Gamers Split During Revenge Week

Levittown, NY -

When the Gamers played the Warriors this past week at Stokes Elementary School in Levittown it was more than just a matchup between possible playoff opponents. Moreover, it was a matchup between the past and the present with the future of both teams hanging in the balance.

That's because the Gamers return after a two year hiatus was only made possible when Gamers manager Craig Shames decided to leave the Warriors, along with Jeremy Webman and Danny Ballestas in order to start a new team. A decision necesitated by the Warriors addition of several players to their summer team who played with them on their fall team last year.

Now the only question is whether or not Shames, Webman and Ballestas will go back to the Warriors next summer or if the success of the Gamers will lead to them playing again over the summer. If their play in game one was any indication it looks like the Gamers will be together for a while.

Sparked by the return of Scott Zimmerman to the lineup the Gamers clicked on all cylinders winning easily 16-1. Zimmerman, who missed a month with a shoulder injury, came back in a big way hitting two homeruns and narrowly missing a third when he got a triple in the 5th inning that knocked in the mercy rule clinching run. The triple and two homeruns marked the single best statistical game any player has had this year for the Gamers and now gives them 8 different players that have hit homeruns this year.

But it was the play of Webman, Ballestas and Shames that was the big story on the day. Webman went 1 for 2 with a walk, an rbi, and a run scored, Shames went 2 for 3 with 2 runs scored and had a clutch double in the first inning to set up the Gamers first run, and Ballestas had a monster game at the plate going 3 for 3 with a huge 2 run hit in the 3rd inning that broke the game open.

The second game was a different story though as the Gamers bats fell silent. Not even a heroic, Willis Reed like effort from Shames, who tried to play through a sprained ankle, could lift the team to victory. Rob and Dave Roll went a combined 6 for 7 with 4 runs scored at the top of the lineup but with little help the Gamers fell easily 9-4.

They will look to bounce back next week against the Hustlers (4-4) in their last regular season matchup of the season.