Sports
By Don Lyons - June 15, 2006
Deanna Cote is out at first; Lauren Weaver stretches for the throw. Photos by Ralph Stewart
Women's Summer League opens
Six of the nine Martha's Vineyard Women's Slow Pitch Summer Softball teams began their seasons Tuesday evening at Veterans Park in Tisbury.
Games were scheduled to start at 6 pm but Tee Ball and Farm League teams occupied the diamonds until well after 6:30 and the ladies began play closer to 7 than 6. No one seemed to care. The weather was perfect adding its own joie de vivre to an already happy occasion.
The first game to get underway was the Tomahawk Oysters, sponsored by the Wampanoag Environmental Laboratory, versus the Dairy Queen Coolers. The Oysters jumped off to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first when Liane Dixon drove in two with a triple. Faith Vanderhoop scored the first run of the season.
The Oysters added three more in the second and the Coolers posted one in the bottom of the inning.
Neither team score in the third.
The Oysters added three in the fourth and the Coolers responded with five in their half of the inning. After four innings the score stood at 8-6.
Liane Dixon stroked a two-out triple into deep left field putting the Oysters on the board in the first inning.
Three more runs were added to the Oysters collection in the top of the fifth. Neither team scored in the sixth and both teams added four in the seventh. Final: Oysters 15, Coolers 10. Liz Rothwell was the winning pitcher.
At the same time the Mocha Motts Creamers were home to the Island Entertainment Late Fees. The Creamers took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Then both teams played tough "D," scoreless ball for three innings. The Late Fees broke out in the top of the fifth and took a 3-1 lead until the bottom of the seventh when the Creamers rallied for three runs, pulling off a 4-3 win.
The third game was played under the lights with the Summer Shades Shady Ladies at home to the Wharf Pub Honeys.
The Ladies took a 2-0 lead in the first but the Honeys exploded for 10 in the top of the third. The Ladies answered with three in their half of the inning, and after three it was 10-5. The Honeys kept adding to their total: one in the fourth, two in the fifth, one more in the sixth, and another in the seventh. The Shady ladies managed only one more run and that in the sixth.
Final score: Honeys 15, Shady Ladies 6.
The League will be in session again tomorrow evening.
The Shady Ladies take on the Creamers and the Campbell & Douglas Wampum go against the Coolers. In the late game of the triple-header the Late Fees face the Stop & Shop Snaps.
Riptide's Jerry Kroup is out in a close play at second, tagged by Monte Bizzarro of the Brewhas.
Men's Softball league
The Men's Softball game of the year, thus far, was played late Monday at Veterans Park, Tisbury, when the Highlanders took on the Hurricanes. Ben Gunn pitched for the Scottish team, Ray Tattersall started for the Storms.
Neither team scored in the first inning and both scored once in the second.
In the top of the third the Highlanders chased each other around the base paths with well-placed line drives and posted four runs, the only inning in which either team scored more than once.
The 'Canes got one back in the bottom of the third making the score, 5-2.
The fourth was another goose egg for both teams.
Kenny Sylvia replaced Ray Tatttersall on the "mound" and shut out the Highlanders for the rest of the game as his teammates posted single runs in the 5th, 6th, and 7th,, tying the game in regulation time, 5-5, and sending the contest into extra innings.
Make that singular -extra inning.
In the top of the 8th, Ben Gunn flied out to right center. Ryan Kurth drew a base on balls. Matt Seeman hit into a fielder's choice, 4-6. Casey Elliston drove the ball up the middle but the was called out by Umpire Mike Lynch for stepping out of the batter's box onto the plate.
In the bottom of the 8th, Kenny Sylvia reached with a drive into right center. Joel Rebello's liner was caught at the hot corner. Pete McDowell hit safely up the middle, Sylvia stopping at second. Chris Wiggins's smash was too hot to handle at second and the bases were loaded with one out. Jordan Hoehn's base hit into center drove in Sylvia ending the game for the Hurricanes, 5-4.
In the early game, Monday, The Riptide was home to the Brewhas, the league's crowned heads.
Both teams posted a run in the first inning. The Brewhas scored twice in the top of the second, six in the third and two more in the fourth, all the while keeping the 'Tide off the board.
The Riptide flexed its muscles in the fifth, crossing the plate three times, then played errorless ball, putting down the Brewhas in the 5th and 6th, but it was too little and too late. Final score: Brewhas 12, Riptide 4.
Last Thursday the Brewhas caught and passed the Highlanders who led after one inning, 5-1. Also Thursday the Cannons and Boilers game boiled into extra innings, finally won by the Cannons.
Tonight it's Boilers (0-1) at the Treds (1-0) and the Wildcats (0-1) take on the Cannons (1-0)
