Sports
Thousands watch Falmouth top Wareham
Avenging last year's 6-1 loss to the Wareham Gatemen, the Falmouth Commodores won Thursday's Cape Cod Baseball League game on the Vineyard's "Field of Dreams", 6-2.
Southpaw Taylor Wall of Rice was the starting and winning pitcher for the Commodores. Photo by Ralph Stewart
Pre-game exercises included the singing of The Star Spangled Banner by Sammy Chaves, soon to be a freshman at M.V. Regional High School, and Bill Lee's "first pitch" which, in fact, turned out to be the second (and third) pitches.
The Spaceman, as the garrulous Red Sox pitcher from the 1970s was known, was constantly available for autographs and photographs and conversation. Surrounded by a dozen Gatemen and Commodores, he held a 15-minute seminar on pitching and demonstrated his remarkably supple 62-year-old condition - touching the ground with flat hands, for instance, for which he credited Yoga.
The game was played with American League rules - i.e., with designated hitters.
Falmouth scored an unearned run in the first inning when Ryan Jones of Wichita State singled and went to third on a wild throw to first by Brett Eibner of Arkansas and scored when Todd Cunningham of Jacksonville State grounded out to deep short.
The Commodores added another run in the second when Auburn's Hunter Morris led off with a solo home run over the fence in left-center field.
Wareham threatened but failed to score in the top of the third. Tyler Albright of Harvard led off with a single to left field but was quickly erased when Texas' Connor Rowe hit into a 6-4-3 double play. Shea Vucinich (Washington State) then reached on a line drive to right but went no further when Georgia Tech's Derek Dietrich bounced out to first baseman Morris, unassisted.
The Commodores' biggest inning was the bottom of the third. Eight men went to the plate and three scored on five hits. Three of the hits were bunts.
B.A. Vollmuth (So. Miss.) reached on an infield hit to short, went to second on Scott Lawson's (Miami) perfect bunt single and to third when Jones of Wichita State also bunted safely loading the bases. Todd Cunningham, at .348 one of the league's four leading batters, bunted yet another single, driving in Vollmuth. Jason Esposito of Vanderbilt singled down the left field stripe scoring Lawson and Jones. Pitcher Brett Eibner of Arkansas then fanned Josh Adams of Florida and got Chris Hannock (Cal. State) to ground into a 6-4-3 double play.
Neither team scored in the fourth, fifth, or sixth innings.
In the top of the seventh the Gatemen finally posted a couple of runs off relief pitcher Mitch Morman of Des Moines. Morman's wild throws resulted in his being replaced by Patrick Cooper, also of Des Moines.
Brett Eibner walked and eventually scored on a wild pitch. Cole Leonida (Georgia Tech) singled to center, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on Chris Hannick's (Cal-Northridge) base hit.
The bases were loaded with Gatemen when Connor Rowe of Texas hit into a 4-6-3 double play.
Cecil Tanner of Georgia closed out the game for the Commodores. Final score: Falmouth 6, Wareham 2.
Despite the game results, Wareham, with a 10-10-4 record is second only to Bourne (13-9-2) in the Eastern Division of the Cape League. Falmouth is last (of five) with a record of 7-14-1.
An estimated 2,000 Islanders enjoyed the action and the warm cloudless day.
Living the Dream
By Charlie Parkhurst
For the first time, a Martha's Vineyard baseball team has made the pilgrimage to Cooperstown, N.Y., to participate in the American Youth Baseball tournament series at the Cooperstown Dreams Park. The Vineyarders 12-year-old all-star team, three very dedicated coaches (Steve Mussell, John Roberts, and Bob Moore), and a small but enthusiastic following of families departed the afternoon that school got out. This is the experience of one of the players:
Bottom row: Alexander Vukota, David Macias, Austin Morley, Tony Canha, Emerson Mahoney, Charlie Parkhurst, Curtis Farrell. Top row: John Roberts, Bob Moore, Nate Backus, Nico Cardoza, Tucker McNeely, Tim Roberts, Mike Mussell, Steve Mussell. Photo by Ralph Stewart
It was a fantastic trip. From the time I heard I was going to the last moments I may ever have at Cooperstown Dreams Park. You wouldn't expect that after a six-hour drive into the middle of nowhere you'd find 22 baseball fields, 104 teams, and 1,500 kids and coaches from across the country. It was a shock.
The day after you get there you start off getting your personal and team picture taken. The next thing you do is go to an orientation, which also sets the stage for your next event: The Skills Challenge. It consists of four intense and exciting events: Around the Horn (a timed drill where you make throws from one to another in the infield and outfield), King of Swat (Home Run Derby), Roadrunner (a timed drill where you run around the diamond as fast as you can) and Golden Arm (you are rated on your throw from the outfield to home plate which in this case is 125 feet). The players with the best scores and times make the final round, which takes place at Little Majors Stadium where all the players and coaches watch. I participated in the roadrunner. I'm not the tallest kid I know so when I saw kids around six feet tall it was intimidating. I just tried to be calm and do my best and it worked out pretty well.
The action starts the next day after your team has hit the batting cages and has had a pre-game practice. Anyone who loves baseball will be excited to get to play on these fields. The atmosphere is amazing with the fields in top condition, the sun beating down on you, and the home and away teams both ready to play ball, it seems too perfect.
You play two games a day for three days and will quickly notice that these are some of the best teams from across the nation. The players are outstanding. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the players made it professionally. They have form, are consistent and have raw talent so even if you lose you've got to respect them. Nobody likes poor sportsmanship.
Being together with the team so much meant that you really get to know each other. You build bonds with players on your team and find out who your friends are and who aren't.
At the start of the week you get some pins for your team. We had gotten Martha's Vineyard pins so we could trade with the other teams from places like Hawaii, Colorado, and Tennessee. It was cool to get to know teams from places like these because you might never get to go there to meet them. Each team had different things about them like accents, interests, and just things about where they lived. Pin trading was one of my favorite things about Dreams Park.
After you play your six games, the playoffs kick off. It's single game elimination so you need to bring your A-game. But if you're knocked out you still have things to look forward to like getting the chance to go to the Hall of Fame and see artifacts and stories about the legends of the past and present. I loved seeing the bats that Ty Cobb or Babe Ruth used or the glove that Jim Rice had his whole career but the true Hall of Fame with the metal plaques of the legends of baseball was amazing. It was something I had imagined before but was so much different seeing it in real life. I'll never forget it. I hope that the Vineyard teams in the years to come can experience it too.
There are still many other things about Cooperstown Dreams Park that you'll get joy out of that I can't describe, so I just hope you get see it for yourself.
[Note: To get a glimpse of this amazing youth baseball facility, visit the website at www.cooperstowndreamspark.com . Along with pictures and description of the park, there are links you can follow to watch live games which are webcast daily.
Twelve-year-old Charlie Parkhurst of Chilmark was the center fielder and sometime shortstop on the Vineyard's All Star Little League team that visited Cooperstown.
Men's softball
In Island Men's Softball action last Wednesday, the Brewhas and Highlanders split their double-header at Manter Memorial. The Brewhas took the first game, 20-4.
Highlander Sam Griswold stroked a grand slam. Photo by Ralph Stewart
The Highlanders returned the compliment in the second, 19-4.
Also Wednesday, at the West Tisbury School, the Stampede's winning streak came to an end as they lost both ends of their twin bill to the unpredictable Wildcats. The second contest was especially odd as the Stampede held a seemingly comfortable ten-run lead heading into the bottom of the final (7th) inning only to see the Wild ones score ten runs sending the game into overtime in which the Wildcats prevailed. Both teams now stand at 4-4 on the season.
On Monday. the Highlanders took two from the Wildcats at Manter, 22-6 and 29-16, and the Stampede outlasted the Brewhas twice, 21-20 and 15-13 at the West Tisbury school. The first game featured consecutive Stampede home runs by Matt Rivers, Bill Panek, and Josh Burgoyne.
Swim, bike, run
Among the 353 triathletes completing the first Nantucket Triathlon (¼-mile swim, 14-mile bike ride, and 5-kilometer run) on Sunday, July 11, were Bill Russell and Wayne Guyther of Vineyard Haven.
Bill's time of 1:23:13 placed him third in his 50-54 age group. He was 66th over all.
Wayne's time was 1:24:21, good enough for 83rd place over all.
The winning time, posted by Dave Dornaus of Hinghamn was 1:03:42.
Sponsors of the event plan to make the Nantucket Triathlon a yearly summer event.
Senior Babe Ruth
The Vineyard Senior Babe Ruth baseball team was home to Lower Cape, Saturday for a double-header.
M.V. lost the first game to the off-Islanders, 7-6.
The Vineyarders struck first, scoring a single run in the bottom of the first. Anthony Piland led off with a single but was erased when Ben Ciciora hit into a 1-4-3 double play. Taza Vercruysse reached on an error at the hot corner, went to third on a Kendall Chaves single and scored on a passed ball.
The Islanders scored four runs in the second inning, sending eight batters to the plate. Steve McKenna walked. Cody Coutinho was hit by a pitch. Cole Wingate walked, loading the bases. Fisher hit into a fielder's choice, 1-2, leaving the bases loaded. Piland got his second hit, driving in McKenna. After Ciciora popped out to the pitcher, and Vercruysse, doubled driving in Coutinho, Wingate, and Piland.
The Islanders added two more runs in the fourth. Fisher flied out to right field. Piland reached first when the catcher failed to field the third strike. Ciciora singled and Piland raced home ahead of the throw to the plate. Vercruysse walked, Chaves reached on an error at third. After Stewart fanned, Cleary popped out to first, leaving the bases loaded.
Chaves had been sharp through four innings, but he lost it in the fifth. Lower Cape scored six runs on three walks, three hits and a fielding error.
Ciciora replaced Chaves on the mound and gave up the tying run in the top of the fifth. Neither team scored in the sixth but the Cape scored a tie-breaking run in the top of the seventh. LC 7, MV 6. A tough loss.
In the second half of the twin bill, Lower Cape won, 8-4.
Taza Vercruysse took the loss. Anthony Piland drove in three with a second-inning home run, putting the Vineyard ahead, but not for long. Cole Wingate relieved and closed the door in the final two innings, but the horse had left the barn.
PMC rides again
The Pan Massachusetts Challenge (PMC) is the most successful athletic fundraiser in the world, annually raising more than half of the Jimmy Fund's contribution for cancer research and treatment at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.
In 1980, 26 riders raised $10,300 for the Jimmy Fund. Last year, 2008, PMC's 5,000 riders raised 35,000,000. Tisbury Fire Chief John Schilling and attorney Jim Reynolds, the Vineyard's PMC stalwarts, have bicycled the 190 miles from Sturbridge to Provincetown 18 and 15 times, respectively, and they will go again August 1 and 2.
Other Islanders making the scene include Oak Bluffs Chief of Police Erik Blake, Roch Hillenbrand of Edgartown, and Phil Robinson of Aquinnah.
All invite your participation by contributing to the Jimmy Fund.
Bounding main
Phil Hale skippered Alerion to a first-place finish in the nine-boat Holmes Hole Sailing Assn. race Thursday evening.
At place and show were Bob Jewett in Andiamo II and Mike Loberg in Masquerade. Then came (4) Dan Culkin in Magic Time, (5) Jerry Goodale in Stormalong, (6) Stephen Besse in Apres, (7) Roger Becker in Gloria, (8) Bow Van Riper in Tyche. Also sailed, the guest boat Celeste.
Twelve boats posted for Sunday's Sound race, including the guest boat Wind's Eye.
The 11.5-mile course took the fleet to buoy RG at the west end of Hedge Fence, then to green can 15 at L'Homme Dieu Shoal, then to red bell 2 off Waquoit Bay and return in reverse to Vineyard Haven Harbor.
A Division winner was Peter Goodale in Stormalong II and his brother Jerry was second in Stormalong followed by Roger Becker in Gloria, and John Amabile in Solitude. Apes and King Kiwi retired.
In the B Division, Dan Culkin was first in Magic Time, Rebecca Colson in Silhouette was second and David Lott in Avanti was third. Fred Lucas was fourth in Bon Vie Vent.
HHSA racing continues Thursday evening and Sunday at 10 am and 2 pm. Interested sailors should call Diane Hartmann at 508-693-4592.
Island bridged
Six tables were in play at the Bridge Club of Martha's Vineyard games, Saturday, at the Vineyard Haven senior center. Winners at north-south were Stanley Segal and Clara Hargrave. Runners-up were Jim Kaplan and Carol Battle.
Sitting east-west, Ann Brown and Duncan Walton took top honors. Agnes and Phillip Burch were second.
Summer ice
The opening of the MV Ice Arena was postponed due to technical problems (no ice!), but the Arena staff hopes to be open for business by week's end.
When the ice is ready there will be lots of action.
Thursday through Sunday, July 30 to August 2, the Arena will host the men's AAA games with teams composed of a mix of collegiate and professional players.
Four teams, white, black, red, gold, will make up the high school aged Boys Summer League. Registration fee is $150.
Games for girls entering 8th through 12th grades will be played Sundays at 5 pm through September 6.
Registration fee is $75 for the nine skates.
Straight shooters
The Martha's Vineyard Rod and Gun Club is introducing young people to the sport of skeet through a newly formed youth instruction program. Four young men recently completed the program.
National Skeet Shooting Association certified instructors donate six free one-hour skeet lessons and the club donates targets and shot shells.
Youngsters interested in the skeet program must be between 12 and 17 years old and commit to take all six lessons. A parent or responsible adult must sign a release form and be in attendance for all lessons. There is a $10 registration fee.
In the game of skeet, squads of up to five people shoot from eight shooting stations arranged in a semi circle between two skeet houses. The shooters attempt to hit clay "birds" ejected from the houses. A round is 25 birds.
For more information or to sign up, call Vito Palermo at 508-627-7372. Class space is limited and will be decided on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Field hockey
Field hockey players are invited to show up at the high school Tuesdays and Thursdays for pick-up games beginning at 6 pm. Sticks are available for first-time players. All ages and skill levels are welcome.
Call Amanda Klein, 508-627-4096, with questions.
VYT Tourney
Vineyard Youth Tennis will host a mixed doubles tournament, Friday to Sunday, July 24-26, for A, B, C, and Novice divisions with a consolation round for first-round losers. Entry fee is $50 per adult, $40 per junior. Log on to www.vineyardyouthtennis,org to download an entry form. Call Scott Smith, 508-693-7762, to learn more.
Bay State gold
Andrew McHugh of Edgartown and Reid and Justice Yennie of West Tisbury all took the gold in their age divisions in the boys tennis competition of the Bay State Games at Harvard, July 11 and 12.
Andrew, who played first singles on the MV regional high school tennis team this spring, brought home the gold in the 18 and under division. Reid, who played second singles for the high school, was first in the 14 and under division. Justice took the gold in the 12 and under division. Justice and his partner triumphed at 12 and under doubles. Andrew and Reid paired and took third place in the 18 and under doubles division.
Altogether the three Islanders brought home six medals, four gold and two bronze.
Ping-pong tourney
The second annual Chappy Pong table tennis tournament will be held at the Chappaquiddick Community Center, Saturday, July 25, beginning at 11 AM.
Prizes will be awarded to the top four finishers. For registration information call Bob O'Rourke 627-7902.
Ladies softball
Tuesday evening, the Snaps dropped the Swingers, at Nunes Field in Edgartown, 15-8. Also Tuesday, the Honeys topped the Late Fees, 21-5, at Manter Memorial. The Fees had some key players on the disabled list. Linda Hammond shone on the base paths and scored two of the Late Fees 5 runs.
At the West Tisbury school, the Shady Ladies jumped off to a 6-0 lead in the first inning. then hung on to get by the Rug Sox 10-9. Katherine Clark of the Sox hit a grand slam in the sixth inning
The Creamers had a bye.
O.B. hoops
In the Men's Summer Basketball League at Niantic Park, the Monstars and the Entourage are undefeated, 2-0, in the early going. The H.S. Ballers, Black Out, and Stone Cold Hustlers are all 1-1. Yet to post a win at 0-2 are the Future and Chips Ahoy.
Individual point leaders are Steve Handy and Nick Viera with 34. Brant Sylvia has 33, Terrell Johnson 32, and Randall Jette 29.
Matt Rivers (21) and Bubba Brown (19) lead the league in rebounds.
