Softball: Tigers upend Penticon 9-5

Mario Rojas was huge at the plate for Tel Aviv, going 3-4 with two doubles and a triple.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
softball 88 (photo credit: )
softball 88
(photo credit: )
In last week's ISA action the Tigers upset first-place Penticon 9-5, who in turn edged Dimona 3-2 in eight innings, and Shimshon Hi Tech drubbed Re/MaxRa'anana. Tigers 9 Penticon 5 On Sunday, the last place Tel Aviv Tigers played a solid team game in surprising top-of-the-table Penticon of Ra'anana. Goose Gillett stifled the Penticon bats until being ejected for arguing and then 62 yearold Mike Williams relieved, allowing only one run in three innings while fanning two. Guy Bender's two-run inside-the-park homer off of Penticon hurler Sholom Menorah put the Tigers up 3-1 in the second, but timely hitting from Howie Hirsch tied it at three in the third. In the fourth, Menorah was hit by a line drive and had to leave the game for Penticon's number one pitcher, Ami Baran but the Tigers touched him for five runs and a lead which they never lost. Mario Rojas was huge at the plate for Tel Aviv, going 3-4 with two doubles and a triple, as well as a diving catch at shortstop and Amos Pollack was busy in right field, making five catches. Player/coach Gillett said: "It was a sweet and deserved win. Everybody was up for the game and played as a team." Penticon 3 Dimona 2 (8 innings) In a Friday afternoon thriller, Dimona took a 1-0 lead on an inside the park homer in the first inning by Eli Natan Ben Israel of off Ami Baran. Penticon pulled ahead 21 against pitcher Yarone Ben Israel in the second when Mark Mayerfeld scored on a throwing error and David Aron singled in Dan Aronovic. In the sixth, Dimona tied it when catcher Sholom Menorah threw the ball into centerfield on a gutsy fake bunt and delayed steal, but on the next play centerfielder Aronovic gunned down the go-ahead run trying to score on a single. With the tie-breaker rule in effect, each team started the eighth with a runner on second base. Dimona failed to get the runner in, but Penticon's Howie Hirsch advanced to third on a wild pitch and then walked home when Menorah popped out and the fielder threw the ball into the stands when Hirsch faked a dash home. Shimshon Hi Tech 22 Re/Max-Ra'anana 7 On Sunday, Shimshon Hi Tech took over first place in the B Pool with first blowout win of the season. Hot-hitting Rafi Goldmeir was 3-4 and Mark Chass crushed a tripled off of losing pitcher David Leichman and made a terrific running catch in centerfield and then alertly doubled the runner off second.