Greka?s wins title for Steve Witulski

It was a championship dedicated to the memory of former sponsor Steve Witulski as Greka?s won its second consecutive Presque Isle County Men?s Softball Association championship last Wednesday with another come-from-behind victory against Chuck?s Well, 16-14. Chuck?s Well led in the series two games to one and was one victory away from the title. They were also on top in both games four and five, but couldn?t keep the defending champs in check. Witulski passed away unexpectedly in March. Tom Catalano provided what looked to be a pair of insurance runs with a two-run homer for a 14-11 lead for Chuck?s, but Greka?s was to not be denied.

THE GAME-WINNING rally was started with one-out singles from Zeke Rhode and Kevin Grulke. They came home on a triple by Mike Beebe. With two runners on, the oldest player on the field came through with the biggest hit of the season. Daryl Schultz was at the plate with Greka?s trailing 14-13. One of the pitches was fouled off and lifted to the right side. It kept Daryl alive at the plate with a chance to do some damage. ?I knew they were going to put in a new ball,? said Schultz, ?(and) I was going to hit the ball hard.?

That he did. He got ahold of a pitch and crushed it over the center field fence for a three-run homer and a two-run lead for Greka?s, 16-14. Chuck?s would get one more chance to make something happen, but couldn?t get the runners on when they needed them most. ?We didn?t hit when we had to hit,? said manager Chuck Krueger. ?It was a good series and the fans got their money?s worth.?

IN THE end, it was Schultz starting the double play that ended the season, and won the championship for Witulski. ?This one was for Steve,? said manager Roger Wenzel. Witulski was inducted into the PI Men?s Softball Association Hall of Fame during a ceremony Sunday before the finals of the Nautical Tournament. Greka?s took a six-run lead in the top of the fourth inning by scoring eight runs.

Three straight singles by Rhode, Grulke, and Beebe were followed by a grand slam by Todd Nowicki. Chuck?s was blanked in the bottom of the inning and Greka?s went up 11-4 in the fifth. CW rallied for eight runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and stopped Greka?s in the top of the sixth. With the one-ru

n lead, Catalano provided what was thought to be the insurance runs with his homer. Jesse Kleiber and Beebe were both three-for-four. Beebe had a homer and a triple, while Kleiber delivered a home run and a double.

GREKA?S PLAYED with co-sponsor Concrete Pump the Nautical Men?s softball tourney, which hasn?t been won by a local team since 1980. Greka?s/Concrete Pump placed third in the tournament, losing to runner-up Shoes Custom and Embroidery of Pinconning, The eventual winner was Mio Body Shop/Bons Boys. The last local team to win the tournament was Kelly?s Venture Inn. They defeated Posen Pub, 11-1 in 1980.

It just so happens that Kelly?s had to defeat Rainbow in extra innings to continue their championship run of 25 years ago. Hitting a home run for Rainbow was Daryl Schultz. The third place team that year was International.