By Rob Potter
MONTICELLO — August 17, 2007 — Styles Barber Shop advanced in the Monticello Men’s Softball League playoffs with a victory on Monday night at Kenneth H. Somerville Field.
Styles defeated Giant Mobile, 15-7, in the third and deciding game of the teams’ opening-round playoff series.
Giant Mobile (14-8) grabbed a 2-0 advantage in the top of the first inning. The leadoff batter, Steve Belgiovene, singled to right field. He scored moments later when Greg Meola reached base on an error.
Later in the frame, Don Durland patiently drew a walk with the bases loaded. As Durland trotted down to first base, teammate Scott Coddington scored to give Giant Mobile a 2-0 lead.
Styles (16-6), which finished second in the league’s Coney Division during the regular season, tied the game in the bottom of the first. John Corrie led off and stroked a single to center field. After Giant Mobile, which finished third in the Coney Division in the regular season, recorded the first out of the inning, Chuck Worthington ripped a triple to right field to score Corrie.
Worthington crossed home plate with the tying run seconds later due to an error.
Styles took the lead for good in the bottom of the second. Leadoff batter Jason Gunderman hit a bunt single, stole second base and scored on a throwing error.
RBI singles by Brian Koval and Worthington helped Styles take a 7-2 advantage at the end of the inning.
Styles added five runs in the bottom of the third to extend its lead to 12-2. Key hits in the frame included RBI singles by Mike Paulish and Worthington as well as a sacrifice fly by Koval.
Giant Mobile closed its deficit to 12-4 in the top of the fifth, however. Belgiovene drew a walk and the next batter, Coddington, drilled a triple to deep left center field.
Coddington then scored when Meola reached base on an error.
After Corrie’s RBI double in the bottom of the fifth gave Styles a 13-5 lead, Giant Mobile responded with three runs in the top of the sixth.
Durland and Joe Flores both scored on an error and Jimmy Snowden scored on a single by Coddington.
Styles recorded the final runs of the contest in the bottom of the sixth. Gunderman’s double to right field allowed Vinnie Radesca to cross home plate and Matt Klemm scored on a base hit by Alex Rodriguez.
Fitness Factory stops Styles
in semifinal series opener
After their victory over Giant Mobile, the Styles players had little time to celebrate. About 20 minutes after registering the win, Styles faced Fitness Factory in the first game of their best-of-three semifinal series.
Fitness Factory, which won the league’s Bickham Division with a perfect 19-0 record and therefore received a first-round playoff bye, continued its winning ways.
Fitness Factory took a 2-0 lead in the second inning versus Styles and kept adding to its lead. Fitness Factory posted a 10-0 victory to take a one game-to-none lead in the semifinal series.
The game ended in the bottom of the fifth inning per the league’s 10-run mercy rule when Fitness Factory scored five times.
With one out and the bases loaded, Aaron Dinkel ripped a double to left center field. Edwin Rodriguez and Shane Conner both scored on Dinkel’s double to give Fitness Factory a 7-0 lead.
Dinkel and Dan Gallo crossed the plate when Jay Falasca hit a bloop double to right field.
After stealing third base, Falasca scored the game-ending run on a base hit by Keith Shaddock.
Falasca gave Fitness Factory a 2-0 lead in the second inning by blasting a home run to center field.
Fitness Factory added a run in the third inning thanks to Gallo’s RBI double and scored twice in the fourth inning when Alex Salazar and Dennis Rivera hit consecutive RBI singles.