–FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—
September 22, 2026 (Liberty Park Sports Complex)
No one could remember the last game day when the temperature was expected to be under 90 degrees, so the misty, 73 degree morning at the ballpark was a welcome change. It was John Kuklinski’s first game after his return from Italy and he recounted the sights and the wonderful food for the players around him. Rel Underwood was passing by and remarked, “I studied abroad one time. But then she got mad and asked what I was starin’ at.”
Blue faced Green in the opener and Harold Fincher drove in Edwin Yergan for a first-inning run. Green matched them when Mark Lilla doubled and Mike Madden drove him in. Neither team scored in the second. Blue scored thrice in the third (what comes after “thrice”; “foith”?) and shut out Green again. Brian Gierlatowicz singled, Don Dietz reached on a fielder’s choice, Tom Wasmer singled, Edwin Yergan drove in Don, Ken Sransky drove in Tom and Finch drove in Ken and Blue led 4 to 1 after three.
Blue added another run in the fourth when John Remley drove in David Brasfield. Green crept closer with 3 runs in the bottom of the fourth. David Ferguson singled and Phillip Cheek hit a 2-run home run. Carlos Davis tripled and Larry Enzweiler drove him in. Then Green shut out Blue in top of the fifth and took a 9 to 5 lead by scoring 5 in the bottom. Gene Garcia, Mike Madden, David Ferguson, Phillip Cheek, and Carlos Davis got 5 straight hits and Cecil Kwong hit a 2-run homer. But Blue came right back and tied the game with 4 in the sixth; Don Dietz, Tom Wasmer, Edwin Yergan and Ken Sransky loaded the bases and Finch hit a grand slam home run. Green loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the sixth, but couldn’t score and the game was tied, 9 to 9 going into the open 7th inning.
David Brasfield singled to open the Blue 7th and advanced to second on Rel Underwood’s hit. John Remley followed with another hit but David was cut down by a good relay while trying to score from second. Rick Erdimer drove in Rel and Melinda Adkins drove in John. David Ferguson singled for Green and Phillip Cheek reached on a fielder’s choice; Carlos doubled and Larry Enzweiler walked and Green had the bases loaded with one out, but a strikeout and a fielder’s choice ended the game and Blue won, 11 to 10.
Blue hitters were 20 for 39 with one walk for a .513 team batting average and a .525 on-base percentage. Edwin Yergan, Harold Fincher, and Rel Underwood were all 3 for 3, and Ken Sransky was 2 for 2 with a walk. Green hitters were 18 for 36 with 6 walks for a .500 team batting average and a .571 on-base percentage.
Umpire Pat Buckner and Handsome Herb were talking about grandchildren between games. Pat remembered, “When we were new grandparents we didn’t want to take any chances with our new grand daughter and were always super careful. The first time we took her to swing we sat her in the chair and then ran back and forth and told her, this is what it looks like.”
Red played Sky Blue in the late game. Jim Raley led off for Red with a walk. Pete DiChiara, Harold Fincher, and Jim Thompson singled, Bill Lovell hit a sacrifice fly, Larry Enzweiler singled, Ron Oliver walked and Holly Whitmire drove in the 4th and 5th runs. Sky Blue answered with 4; Dale McWhorter and Chuck Killough singled and Jeff Tyler hit a 3-run home run. Ronnie Muro and Royce O’Donnell singled and Chas Jones drove in the 4th run. Red scored 3 more in the second; the first came on a Jim Anderson leadoff single and Jim Raley’s RBI double. Then Sky Blue got two infield outs, but Jim managed to score on one of them. Jim Thompson and Bill Lovell singled and Larry Enzweiler drove in JT. Red got 2 quick outs on Sky Blue in the second before Glenn Little and Wayne Sheets got hits. Dale McWhorter drove in Glenn, but Wayne was left stranded on third. Then Red took a 13 to 5 lead in the third by scoring 5 and shutting out Sky Blue. Holly Whitmire and Jim Anderson singled for Red and Alicia Johnson reached on a fielder’s choice. Pete DiChiara walked to load the bases and Finch drove in 2 runs with a line drive to the fence. JT drove in Pete Di, Bill Lovell singled and Larry Enzweiler drove in Finch and JT.
Sky Blue wasn’t done. They shut out Red in the top of the fourth on 3 infield grounders and then scored 5 to get within 3 runs. David Riche and Harold Hagler singled and David Bedwell drove them both in with a double. Dale McWhorter drove in David, Chuck Killough singled, Jeff Tyler drove in Dale and Scott Wadsworth drove in Chuck. Both teams scored 5 in the fifth. Alicia walked for Red and Jim Raley hit a 2-run homer. Pete Di singled and Finch followed with another 2-run homer. JT singled and Dick Baguley drove him in. Ronnie Muro led off with a double for Sky Blue and Royce O’Donnell drove him in. Charles Jones and David Riche singled to load the bases but Royce got thrown out at home on a fielder’s choice. David Bedwell drove in Chas and David Riche, and Wayne Sheets drove in Harold Hagler and Glenn Little. Sky Blue got within one run of the lead in the sixth by shutting out Red and scoring 2; Jeff Tyler doubled with 2 outs and Scott Wadsworth drove him in with another double. Ronnie Muro walked and Royce O’Donnell drove in Scott. Red 18, Sky Blue 17 after six.
Jim Raley hit an out-of-the-park single to open the Red 7th. Pete Di Singled, Finch walked, JT singled to drive in Jim Raley, Bill Lovell drove in Pete and Larry Enzweiler drove in Finch. Sky Blue couldn’t get anyone past first base and that was the game. Red won, 21 to 17, setting up a tie between Blue and Sky Blue for first place. Blue and Sky Blue will face off in the early game next Tuesday, September 29, the last date in the regular season.
Red hitters were 27 for 44 with 7 walks for a .614 team batting average and a .667 on-base percentage. Jim Thompson was 5 for 5. Sky Blue hitters were 28 for 46 with one walk for a .609 team batting average and a .617 on-base percentage. Harold Fincher and Royce O’Donnell were both 4 for 4.