–FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—
September 23, 2025 (Liberty Park Sports Complex)
RASSA’s Masters League left Liberty Park buzzing about the two cliffhangers played today under a hot, sunny sky. Both games came down to the final out of the final inning.
Red and Sky Blue played the opener and both teams started the same way, scoring five runs in the first and third innings and nothing in the second. Royce O’Donnell, Steve Belcher and Carlos Davis drove in the Sky Blue runs in the first and Steve Belcher, Pete Manown, Carlos Davis, and Rick Alston drove in their runs in the third. Red never made an out in the first and Jeff Tyler, Mike Richards and Earle Dunn drove in the first inning runs. Rel Underwood, Jeff Tyler, Ron Lentz and Mike Richards drove in the Red runs in the third and the score was tied at 10 after three innings.
Sky Blue pulled away with four runs in the fourth on hits by Harold Hagler, Larry Enzweiler, David Brasfield, Sid Hilton, and Royce O’Donnell’s 2-run homer. Red could only answer with one run when Glenn Little doubled and Earle Dunne drove him home. Sky Blue added a run in the fifth on Harold Hagler’s RBI fielder’s choice and shut out Red in the bottom of the inning. Sky Blue 15, Red 11 after five.
Both teams scored one run in the sixth. Sid drove in Larry Enzweiler for Sky Blue and Mike Richards’ hit let Ron Lentz run from first to home for Red’s run. Sky Blue went into the seventh with a 4-run lead and came out with a 6-run lead. Pete Manown and Carlos Davis got hits to open the inning and Rick Alston drove in Pete. Then Bobby Watkins drove in Rick for the Sky Blue runs and Red needed 6 to tie and 7 to win. Red began their seventh with two fly-ball outs. Then Alicia Johnson, Dennis Horne, and Wayne Sheets all got hits to keep the inning alive. Dale McWhorter drove in Alicia, Rel Underwood drove in Dennis, Jeff Tyler drove in Wayne and Dale, and Ron Lentz drove in Rel and Jeff to tie the game. The crowd cheered as Mike Richards came to the plate and he hit a line drive to the fence to drive in Ron and win the game, 19 to 18.
Red batters were 25 for 38 with 4 walks for a .658 team batting average and a .690 on-base percentage. Mike Richards was 4 for 4 and Ron Lentz was 3 for 3 with a walk. Sky Blue hitters were 27 for 45 for a .563 team batting average and on-base percentage as Earle Dunn pitched another walk-free game. Pete Manown and Carlos Davis were both 4 for 4.
Pete Manown’s daughter attended the game and Pete was obviously proud of her, but he later said he didn’t have a favorite child. “I treat the best one just like I treat the others.”
Orange played Blue in the late game that was even closer than the opener. Wayne Graham opened the Orange first inning with a hit, followed by a Mike Madden hit and Ken Sransky’s first of three home runs. Blue scored 4 on a hit by Rel Underwood, walks by Sid Hilton and Cecil Kwong, Royce O’Donnel’s 2-RBI double, and RBI hits by David Brasfield and Pete Manown. Blue shut out Orange in the second and added 3 more runs to take a 7 to 3 lead after two. Rick Erdimer got a hit, Rel drove him in, Sid Hilton drove in Rel and Royce drove in Sid.
Orange turned the tables in the third and fourth innings, scoring 5 and then shutting out Blue in the third. Orange made two quick outs to start the start the third and then scored on a walk by Wayne Graham, hits by Tom Wasmer and Mike Madden and Ken Sransky’s’ second fly over the fence. However, because the Masters league only allows one over-the-fence home run per player per game, Ken only reached first base and the other runners only advanced one base to load the bases. Jim Hill drove in a run with a single and Mark Lilla drove in two with a double. Steve Entrekin drove in the fifth run with a line drive to center. After shutting out Blue, Orange scored another five in the fourth on hits by Harold Easterwood, Scott Wadsworth, Buddy Cannon, Duffy Vanderford, Don Stueckler, Wayne Graham and Tom Wasmer. Blue scored three in the bottom of the fourth to narrow Orange’s lead to 13 to 10 after four. Blue’s runs came on Hootie Ingram’s hit followed by Sid Hilton’s two-run homer. Then Cecil Kwong and Royce got hits and David Brasfield drove in Cecil.
Blue blanked Orange in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings and chipped away at the Orange lead by scoring two in the fifth on hits by Rick Alston and Dan Peek, Brian G’s RBI hit and Rick Erdimer’s RBI; and one in the sixth to tie the game at 13 when Royce drove in Earle Dunn.
Neither team scored in the open seventh. Only Don Stueckler got a hit for Orange and he was forced out at second. Blue loaded the bases, but a fielder’s choice ended their inning. Tied in regulation, the game moved on to the 8th and final inning.
Wayne Graham started the inning for Orange on second base because he was the last hitter in the seventh inning. Tom Wasmer moved him to third with a hit and Mike Madden drove Wayne in. Then Ken Sransky drove in 3 runs with his third homer, this one an inside the park job that allowed the runs to count. Two fly balls and a fielder’s choice ended the Orange scoring and Blue came to bat needing 4 to tie and 5 to win. Hootie Ingram started the inning at second base and Earle Dunn promptly drove him in with a double. Sid Hilton moved Earle to third with another double and Cecil Kwong drove them both in. Royce drove in Cecil to tie the game with nobody out and a runner at first. But a fly ball, a fielder’s choice and a roller to the pitcher ended the game in a tie, 18 to 18.
Orange hitters were 27 for 50 with one walk for a .540 team batting average and a .549 on-base percentage. Ken Sransky was 4 for 4 with three home runs and a spectacular diving catch at shortstop. Blue hitters were 24 for 47 with 6 walks for a .511 team batting average and a .566 on-base percentage. Sid Hilton was 4 for 4 with a homer and a walk, Royce O’Donnell was 4 for 4 with a sacrifice fly, Cecil Kwong was 2 for 2 with three walks, and Rel Underwood was 2 for 2 before he succumbed to leg cramps.
Ace umpire Mike Jackson was worn out after the games. He said, “I’ve always believed in doing a hard day’s work, but now I’d rather spread it out over a week or two.”