Heller hits for the cycle in Morningside win

First baseman fuels comeback win against Beit Shemesh Suns.

By JERUSALEM POST SPORTS STAFF
Softball 311 (photo credit: Jay L. Abramoff)
Softball 311
(photo credit: Jay L. Abramoff)
First baseman Daniel Heller hit for the cycle and had two towering home runs to lead the Morningside Translations Warriors to a 23-14 come from behind victory over the Beit Shemesh Suns Thursday night at Gezer.
Coming off their first loss of the season, the Warriors battled back after falling behind early. The team was down 11-4 after two and a half innings thanks to a pair of three-run homers by Suns leftfielder Ilan Spira.
But then the Warrior bats caught fire. Nossie Jacobovitch hit a two-run shot in the second and Heller followed that with the first of his long balls later in the inning. The Warrior defense settled down and finally surged ahead in the fifth with a five-run inning.
They put the game away with a nine-run sixth.
Heller was the key. Along with stellar defense, “The Danimal” went 5-for-5 on the night, scoring three times, tying a team record with six RBI’s and breaking a team record with 14 total bases.
“Statistically speaking, it’s the greatest game a Warrior has ever had,” said manager and proud older brother Aron Heller. “But anyone who knows Dano knows he is all about the team.
“Personal accolades mean nothing to him. He’s all about helping the team get a big W.”
Batters 1through 9 for the Warriors all had at least two hits. Aron Heller went 4-for- 5 with three RBI’s, including the go-ahead RBI triple in the bottom of the fifth.
Joe Federman, Avi Dzik and Jacobovitch each had three hits and three ribbies. Yanky Itzkowitx also had three hits, and stole his team-leading seventh base of the season.
With the victory the Warriors improve to a league best 6-1 record.