Livingston Temple Softball League 06/29/14

Sharey Tefilo Israel (12-0) has locked up the top seed in the A division with 2 weeks to go. B'nai Jeshurun's (9-3) previous game against TSTI was a 9-8 loss but this time it was over much earlier. Pitching for the undefeated first place team was Cary Bayer who gave up only 3 runs with a strong defensive effort behind him. The play of the game was leftfielder Matt Katz' throw to catcher Rob Lazarus for a put out at the plate. A 3 run homer from Jason Grebin followed by a solo shot from Corey Feigenbaum highlighted an offense that scored in every inning of the 25-3 victory. In 2002 Temple Emanu-El was 17-0 but that was still when there were 3 divisions - A,B & C. The E-Men came right back in 2003 to go 17-0 in the first year we went to only 2 divisions. AABJD (8-4) just nipped B'nai Abraham 13-12 as Chaim Goldman knocked in the tying run and Doni Israel knocked in the winning run in the bottom of the 7th.  B'nai Shalom were 14-2 winners over Temple Emanu-El after their infield turned 4 double plays. Offensive stars were Greg Frankel with 4 hits and Dave Helderman (HR, 2B, 2 singles). Also, Pine Brook edged Temple Sinai 15-14.

All 3 of the top teams in the B division lost 1 run games this past week in the final inning. Ner Tamid thought they were sure losers trailing 12-6 going into the top of the 7th to 1st place Agudath Israel (9-3). But the bottom of the lineup started a rally which was capped by Steve Penney's 2 run single for a 7 run inning to give them a 1 run lead. They still had to sweat out a bases loaded bottom of the 7th but held one of the most potent offenses in the league scoreless for the 13-12 win. In the loss, Scott Reiss had 3 hits and a homerun while Greg Adelsberg added a double, HR and 4 RBI's. Unless we have some more surprises next week, this sets up a battle for the final playoff spot in the last week of the season between Ner Tamid and B'nai Israel with the winner probably getting the 8 seed. In a game that was tight the whole way, Temple Sholom (9-3) scored a run with 2 outs in the top of the 7th to tie B'nai Or at 9. Despite loading the bases in the bottom of the inning B'nai Or failed to score and it went to the 8th. Temple Sholom was held in the top of the 8th and in the bottom of the inning, with the bases loaded and 1 out, a line drive to center allowed winning pitcher Jordan Byk to tag up and score on a close play at the plate for the 10-9 victory. For the winners, Adam Forman was 4-4 with 2 RBI's and Keith Barbarosh had 3 hits. After a 1-4 start B'nai Or has now won 6 of their last 7.  Chabad was down 8-1 early to B'nai Brith (8-4) but in the 5th inning 9 men in a row reached base safely including 3 doubles for a 7 run outburst to tie the game.  Chabad led 11-10 going into the bottom of the 7th and with the bases loaded and two outs got the final force out at 2nd to preserve the win. For Chabad, John Tishlas was 4-5 and Joe Boettinger was 3-5 with a HR. David Levine, Eric Latzman and Craig Fried were also 3-5. B'nai Israel scored 5 in the 3rd to get to within 8-7 but Beth Shalom came back with 13 runs in the next 2 innings for the 21-11 win. The defensive play of the day was a Mark Konstandt (LF) to Zach Cohen (SS) to Jeff Katz (C) 7-6-2 play at the plate for a put out which could not have been closer. Every player in Beth Shalom's lineup scored at least 1 run in the balanced attack.  In the only other game of the B division Suburban Torah defeated Ohr Torah 9-2.