2014 Wizards Tame Osprey in Puget Sound Adirondack Division

Puget Sound Senior Baseball League 55+ Adirondack Division

Wizards 8, Osprey 2

Submitted by Steven Tanaka, MD, Adirondack Wizards

WIZARDS WIN, WIZARDS WIN! Even on the score card, the game certainly looked dominating. It didn’t start that way, however, as Wizards pitcher Ron Schmidtke got two quick outs but then loaded the bases with batters three thru five. The next batter hit an infield ground ball and was easily thrown out at first for the third out. This would be the start of another excellent game by the visiting Wizards, who opened the game in the top of the first inning with two runners left on base and the game scoreless after one inning.

The Osprey sent the minimum three batters to the plate in innings two, three, five, six and nine as Ron kept the hitters off balance all evening. The Wizards broke the scoreless tie in the third with runs scored by John Faith and Jerry Prouty. The Osprey answered back in the fourth, sending eight batters to the plate but only scoring two runs to once again knot the game at 2-2. That would be the last chance for the home team Osprey as Jim Fursman of the Wizards led off the fifth with a single and scored the tie-breaking run on timely hitting once again by Mike McCabe, who also scored the fourth run, and by John Faith and Jerry Duris. The Wizards would tack on another insurance run in the sixth when Tom Zylstra walked then advanced on a base hit by Larry Martin and scored on ground balls by John Klevens, Jim Muir and Jerry Prouty.

With the score now 5-2 in favor of the Wizards, this would prove to be more than enough for Ron as he continued his dominating pitching in the championship game. Only one batter reached second base in the seventh inning. Otherwise, the Osprey had no answer for Ron’s offerings. The Wizards were not done scoring, however, as they put the game out of reach plating five runs in the eighth on three hits and one walk while sending nine batters to the plate. The celebrating was soon to follow as Ron finished the game with a perfect 1-2-3 ninth. Final score: Wizards 8, Osprey 2.