Schooni's leading hitters were Richard Rucker (double), Denis Cuillerier (double, HR), Victor Rodriguez (double, HR), John McCallum and Brian Heaphy with four hits each.
For the Securitymen, Bill DeStefano hit for the cycle, while Tom Walsh (triple) and manager Joe Hedges had four hits each. Chet Johnson homered in the losing effort.
Yates Insurance won its third straight with a 24-21 win over Seminole Tire. Ed Engler paced Yates with five hits, while pitcher Jeff Stanley (three doubles, triple) and rookie Gerry Martin led eight Yates hitters who had four hits each.
For Seminole Tire, the "four hit club" included Mike Kratt, Norm Grubbs (two doubles), manager Jim Hensley (triple), and Darrel Richards. Skip Raller and Gary Pixley homered. Howard Carney made an outstanding catch in left field to rob Ron Hanisch of extra bases for the play of the game.
In Wednesday action, Schooni's Restaurant (2-2) knocked Yates Insurance (3-1) from the ranks of the unbeaten with a 22-19 win. Schooni's was paced by Richard Rucker's five hits and home runs from Denis Cuillerier, winning pitcher Victor Rodriguez and John McCallum. Frank Hedges added four hits in the victory.
Yates' leading hitter was Jeff Stanley (double, HR) with five, while Ron Hanisch, Cliff Bluml (two doubles), Dave Steigerwalt and Woody Hoffman all chipped in with four hits each.
Seminole Tire (2-2) defeated Central Security (1-3) 23-12. Manager Jim Hensley (double) and Howard Carney (double, triple) led the Tiremen with five hits apiece. Skip Raller (double) added four, while winning pitcher Harland Newby aided his own cause with three.
For Central Security, Chet Johnson and Tom Walsh had three hits apiece. Paul Stephenson quipped afterward that his team's anemic offense would be better "juiced" if they ate a daily supplement of blueberries from his Michigan farm.
Sebring 60 and over
On Monday, the Independent White Sox defeated the Fairmount Services Angels 13-10. Hitting stars for White Sox were Bob Roth with three; Tom McNally with three hits, including a triple; and Dick Ostrech with three hits.
Fairmount Services were led by Jim Morgan and Curt Brown, who each had three hits. Jim Radcliff added a pair of doubles, Don Cunningham had two hits and Steve Blazing had a triple.
The other game had the VFW 4300 Cubs over the Alan Jay Red Sox 19-13. The Cubs were led by Don Dobbert, who had four hits and is now 12-for-12 on the season. John (Boom-Boom) Buja had three hits, including a triple, while Brian Balcombe also had three hits. Earl Richardson had a pair of hits and Gary Tankersley had a triple.
Alan Jay was led by Dennis Mitchell's three hits, including a double, while JR Reed, Bill Allicot and Kyle Saunders also added three hits each.
Wednesday's action had the Alan Jay Red Sox defeating Fairmount Services 21-17.Leading the attack for the Red Sox were Frank Lantz, JR Reed and Bill Allicot, all with four hits. Harry Bell chipped in with three hits to support winning pitcher Rudy Pribble.
The Angels were led by Jim Radcliff, John Miller, Steve Blazing and JC Brown with three hits each. Geo Lavoie and Mel Gross had hits each and Don Cunningham had the only home run of the game.
The other game saw the Independent White Sox knocking off undefeated VFW 16-9. The White Sox led by Ed Lindberg's four hits, while John Jeffrey and Riccardo Enfelis had three hits each, including bases-clearing doubles. Chuck Fluharty and Craig Sutliff also had three hits each.
The losing Cubs had Boom-Boom Buja collect four hits, including three doubles. Gene Phillips had three hits, while Todd Martin, Don Dobbert, Dan Webb and Bill Scarse had two hits each. VFW 4300 and Independent are tied after the second week with 3-1 records.
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