Following a weather shortened winter season at Soaring Eagles, the Central Florida League returned to its original site of Saddlebrook Softball Complex to begin its 2018 summer season.
The first week of the season saw Palm Ridge Dental defeat IHOP 18-11.
Led by Jim Boerman’s four hits and three rbi’s, Palm Ridge got three hits each by Ed Krisha, Jack Nagle, and Randy Murgittroyd. Mark Ison had a triple, single and sacrifice fly to drive in four runs and Mike Jeffries also tripled, sacrificed and singled to drive in two runs. IHOP was led by the three hits each by Rick Fredieu and Stan Kozlowski. Rick Duemler hit a solo homer to open the seventh inning and doubled in the third to account for two runs, Ken Atkinson had a pair of doubles and a sacrifice fly to drive in two more runs. Don Brozick drove in three runs with a pair of singles while Mike Labetti had a triple and scored on a hit by Carlos Lopez.                                                                                                      Gators Brownwood opened its summer season with an 8-3 win over Team Koller, sponsored by American Portfolio Mortgage.
Gators got a pair of hits from Pete Rose, Chuck Bowman, Fred Hughes, Peter Daub, and sub, Jim Morton. Howard Charney chipped in a triple and a sacrifice fly for two rbis. Bud Sheerin drove in two runs with a single and a sac fly. Team Koller opened the game with a home run by Bob Holbert. Sub Mark Hildebrand led the Koller team with three hits, Don Melcher and manager, Jim Joseph, had a pair of hits each.
Winter season champs Fross & Fross started the summer season with a win, 15-9 over Synergy Wealth.
Bruce Harlan led Fross with four hits, while John Barracato, John Reedy, Bud Ramsey, and Bill Nisbet all had three hits. Cal Driskill had a double and a triple and Al Mahar had single and triple. Synergy got three hits each from Terry Baughman and Ray Bedford. Gary DePalma, Herb Lauer, and Bob Roth had a pair of hits each in the loss.
The second week of the season saw Fross & Fross take first place with an 18-8 win over previously unbeaten Gators Brownwood.
Cal Driskill led the Fross team with two three run homers and a single to drive in 7 runs. Also with three hits were: Wayne Grunewald, John Reedy, and John Kushner. Al Mahar tripled and singled again, and, Pat Kirk, Al Deibler, and Bruce Harlan had two hits. Gators got two hits each from Pat Perkins, Paul Isenberg, and Bud Sheerin. Sheerin’s triple drove in three runs in the fourth inning.
IHOP got their first win by defeating Synergy Wealth 11-5.
Ken Atkinson led IHOP with four hits, while Manny Sanchez, Don Brozick, Rick Fredieu, and Stan Kozlowski chipped in a pair of hits each. Rick Duemler had a three run homer and a single driving two runs for a total of five rbis. Synergy Wealth got three hits from Bob Kelly and Gary DePalma had a homer and a single to drive in a pair of runs. Ed Haith a single and a double and Ray Bedford had a single as both players drove in runs as Synergy got three runs in the sixth.
Team Koller gets a win by besting Palm Ridge Dental 19-7.
Bob Buchanan led Koller with four hits and three rbis. Chipping in three hits each were: Bob Holbert, Bill Reed, Mark Goodwin, while George Kennedy, Ron Crane, and, sub, Mark Hildebrand had a pair of hits. Bill Sass drove in four runs with a double and a single. Palm Ridge Dental got three hits from Ron LeBeuf and a pair of hits by Jim Morton and Randy Murgittroyd.
