Gold comes up short from the start

Photo: Tarrant never could find a pitching rhythm in the opening game.

     By Bill Tarrant

     With his sub stuck in an I-405 parking lot and Cyril Barnert unable to play with his banged-up hands, the Gold team’s manager and pitcher “Pittsburgh” Bill Tarrant was frantically trying to find a spectator to fill out his team on Opening Day of the Culver City Senior Softball Association, when the ump called for the game to begin.

     Great, a short roster crisis on the first day of the 2025 season, “Pittsburgh Bill” thought to himself, eyes darting anxiously around the field.

     After pulling Jesse out of the bleachers to catch, Tarrant promptly walked the first batter he faced, setting an exasperating tone to the game, which Gold lost to Black 24-17. Tarrant could not find a consistent rhythm for his high-arc pitches, walking 8, including several to the bottom of the order, the ultimate transgression in senior softball.

     Black put up 5 runs in the first and never looked back, showing good plate discipline to work walks and find holes in Gold’s stout defense. Black pitcher Annie Kepple gave up just one walk and pitched craftily to a strong Gold lineup.

“The bad news is we lost,” Tarrant told the team after the game. “The good news is I don’t think I can pitch any worse than that, and we played a good game otherwise. We have a stunningly good team.”

“The good news also is everybody makes the playoffs,” noted Jim Divico.

Brent Burley went 3 for 4 with 4 RBIs, Thom Hutchinson 4 for 5 with 3 runs and 3 RBIs and Alan Sperling 4 for 5 including our only walk, to pace the offense.

The hits were well distributed throughout the lineup with the top five hitters averaging .583 and the bottom four .473

It’s a long season and Gold will soon be putting other teams on the short end of the stick, Pittsburgh Bill vowed.