Livingston Temple Softball League 07/16/17

In the A division, #1 seed Chabad defeated AABJD by 24-13 highlighted by great defensive plays for the winners. The game started with Rabbi Mendy Kasowitz robbing the lead off batter of an extra base hit with a back to the plate over the shoulder catch at the left field warning track. Neil Gross made two sliding catches and shortstop Scott Bader made some great plays in the field also throwing out a runner from his knees. David Levine was 5 for 5 and half the offense with 2 grand slams and 11 RBI’s - just a double short of the cycle. Mendy was 3-3 with 4 runs; Jeff Stiel was 3-4, Evan Bell was on base 4 times and scored 4 runs; Neil Gross was 4-4. #2 seed B’nai Brith, behind a strong defense led by Andrew Kasdan and the solid pitching of Wayne Neumann, were 17-2 winners over Agudath Israel . The entire lineup hit well, led by Paul Velelis and Gregg Weinberger who both homered in the win. In the A Division’s #4 vs #5 game, #5 Pine Brook scored 3 runs in the first inning against Sharey Tefilo Israel and opened up a 6-1 lead in the third inning. TSTI cut the lead to 6-4 with 2 runs in the bottom of the third and a run in the fourth. TSTI took the lead and eventually broke the game open in the fifth inning, scoring 12 runs on 13 hits, including 8 consecutive hits to start the inning. Pine Brook tried to come back, scoring 3 runs in the sixth and 2 in the seventh, but TSTI pitcher Ken Gorman slammed the door, and TSTI held on for a 17-11 win. For TSTI, Matt Katz went 4-4, David Denenberg, Michael Somekh and Mark Berger each had 3 hits and Jared Goldberg hit a 3-run HR. In the #3-#6 matchup #6 Temple Sinai was the 22-8 winner over B’nai Jeshurun. Chabad now faces Sharey Tefilo Israel whom they split with during the regular season. B'nai Brith is matched up with Temple Sinai and they also split during the regular season.

In the B division, #1 seed B'nai Or received a bye last week and will now square off with AABJD / Ohr Torah after they knocked off #4 Beth Shalom 30-12. Two spectacular plays by Beth Shalom left fielder Jeremy Kross kept them in the game early. But shortstop Asher Malech for Ohr Torah also made great plays stopping the home team's rallies in almost every inning. Beth Shalom was down 12-6 in the bottom of the 4th with the bases loaded and 2 outs, when 2nd baseman Mike Diamond made the biggest play of his season stopping a rocket ( 2 runs for sure) up the middle off the bat of Jeremy Kross for a 4-6 inning ender. After that AABJD / Ohr Torah threw in a 15 run 6th inning with 5 players scoring twice. For the winners, Jerry Blugrind had 5 hits; Alex Malech had 5 hits and 4 runs; Moshe Berkowitz had 6 hits including 2 doubles and scored 5 times; Shalom Berkowitz had 5 hits with a 3 run homer and 3 runs scored; Donny Sohnen had 5 hits, 5 runs and hit for the cycle. #2 Suburban Torah knocked off Ner Tamid 15-4 and will meet #3 B'nai Abraham who defeated B'nai Israel 19-3.