White Plains Recreation Softball Playoffs a Family Affair

With the entire schedule of playoffs games postponed on Tuesday, Aug. 13, the White Plains Recreation Softball League Residential C Playoffs commenced on Thursday, Aug.15, at Carl J. Delfino Park.

Mansion-Broadway the number one seed defeated the number eight-seed Beechmont Tavern, 17-9, in the First Round of the Residential C Playoffs. Mansion-Broadway advances to play the number four seeded MJL and Company, in the Residential C Semifinals, on Tuesday, August 20 at Delfino Park.

MJL and Company defeated the fifth-seeded Zelem Pools, 17-8, in a heartbreaker of a game that saw MJL score eight runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Zelem was leading in the vital fifth inning of the game, 8-6. But after Lou Formosa singled to score Mike Miller and John Lewis scored on a Pat Massaroni sacrifice fly, MJL had scored three runs in the bottom frame to take the lead, 9-8.

In the top of the sixth inning MJL’s crafty veteran pitcher Larry Toglia, kept Zelem from scoring, which inspired MJL’s offense to score eight runs in the bottom half of the inning. Toglia also kept Zelem from scoring in their last at bat in the seventh inning.

Toglia has been throwing his trademark quick-flip pitch for 38 years at Delfino Park.  “Nope, I do not see the batters getting used to my pitching,” said Toglia. “It gives me an advantage if the batter is not ready. It is a matter of the batters, eventually the pitcher has to throw them one pitch, it is if the batters can pick out that one pitch,” depicted Toglia.

However, fantastic defense by MJL also foiled Zelem’s offensive attack. In the top of the fourth inning, Zelem had the bases loaded with one out while leading 7-6.  It was then that MJL’s second baseman Joe Gallace flipped the ball backhanded to shortstop Mike Miller covering second base for the second time in the game; but this time to orchestrate a crucial 4-6-3 double-play.

“We just did not hit,” stated Manager Steve Zelem, Jr. Zelem did not pitch in the First Round playoffs, as he did for the pool contractors in their final regular season game. Zelem’s regular pitcher Dave Rinaldi was on the mound.

Nonetheless, if the 4-6-3 double play turned by Gallace and Miller was the play of the game, then Zelem made the most athletic play of the game. He ran from shortstop deep into leftfield to the foul line and made a “Willie Mays” type over the shoulder catch.

Steve Zelem, Jr. is part of the unique family bonding that was obvious in the First Round of the Residential C Playoffs. Zelem playing shortstop is accompanied on the field by his father Steve, Sr. at second base and his younger brother Jamie in rightfield.

Mansion-Broadway has the Pasqualini brothers on the field for the number one seed. Joseph Pasqualini is the Manager of the team and plays left-centerfield, while his brother Kenneth plays second base. Also, the sponsor of the Mansion-Broadway Softball Team is their brother Michael Pasqualini, the owner of Mansion on Broadway, the exclusive catering hall in White Plains.

Furthermore, the pitcher for Mansion-Broadway is no other then Nick Becerra, of the well-known Becerra family from White Plains. Moreover, when you hear Mansion on Broadway owner Pasqualini cheering “automatic” from the bleachers in Delfino Park, he is referring to their stopper at shortstop, Nick Becerra, Jr.

Nick, Sr. has been playing softball for 35 years. He throws an array of pitches that includes a curve ball, knuckle ball and change-up. “I learned from an old-timer. He taught me how to throw a curve and a knuckle ball. I also change the speeds of my pitches to throw-off the batters,” revealed Becerra.

But if there is one player besides the pitcher in softball that can turn a game in your favor on defense, it is the shortstop. Fortunately for Mansion-Broadway, they have the best in the league in Nick Becerra’s son Nicky, Jr.

Mansion-Broadway looks good. They have a good hitting team with good pitching and an impregnable defense in the infield. “Teamwork, this team sticks together, we play well together. We won it last year in a lower division and now we moved up,” commented second baseman Pasqualini.

However, MJL and Company is comparable with the same attributes and hitters with a solid punch. “We have had a great team the past couple of weeks; we have been playing really well. If we keep hitting we will be alright,” said Matt Ardino, an outfielder on MJL.

MJL and Company is sponsored by Michael J. Leone, the Head Coach of Girls Varsity Lacrosse at White Plains High School, who is also a partner in the accounting firm Stanton & Leone, CPA’s, LLP.

In other Residential C Playoff action, on Thursday, Aug. 15, third seeded Dunne’s Pub shutout sixth seeded Sand Springs 7-0. And second seeded Plus 40 sent seventh seeded Rick’s Flair home by a score of 12-9. Plus 40, who represent the VFW on Martine Avenue, will play Dunne’s Pub, the popular bar-restaurant on Shapham Place, in White Plains, in the Semifinals of the Residential C Playoffs.