Well the other Albany Florida team in the 47+ Metal division didn't keep up with our our other Albany brothers who won the 45+ Wood Bat Championship. We palyed tough most of the time and had some bad luck as well when the only time it rained in Florida during the tourney in the past 9 years it rained out a game after the 3rd inning in which we led 1-0 and Dennis Scimenca was pitching brilliantly and we were poised to score more runs. The game was continued as part of a second game double header and this gave the other team a chance to strategize with base hits and excellents bunts. in which they scored 10 runs in one inning. It would turn out to be a big loss in our attempt to get in the playoffs.
After that we lost another game to So. Maryland and put ourselves in an 0-3 hole.
But this team did not quit we still felt we could get in with 2-3 record and we went out and beat the best team in the division, Western PA who had a 4-0 record and had averaged 22 runs a game. We gave them a 6 run handicap in the first inning and then our bats came alive and we scored the next 7 runs to take the lead. In the seventh they scored an unearned run to tie and in the top of the eighth we came back to score 3 runs and to ice the game at 10-7.
We went on to beat New Orleans 22 - 6 in the second half of that doubleheader.
I want to aknowledge the outstanding hitting of Pete Gianellis who batted .666 and Paul Celantano who had a .555 avg. Other players who hit well were Dan Maguire who also did a yoemens job catching most of the games and throwing runners out, Wayne Newcomb, Steve Van Gelder who led in RBI's, and Art Gianakos who unfortunately also led the team in getting HBP. Winning pitchers for our two games were Art Gianakos vs Western PA and Pete Gianellis vs New Orleans.
Part of the tough luck we had were the early injuries to Bobby Lawyer and Ken Zimmer with shoulder and arm injuries and limited their playing time. They were vital components to our team.
We missed getting into the playoff round by allowing one run more thana Baton Rouge team. That's the breaks!
Overall we all had a fun week together and that's what this is all about.
