Sebring Senior Softball steps up to the plate for new season

• By JIM POLATTY Correspondent
  

 January 15, 2026

      

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  Sebring Senior Softball started the 2026 season with a bang on Jan. 6, at the Highlands County Sports Complex.

  An exciting game took place as VFW Post 4300 slipped past Lakeside Dermatology by the score of 11-10. Leading Reds was Kenny Haney, who had 2 triples and a run saving assist from deep left-center field with a bullet strike to home plate, a good 200 feet.

  Coach Lester Osbeck pitched a great game and also went 3-for-3. David Calvani’s 3-for-3 and Manuel Martinez’s 2 for 3 also aided the cause. Bill Sorenson and Haney continually caught long fly balls from Lakeside Dermatology’s Curt Glassman and Rod Lee. Both Glassman and Lee and Jack Nartker led the hitting for Lakeside with two runs scored and two hits each.
  

  Elks Lodge 1529 outscored Ben and Jerry’s 26 to 10.

  Elks used timely hitting throughout the lineup to score this many runs. Dave Smutnick, David Reed and Paul Marcellus, along with substitute Dan McPhail, all went 5-for-5. Ben and Jerry’s Pitcher Dick Mooney, Scott Storch, Tresa Jex and “Steamboat” Terry Scott all went 3-for-4.
  

  The two Auto sales sponsored teams clashed when Alan Jay Auto Network defeated McPhails Auto Sales 14–7.

  The score was close through the entire game. McPhails was led by Tom Blasdel, Charlie Cervantes, Michele Kapinsky, and Greg Ramos. Ramos’s defense helped prevent numerous Alan Jay baserunners. Alan Jay was led by Don Dobbert’s pitching, who also went 4-for-4.

  Also going 4-for-4 was speedy Outfielder Eddie Tei, surehanded Shortstop Dick Cook and Rover Dan Slot. Slot also had a long home run, 5 RBIs and prevented numerous base runners and runs with his defense from the Rover position.

  All the players want to thank our 6 sponsors Elks Lodge 1529, Ben & Jerry’s, VFW Post 4300, Lakeside Dermatology (Dr. Rogers), McPhails Auto Sales and Alan Jay Auto Network.