2025 Fall AL Game Summaries
Welcome to the AL Game Summaries. Here you will find results, game summaries and occasional statistical updates for most games. Most recent are shown first. I have no editor and having a filter has never been one of my strengths. The goal is to provide a blend of information with an occasional touch of humor. Thanks for reading.
Jeff Smarr
October 31st
The second day of the season gave us two relatively comfortable margins sandwiched around a walk-off win. After today, all but one team has at least one win. Here's a brief summary and some offensive highlights:
Bibianos 15, Specialty Companies 9
Bibianos scored at least one run in every inning, eventually pulling away in the mid-innings to cruise to a comfortable six-run victory over Specialty Companies. Four players reached base four times for Bibs with sub Greg Bradley and Bill Mathews each going 4/4, winning pitcher Bob Strawser 3/3 with a walk and Scott Cole leading off and going 4/5. Bill Mann filled up the stat sheet going 3/4 with a double, triple while also contributing a sac fly. Randy Searcy filled in for Specialty and went 3/4 while Don Parker had a triple.
Reynolds Rangers 10, Kingers Medicare 9
The Rangers Arne Kvarnberg's game-winning two RBI single in the bottom of the seventh scored John Hinson from third and Randy Searcy from second to complete a come from behind 10-9 walk-off victory over Kingers Medicare. This game was close the whole way as the teams were tied after every inning, meaning the winner of the seventh would be the winner of the game. Kingers scored two runs in the top half on the strength of a two RBI single from Bill Mann, so the Rangers would need two to tie, three to win. Ron Barrio led off with a single, then with one out, Hinson singled followed by Searcy with a double that scored one and put runners on 2nd and 3rd. Kvarnberg then hit a long single into the gap allowing both Hinson and Searcy to score with the tying and winning runs. For the Rangers, the only undefeated team at 2-0, Barrio and Hinson each went 3/4 with a double for Hinson while Tom Reynolds and winning pitcher John Miller each went 2/3. For Kingers, who in the loss had the first two Hr's of the season, rookie Larry Klopfstein continued to impress, going 3/3. Bill Mann went 3/4 with a HR, Vernell King and Greg Bradley each went 2/3 with King getting a triple while Steve Glaviano had an inside the park HR and Mike Ickes had two doubles.
Timber Creek 13, Armed Forces 5
Timber Creek used six substitutes one of whom was winning pitcher Bob Strawser to hold Armed Forces scoreless through the first five innings. Creek's offense, meanwhile, had max 4-spots in the third and fifth giving them a 9-0 lead heading into the sixth. The Forces did finally come to life scoring 4 in the top of the inning, only to see Creek answer back with four of their own. The Forces went down quietly in the seventh giving Creek and it's band of subs an easy 13-5 win. TC got strong performances from the top of their lineup with lead-off Mike Ickes going 4/4 with two doubles and a triple and #2 Keith Zelhoffer going 3/3 with a Sac. Five others went 2/3: Bill Mann, John Galles, Dan Braddock, Strawser and Jeff Smarr, with Mann getting a double. For Armed Forces, Craig Josz got three more singles, making him 7/7 on the young season. Pete Laufer and Dennis Zafferano both went 2/3 with one of Dennis's being a double.
October 28th
The first days of the fall session is in some ways like Spring Training in the Majors. Lots of meeting and greeting with most folks not tying to overdo it. Unlike MLB, the first games here count in the standings. Two teams were so anxious to play, they went to extra innings in a veiled attempt to keep up with the WS the night before. We have games to report on. Here goes:
Reynolds Rangers 16, Specialty Companies 13
If there was any rust from these two teams, it came off quickly, particularly on the offensive end of things with both teams scoring the max 4 runs in the first two innings. Apparently the pace was too much as neither team scored in the third with only the respective pitchers, John Miller and George League getting a hit. The visiting Rangers picked things back up plating 4 in the fourth and sixth to go up 7. Specialty did get 4 in the home half, but that ended up being all the scoring for this game as the Rangers won 16-13. RR got 4/4 days from Miller, John Hinson and Randy Searcy with Searcy doubling twice. Ron Barrio also reached all 4 times with two hits and two walks. Bob Thaden, Arne Kvarnberg and owner/manager Tom Reynold went 3/4 with Lori Alexander also reaching three times gong 2/3 with a walk. For Specialty, Dave Rachau and John Galles each went 4/4 with a double from Rachau. Alan Kniager was 3/3 with a double, triple and a sac, while Dave Burton, Don Parker and manager George Fairbanks went 3/4 with Fairbanks getting a double. Miller got the win on the mound for the Rangers.
Armed Forces 16, Bibianos 6
The second game was the most lopsided of the day. Bibianos started out extra slow, sending the minimum three to the plate the first two innings. The Forces, meanwhile sent 14, but left six runners stranded so despite all the traffic, only led 4-0 after two. The top of the third provided a glimmer of hope for Dale Smith's Bibianos squad as they scored 4 to tie it up. Armed Forces followed with back-to-back 4-spots while Bibs could only muster two more runs. AF scored 4 more in the home half of the sixth to earn the first mercy rule victory, 16-6. All 10 players reached base at least twice for AF led by Craig Josz who had 4 singles in 4 at-bats. When kidded about having no extra base hits, Josz responded "I work on the average first, the power comes later." Five other Rangers reached base 3 times: George League 3/3, Steve Glaviano, Jimmy Alexander and Dennis Zafferano (2b) 3/4, Mark Maynard 2/2,walk, Noland Hess was 2/3. For the team in Orange, Halloween did not come early and did not come loaded with hits. Dale Smith and rookie Tom Nadel each went 2/2, Scott Cole, Bob Schweitzer and Jeff Smarr were 2/3. Bibianos had no extra base hits. Ouch. Alexander got the win for Armed Forces.
Kingers Medicare 8, Timber Creek Ranch 7
Steve Oberg's extra inning, two-out single to right scored "ghost runner" Mike Adair from second base lifting Kingers Medicare to a come from behind 8-7 victory over a stunned Timber Creek Ranch. TC put up four to open the game and take an early 4-0 lead. Kingers chipped away with a run in each of the next three innings. The scoring continued to crawl along slowly and after TC put up runs in the fifth and sixth to lead 7-3, it looked like they would hold on. Turns out Kingers had other plans, scoring 3 in the bottom of the sixth to close the gap to one. After holding TC scoreless in the seventh, Kingers tied the game and had a chance to win it as with the bases loaded, Adair hit a hard single up the middle in what looked like the GWRBI, but a charging LC fielder Joedy Pack fired a strike to a stretching Ron Wiebold for the force at second and we would have our first extra inning game. In the home half, Creek was unable to score the "ghost" runner so Kingers's came up needing just a run to win it. Larry Klopfstein was intentionally walked, putting runners on first and second. The next batter lined out towards second and Adair was almost doubled off, but was ruled safe. Steve Oberg then sliced one into right field that was just fair. As the ball rolled around. Kingers decided to send Adair home and the hustling Adair would just beat the throw giving Oberg a walk-off hit and Kingers a win to start the season. Bill Mann subbed and led the way for Kingers, going 4/4 with a double. Greg Bradley, Rob Merrill and rookie Sky Soom went 3/4. For Creek, "Mr Double," Mike Ickes, did his job, going 4/4 with two of his trademarks. Nobody else did better than 2/4 although Mark Maynard did get a triple. Doc Doxtader earned the win for Kingers.
Games resume Halloween friday at 9 am. Will there be more ghost runners? We shall see.