–FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—
May 20, 2025 (Liberty Park Sports Complex)
The nearby middle school was having a carnival so the main entrance to the stadium was closed and players and fans had to find their way through the Alabama wilderness to get to the field. Managers fretted as they waited to see who could follow the directions. Orange led off their game versus Sky Blue with ten players but had a full roster by the second inning. Ron Oliver walked, Ken Sransky tripled and Mike Richards drove them both in. Bobby Watkins and Chuck Killough got hits for Sky Blue, who also started with 10 players, and Royce O’Donnel drove them in with a triple to match Orange and the game was on.
Orange didn’t get anyone past first in the second and Sky Blue scored 5; Rick Alston got a triple and Rel Underwood drove him in. Steve Belcher got a hit and Bobby Watkins drove in Rel with a sacrifice fly. Chuck K got his second hit, Larry Enzweiler drove in Steve and Chuck, and Royce drove in Larry with a home run. Orange scored 4 in the third on a hit by Mark Lilla, a triple by Ken Sransky, a walk by Mike Richards, a double by Mike Madden, a hit by Harold Easterwood and a two-RBI single by Buddy Cannon. Orange then loaded the bases with a walk by Keith Frederick, but their inning ended with a double play. Sky Blue extended their lead with 2 runs in their half of the third. Carlos Davis hit a double, Rick Alston drove him in, and Rel drove in Harold Hagler before Orange came up with a double play to end the inning. Sky Blue 9, Orange 6 after three.
Orange briefly took the lead with 4 runs in the top of the fourth on hits by John Eppenger, Mark Lilla, Ron Oliver, Ken Sransky, Mike Richards and Mike Madden, but Sky Blue took it back when Carlos drove in 2 runs in the bottom of the inning and it was a one-run game at the top of the fifth. Then Orange couldn’t get a runner past first in either the fifth or sixth and Sky Blue extended their lead to 19 to 10 with three runs in the fifth and five in the sixth. Orange scored three in the open seventh highlighted by Mike Richards two-run homer, but the game ended, Sky Blue 19, Orange 13.
Sky Blue hitters were 29 for 40 with one walk for a .725 batting average and a .732 on-base percentage. Chuck Killough was 5 for 5, Royce O’Donnell and Rel Underwood were both 4 for 4, and latecomer Earl Dunn was 2 for 2.
Orange hitters were 22 for 38 with 6 walks for a .579 team batting average and a .636 on-base percentage. Ken Sransky was 4 for 4 and Mike Richards was 3 for 3 with a walk and 6 RBIs.
The late game between Red and Blue was decided in the open seventh inning. Neither team scored in the first. Both teams scored five in the second. Red went ahead by one in the third, 7 to 6, but got shut out in the fourth and Blue tied the game 7 to 7. Red outscored Blue 4 to 2 in the fifth and extended their lead to five in the top of the sixth, only to have Blue tie the game at 14 with six straight hits.
Fans were on the edge of their seats as the teams went into the open seventh. Red started the inning with a hit by Earl Dunn. John Woychak walked, and Carlos Davis drove in Earl. Red loaded the bases but couldn’t push any more runs across and Blue came to bat needing 1 run to tie and 2 runs to win. Red fans were biting their nails, knowing Red has lost three games already this season when they’ve gone into the bottom of the seventh with leads as large as 11. Buddy Cannon led off with a hit and the crowd groaned. But Red got Buddy out at second on a grounder to Carlos at shortstop, and then Carlos caught a popup for the second out. Rick Erdimer got a hit and Bobby Watkins came to bat with two outs and runners on first and second. He hit a hard grounder to second-baseman John Woychak who knocked it down and recovered it in time to end the game with a throw to Carlos for the third out at second base. The crowd let out a sigh of relief. Red 15, Blue 14.
Red hitters were 18 for 37 with 9 walks for a .486 team batting average and a .587 on-base percentage. John Woychak was the only Red batter who had a perfect day with 2 for 2, a sacrifice fly and a walk.
Blue batters were 22 for39 with one walk for a .564 batting average and a .575 on-base percentage. David Ferguson was 4 for 4 and Sid Hilton was 3 for 3 with the only walk.
Afterwards, Rel Underwood basked in his lounge chair in the parking lot with a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other, pondering the games he just played. “A few people have walked by and told me I’m heading myself to a slow death by smokin’ and drinkin’ but it’s okay. I’m not in any hurry.”