Burtons Grill Almost Puts Up 30 Runs On Healy Oil

Another great week in Westford Over 30 softball as both Burtons Grill and Pro Sports Therapy had explosive offensive efforts, each resulting in the run rule and adding excitement to the playoff picture. The Mustangs continued to win and showed their impressive defense turning five double plays in Sunday night’s game.  Nine RBI by Charle Chungu for Burtons and six for John Bodi of PST highlighted the offense for the week.  With Drew’s loss to the Mustangs on Sunday, PST is level with them in wins as the playoff race tightens.  Burtons plays Drews on Wednesday night and PST has a big game against CSA Graphics on Tuesday.

Burtons scored early and often opening the top of the first inning with seven runs and ended the game with a 29-9 win enacting the league run rule after five. Burtons was led by rookie shortstop Charlie Chungu with nine RBI and three runs scored, the result of a grand slam, three run home run and two singles.  Chungu also played a stellar shortstop. Other Burton’s notables included Rick Waldron, Jeff Kott and Brian Haley continuing to hit well.  Jerod Colley’s steroid streak continued as he hit yet another two run homerun.  Tim Scott went 3-4 with four runs scored, and Raghu Mantena went 2-4 with two RBI.  Jon Russo had a homerun and three RBI, Gerry Breen 3-4, three RBI, three runs scored and Eric Cataline 2-4, three RBI and two runs scored. Eric “Murph” McKeon went 3-4 as did John Geary, both with two runs scored. Every Burton’s player had at least one run scored in the lopsided affair.  Dave Batchhelder stroked a solo shot for Burtons and trotted deliberately around the bases. Going into the bottom of the fifth down 29-3, Healy showed they are a quality team just having an off night by posting six runs with two homeruns including a three run shot by Dave O’Keefe and a solo by captain Bill Eaton.

Last place CSA Graphics put up a good fight against the second place squad from Short Cuts and kept it close losing by just eight in the end. A Short Cut home runs by Mike Gross, and two hits by both Chris Smith and Jason Humphrey fueled the landscaper’s seventh win of the season. CSA slugger Matt Sepe had three homeruns, Tim Greenwood had one homerun, Bill Ryan went 3 for 3,  Both Bill Cullen and Josh Haskin each had two hits for CSA in the loss.

On Wednesday night, Floral Arts defeated Pro Sports Therapy, 21-8, to improve their record to 7-3. Pitcher Larry Mardany kept PST from hitting any home runs, and then helped his cause by hitting his fourth homer of the season in the third inning. Mardany was 3-for-4 with four RBI. Rob Beaudette hit two home runs for Floral, both solo shots. Roger Whittlesey went 4-for-5, including a two-run home run and a double. He knocked in three runs. Simon Tripp was also 4-for-5 with a two-run, double-fence home run. In only his second game in the league, Mike Donaruma went 3-for-4 and hit a towering home run over the center field fence. Ryan Dunn made some great plays at third and went 3-for-3 with a walk. For Pro Sports Therapy, Brian Dubey (on base all three times) and Derek Donegan (two doubles and a pair of RBIs) led the PST offense.

On Friday night, Floral Arts improved its record to 8-3 and regained sole ownership of second place in the standings with its 17-2 win over Healy Oil. Ryan Dunn had a big night at the plate, going 4-for-4, smashing three home runs, and gathering five RBI. Rob Beaudette (3-for-4, HR, four RBI), Chad Kirby (homerun), and Billy Luppold (2-for-2, BB) were the other offensive stars for Floral. Dave Janowsky made several nice catches in left-center field and Mark Chambers played a solid second base.

Nashoba Valley Veterinary Mustangs 21 – Shortcuts Landscaping 6
Mustangs broke open a tight game with their signature big run inning in the 4th when they scored 12 runs, eight after two were out.  The outstanding Mustang defense and pitcher Don Cusano held the powerful Shortcuts lineup to only six runs and no homeruns.  “Big game” Paul Selfrige led off the game in his usual fashion with the first of his two homeruns on the night.  He also turned a big infield double play early in the game to keep Shortcuts off the board.  Left fielder Bill Knute added two monster home run blasts of his own and gunned out a runner at third base to snuff out another Shortcuts rally.  The Cusano brothers each had long homeruns as well to aid the cause.  The Mustangs saved one homerun for late in the game, as they often do, and Jack Erickson made the most of it with a walkoff grandslam for the Mustangs’ 10th mercy rule in 12 games.  Other Mustang contributions came from Jim Ward (3 hits, two  runs, two RBI), Jay Lincoln (two hits, BB, three runs),  and Sean Morgan (hit, BB, sac fly, two runs).