As compared to the previous week, the weather and the conditions of the pits were ideal during Week 3 of the Deep River Horseshoe League. However, with a few exceptions, the scoring was down. The average score for an A Division player was six points less than Week 2, while the B Division was about the same. The C Division also fell by two points per player.

Kris Toohey, who had missed the previous week, returned to action and led his Cardinals to a 5-1 win over Todd Nuhn’s Mets. Toohey’s score of 131 was second only to Mark Goodale’s 144 for the A Division players. The Cardinals moved into second place with a 12-8 record and are tied with Pudge Goodrich’s Reds, who handily defeated John Sciacca’s Royals 5-1.

Goodale’s Marlins maintained their first-place lead of 2.5 games by defeating Frank Durinick’s Dodgers 3-2, sending the Dodgers from a tie for second to a tie for seventh. The Marlins had representatives in each of the division’s top scorers. Besides Goodale topping the A Division, Gerry Hines’s 105 was the second for the B players, while Karen Perna’s 86 was third for the C’s.

The Giants’ Mike Zanelli, Sr., had the third-best tally among A players with a score of 127. Andy Perna outpaced the mark of Zanelli, Sr., by one point at the top of the B Division.

The Dodgers’ Scott Allen, Jr., topped the C Division with a score of 98, while Sheryll Serviss of the Pirates had the second-best mark among C players with an 87.

As a team, the Dodgers scored 335 points with 77 ringers, which were both league highs for the season so far. The average score for the rest of the league was 244 points and 51 ringers.

Tony Cutone’s Angels won 4-2 over Joe Heery’s Rangers behind a score of 105 from Damin Roberts, who was the third-leading score for the B Division.

During Week 4 action, John Hutra’s Cubs stunned Goodale’s Marlins by winning 4-2. The Marlins dropped to third place and are a half-game out of first. Goodale’s 142 was the second-leading scorer for the A Division, and Karen Perna’s 83 marked the third-best score for the C Division. Goodale and Karen Perna have been among the top-three scores for their respective divisions in all four weeks of the season so far.

Toohey led the Cards to a 5-1 win over Brady Miller’s Orioles. Goodrich’s Reds rode the hot scoring of B Player Andy Perna, who threw a high score of 138 in their 5-1 victory over Vinny Joynas’s Tigers. The Cardinals and Reds are tied for first place and hold a half-game lead over the Marlins. Andy Perna’s 138 topped the B Division for the fourth week in a row and marked the third-leading score of the night behind A Division players Zanelli, Sr. (143) and Goodale (142).

Durinick’s Dodgers took five games from Brian Walsh’s Yankees and moved up from ninth place to fourth place. Skip Robinson’s Pirates defeated Mike Didomizio’s Padres 5-1. Serviss led the C Division once again with a high score of 112 as the Pirates moved up from 12th to a sixth-place tie.

Other top scorers of Week 4 included the A Division’s third-best score by John Sciacca at 133, the B Division’s second-best mark by Paul Felie at 110, and Butch Carotenuto and Bob Cifaldi, who tied for third best of the B’s with 98. Scott Allen, Jr., was second in the C Division with a 95.

After Week 4 play, the standings are as follows: Cardinals (17-7), Reds (17-7), Marlins (16.5-7.5), Dodgers (15-9), Braves (14.5-9.5), Mets (13-11), Pirates (13-11), Giants (13-11), Red Sox (13-11), Rangers (12-12), Tigers (12-12), Angels (11.5-12.5), Cubs (11-13), White Sox (10-14), Royals (8.5-15.5), Orioles (7.5-16.5), Yankees (6.5-17.5), and Padres (5-19).

The Deep River Horseshoe League has 18 teams that feature three players of each of the A, B, and C divisions. The league plays every Thursday night on the First Congregational Green in Deep River and welcomes anyone to come watch its contests. For info, visit deepriverhorseshoes.com.

Information courtesy of Joe Heery and The Deep River Horseshoe League