By JPOST.COM STAFF
The first full week of the Israel Softball Association's men's and women's fast-pitch leagues was interrupted by rain, but Shimshon Hi-Tech dealt the first blow in what looks to be a wide open Pool B with a 13-5 win over the Brewers.
On Wednesday, Shimshon Hi-Tech took a 4-0 lead in the top of the first and never looked back. Gadi Bossin and Zvi Wolicki each had three-RBI performances to lead the offense.
Bossin had two two-strike, two-out line drive singles, bringing in a pair of runs in the first and another in the third. Wolicki cleared the bases with a double in the fifth which seemed to take out any wind left in the Brewers' sails.
Bossin started in place of ailing hurler Sholom Menorah and was in command for all four innings he pitched, striking out two, walking none, and scattering pop-ups, fly balls and infield groundouts.
All five Brewers runs were unearned, following a rash of early errors by the Beit Shemesh defense, which settled down and turned two defensive gems.
Catcher Yaakov Ben-David picked off a runner on third base in the fourth inning with a snap throw, and, with the bases loaded, Brewers pitcher Yehezkel Ganz smashed a long drive over the head of center fielder Mark Chass, who robbed Ganz of a grand slam with an over-the-shoulder catch.
Player-coach Shem-Tov Shapiro came on in relief in the fifth and mopped up, setting down the Brewers one-two-three, including a game-ending strikeout.
This year's league consists of 10 men's teams in two pools. The top team in pool B will replace the bottom team in pool A in 2008.
The women's league will have a new addition this year, the junior national team, made up of girls aged 15-19 who are preparing for the 2008 European championships.
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