Marco Senior Softball Returns for Season 27

The Marco Senior Softball League kicked off its 27th season last week at refurbished Winterberry Park with over 200 players on 16 teams in three divisions. At the end of the first week of action, Verdi’s and Salty Dog are tied for the lead in the Island Division. Marco Division’s Snook Inn and Joey’s Pizza share the top spot by one game. Crazy Flamingo has a one-game lead in the Gulf Coast Division. For the complete, up-to-date results and standings, visit the league website at marcoseniorsoftballleague.com.

Marco Island Senior Softball Results

As of January 9, 2026

ISLAND DIVISION

Tuesday January 6, 2026

Verdi’s 14                                                                         Nacho Mama’s 7

Jon Thomas drove in six runs on three hits to lead Verdi’s past Nacho Mama’s in the season opener. Thomas blasted a grand slam to center field capping a five-run outburst in the seventh inning after tripling home two runs in the fifth.

Verdi’s jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first on a two-run triple by Tad Fabian and a run-scoring hit by Jim O’Toole. Nacho’s responded with a five-run third inning highlighted by run-scoring singles by Wayne Bombaci and Todd Rogers, and a two-run hit by Bill Coyle to take a 6-3 lead. Verdi’s then answered with a pair of five-run innings in the fifth and seventh, with most of the damage done by Thomas, to seal the deal.

Verdi’s pitcher O’Toole helped his own cause with three hits and two RBIs. Bob Masulis contributed three hits to lead Nacho’s.

Salty Dog 20                                                                            Da Vinci’s 9

Salty Dog had the bats working from the outset in this one, scoring five times in the first inning and never looking back while collecting 30 hits in defeating DaVinci’s.

The big blows in the early innings for Salty Dog included a two-run single by Jeff Robinson (three hits, three RBIs) that capped the opening inning outburst and a two-run homer by Bill Krausmann (3 RBIs) in the fifth that gave Salty Dog a commanding 14-2 advantage at that time.

Other hitting stars for the Dog included league newcomers Ron Lukasevich and Chip Mathers with four hits apiece, and Brian Ward, Dave Koch, and Mike Schwab with three. Koch contributed three RBIs and Mathers, Dan Gulick and Tom Polston added two.

Mike Gerace led Da Vinci’s with three hits including a triple, and Ed Seery and Chris Scherzinger with a pair of RBIs. Joe Lazzarotti also tripled in a losing effort.

Dolphin Tiki 22                                                                       Speakeasy 7

Dolphin Tiki pounded out 33 hits scoring in nearly every inning enroute to a convincing victory over Speakeasy.

Tiki’s Brian Craig broke open an early 1-1 game with a three-run round tripper in the second inning. Speakeasy climbed back into the game in the fourth inning on a two-run blast by Terry Downs and a sacrifice fly by Tom DeAngelo tying the score at 6-all. Tiki quickly retook the lead with a five-run bottom of the fourth, highlighted by run-scoring singles by Dave Shultz and Joe Rocco and a two-run hit by John Nicholas. Tiki extended their lead with back-to-back five-run innings in the sixth and seventh and the rout was on.

Craig, Eric Jeanotte, and Ron Baden led the hit parade for the Tiki by all going a perfect 4-for-4, and Gary Revall and Sal Tidona each contributed three hits. Nicholas and John Kelly drove in four runs in the contest, and Jeanotte, Revall, and Ricky Cuevas each had two.

In addition to Downs’ blast, Scott Golan also drove in two runs on a pair of doubles to lead Speakeasy.

Thursday January 8, 2026

DaVinci’s 14                                                                         Dolphin Tiki 8

DaVinci’s used a balanced attack and flawless defense to defeat Dolphin Tiki and claim their first victory.

Locked in a 2-2 tie after four innings, DaVinci’s bats came to life in the fifth scoring four times on an RBI single by Bruce Denlinger and a booming three-run triple by Rick Benedetti. They extended the lead the following inning to 10-2 when Joe Lazzarotti crushed a three-run home run and Ed Serry added an RBI single.

Seery led DaVinci’s with three hits and Mike Gerace added a triple. Carl Parker and Bill Novakovich contributed two RBIs for the winners.

The Tiki was led by Sal Tidona with three hits and three RBIs, Dave Mayo with three hits and two RBIs, and Eric Jeanotte with a pair of runs knocked in.

Verdi’s 13                                                                               Speakeasy 7

Jon Thomas was the hitting hero again for Verdi’s as he blasted his second grand slam in as many games powering Verdi’s past Speakeasy.

With Verdi’s clinging to a narrow 6-5 lead, the lefty slugger launched his bomb in the eighth inning to extend Verdi’s lead to 10-5. Verdi’s then tacked on three insurance runs in the ninth, with two coming on a rare two-RBI sacrifice fly on Matt Minik’s long fly ball.

Earlier, Verdi’s erased a 2-0 deficit scoring three times on a run-scoring single by Bob Greve and two-run double by Tad Fabian. Several lead changes followed, setting up the late heroics by Thomas.

Manager Gary Grefer led Verdi’s with three hits for the game. Mike Reale had a big day for Speakeasy with four hits and two RBIs, and Mark Whealy added a triple in the contest.

Salty Dog 17                                                                  Nacho Mama’s 14

With the game tied at 12-all in the middle of the eighth inning, Salty Dog erupted for five runs in the bottom of the inning and then thwarted a late rally attempt by Nacho Mama’s to claim the victory.

The Dog took an early lead on the strength of a five-run second inning, highlighted by run-scoring hits by Dan Gulick (3 hits, 2 RBIs), Ron Goralski (3 hits, 5 RBIs), Mike Schwab (3 RBIs), and a two-run single by Bob Ferreira (3 hits), giving them a 7-1 advantage.

The Salty Dog lead ultimately grew to 12-7 before Nacho Mama’s rallied to tie the game in the eighth on a two-run single by Eric Phillips (four hits including a home run, four RBIs).

Then came the decisive bottom half of the inning. Three Salty Dog singles loaded the bases for Brian Ward who singled home a pair of runs, and Goralski who doubled home two more. After a bases loaded walk scored the fifth run, the advantage stood at 17-12 and Dog held on from there.

Jeff Robinson and Brian Alexander also contributed three hits to the Salty Dog offense, with one of Alexander’s being a triple.

Nacho’s offensive support came from Bob Masulis with three hits and three RBIs, Wayne Bombaci with three hits, and Paul Nussbaum, Matt Evangelista, and Chris Brenner with two RBIs each.

MARCO DIVISION

Monday, January 5, 2026

Stonewalls 11                                                                           Sand Bar 5

A four-run first inning catapulted Stonewalls to an Opening Day win over Sand Bar.

Stonewalls outfielder Steve Friend (three RBIs) had the key hit in the first inning. His sinking, opposite field drive eluded Sand Bar’s right fielder, resulting in a three-run home run, good for a 3-0 Stonewalls lead, with the Black and Orange adding one more run to conclude their fast start first inning. Stonewalls other key hits came in the bottom of the fifth inning. Midfielder Jim Dorey (three hits) stroked a double to center field, plating one run. One batter later, manager George Lancaster (two RBI’s) delivered Dorey with a sharp single to right, good for an 8-4 Stonewalls advantage. Stonewalls added another run to conclude the fifth inning uprising and tacked on two more runs in the sixth inning to secure its Opening Day win.

It was a rough day at the plate for Sand Bar. Bill Thompson, Jim Stewart, and Dave Korte combined for six hits, more than half of the Sand Men’s total of 11 hits as a team.

Snook Inn 7                                                                                  Sami’s 6

Defending Marco Division regular season and tournament champion Snook Inn opened its 2026 campaign with a nail-biting win over Sami’s.

The Snook started 2026 quickly, scoring five runs in its first at bat. Rob York (two RBIs) capped the early rally with an RBI single, good for a 5-0 Snook cushion. York had RBI support from teammate Gary Menzies (two RBIs), who delivered the game winning knock in the Snook sixth inning. With the game tied at 6-6, Menzies stroked an opposite field single to right field, scoring Steve Hemmerlein (three hits), who started the rally with a double. The Menzies RBI gave Snook a 7-6 lead that it did not relinquish.

Sami’s new manager Dick Eddy (two RBIs), led the attack for the White and Red. His two-run single, part of a five-run Sami’s outburst in the fourth inning, cut Sami’s deficit to 6-5. Sami’s tied the game moments later at 6-6, thanks to a Snook error. Sami’s chance to take the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning was thwarted thanks in part to a Snook strikeout which stranded the go ahead run at third base.

Joey’s Pizza 13                                                                        Brewery 12

Persistent Joey’s Pizza staged multiple rallies to claim an Opening Day win sparked by its balanced offensive attack that featured 10 players with at least one hit and eight players with at least one RBI.

Catcher Dick Carson led the Pizza Men’s offense with three hits and two RBIs, twice delivering run scoring singles to tie the game at 7-7 (fourth inning) and 8-8 (sixth inning), helping Joey’s rally from an early 7-3 deficit. Supporters included George Giacobbi and Larry Locks with three hits each; Tom Rensch (three RBIs), Todd Stigall (two RBIs, one of which came on a solo home run in the second inning), and Robert Stried (two RBIs).

Rod Lashley led the Brewery offense with three hits and three RBIs, the last of which came on a fifth inning single, good for an 8-7 Brew Crew lead. Contributors included pitcher Jack O’Brien (two RBIs), whose two-run triple in the bottom of the seventh kickstarted Brewery’s comeback bid. Teammate Chuck McAlpine also had two RBIs, one of which came in the bottom of seventh inning when his double plated one run, pulling Brewery within two runs at 13-11. McAlpine also smacked a triple earlier in the game.

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Joey’s Pizza 13                                                                         Sand Bar 3

George Giacobbi’s four hit, four RBI day supercharged Joey’s Pizza offense as it pulled away from Sand Bar to claim its second win of the young season.

Giacobbi’s hitting barrage started with an RBI infield single in the first inning, giving Joey’s a 2-0 lead. His looping double in the third inning plated one run, good for a 4-3 Joey’s advantage. Giacobbi capped his perfect day at the plate by blasting a two-run home run to deep right center in the seventh inning as the Pizza Men piled on runs late to secure the win. Contributions to Joey’s 18 hit attack included Glenn Davis (three hits, including a two-run home run), Robert Stried (three RBIs), and Todd Stigall with two RBIs. Joey’s also had a flawless day defensively with no errors.

Sand Bar’s plate struggles continued with Jack Martin being the lone spotlight hitter with two RBIs. His second inning RBI double scored one run, helping Sand Bar to eventually tie the game at 3-3. All told, it was a rough first week for the Sand Men batting wise, as they scored only eight runs in two games.

Sami’s 22                                                                             Stonewalls 17

Sami’s John Gross staged a hitting clinic by belting two home runs (one of which was a grand slam) while driving in seven runs as Sami’s pounded their way to their first win of 2026.

Gross capped a five-run Sami’s first inning when he ripped a grand slam to deep left center field. Gross concluded his perfect four-for-four day in the sixth inning when he blasted a two-run home run to right center, upping Sami’s lead to a comfortable 22-11 advantage. Sami’s other hitting stars included: Dean Stone (four hits and four RBIs), John Binns (four hits and three RBIs), Murph Knapke and manager Dick Eddy with three hits apiece and Jim Fairbanks with four RBIs. Sami’s banged out 30 hits on the day while also not committing an error defensively.

Randy Morrison led the Stonewalls attack with four hits and two RBIs, both of which came on a fifth inning double, that helped Stonewalls cut its deficit to 15-10. Shortstop Paul Sullivan chipped in with four hits and two RBIs while rookies Will Smith and Brian Wegner each had three hits and three RBIs. Other support came from Bobby Williams (three hits), pitcher Steve Chasin, and sub-Dick Carson with two RBIs each.

Snook Inn 14                                                                             Brewery 3

Snook Inn blitzed Brewery by scoring a total of 10 runs in the second and third innings as it rolled to its second win of the year.

With the game tied at 1-1 in the second inning and the bases loaded, Snook pitcher Neal Newhouse (three RBIs) lofted a double to left field, clearing the bases, giving Snook a 4-1 lead. John Cavanagh (three hits and two RBIs) then concluded the uprising with an RBI single, good for a 5-1 Snook cushion. In Snook’s next at bat in the third inning, Tom Deater (three hits and three RBIs) had the dagger knock. His looping single concluded the five-run outburst and upped Snook’s lead to 10-2. Snook’s other spotlight hitter was Karl Kann, who contributed three hits and two RBIs to Snook’s 23 hit attack.

It was quiet day at the plate for Brewery, totaling only seven hits as a team. Rick DiStasio had the signature swing of the day when he smacked a run scoring triple in the Brew Crew fourth inning.

GULF COAST DIVISION

Monday January 5, 2026

Crazy Flamingo 17                                                         Oyster Society 16

Crazy Flamingo took this contest in dramatic fashion with a walk-off win over the Oyster Society. Crazy Flamingo trailed 16-14 in the bottom of the seventh when Jim Cuevas slashed a triple, scoring three runs.

Crazy’s opened the scoring in the first with a run-scoring hit by Brian Bergman and a two-run single by Mike Puskar. Oyster Society bounced right back with a five-spot capped by a grand slam off the bat of Fred Kramer to give them a 5-3 advantage.

The Crazy Birds were clinging to a 12-9 lead entering the seventh inning, but the Oyster Boys were not done, crossing the plate seven times in the top of the inning, with a two-run triple by Ray Niemeyer being the key blow. That set up the dramatic finish for Crazy Flamingo in the bottom of the inning.

For the game, the other offensive leaders for Crazy Flamingo were Nick Lordi and Huck McPhee with three hits apiece, and Puskar with three RBIs.

Pitcher Ed Kopecky topped the Oyster hitters with four hits, and Mike Corless and John DeRosa added three. Kramer finished his monster game with six RBIs in a losing cause.

Wednesday January 7, 2026

Doreen’s 5                                                                    American Legion 4

Doreen’s trailed the entire game until they woke up their bats at just the right time as they scored three times in the bottom of the seventh to win in walk-off fashion over the American Legion.

Three straight run-scoring singles by John Robichaud, Paul Womack, and the game winner by Warren Uhl completed the comeback.

Runs were hard to come by in this one as the American Legion scratched out two runs in the third on RBI singles by Jeff Taylor and Jim Lencioni. Robichaud got Doreen’s on the board in the fourth with a run-scoring single making the score 3-1. The two teams traded single runs over the next few innings setting up the seventh inning heroics by Doreen’s.

Robichaud led Doreen’s with a pair of RBIs and winning pitcher Larry Anspach limited the Legion to twelve hits and one earned run.

Friday January 9, 2026

American Legion 17                                                      Oyster Society 16

After six lead changes in the final three innings, the American Legion was able to outlast the Oyster Society with a dramatic walk-off win in the bottom of the seventh inning on a single by Jerry Lenhoff.

Trailing 7-6 in the bottom of the fifth, Legion’s Jeff Taylor (three hits) launched a grand slam home run to retake the lead. After surrendering the lead in the sixth, the Legion went to work again scoring five times with slugger Nick Brooks (2 RBIs) capping the rally with an RBI single to give the Legion a 15-12 lead.

The Oystermen fought back in the seventh, tying the contest at 15 on a two-run home run by Ray Niemeyer, setting up the Legion heroics in the bottom of the inning.

Rookie Jim Adair and Butch Coursen led the Legion with three hits apiece, and Adair also contributed two RBIs. For the Oyster Society, Ed Kopecky and newcomer Mike Roman each punched out three hits, Kopecky added three RBIs, and Steve Risch, Dave Chroust, and Barry Neale all drove in two in the contest.

Crazy Flamingo 17                                                                  Doreen’s 14

Seven innings was not enough to settle this marathon affair as Crazy Flamingo came back from a six-run deficit in the last inning and eventually prevailed after a four-run eighth over shell-shocked Doreen’s.

Trailing 12-6 going into the seventh, Crazy Flamingo pushed across seven runs, including the last three with two outs on run-scoring hits by Mike Puskar, Rich Klein, and Gary Badger. After Doreen’s tied up the game in the bottom of the seventh, the Crazy Birds scored four more times in the eighth, two on a double by Jimmy Cuevas (three hits, three RBIs) that extended the lead to 17-13 that was sufficient for the win.

Brian Bergman had a big game for Crazy’s with four hits, including a two-run home run, and three RBIs. Other contributors included Joe Barry and Mick Keller, both with three hits, and Klein and John Sherwin, who both knocked in two runs for the winners.

Doreen’s was led by Bob Smith, Donnie Rooksberry, and Warren Uhl with three hits apiece, John Robichaud who plated three runs, and Uhl, Jan Grossman, and Paul Glynn who finished with a pair of runs knocked in.