Softball: Shimshon Hi Tech takes two in ISA league opening week

After losing a week to rain, the Israel Softball Association opens its 2009 season with a full slate of games this week.

By MICAH WINSTON
Softball 298.88 (photo credit: (Efrat Saar/courtesy))
Softball 298.88
(photo credit: (Efrat Saar/courtesy))
After losing a week to rain, the Israel Softball Association opened its 2009 season with a full slate of games this week. Shimshon Hi Tech of Beit Shemesh jumped out to the lead in the B Pool with a pair of wins, 18-8 over the Cerveceros and 3-1 versus the Dawgs. Also, Ziontours split a pair, losing to Penticon 10-1 and defeating the Galil Twisters 11-6, Dimona beat the Tigers 8-1 and ReMax-Ra'anana nipped the Dawgs 13-12. Shimshon Hi Tech 3 Dawgs 1 Sunday's opening game of the 2009 season was a gem of a pitcher's duel between 60-year old Gadi Bossin of Shimshon Hi Tech and 20-year old Daniel Baram of the Dawgs. Bossin struck out four and walked one, allowing only a Natan Mandel's home run. Mark Chass was the offensive spark plug for the team from Beit Shemesh, twice reaching on bunt singles, stealing second and scoring runs. The defense for both sides was outstanding, in particular catcher Jeff Weiner and shortstop Maor Mama of the Dawgs. Left-fielder Ari Shapiro of Shimshon gunned down the tying run at home late in the game. Shimshon Hi Tech 18 Cerveceros 8 On Wednesday, in a game marked by sloppy defense, Shimshon Hi-Tech hurler Gadi Bossin coasted through four innings, giving up two unearned runs, while his team posted a solid 12-2 lead. Teenagers Josh Alter and Betzalel Escott and newcomer Chananya Weismann combined for nine runs scored and five RBI's to lead the offense. Bernardo Esquivel homered for the Cerveceros and Yosi Ajzenwaser pitched well, striking out six and walking two but was let down by porous defense behind him. ReMax-Ra'anana 13 Dawgs 12 ReMax rallied from a 12-9 deficit in their last at-bat for an exciting win on Wednesday. Alon Leichman had the key hit in the inning, an RBI triple, and Nate Rosenberg added a home run for Ra'anana. Daniel Baram was the hard luck loser for the Dawgs and David Leichman pitched a complete game victory. Penticon 10 Ziontours 1 Hurler Ami Baran looked in mid-season form on Sunday, pitching hitless ball until the fourth inning while fanning eight. Penticon scored four runs in the first inning of Ziontours' pitcher Aaron Levarko and never looked back. Sam Goldberg led the Sharon team's offense going 2-3 with three RBI's . Dimona 8 Tigers 1 Dimona pitcher Yarone twirled a no-hitter into the fourth inning and fanned eight while his teammates scored four in the second and fourth innings off Tiger pitcher, Ari Kanterewicz, making his first appearance since coming out of retirement on Sunday. For Dimona, Ahkaziyah ripped an inside-the-park homer, Ben Kie tripled twice and teen Tahbie rapped three hits. Ziontours 11 Galil Twisters 6 Aaron Levarko whiffed nine and the Ziontours offense rallied from a 6-2 deficit with a six-run fifth against Hezi Ganz and a sloppy Twisters defense on Tuesday Noam Zwilling's two-run single put the Jerusalemites up 7-6, substitute Ariel Gilor had two hits in the big inning using blazing speed to leg out a double and RBI infield hit and Yoav Barth drove in three runs. Albert Serkovitch hit a two-run homer for the Northerners.