GAMES WE PLAY: SOFTBALL

Dimona dumps Penticon.

By MICAH WINSTON
The Dimona Mean Judeans opened their 2006 Israel Softball Association season with an 8-2 win over Penticon. Dimona pitcher Yaron was too much for the Penticon bats. He struck out six, while allowing only two runs, both scored by Howie Hirsch and batted in by David Fleightman. All eight Dimona runs were brought in with two outs and against 17-year-old Penticon pitcher Golan Halley. Dimona's top five hitters did all the damage. Amihai (three runs batted in), Ben Hai and Akhazia (two RBIs) each went 2-for-3 and Yigal drove in two runs. Amihai made the defensive play of the game at shortstop, chasing down a lazy looper to make a football-style, over-theshoulder catch. Tigers 9, Dawgs 3 The Tigers kicked off their season with a spirited, come-from-behind victory. Tigers pitcher Goose Gillett made his comeback to the mound after a two-year absence. Goose surrendered three runs in the first inning, but did not throw the Dawgs a bone the rest of the way. The Tigers made their move in the third and fourth innings, led by Guy Bender's two run-scoring singles and Ari Kanterewicz's bases-clearing, three-run triple that put the game away. Bender also came up with two running catches in a misty centerfield. Galil Twisters 19, Crazy Richard 14 The Galil Twisters evened their record with a 19-hit, 13-stolen-base offensive and base-running explosion against Crazy Richard pitcher Jay Tuch. The Twisters broke a 5-5 tie in the third with eight runs as young pitcher Adir Hagbi pitched effectively. Micah Winston was 4-for-4 with three runs and two RBIs, Jake Miller reached base four times and stole five bases, Rob Barasch had four RBIs, and Eitan Milgram's two-run homer in the sixth put the game out of reach. On defense, Tim Cummings, Miller and Barasch turned a textbook third-to-hometo-first double play for the Twisters. Dimona women rout Beit Shemesh The Dimona Lady Judeans beat the Beit Shemesh Fireballs 20-6 in the 2006 ISA women's league opener. New Dimona pitcher Dina kept the Beit Shemesh bats in check and walked none, backed by fine defense from Carmiah at shortstop. Vashti led the way at bat going 2-for-3 with a triple.