Wednesday April 29, 2026 (Week 1)

OPENING DAY

Please see photos below for the opening day ceremonies at McPeck field. Photos courtesy of Steve Lynch.

McHoul's 17 - Pizza Time 5

At Sports Park Jr. both teams started their new season with the first game jitters as a total of one run was scored through the first 2 innings.  Then, finally McHoul's opened up the Flood gates playing both offense and defense. Tony Dalia and Kevin Laffin went 4-4. Rodney DeLoatch and Steve Lynch added 3 hits apiece while Bill Hanchett, Bob Diggelmann, Steve Savod, Bill Volpe, Joe Karam, and Joe Hatch all added 2 hits for the cause.  Perhaps more importantly, great defensive plays were had by many including Rodney, Tony, Bob, both Bills, and Rick Wetzel.  All in all, a great game on both sides of the ball for McHoul's. Final score was 17-5 for McHoul's.

Miller's 22 - Arlington Grill 10

On Opening Day 2026, Miller's defeated the defending champs Arlington Grill 22-10. Miller's started with a bang, scoring fire runs in the opening frame with a 3 run homer by Dave Lowitz. The Grill came back with 3 in the bottom of the first. Miller's started pounding the ball. By the 4th inning, the score was 17-5. The Grill started coming back slowly with the big bats coming up but Miller's gloves shut them down with Gold Glove candidate Angelo Sblendorio shutting down the middle and another Gold Glove candidate, Spider DeRito turning a 3-6-3 double play. In those innings Rich Sicardo came up big with a bases loaded 2-out double and Dave Anduze hit a 3 run homer. With the Grill slowly closing in, Dan Sopchack hit a 3 run homer to shut the coffin on the Grill. Miller's had a hit parade of 26 hits. Jeff Noe 3-4 3R, Joe Yanarella 1-2 2BB 3R, Dave Anduze 3-4 3R 3RBI HR, Angelo Sblendorio 2-3 2RBI, Chris Thomas 2-3 3RBI, Dan Sopchack 2-3 4RBI HR, Phil Chontos 3-4 2R, Dave Lowitz 3-4 3RBI HR, Rich Hill 2-4 2R, Rich Sicardo 2-4 3RBI 2 2B, Carlos Vazquez 1-3 1R 2B, Spider DeRito 1-1 1RBI 1R, Dewey Bogardus 1-1 1R.

For Arlington Grill: Mark Joao, John McGowan and Mike Brooks had 3 hits each and Ralph Bondi, Rod Whitby and Dennis Curtis each had 2 hits.

A&R 14 - TaxBrakes 13

At Sports Park Sr., TakeBrakes hosted A&R Security. After 3 innings, A&R was ahead 9-0 but the tax boys rallied and knotted the score at 10 after 6 innings. Going into the bottom of the 8th, TaxBrakes was trailing by 1 with 2 on and nobody out. But then Lou Post, making the first start of his career got out of the jam and won his first game! Stats for A&R: Carl Parris 3-4 (3RBI HR), Steve McGee 3-3, Pat Rose 3-3, Ben Anker 2-4, Mike Healy 2-4 (2R), Tom Robinson 2-3 (2R 3B), Eddie Smilkstein 2-4 (2R), Ed Bergamini 2-2, Frank McHugh 2-3, Stan Smilkstein 2-3 (2R 2RBI 3B).

Stan's defeated TaxBrakes by a score of 14-13. TaxBrakes came back from a 10-2 deficit to tie the game in the 7th inning. Stan's scored 4 more runs but unfortunately TaxBrakes could only plate 3 to fall 1 run short. Hitting notables for TaxBrakes:

Pete Longobardi 3-4 2R 1RBI, Mike Spinelli (1) 2-3 2R 1RBI, Andy Endsley 2-3 1R 1RBI, John Berrocal 2-3 2RBI, Emil Viola 2-3 1R SF 3RBI.

J&N 21 - Doyle's 14

If the 2026 season opening game was an early test of J&N’s resolve, this is going to be one fine season. Behind after the first, ahead after two, thanks to a 5 spot, and then tied at 12 at the end of the fifth. J&N surged ahead at the end of the game to claim its first win.

Dan Diesing, Andy Burger and Dan Doyle all had 4 hits. Diesing hit 2 home runs. George Hammer, Gerard Haugh, Tom Milholm, Tom Giordano and Roger Simon all had 3 hits. Jaime Pagan, John Warman, Von Ahouse, Jim Kirzoncic and Frank Goberish all had 2 hits. The bottom 6 in the order combined for 10 RBI’s, contributing to a well-balanced and productive lineup. We will be a force to be reckoned with!