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.

Games of March 18

This week we played a twin bill at 260th Street & Broadway, after being kicked out of every other field in Riverdale.

Sulyman 9, Hewes 7
Sulyman's team blew an early 6-1 lead, due to a multitude of errors, misplays, and a Zach Nilva 2-run single. Eric Schulman's RBI groundout plated Ian Parfrey for the go-ahead run in the bottom of the 6th. Freddie Melendez was 4-for-4 with an RBI.

Melendez 13, O'Connor 7
Freddie Melendez picked up his 5th win, and added 3 hits enroute to a 7-for-8 day. Ian Parfrey and the Melendez brothers combined to score 10 runs on 9 hits from the first 3 spots in the batting order. Chris Hall was 3-for-4 with 4 RBI for O'Connor's team.

Games of February 26

Melendez 13, Hewes 9
Sam Magnus (4-for-5, HR, 5 RBI) and Adam Garcia (3-for-5, HR, 5 RBI) led Melendez's team to the win.

O'Connor 22, Mishkin 22 (8 innings)
This was one of the most dramatic SFL games ever. O'Connor's team stormed back from a huge deficit to (apparently) tie the game in the top of the 7th. Gil Schmerler's 2-out single to center plated Eric Schulman with the winning run-- except a scorekeeping error was discovered later-- Mishkin's team actually had 21 runs in the 7th, not 22, and Magnus's HR could have been the game-winner. No one noticed at the time and the game was declared a tie. Sam Magnus had an amazing game, going 4-for-4 with 5 runs scored, 2 HR, and 8 RBI. Bill McLaughlin had 5 hits, Matt Mishkin drove in 5 runs, and Sam Melendez and Mike Sulyman each had 3 hits, a homer, and 4 RBI.

Games of January 29

In this year's recaps, I'm going to try to include some pertinent quotes from our players. Mike Sulyman, describing Sunday's chilly, sloppy twin bill, told me, "I want you to write these up like they were the greatest games ever-- suspenseful, down to the wire..." That's a tall order, considering the games were more like the kind where everyone's batting average has a lot of fun.

Sulyman 13, Parfrey 10
Mike Sulyman backed his own pitching with a 3-run HR, and Eric Schulman was 3-for-3 with 5 RBI. For Parfrey's team, Jorge Davila was 4-for-4. Parfrey's team trailed throughout, getting as close as 10-9 in the 5th. Defensive play of the game-- Mike Sulyman knocking down a Nate Sillman liner, and recovering it behind the mound to throw him out at first, with men on 2nd and 3rd and 2 outs.

Garcia 12, Melendez 9
In a slightly more suspenseful affair, Garcia's team nearly blew a 10-4 lead, but held on to win. Adam Garcia was 3-for-5 with 4 RBI, and Fritz was 4-for-5 with 2 doubles. Bobby Echevarria led Freddy's team-- he was 3-for-5 with 2 RBI. Defensive play of the game-- SS Ian Parfrey's diving backhand catch of a Mike Sulyman flare to short LF with the bases loaded and 2 outs.

Opening Day 2012

Parfrey 10, Hewes 3
Ian Parfrey allowed 3 runs on 7 hits, and held Hewes's team scoreless over the final 6 innings. Sam Magnus was 2-for-2 with a home run and 3 RBI.

Melendez 9, Martinez 5
Freddie Melendez allowed only 4 hits enroute to a come from behind win. Adam Garcia's 2-run double tied the game in the bottom of the 6th, and then Mike Sulyman (3-for-5) cleared the bases with a 3-run triple.

Games of 9/18

Appell 5, Hewes 4

Sam Melendez had 3 hits, and Ian Parfrey drove in 3 runs, as Jeff Appell squeaked out a win over Havelock. Alex Rivera was 3-for-4 with an RBI for Hewes's team, who left the go-ahead run on base in the 7th inning.

Sulyman 3, Parfrey 1

Mike Sulyman (2-0) again pitched masterfully, and Parfrey was almost as good. Derek Martinez's 2-out double in the 4th inning was the go-ahead run.

Hewes 4, Melendez 3 (8 innings)
Derek Martinez singled in Chris Hall in the top of the 8th for the winning run. Zach Nilva was 3-for-4, and 7-for-11 on the day.

Game of 9/5

Sulyman 5, Parfrey 4 (10 innings)

Bobby Echevarria's walkoff double in the bottom of the 10th ended an epic pitcher's duel. Mike Sulyman allowed 4 runs on 15 hits and added a 3-run double, enroute to his first SFL win. Echevarria was 3-for-5, and Matt Mishkin went 3-for-4 and scored the winning run. Parfrey pitched almost as well against a tough lineup, and helped his cause with 3 hits and an RBI. Solomon Sarway was also 3-for-5, and Nate Sillman made a game-saving catch for Parfrey's team on a flare behind 2nd base.

Game of July 10

Hewes 6, Nilva 5 (14 innings)

Zach Nilva's 14th inning curse is alive and well. Zach lost for the 3rd time in the 14th inning since October 2010. Mike Sulyman (3-for-6, 2 RBI) hit a 2-out single in the top of the 7th to plate Brian Hernandez (5-for-5, 3B). The game was tied at 5 and stayed that way until Cid Rivera controversially scored from first on a single in the top of the 14th. Plate umpire Freddie Melendez called him safe, claiming that Rivera's foot touched the plate before catcher Dave Rosengard tagged him. This touched off a lengthy argument and provided one of SFL's most exciting finishes. Havelock Hewes (12-5) retired the middle of the order 1-2-3 in the bottom of the 14th. Hewes allowed 3 earned runs on 16 hits; Nilva allowed 4 earned runs on 20 hits. Here is the scoring breakdown:

Bot 1:
P.Ciccone singled to shortstop, Z.Nilva scored. On M.Sulyman's throwing error, B.Indek scored, P.Ciccone to second.
I.Parfrey reached on a throwing error by M.Sulyman, P.Ciccone scored.
Nilva 3, Hewes 0

Top 2:
M.Cohen singled to left, F.Lang scored.
B.McLaughlin grounded to short, M.Cohen out at second, J.Balsam scored.
Nilva 3, Hewes 2

Top 3:
E.Schulman singled to right-center, B.Hernandez scored.
Nilva 3, Hewes 3

Bot 4:
D.Martinez hit a sacrifice fly to center, P.Ciccone scored.
Nilva 4, Hewes 3

Top 5:
M.Sulyman singled to left-center, B.Hernandez scored.
Nilva 4, Hewes 4

Bot 6:
P.Ciccone grounded to shortstop, S.Melendez out at second, Z.Nilva scored.
Nilva 5, Hewes 4

Top 7:
M.Sulyman singled to center, B.Hernandez scored.
Nilva 5, Hewes 5

Top 14:
B.McLaughlin singled to center, A.Rivera to third, B.McLaughlin to second on the throw. A.Rivera scored, B.McLaughlin to third on the throw.
Hewes 6, Nilva 5

Games of 6/26

Appell 10, O'Connor 5
Mike Palma and Ian Parfrey each went 2-for-3 with 2 RBI in the win. Chris Hall and Freddie Melendez each had 3 hits for O'Connor's team.

Nilva 6, Melendez 3 (8 innings)
Zach Nilva's extra-inning jinx was broken when his team scored 3 times in the top of the 8th. Brian Hernandez's sac fly broke the tie, and Solomon Sarway's 2-run triple iced it. Sarway was 2-for-2 with 3 RBI, Mike Sulyman added 3 hits, and Nilva scattered 11 hits for the win. Alex Rivera hit his league-leading 12th home run, and drove in 2.

Games of 4/3

On our last weekend in Riverdale, Havelock Hewes (4-1) defeated Zach Nilva 15-6. Nel Yomtov was 3-for-4 with a 2B, HR, and 4 RBI. Jim O'Connor also drove in 3, and Alex Rivera homered. Eric Schulman led Nilva's team with 3 hits. In the nightcap, Matt Mishkin (1-1) beat Jim O'Connor, 15-4. Eric Schulman homered and drove in 5 runs, Mike Sulyman homered and drove in 4, and Freddie Melendez was 4-for-4 with 2 RBI. Nel Yomtov added 3 more hits for O'Connor's side.

Games of 3/27

1. Hewes 16, Martinez 5

Mike Sulyman was 5-for-6 with a HR and 5 RBI, Eric Schulman was 4-for-6 with 2 HR's and 4 RBI, and Zach Nilva added 4 hits.

2. Connor 18, Schmerler 4

Ken Walker homered twice and drove in 5. Derek Martinez was 4-for-5 with 2 RBI.

3. Nilva 9, Melendez 5

Alex Rivera homered twice and drove in 6. For Melendez's team, Ken Walker homered twice.