Games of November 25

Hewes 5, Martinez 2
Havelock Hewes scattered 6 hits, and allowed no runs over the last 6.1 innings, for his 18th win. Eric Schulman's 3rd inning base hit was the 6,922nd plate appearance of the 2012 season-- a new record.

Melendez 11, Nilva 3
Mike Sulyman was 5-for-5, Alex Rivera hit his 18th HR, and Sam Magnus was 4-for-5 with 2 RBI as Freddie Melendez allowed 3 runs (none earned) on 8 hits for his 19th win.

The Lost Boxscores of SFL

Like The Lost Engines of Roanoke, the lost boxscores of SFL were eventually found. They were hidden in one of my books for my fall league, and here they finally are:

Hewes 10, Melendez 5
Ian Parfrey was 4-for-4 with 4 runs scored, a double, and 2 RBI, to lead Hewes's team. Bob Holzwasser had 3 hits for Melendez's squad.

Lawrence 8, Nilva 4
Cid Rivera's 3-run HR in the 5th inning broke a 4-4 tie.

Appell 9, Connor / Hewes 9 (5-inning tie)
Eric Schulman (3-for-4, 4 RBI) hit a 2-out, 2-run double to tie the game for Appell's team. Cid Rivera was 4-for-4 with a HR and 5 RBI for the Connor / Hewes team.

Games of 10/7

Hewes 14, Parfrey 8
Hewes's team scored 7 times in the 6th inning to blow open a one-run game. Cid Rivera homered and drove in 5 runs, Eric Schulman was 4-for-5 with 3 RBI, and Bob Holzwasser had 3 hits. Chris Hall was 3-for-4 with 3 RBI for Parfrey's team.

O'Connor 9, Nilva 6
O'Connor's team scored 5 times in the 5th inning to erase a 5-4 deficit. Nilva's defense committed 5 errors and allowed 7 unearned runs.

Games of 9/30

Appell 9, Hewes 7 (8 innings)
This was an exciting finish. Jeff Appell blew a 6-1 lead over the last two innings, stranded the winning run on third base, and got the win in overtime. Eric Schulman, Sam Magnus, and Jeff Appell had RBI singles in the top of the 8th. Schulman was 3-for-4 with 4 RBI, and Zach Nilva was 4-for-5. Cid Rivera and Josh Balsam each had 4 hits for Hewes's team.

Nilva 11, Connor 10
In another exciting finish, Tony Connor's team came back from deficits of 10-2 and 11-6, and left the tying run in scoring position. Eric Schulman was 4-for-5 with a 2-run HR, and Andy Atkinson was a HR short of the cycle, and had 4 RBI.

Games of 9/23

We're slowly catching up here...

Rosengard 10, O'Connor 2
This game was tied at 2-2 going into the top of the 7th, when Rosengard's team erupted for 8 runs. Sam Melendez's infield single scored the go-ahead run. Ian Parfrey was 4-for-4 with 2 RBI, and Eric Schulman added 3 hits. Dave Rosengard allowed one earned run on 7 hits for the win.

Melendez 8, Lawrence 5
Freddie Melendez was staked to a 6-0 lead after 2 innings, and cruised to a win. He helped his cause with 2 doubles and 2 RBI. Phil Ciccone was 3-for-3 with 2 RBI for Lawrence's team.

Mishkin 7, Hewes 7 (5-inning tie)
In the third game, Mishkin's team led 7-5 after 2 innings, but the pitchers eventually regained control. Nel Yomtov was 3-for-4 with a double, triple, and 4 RBI for Mishkin's squad, and Havelock Hewes backed his own pitching with 3 hits and 2 RBI.

Games of 9/16

It looks like I'm never going to find the boxscores for Sept. 9 (don't worry, the stats were already entered), so we'll skip to the 16th.

Rosengard 9, Parfrey 3
Phil Ciccone had 3 hits, and Eric Schulman drove in 3 more runs. Dave Rosengard scattered 11 hits for the win. Ian Parfrey backed his "pitching" by going 3-for-4 with 2 triples.

Melendez 4, Hewes 3 (10 innings)
In an extremely hard-fought game, Freddie Melendez singled home Ian Parfrey (3-for-5) in the top of the 10th for the winning run. Melendez allowed 3 runs, none earned, on 10 hits, and struck out five. Havelock Hewes was almost as good, allowing 4 runs, 3 earned, on 12 hits. Hewes's team scored the tying run in the bottom of the 7th, and stranded the winning run on third base.

Games of Sept 2

Parfrey 7, Hewes 2
Parfrey's team struck for 6 first inning runs, capped by a 2-run HR by Sam Magnus. Cid Rivera also homered, and Ian Parfrey escaped 5 bases-loaded jams and scattered 14 hits for the win.

Melendez 9, Nilva 7
Again, Sam Magnus capped a first inning rally with a HR, this time a 3-run shot. Eric Schulman was 3-for-3 with 4 RBI, and Ian Parfrey also had 3 hits. Matt Mishkin homered and drove in 2 runs for Nilva's team.

Lawrence / O'Connor 7, Rosengard 6
Glen Lawrence pitched 4 scoreless innings of relief for the win in a back-and-forth battle. Freddie Melendez drove in Cid Rivera with a 2-out single in the 5th inning for the win. Victor Waldron hit a 3-run HR for Rosengard's team.

Eric Schulman drives in 100th run

In a Great Lawn game on Thursday August 30, Eric Schulman became the only SFL player to drive in 100 runs in a season. He broke Cid Rivera's single-season record of 94 the previous Sunday with-- what else-- a sac fly.

The game was a high-scoring affair, won by Jeff Appell 11-9 over Glen Lawrence. Schulman was 3-for-4 with a 2B, 3B, and 3 RBI. Sam Melendez and Alex Lee also added 3 hits, and Melendez scored the go-ahead run on a throwing error in the bottom of the 5th.

Games of August 26

Hewes 2, Appell 1
Havelock Hewes picked up his 500th win by pitching a 2-hitter. All he needed was a botched rundown involving Cid Rivera, and an outfield miscommunication that allowed Freddie Melendez's 6th inning 2-run single to drop in.

Melendez 3, Parfrey 1 (8 innings)
Sam Magnus's single tied the game in the bottom of the 7th, but an RBI single by Fred Lang and a sac fly by Glen Lawrence won it in the top of the 8th.

Lawrence 11, Rosengard 6
The bats finally woke up for the third game. Rosengard's team led 5-0 in the third inning, but Eric Schulman's 19th sac fly of the year was the go-ahead run in the bottom of the 5th. Schulman was 2-for-3 with 5 RBI, and Glen Lawrence was 2-for-3 with 3 RBI. Cid Rivera hit a 3-run HR for Rosengard's team.

Games of August 19

Appell 9, Hewes 4
Rob Anapol singled home Paul Geoghan for the go-ahead run in the top of the 6th. Freddie Melendez had 4 hits, and Nel Yomtov drove in three runs.

Nilva 9, Melendez 6
Eric Schulman homered and drove in 4 runs, Rob Anapol had 3 hits, and Zach Nilva singled home the go-ahead run in the 5th inning.

Hewes 4, Appell / Martinez 3
Derek Martinez tied the game with a line drive HR to left, before Matt Mishkin won it with a 2-out solo HR to right-center. Havelock Hewes then stranded the tying run on third base.

Games of August 5

Hewes 7, Rosengard 5
Eric Schulman homered and drove in 2, and Sam Magnus was 3-for-4 with an RBI double to lead the Havelocks past the Rosengards. Phil Ciccone was 3-for-3 with 3 RBI for Rosengard's team. Defensive play of the game: Marvin Cohen catches a popup and initiates a 3-2 DP.

Appell 9, Parfrey 3
Russ Rivera's 2-run opposite field double broke a 3-3 tie in the 5th inning, after which the wheels came off for Parfrey's team. Appell scattered 6 hits in a strong pitching performance.

Games of July 8

Nilva 7, Hewes 6
Bob Holzwasser drove in 4 runs, and Alex Rivera had 3 hits to back Zach Nilva's pitching. Sam Melendez had 3 hits for Hewes's team, who stranded the tying run at first base.

Melendez 13, Lawrence 9
Freddie Melendez won his 10th game of the year. Eric Schulman was 3-for-5 with 2 triples and 6 RBI, and Sam Melendez was 4-for-5 with 4 runs scored.

Also note that the Heckscher hotline was unreliable this week. They claimed to be opening late at 11:00, and then opened at 9:15. When in doubt, call someone, or just show up.

Game of July 5

Lawrence 9, Appell 5
In a Great Lawn evening game, Eric Schulman's 3-run triple broke open a one-run game, and Mike Barbato was 3-for-4 to back Glen Lawrence (3-1). Freddie Melendez was 3-for-3 with an RBI for Appell's team.

Games of July 1

Mishkin 5, Hewes 4
Sam Melendez's 6th inning single scored winning pitcher Matt Mishkin (1-0) with the deciding run. Nel Yomtov added 3 hits for the winners, and Mishkin allowed only one run over the final 6 innings.

Nilva 6, Appell 5
Zach Nilva improved to 5-2 on the year in a wild finish. Appell's team went ahead 5-4 in the bottom of the 6th on four consecutive 2-out singles by Freddie Melendez, Fred Lang, Jeff Appell, and Paul Geoghan. Appell's team thought the game was over (as it was almost 11:00) and the 6th run was held at third base. Appell then came out to pitch the top of the seventh and had a rare control lapse, walking 4 batters (two intentionally) in the inning. Nel Yomtov's sac fly tied it, and Kim Mishkin's bases-loaded walk won it. Nilva retired the side in order for the win. Nilva also went 4-for-4, and Eric Schulman hit a 3-run opposite field HR.

Games of June 17

Rosengard 6, Melendez 2
Dave Rosengard scattered 7 hits in a strong pitching performance to pick up his first win of the season.

Appell 8, Lawrence 3
After Derek Martinez's 2-out 2-run HR tied the game for Lawrence's team, Havelock Hewes alertly stole home on an indifferent recovery of a throwing error for the lead in the top of the 6th. Eric Schulman drove in 4 runs for Appell's team.

Martinez 6, O'Connor 5
A bases-loaded walk to Fred Lang was the margin of victory, and Cid Rivera Sr. lined out to Cid Rivera Jr. with the bases loaded to end the game. Freddie Melendez drove in 4 runs to back Martinez's pitching, and Mark Rodriguez had 3 hits.

Games of June 10

It took me a long time to find this scorebook, but here it is:

Hewes 10, Melendez 0
Havelock Hewes's Mets crushed Freddie Melendez's Yankees, behind a 4-for-4, 3 RBI performance from Eric Schulman. Hewes allowed 5 hits, and had two successful squeeze bunts. Too bad the real Mets didn't play like this.

Nilva 14, Appell 5
Alex Rivera homered and drove in 5 runs, and Ben Indek had 4 hits, as the Yankees, with most of the same players, got their revenge.

Games of May 13

Melendez 15, Parfrey 6
Eric Schulman homered and drove in 5 runs, Freddie Melendez was 3-for-4 with 4 RBI, and Ben Indek was 4-for-5 with 5 runs scored. Alex Rivera homered and drove in 4 for Parfrey's team.

Nilva 6, Hewes 2
Courageously pitching with a broken finger on his pitching hand, Havelock Hewes gave up a tiebreaking single to Fred Lang in the 4th inning. Zach Nilva scattered 13 hits and backed his pitching with a 2-run HR. Hewes is expected to miss 1 to 3 months.

Games of April 1

Hewes 18, Martinez 5
Sam Melendez (2-for-4, HR, 6 RBI) hit a grand slam broke open a close game in the 5th inning. Matt Mishkin was 5-for-6 with 2 RBI. Havelock Hewes allowed 9 hits and picked up his 2nd win of the season. Eric Schulman homered for Martinez's team.

Greenblatt 10, Nilva 9
In a thrilling finish, Eric Schulman's 2-out 2-run single to right capped a 5-run comeback in the bottom of the 7th. Sam Magnus, Jim O'Connor, and Dan Greenblatt had consecutive 2-out hits before Schulman's game winner. Schulman and Freddie Melendez each had 4 hits. Nilva's team had scored 5 times in the top of the 7th to take a 9-5 lead.

Awards and Results of Winter Meeting

Awards

Gold Gloves:
Pitcher-- Ian Parfrey
Catcher-- Josh Balsam
First Base-- Sal Cipriano
Second Base-- Ben Indek
Third Base-- Freddy Melendez
Shortstop-- (tie) Ian Parfrey and Phil Ciccone
Outfield-- Zach Nilva, Alex Rivera, Eric Schulman, Brian Hernandez

Best Pitcher-- Freddy Melendez
Rookie of the Year-- Sam Melendez
MVP-- Alex Rivera


Rule Changes:

1. When there are 22 players at a game, it is closed to
non-duespayers. Dues payers have a right to play no matter how large
the teams are. This rule takes effect when we move to Heckscher.
Non-duespayers cannot be displaced from a game they are already in,
and have the option of paying on the spot.

2. Due to the rising cost of permits, the league has raised annual dues to $40.

3. The league has banned alcoholic beverages at the games. Any
player drinking during a game will be subject to immediate ejection
and possible additional penalties.

4. The league has decided that outfielders will be required to play a
certain distance (to be determined) behind the infield basepaths.
This distance will be marked with a small orange cone on each foul
line. This is to discourage (but not eliminate) throws to first from
the outfield, and will eliminate the possibility of turning a double
play through the centerfielder.

5. A grievance committee has been elected for one year. Members are
Josh Balsam, Zach Nilva, and Alex Rivera.

6. Selection of pitchers-- Havelock, or whoever is making teams in
his rare absences, cannot tell a manager who to pitch. Regular
pitchers should not act as managers, unless no one else present is
willing to. It is hoped that this will result in an equitable
distribution of pitching innings.

There are two other items which will soon be presented to the league
for voting, as there was not a 2/3 majority at the meeting.

Thanks to Anne Atkinson and Gil Schmerler for hosting.

Games of March 4

Greenblatt 8, Nilva 6
Dan Greenblatt won his first SFL start behind Rob Anapol's 3 home runs and 5 RBI.

Magnus 13, Melendez 9
Chuck Magnus was backed by 2-run HR's from Rob Anapol and Eric Schulman.