Greka?s wins league title with one more late inning surge

Chuck’s Well of Hawks was looking to force a fifth and final game in the battle for county softball supremacy and had their opponent Greka’s of Rogers City where they wanted them in the final inning. Chuck’s was in the lead 18-13 heading into the top of the seventh inning and all they had to do was get the final three outs and hold Greka’s to four runs or less. Greka’s, which led in the championship series two games to one, was looking to finish off Chuck’s for the league title.

Zeke Rhode started the inning with a single and came home on a two-run homer by Mike Beebe. Still with nobody out, Kevin Grulke singled and was followed by Todd Nowicki, who blasted a two-run shot over the fence, leaving the Chuck’s cushion at one. The one run lead belonged to Greka’s when Justin Kelley and Ricky Kortman ripped back-to-back doubles.

WITH GREKA’S on top 19-18, the pressure was on Chuck’s in the bottom of the seventh inning. They needed one to tie or two to win. It wasn’t meant to be, as Chuck’s went down one-two-three. The final out was a groundout to Roger Wenzel, who fielded the one hopper and fired to first for the final play of the season.

It was the third time in the four games Greka’s had come up with late inning runs to win. The championship series started last Thursday in Hawks. The score was 17-16 in favor of Chuck’s when Greka’s came up in the bottom of the sixth inning and scored eight runs to put the 22-17 victory in the books. In game two at the Hole in Rogers City, Chuck’s had a 25-20 lead, which was erased when Greka’s came to bat in the bottom of the seventh and scored six runs for a 26-25 win. Kortman had the game-winning RBI, knocking in Kelley, who had tied the game with a single. Eric Smolinski was five-for-five with three home runs for Greka’s, while Matt Schalk had five hits, including two homers for Chuck’s.

CHUCK’S

WON game three in Rogers City Monday with a nine-run seventh. Tom Catalano and Simon Streich each homered in the rally, while Mike Koss had two hits in the inning. Koss finished five-for-six with two homers. The final score was still close as Greka’s had a two-run lead before the Chuck’s barrage, and came back with four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. The final was 30-27. Smolinski was five-for-five with five balls over the fence. A sixth at bat ended up being a walk. Rhode edged Smolinski in a personal home run playoff battle with 15 homers in the two playoff series, while Smolinski had14.

Greka’s, whose average age makes them the oldest in the league, finished the regular season with a 17-3 record. They succeed Night Hawks as league champs. Chuck’s won the 2002 title.