Softball Team
CUMC Softball: Fellowship on the Field
2010 Season Highlights:
7/28/2010
Our team took the field for the last game of the season and came away with a win over Sanctuary Methodist by a score of 17 - 7. It didn't take long to get the scoring going. With Kathy Ellis standing on second base and Dan Lawrence on first, clean-up hitter Frank Hill came up and blasted a three-run home run and there was no looking back. Dave Knapp, Jason Heavener, Becky Ellis, Nathan Snyder, Chad Hussein, Aimee Heavener, Miki Chelton and newcomer Ethan David each had two hits apiece and almost everyone scored a run to help the cause. While our bats were running red hot all night, it was our defense that kept the hard-hitting lineup from Sanctuary at bay. First baseman John Nase was busy all night as the infield scooped up just about everything that came their way including a couple of great plays from Becky Ellis. After allowing three runs in the bottom of the first, pitcher Eric Chelton and the defense took over allowing only two runs over the next five innings to seal the victory. Overall, it was a great game and a great way to end the season.
7/20/2010
It was a tale of two short-handed teams tonight. Our CUMC squad showed up with only nine players while the team from First Baptist had only seven. After a tense game of paper-rock-scissors third baseman Jason Heavener found himself playing center field for the wrong team in an effort to even out the line ups. As it turns out, trading himself was the best managerial move he's made all season as our team beat the powerhouse team from First Baptist handedly by a score of 13 - 4. Leading the charge offensively was Dan Lawrence who went 4-4 and scored four runs! Also in the mix for MVP of the game was Miki Chelton (no that's not a typo) and Nathan Snyder both of whom went 4 -5 with Miki adding two runs. Dave Knapp and Frank Hill also got in on the fun each scoring two runs apiece and Eric Chelton, Aimee Heavener and Kathy Ellis each added a run to the cause as well. Although outfielder Chad Hussein was able to get aboard several times, he was left stranded there each time unable to cross the plate. While the bats were definitely working, it was the defense that secured the win keeping the opposing team from scoring in four of the seven innings. CUMC team manager / turncoat Jason Heavener was heckled mercilessly throughout the game but was able to shake it off as he went 3 - 4 at the plate, albeit in a losing effort.
7/15/2010
The thunderous bats of Christ United Methodist Church came to life tonight - everybody got on base. We started off the game with 5 runs and didn't let up from there, finishing out a 19-15 romp. Joltin' Joe Loscalzo led off with a double and finished 3-4 from the plate and the hits kept coming. Many players had multi-hit games, including two batters who were perfect from the plate - Frank Hill and Jess Snyder. Our batting was mirrored by equally good defense from the field. Interim manager, Dave Knapp, had three put outs in left field and our solid in-field turned two double plays in back to back innings and held a strong Bethel Hill line up scoreless for two innings. Dan Lawrence, one half of our double play combo, had 2 home runs; one that almost made it to the apartment complex. John Nase, Miki Chelton, and Chad Hussein rounded out a solid bottom of the line-up, accounting for 4 runs scored. Nate Snyder, our center fielder, went 3-4 at the plate and had two put outs in the field. In the bottom of the 7th, while Bethel Hill's team was trying to make it close, they employed a new offensive strategy by lining a pitch off pitcher, Eric Chelton's, right leg. When that didn't work, in a play at the plate the fight fielder was able to knock him out of the game. CUMC called in the relief pitcher, Drew (score keeper, Stacey David's brother) all the way from Michigan, who retired the side in the 7th to seal the victory. Asked what his key to victory was after the game, interim manager, Dave Knapp, said he learned from the coach's mistakes and went with hitting instructor, Belle Chelton's, line up.
7/8/2010
Our squad almost pulled off the come from behind win of the season tonight. Trailing 12 - 3 going into the bottom of the fifth inning, things weren't looking good. That was until outfielder Joe Loscalzo got things started and scored the first of 8 runs we posted over the next two innings. After Joe, it was Dan Lawrence who went 3 - 4 scoring two runs and batting in three. Following Dan was short stop Frank Hill who also went 3 - 4 scoring a run and bringing in three. Third baseman Jason Heavener went 2 - 3 with a triple, an RBI and a run scored. First baseman John Nase added two runs while catcher Chad Hussein, left fielder Dave Knapp, and backup catcher Aimee Heavener each scored a run. Starting center fielder Jessica Snyder laid it all on the line trying to track down a fly ball but took a tumble and had to come out of the game (don't worry, she's fine) which paved the way for Nathan Snyder to come on in relief and he would later add a run as well. Pitcher Eric Chelton pitched well...(well enough to give up 13 runs). After the game, right fielder Miki Chelton was asked to comment on the loss and she was quick to lay the blame squarely on the shoulders of the chatterbox third baseman who committed two very costly errors. Rumor has it that the Cheltons will be requesting a trade in the off-season if things don't improve.
7/1/2010
Our CUMC team lost a close one last night; 8-4 to Grace Methodist at our home field. Almost our entire offensive production came off the bats of Frank Hill and Dan Lawrence (stop me if I sound like a broken record) who combined for three of our four runs and added back-to-back home-runs in the 6th inning. Kristine Ellis went 1 -3 with a double and Eric Chelton was 1 - 3 with a single. That was pretty much it for the highlights, so let's get to the lowlights. Last night's "O-fer" club included the Heavener family (Jason & Aimee) who went 0 - 3, the Snyder's (Nathan & Jessica) 0 - 4, John Nase 0 - 2, Joe Loscalzo 0 - 3, Kathy Ellis 0 - 3, Miki Chelton 0 - 3, and Chad Hussein 0 - 3. Despite the lack of hitting last night, our defense was solid. We pulled within one run to make it 5 - 4 halfway through the sixth inning, but with two outs and bases loaded, the big bats of Grace Methodist delivered again when they hit a bases-clearing double to score three runs and make it 8 - 4, which is how it ended.
6/24/2010
Coming off the worst loss of the season, our lean and (not really) mean CUMC team came out swinging against a tough Sanctuary Methodist team. After our first three batters were retired in order in the bottom of the first inning, our bats came alive and we scored 17 runs over the next six innings! Unfortunately, so did the other team. Losing 17 - 15 in the bottom of the 7th inning, center fielder Frank Hill hit his third home run of the game, this one a two-run shot, to tie the game at 17 apiece. However, we couldn't complete the comeback and second baseman Dan Lawrence and right fielder Chad Hussein were stranded on the corners as we surrendered our final outs. Other key contributors were left fielder Joe Loscalzo 3 - 4 with a run scored, short stop Nathan Snyder 1 - 2 with 3 runs scored, third baseman Jason Heavener hit a three-run shot and went 2 - 5, short fielder Miki Chelton 3 - 5, and first baseman John Nase 1 - 4. The offensive highlight of the night, however, belonged to pitcher Eric Chelton. With the game tied 9-9 in the bottom of the fifth inning, Eric crushed a ball deep to right-center field. Seeing the ball fly over the head of the right fielder, Eric rounded first. As the ball finally came to rest and the fielder drew near it, Eric cruised past second base. Now the throw was coming in from the outfield, but Eric would not be denied. With a full head of steam, putting the brakes on was not an option. He rounded third with all the momentum of a speeding locomotive and headed for home, crossing the plate just as the throw came in, slightly off-target. HOME RUN! Final score, a tie, 17 - 17.
6/18/2010
CUMC - 8
First Baptist - 24
"That's all I have to say about that." - Forrest Gump
6/7/2010
Our CUMC softball team came out on top of a grueling slug-fest Monday night against Bethel Hill Methodist. After scoring runs in every inning but the last, we put ourselves in a good position to win and, when the dust settled (literally), we were on top 16 - 13. Leading the charge offensively were outfielder Liz Hill and shortstop Becky Ellis who both went 4 -4 at the plate. Second baseman Dan Lawrence went 3 - 3 including a stand-up triple and scored three runs while outfielder/relief pitcher Frank Hill went 3 - 4 and crushed a three-run homer in the third inning. Also crossing the plate en route to victory were left fielder Dave Knapp and catcher Chad Hussein who each scored twice and Geoff Slick, John Nase, Miki Chelton and Aimee Heavener each added a run. Unfortunately not everyone got to join in the fun, third baseman Jason Heavener and pitcher Eric Chelton were each left on base unable to share in the hi-fives. The defensive highlights included a hard-hit one-hopper to short that was scooped by Becky Ellis, tossed to Dan Lawrence who was standing on second and thrown over to first just as the runner hit the bag to negate the double play. The defensive lowlights were just as exciting and included pitcher Eric Chelton getting tattooed in the mid-section by a hard hit liner, then there was catcher Chad Hussein tossing a softball grenade to first and actually recording the out, and last but not least was Dan Lawrence taking a cutoff throw from right field and firing a bullet...right into the opposing team's bench (fortunately the score keeper was able to walk it off). Special thanks goes out to Stacey David whose impeccable and thorough scorecard keeping made this entire write-up possible.
6/1/2010
Our team lost a hard fought game tonight against a well-rounded Lansdale Methodist squad. Both teams came out swinging and it showed on the scoreboard, after just two innings the score was tied 7 - 7. Then the defense took over. We managed just one run over the next four innings and clung to an 8 -7 lead after holding them without a run for three straight innings. It was not to last however as they scored 3 runs in the bottom of the 6th to setup a tense 7th inning. With Miki Chelton standing on second, Chad Hussein hit a grounder that gave the third baseman some trouble and led to an errant throw that allowed Miki to score, but that was all we could muster and the game ended in a 10 - 9 loss. Offensively Geoff Slick, led the way going 3 - 4 and scoring two runs. Outfielders Dave Knapp and Ray McClain each went 2 - 5 and scored two runs, Jason Heavener went 4 - 4 and added a run and utility, right fielder/catcher Aimee Heavener scored her first run of the season. First baseman John Nase was kept busy all night as the Lansdale team pounded the ball all over the infield resulting in a bunch of throws his way, but he was up to the task (despite an iffy call by a generous base coach in the last inning, but I digress). Former pitcher, former right fielder, former catcher, former short-fielder Joe Loscalzo played a solid second base and pitcher Eric Chelton kept their hitters on their toes and also had two RBI's to help his own cause. Sources close to the team revealed that the offensive production tonight was due in no small part to Belle and Lucy Chelton who are credited with putting together the line-up. When questioned about this, Coach Heavener refused to comment.
5/27/2010
In a storm-shortened game Thursday night, our best player turned out to be, well, the weather. Losing 11 - 4 in the middle of the fifth inning, our fans and even the good Lord himself had seen enough. A bolt of lightning spotted in the distance signaled the end of what can only be described as a one-sided affair. With a record of 2 - 1, our CUMC team headed into this game feeling good about themselves and ran right smack into a buzzsaw that was Grace Methodist Church. Rookie pitcher Joe Loscalzo did well but each inning seemed to be an endless parade around the bases for the opposing team. If our outfielders played deep, they hit it shallow, if we moved in, they hit towering fly balls. Our infield made up of Becky Ellis, Dan Lawrence and John Nase did what they could, but were seldom needed as every hit seemed to find a gap in the outfield. Offensively, we scored all of our runs in one inning. Frank Hill led off the second inning with a solo home run that their center fielder is still chasing down. Geoff Slick and Chad Hussein followed up with singles and, with two outs, third baseman Jason Heavener hit a three-run shot to make it 4 - 2 for the good guys. After that, our bats went silent. Kathy Ellis once again did a superb job keeping our spirits up and our batters in order, although the line-up she was given left her and the players, scratching their heads. Reached for comment after the game catcher Miki Chelton had this to say, "I don't know what the coach was thinking. My kids could have put together a better line-up."
5/19/2010
Our CUMC softball team came out on top after a back and forth game against Sanctuary Methodist Wednesday night winning 16 - 14. After scoring five runs in the top of the first inning, we managed to keep it up and score a few runs each inning which kept us in the game against the hard-hitting Sanctuary team. Leading the offense charge were Dave Knapp and Ray McClain who both went 4 - 5 and scored two runs apiece and Joe Loscalzo who went 5 - 5 and drove in 3 RBIs. But the hit of the night went to Becky Ellis who stunned both the center and short fielders when she crushed a ball to deep center field, driving in a run. Aimee Heavener also showed her stuff by going 3 - 4 at the plate. Defensively we made some nice plays with Jason Heavener at third, Nathan Snyder at second and Geoff Slick playing solid at first base. Eric Chelton pitched another gem (despite the score) and went 3 - 4 and Chad Hussein showed up to give some relief at catcher and went 1 - 2. The play of the night though happened on the last pitch of the game, down three with two outs and man on third the power hitting lefty came up and hit a bomb to center field. Frank Hill in his CUMC debut caught up to it and initiated a relay throw to home where Eric Chelton was waiting. The ball got there just before the runner and what would have been a two run home-run became a long out to end the game.
Our CUMC softball team came out on top after a back and forth game against Sanctuary Methodist Wednesday night winning 16 - 14. After scoring five runs in the top of the first inning, we managed to keep it up and score a few runs each inning which kept us in the game against the hard-hitting Sanctuary team. Leading the offense charge were Dave Knapp and Ray McClain who both went 4 - 5 and scored two runs apiece and Joe Loscalzo who went 5 - 5 and drove in 3 RBIs. But the hit of the night went to Becky Ellis who stunned both the center and short fielders when she crushed a ball to deep center field, driving in a run. Aimee Heavener also showed her stuff by going 3 - 4 at the plate. Defensively we made some nice plays with Jason Heavener at third, Nathan Snyder at second and Geoff Slick playing solid at first base. Eric Chelton pitched another gem (despite the score) and went 3 - 4 and Chad Hussein showed up to give some relief at catcher and went 1 - 2. The play of the night though happened on the last pitch of the game, down three with two outs and man on third the power hitting lefty came up and hit a bomb to center field. Frank Hill in his CUMC debut caught up to it and initiated a relay throw to home where Eric Chelton was waiting. The ball got there just before the runner and what would have been a two run home-run became a long out to end the game.
5/13/2010
Our CUMC softball team suffered their first loss thursday night by a score of 8 - 7 against a very tough First Baptist team. Offensively, we were led by Jason Heavener who was a triple shy of hitting for the cycle and who crushed a two-run home-run in the first inning. Geoff Slick went 2 - 3 with three runs scored and Dave Knapp went 2 - 4 with two runs. Making their seasonal debuts were Kristine Ellis who went 2 - 4 with a run, Miki Chelton who also went 2 - 4 and Dan Lawrence who went 2 - 3 and made an incredible leaping grab to snare a line drive that was destined for a gap in right-center field. Defensively, we were rounded out by Becky Ellis, who was also making her debut and who was a force to be reckoned with at Short-Stop, Eric Chelton pitching, John Nase at First Base and Chad Hussein playing catcher.
Our CUMC softball team suffered their first loss thursday night by a score of 8 - 7 against a very tough First Baptist team. Offensively, we were led by Jason Heavener who was a triple shy of hitting for the cycle and who crushed a two-run home-run in the first inning. Geoff Slick went 2 - 3 with three runs scored and Dave Knapp went 2 - 4 with two runs. Making their seasonal debuts were Kristine Ellis who went 2 - 4 with a run, Miki Chelton who also went 2 - 4 and Dan Lawrence who went 2 - 3 and made an incredible leaping grab to snare a line drive that was destined for a gap in right-center field. Defensively, we were rounded out by Becky Ellis, who was also making her debut and who was a force to be reckoned with at Short-Stop, Eric Chelton pitching, John Nase at First Base and Chad Hussein playing catcher.
5/5/2010
Our CUMC Softball team made their debut last night at Clemens Park in Hatfield versus the team from Bethel Hill Methodist. After a couple of big innings by both teams, the defense tightened up and allowed only a couple of runs over the last five innings of the game. Trailing 9 - 8 in the bottom of the seventh inning, we got a couple of key hits from Dave Knapp and Kathy Ellis. Then Geoff Slick hit a shot to right field to drive in a run and even the score. With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Jason Heavener hit an RBI single that scored the winning run!
Our CUMC Softball team made their debut last night at Clemens Park in Hatfield versus the team from Bethel Hill Methodist. After a couple of big innings by both teams, the defense tightened up and allowed only a couple of runs over the last five innings of the game. Trailing 9 - 8 in the bottom of the seventh inning, we got a couple of key hits from Dave Knapp and Kathy Ellis. Then Geoff Slick hit a shot to right field to drive in a run and even the score. With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Jason Heavener hit an RBI single that scored the winning run!