Thursday June 19, 2025
Weekday League


Liberty GMC - 10 Carrousel Travel - 6

Liberty GMC pulled out a 5 run 7th inning to defeat the tough Carrousel team 10-6. Liberty's bats came back to life putting up 23 hits. Big hitter was Tom Gibans going 2-4 with 2 HR (that included a grand slam) and 6 RBI's. Glenn Turner had a good day going 3-4 with 2 RBI's. We tied them at 3 apiece in the 4th and they matched our 2 in the 5th and Carrousel went ahead in the 6th by one. But then in the 7th we exploded for 5 runs to take the victory.  Our defense bent a little but in the end was solid to shut down Carrousel's run to get the lead. Great team effort today.

Carrousel Travel faced Liberty GMC in a tight game that Liberty won late, 10-6. Carrousel Travel had it's worst offensive performance of the season as the bats were left in the frozen tundra. Larry Radant shined with a 3-3 day to include a triple and RBI. Jay Schirpke reached safely all four plate appearances and was 3-3 with 2 doubles. Jim Matthews, Scott Boyd, Peter Houghton and substitute player, Danny Wood all added 2 hits. Thanks to Ron Swanson and Danny Wood for substituting for Carrousel Travel.

Homesmart Realty - 4 Ranall's Realty - 8

Well folks, it finally happened. The mighty HomeSmart Big Red Machine stalled out this morning like a ‘98 Buick with 300,000 miles and no oil change since COVID. Final score: Ranalls 8, HomeSmart 4. We forgot to bring the lumber—only 13 hits in all. We unfortunately also brought a step stool for our launch angles. Somewhere in the desert breeze are at least a dozen HomeSmart fly balls still circling like buzzards over Surprise Field of Dreams. Bright spots? You bet. Dan “The Quiet Hitman” Newman and Don “Ball Magnet” Ranieri each went 3 for 3. If there was a hit parade, these two were leading it on a float. Danny “Wheels” Wood had two hits, and somehow never broke a sweat. Rock Star sub Patrick Burnett made a splash with two hits and brought his own glove with some great catches in Right Center Field. Joe Osowiec, Mike Kachurak, and Rock Star sub Dale McLaughlin all chipped in with a hit each, proving once again that we are nothing if not democratically open at the plate. Defensively, we were pretty good. The outfield got their cardio in chasing a few shots, and the infield kept things entertaining with a few acrobatic efforts and some impressive dirt stains. Despite the loss, spirits were high, banter was strong, and no one pulled a hamstring (that we know of yet). Onward to the next game—maybe we’ll keep the hits in the park and out of the jet stream next time. Go Big Red Machine. Get better, Sheldon. Special Thanks to Pierre Boudreau, Jeff Smith, Russ Figueroa, Laura Johnson, and Eve Burnett for going above and beyond.

Chip's HomeSmart team made us work, but Team Ranalls played good defense for the win.  Thanks to Sue, Laura, Eve and Russ for scorebook/umpiring/scoreboard.  Strong defensive plays including notable stops and catches by Mike, Pete (outstanding pitching), Bob and JD.  Randy, Howard and David with catches and quick relays to keep runners in place. Every Ranalls' player had at least one hit.   Dorothy was a menace at the plate and baserunning, going 2 for 3 including a double.  Randy (3 for 3, double, 3 runs), JD (3 for 3, double, 2 runs, RBI) Pete (2 for 3, 2 RBIs) and David (2 for 3, a run, 3 RBIs).  Ed C. (2 for 3, RBI) and Howard, Bob, Mike (walk), Sal (walk) and Wes added hits.

Tuesday, June 17, 2025
Weekday League


Ranall's Realty - 14 Liberty GMC - 6

Against a very strong Liberty Buick team managed by Randy, Team Ranalls put together a solid performance for a win.  Every player on Ranalls Realty had 2 or  more hits and every player was involved in a direct out or an assist for an out.  Strong defensive infield with brilliant catches by Norma, Mike, JD, Pete, Bob and a foul tip catch by Sal.  Nifty outfield catches by Randy and hustle plays by Howard and Dorothy saved runs and ended innings.  Ed C had a day at the plate; 3 for 4, 1 run, 1 RBI, followed by Dorothy 3 for 3, walk, Norma, 2 for 4, double, run and RBI, Pete 2 for 3, double, walk, Bob 2 for 4, run, 3 RBIs.   JD, Howard (double), Randy, Sal, Mike (double) and David each had 3 or more hits.  Thanks to Sue for scorebook, Marty and Mike and Dan Newman for umpire, John for scoreboard.

Liberty GMC fell to Ranalls today 14-6. Congrats to Dave Powers team on their victory. LIberty's bats were hitting hard but right at Ranalls defenders were as Ranalls bats were hitting where we were not. We played a good defensive game but the hits were finding the open spots. Hitting star today was Greg Allseitz going 3-3 with a single, triple & home run ( a double away from the cycle) and 3 RBI's, also Laura Johnson going 3-3 and scoring a run. Most of the rest of our team hit the ball hard but Ranalls made some great catches and plays to shut us down.

Carrousel Travel - 7 Homesmart Realty - 9

Carrousel Travel took the field against Homesmart with a chance to take sole possession of first place. Unfortunately, a weak offensive attack led to a Carrousel Travel loss, 9-7. A grand total of 16 hits for Carrousel Travel sealed the adverse outcome. Substitute player, Eric Coudret was a perfect 3-3 (HR, 3 RBI’s) as was Russ Figueroa (3B, 2 RBI’s). Scott Boyd, Peter Houghton, Jim Matthews added 2 base hits for the travelers. 

HomeSmart Softball Recap – Game 5: “Surprise! A Much-Needed Win!” Field of Dreams, Surprise, AZ On a warm Arizona morning that felt like summer’s dress rehearsal, your beloved HomeSmart Big Red Machine rumbled into Surprise for Game 5 of the season—and unlike our last couple desert excursions, this one didn’t end in a mirage. That’s right, folks: we pulled off a galvanizing win, powered by grit, hustle, and a suspicious number of ibuprofen. Don "The Rifleman" Ranieri continued his all-out assault on physics by being literally everywhere at once. At the plate, he mixed it up with a single, a double, and a walk—because even his bases-on-balls are aggressive. In the field, he was so omnipresent that NASA may have picked him up on radar. John Hammel, aka “Stretch Armstrong,” went 3 for 4 and turned first base into a vacuum cleaner, snagging throws like a Shop-Vac on a mission. Joe Osowiec was a lightning bolt in cleats, going 2 for 4 and blazing down the line to beat out a throw that would’ve nailed a slower human—like anyone else. Danny "Professor of the Mound" Wood served up pitches with Greg Maddux-like wizardry, while also chipping in with a clean 2-for-4 day at the plate. Meanwhile, Danny Newman didn’t miss a beat (or a pitch), going perfect at the plate with a sweet RBI—because that’s just how Danny Newman rolls. We had to call the fire department for Mike “Catch”urak, who was ON FIRE in Left Field AND Right Center. Two game-saving snags that defied gravity—and probably physics — secured our W. Sheldon “Fifth Inning Finance Guy” Rosenthal brought home a run in the 5th with a timely RBI before gallantly bowing out of the game. Thanks to Eddie “Utility Hero” Campbell for sliding into the lineup when Sheldon had to hit the exits. Ed also called most of the game on the bases, because why not do both? Marty Jiminez decided outs were for other people and went a perfect 3-for-3—he’s batting 1.000 and smug about it (as he should be). Behind the plate was our stalwart Jim Collins, doing his best impression of a human feline, while Wayne “Air Moxley” Moxley patrolled Right Field with quiet menace. Let’s not forget the unsung MVPs: Jeff Smith, our scorekeeping savant, keeping the chaos numerically accurate. Pierre Boudreau, who handled the media circus with aplomb (and a cell phone). Whoever was in the tower—you know who you are, and we owe you a beer. And of course, Ed Campbell again, because frankly, we’re not sure how many clones of him were out there today. This win was the softball version of a group hug. We needed it. We earned it. We loved it. Now let’s carry this energy into next week—hydrated, caffeinated, and slightly less sore. Let’s keep this train rolling, Big Red. Choo-choo. Thursday, June 19th @8:15

Thursday, June 12, 2025
Weekday League


Carrousel Travel - 25 Ranall's Realty - 15

Carrousel Travel took the field for a second time against Ranalls Realty. Ultimately, the travelers prevailed 25-15. Carrousel Travel pounded out a total of 34 hits, scoring the maximum 4 runs in six consecutive innings. All 11 players reached base safely at least twice. Eric Coudret (HR, 3B, 6 RBI's) and Jay Schirpke (HR, 2 RBI's) were perfect at 5-5. Russ Figueroa and Larry Radant (HR, 4 RBI's) also achieved perfection at 4-4 and 3-3 respectively. Peter Houghton was 3-4 including two triples and 6 RBI's. Skip Pavitt (2 RBI's), Scott Boyd (2B, 2 RBI's) and Dick Steiman (1 RBI) all added three base hits. Defense was outstanding with relatively few fielding errors. Carrousel Travel played fantastically well this week and has gained the attention of spectators.

Convincing win by Greg R's Carrousel Travel team. Team Ranalls batted fairly well, all things considered. Everyone had at least one hit. Top batters were Randy (4 for 4, 3 runs, 1 RBI), JD (3 for 4, 3 runs, 3 RBIs), Ed Campbell (4 for 4, 1 RBI), Pete (4 for 4, 3 runs, 2 RBIs) and Bob (3 for 4, 5 RBIs). Norma hit a double, scored a run, added 1 RBI, and had great catch at 2nd base. Howard had 3 hits, 1 run, 1 RBI. Dorothy, Mike and Sal each contributed hits, runs and RBIs. Thanks to Norma and Pete for subbing, Sue for scorebook, and to the umpires and scoreboard operator.

Liberty GMC - 13 Homesmart Realty - 6

Liberty GMC got back into the win column today with a victory over the tough Homesmart team 13-6. We had good defense today with Laura Johnson making 2 great catches in RF, Lonnie Siaz making a basket catch towards the end of the game and Glenn Turner turning another double play. Our bats came back to life again today. Greg Allseitz going 3/4 with 2 doubles and 3 RBI's, Sub Rick Armentano going 3/4 with a double and 4 RBI's and he also pitched a great game, Chris Espejo was 2/4 and had a big 2 RBI triple. It was an all around great day for Liberty

"HomeSmart Softball Recap – ""Heat Stroke and Heartbreak"" Edition On a toasty Arizona morning that could best be described as “air fryer adjacent,” your favorite squad of sun-scorched warriors, the HomeSmart Big Red Machine, sputtered a bit and got run over by Randy Van Wagner's Liberty GMC Sierras like a squirrel in the middle of I-10. The Sierras brought horsepower. We brought sunscreen, snacks, and some solid highlights that definitely deserve a some kind of win—just not the actual win. Mighty Joe Osowiec reminded everyone that he's built like a vending machine and hits like one too. He went a perfect 3-for-3, including a rumblin’ stumblin’ ramble for a two-bagger. Danny “Three-Wheel Motion” Wood continued his hot streak, going 2-for-3 and lacing a triple that drove in two runs and nearly caused a minor cyclone in center field. He also managed to slide into third looking like a man diving into a shallow kiddie pool—heroic and slightly questionable. Okay. It was a stand-up triple. Drama is fun, though. Donnie “You Can’t Hit It Through Me” Ranieri put on a defensive clinic in the field. He went 2-for-3 with an RBI and made multiple highlight-reel defensive plays that may or may not have violated the laws of physics. At this point, we suspect he’s part wall, part wizard. Danny “Hello” Newman added 2 ribbies of his own, proving once again that he knows how to bring people home. Party at Danny’s Friday night. John “The Hammer” Hammel put up a strong day at the plate, going 2-for-3 while also flashing some leather in the field, playing first base like a Hoover. Great job, John. Defensively, several guys made solid plays around the diamond—including at least one who definitely didn’t stretch beforehand and now knows better. Final score? Let’s not talk about it. But as always, the vibes were high, the sweat was plentiful, and the Big Red Machine rolls on—maybe just with the emergency brake still halfway engaged. See you next week, folks. Bring water. And maybe ice packs. Next Game: Tuesday at 8:15 am. Be there or be square. SPECIAL THANKS: Jeff “The Bookman” Smith for doing our book; Dick Steiman, Ed Campbell, and Scott Boyd for umpire/tower work; Pierre Boudreau for compiling and producing our summaries."

 2025 Summer  1 Weekday Standings

Tuesday, June 10, 2025
Weekday League


Carrousel Travel - 9 Liberty GMC - 5

Carrousel Travel faced Liberty GMC for the first time, resulting in a 9-5 win for the travelers. An outstanding game at the plate and in the field was the difference for Carrousel Travel. The offensive attack was led by Jay Schirpke, who was 3-3 with two doubles and a home run. Jim Matthews, Scott Boyd, Russ Figueroa, Eric Coudret and Pete Houghton all had two hits. Carrousel Travel benefitted from an effective battery with P-Larry Radant and C-Jack Braly. Thanks to Paul Larson for subbing at 3B and Eric Coudret for filling in for the injured Team Manager, Greg Roehm. A very well earned win for Carrousel Travel.

Well the bats were cold today for Liberty GMC falling to Carrousel travel 9-5. Liberty could only manage a total of 14 hits and half of those came in just the last 2 innings. We hit the ball well just right at their players. Defensively Glenn Turner turned a couple of double plays and Tom Gibans made a couple of great catches at pitcher and turned one into a double play.

Ranall's Realty - 8 Homesmart Realty - 16

Solid win by Chip's HomeSmart team. Team Ranalls was lead at batting by JD (3 for 3, double, 2 runs, 2 RBIs) and David (3 for 3, double, 3 RBIs). Howard (double), Randy (double), Don (triple) and Bob were all 2 for 3 at the plate. A few nice catches in the outfield, and a great play from Mike and catch from Sal to get an out at home. Thanks to Sue for scorebook, Skip and Dick for umpiring and Jack for scoreboard.

"On a day that was just warm enough to make us question our life choices but not warm enough to justify our sunburns, the mighty HomeSmart Softball squad descended upon the hallowed grounds of the Field of Dreams—where legends are made and hydration is optional. And boy, did we deliver. With bats hotter than aluminum bleachers and fielding that was hotter than the Arizona sun, we bested Ranalls by a score of 16-8, proving once again that real estate professionals can, in fact, crush more than just deals. Team Batting Average: .714. That’s not a typo. That’s math. And miracles. Leading the hit parade were three titans of the game: Donnie Ranieri: Perfect at the plate. It’s unclear if he even broke a sweat or if he’s just naturally radiant. Danny Wood: Also perfect, proving that consistent contact isn't just for electric circuitry. Joe “Silent Assassin” Osowiec: Went quietly about his business… and quietly destroyed the Ranalls defense with a perfect day. The man says nothing and hits everything. John Hammel was patrolling the field with soft hands and personal restraint, choosing not to physically throttle his right center fielder for a questionable throw. Manager personally thanks you, John. Wayne “The Mox” Moxley channeled his inner professional wrestler with three hits and a batting stance that screamed “intimidating uncle at a BBQ.” Danny Newman showed off some slick outfield work and base-running that would make a cheetah jealous. He moved so fast on one play we had to review the footage to make sure it wasn’t CGI. (That’s Computer Generated Imagery for us old-timers.) Marty Jiminez was a brick wall at third base. The man does not flinch, blink, or accept your weak ground balls. He is Third Base Incarnate. Mike Kachurak held it down in left field with the kind of calm confidence normally reserved for airline pilots and substitute teachers who’ve seen some things. Sheldon Rosenthal and Joe both took walks to help the team today, both having the eye of Wade Boggs himself. Shelly also turned a double play like a ballerina, a true sight to behold. And rounding out the highlights, Jim Collins used speed—yes, greasy fast speed—to leg out an infield hit. The defense didn't know what hit them. Probably because it was already standing on first base with a grin. All in all, a glorious day on the diamond. We hit like monsters, fielded like professionals (give or take a few throws from RC), and kept the team cooler stocked and the positive reinforcement spirited. Next up: More dingers, fewer pulled hamstrings. Thursday @8:15. Let’s go, HomeSmart! 🥎🔥 Special Thanks To: 1. Our pinch-hitting book goddess, Eileen Figueroa (Accept my Facebook friend request, please!) 2. Umpires Dick Steiman and Skip Pavitt and 3. Tower Wizard, Jack Braly (Hope you find your keys, Jack!) 4. Pierre Boudreau for giving up some play time and congealing this all for our entertainment."

Thursday, June 5, 2025
Weekday League


Homesmart Realty - 15 Carrousel Travel - 10

"What a game! What a team! What a win! On a sun-drenched (and maybe mildly sweaty) early Surprise morning, the mighty HomeSmart Realty Softball Squad took on Greg Roehm's Carrousel Crushers—and came out on top in a thrilling 15-10 victory.Let’s just say this: our bats were wicked active. Everyone on the team got at least one hit, and most of us decided that once wasn’t enough. Singles, doubles, who-knows-how-many-runs later, we left the field looking like the offensive juggernaut we pretend to be at the office, or used to anyway. Carrousel didn’t make it easy, though. Greg Roehm's crew came to play and gave us a full seven innings of action-packed drama, dingers, and great stops. Hats off to them—they brought the heat, but we brought the fire extinguisher today. Defensively, Donnie “The Rifle” Ranieri was everywhere. Shortstop? More like shortstopped-everything-in-sight. We’re still not sure if he teleported or cloned himself, but he was in on every play. Leading the outfield, Mike “Catch”-urak lived up to the nickname with caught fly balls, scoops, pick-ups, and enough glove magic to earn a Gold Glove (or at least a cold beverage). And Joe “Oh, what a play!”-soiec made at least two plays that made the fans gasp, and one that made someone say “Did he just do that?!” And let’s talk about Sheldon. Oh, Sheldon. Cool as a cucumber dipped in liquid nitrogen, he wrapped up the game with an unassisted double play that dropped jaws and closed the curtain on Carrousel’s comeback hopes. Final score: 15-10, HomeSmart for the win! Final vibe: Electric. Final message: Never bet against realtors with cleats. Until next game—keep swinging, keep smiling, and remember: paperwork is temporary, softball glory is forever. 🥎💥 Next game: Tuesday, June 10th @8:15 SPECIAL THANKS to the Book Man, Jeff Smith, and to Greg Allseitz, Laura Johnson, and Jerry Eastham for umpiring and tower work!"

Carrousel Travel and Homesmart played to a 15-10 win for Homesmart. Carrousel Travel appeared unprepared to play as a comedy of errors was entirely too much to overcome. Offensively, Carrousel Travel was led by Jay Schirpke (2B, 3B) and Greg Roehm (2B, 2 RBI’s), both of which were a perfect 4-4 at the plate. Russ Figueroa (3B, 3 RBI’s) and Peter Houghton (3B, 2 RBI’s) both had 3 base hits. John Bertholdy (2 RBI’s) and Jim Matthews added 2 hits. Special thanks to Eileen Figueroa for maintaining the offensive statistics and Jon Chlebeck for coaching base runners. 

Liberty GMC - 12 Ranall's Realty - 7

Liberty GMC came out on top 12-7 over the hard charging Ranalls team. Liberty again had a great defensive day led by some outstanding running catches in the outfield. The infield was solid in not letting anything get through and with Lonnie Saiz playing a great rover position today. Ranalls scored 4 in the bottom of the 6th inning to pull within 4 but we added 2 big runs in the top of the 7th to hold them off for the win. The hits also just kept coming at the right time. Our big hitters today were, Tom Yurkunas  3/4 with a triple, 2 runs & a RBI, Jim Opyd 3/4  2 runs and a RBI, Glenn Turner 3/3 a triple and a RBI,and big stick Lonnie Saiz 3/4 with a double, 1 run & 1 RBI, Tom Gibans 2/4 1 run a double & 2 RBI's, Chris Espejo 2/4  2 runs &1 RBI, . All but 2 hitters today had RBI's so it was a great team effort. Thanks to Norma Lucas for subbing today and adding 2 RBI's.

Congrats to Randy and the Liberty Buick team on a convincing win.  Thanks to subs Ken Silva, Ron Swanson and Wayne Moxley.  Ron was 3 for 3, 1 run and 1 RBI.  Ken was 2 for 4, double, 1 run, 1 RBI.  Don and Howard each had 2 hits scored runs and RBIs.  Thanks for Danny W. and Dan N. for umping, Jeff Smith for keeping the book and Joe O. for running the scoreboard.

Tuesday, June 3, 2025
Weekday League


Homesmart Realty - 7 Liberty GMC - 11

"Homesmart Realty Softball Recap: Liberty GMC Edition
Well, folks, the Summer Session 1 opener didn’t quite go our way, but the Homesmart squad showed up swinging—literally. Despite an 11-7 loss to Liberty GMC, we put up a .513 team batting average, basically like the 1927 Yankees… if the 1927 Yankees also gave up a few too many runs, Offensive Highlights:· Danny Wood (The Mad Texan) was an absolute machine, going 3 for 4 with two doubles. Someone check his bat for rocket fuel.· John Hammel (3 for 4) and Jim Collins (2 for 3) brought the heat, proving that age is just a number (or that softball is their fountain of youth).· Sheldon Rosenthal (2 for 3), Joe Osowiec (2 for 3), Don Ranieri (2 for 4), Danny Newman, and Chip Stanczak (2 for 4) all joined the hit parade. Even Wayne Moxley and Mike Kachurak got in on the action because hitting is contagious. Defensive Standouts: Shout-out to Sheldon, Donnie, and Joe for making some slick plays in the field. And let’s not forget Marty Jiminez, who snagged a foul ball for a clutch out, proving that he’s still got the reflexes of a cat (or at least a cat who occasionally pays attention). All in all, a solid start to the season. Next time, we’ll work on that whole ""giving up fewer runs"" thing. Until then, keep swinging for the fences (or at least for the gaps between outfielders who may or may not be paying attention).Next Game: Thursday at 7:00 am. We are the visitors against Carrousel Travel. Bring your bats, gloves, and maybe a lucky charm.
#HomesmartHustle #WeHitALotButAlsoGaveUpALot #MartyandSheldonWithTheClutchGrab"

Liberty GMC started off the season with a win against a tough Homesmart team 11-7. Liberty had great defense today with timely hitting. In the outfield there were some great catches to keep runners in check including Chris Espejo making a catch at the warning track. The infield also played good defense including multiple double plays. Tom Yurkunas made a great catch in foul territory for an out and Jerry Eastham had a great throw to Gene Fleck at home to get an out and save a run. Perfect day hitting were Jim Opyd & sub Robert Carey, both going 3 for 3.and 2 RBI's each. 7 out of our 11 hitters had RBI's today. Thanks to Robert Carey for subbing today.

Ranall's Realty - 9 Carrousel Travel - 10

Congrats to Greg Roehm and his Carrousel team on the win.  Thanks to our subs (Ken, Dale, Joe).  Several nice outfield catches and infield plays.  Nice relay from outfield to Ken to Sal for an out at home.  Perfect at the place were Ken (3 for 3, double, 1 run, 1 RBI) and Mike (3 for 3, 1 run).  Bob was 2 for 3, double, 1 run, 3 RBIs.  Ed Hart was 2 for 3, 2 runs.  Rest of Ranalls' team had one or more hits. Thank you to Nani for keeping the book, Mike and Marty for umpire duties and Jim Collins for scoreboard.

Carrousel Travel began summer weekday league play facing the Tom Ranalls squad. Carrousel Travel won the contest 10-9 behind a sixth inning grand slam home run from Jay Schirpke. All 11 Carrousel Travel team members reached base safely at least once. Peter Houghton (2 doubles and 2 RBI’s) and Greg Roehm (1 RBI) had a perfect 3-3 day at the plate. Jay Schirpke was 3-4 with a team high 4 RBI’s, one double and one home run. Jim Matthews, Scott Boyd, Skip Pavitt and Russ Figueroa all added 2 hits. Winning Pitcher, Larry Radant, was solid on the mound and ended the game with a strike out. Carrousel Travel experienced some defensive miscues, but also turned two double plays and made enough plays to begin league play with a win.