Jeffrey Jewelers and Super Clean share league lead at July 4 break
By GEOFF ROETHER
Things remain tight at the top as B’nai B’rith Softball heads into the July 4 holiday week off.
Jeffrey Jewelers and Super Clean both swept their Week 7 doubleheaders, with the Jewelers taking out Team HMB 18-2 and then cruising to a 17-6 victory over Alliance Steel. Charlie Herseth was the only player to homer, hitting one deep over the CF fence. The Jewelers got solid fielding on the left side of the diamond all morning from Tony Corwin at third base, Mitch Chargo at shortstop and Mark Koritz in left field.
SuperClean also got stellar fielding from all around the diamond in their 17-2 victory over MPC and 15-2 win over Sox with several web gems — especially from Jason Sondell at shortstop, Bob “Father Time” Winer at third base, Jeff Cook all over the right side of the infield, and Shonn Schnitzer and Howard Fink in the outfield. Scott Salita busted up this author’s shutout in the fifth inning by putting MPC on the board with a dramatic inside-the-park home run.
P & J Promotions was able to hold off the Sox in their early game by a final of 14-4, behind a strong pitching performance by Michael Armel. In the day’s biggest upset, MPC was able to rebound and snap their five-game losing streak by beating P & J 15-5.
Finally, in a game that could go a long way in determining who gets the all-valuable Week 1 playoff bye, Team HMB was able to hold off the underachieving Continental Diamond squad in spite of the absence of team leader Drew Levin.
Two games had not yet reported as of press time (Clippers vs. Alliance Steel and Clippers vs. Continental Diamond), but here are the standings otherwise, with each team’s win-loss record:
1. Jeffrey Jewelers, 10-3
2. SuperClean, 10-3
3. P & J Promotions, 8-4
4. HMB, 7-6
5. Materials Processing, 6-6
6. Sox Construction, 5-7
7. Continental Diamond, 5-7
8. Clippers, 4-8
9. Alliance Steel, 1-12
The top four teams in the final standings get a playoff bye for the first round, which begins on Aug. 8. The top two teams get the early morning game off on Championship Sunday, Aug. 15.
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Geoff Roether is commissioner of the B’nai B’rith Softball League.
