The Levelers flatten Future of America
BY JOSH GALVIN INDEPENDENT WRITER
Late inning run production was not enough for a Future of America victory as The Levelers got help from a seventh inning double play to stave off defeat this past Friday in the Rec League Softball game of the week. The win moves The Levelers to 7-5 on the year while Future of America drops to 3-7 with its fifth straight loss.

MICHAEL GALVIN/The Independent FOA third sacker Emily Butterworth's three hits weren't enough to lead her team to victory.

The Levelers did their scoring early, jumping out to a 6-2 lead after four innings. Future of America chipped away at the deficit in the fifth and sixth innings but couldn't muster the offense to win the game or send it to extra innings. "We had some solid momentum going into the seventh inning but our bats couldn't get it done," said Future of America captain Ben Butterworth. "It's our fifth loss in a row, and I think we're going to have to make some drastic changes in our batting order and get ourselves organized defensively to right this ship."

A more positive Silvio Genao of The Levelers had high spirits for his team's future after the game. "We're starting to hit our stride, our defense is getting stronger and I think we're poised now to make a serious run at the playoffs for the month of August." With the win The Levelers remain in the upper echelon of teams looking to earn a playoff spot.

The scoring for The Levelers started in the first inning, as the team posted a three spot to swing momentum immediately in their favor. Starting shortstop Dave Murray led off the game with a triple that rolled all the way to the wall in dead centerfield. Outfielder Liz Maury grounded out to short for the first out of the inning but it was enough to plate Murray and give The Levelers a 1-0 lead.

Each of the next three batters for The Levelers torched Future of America for extra base hits before the side could be retired. Rod Read doubled with nobody on base and scored on Lara Hanson's double down the left field line. Hanson scored when Rich Perry hit The Leveler's third consecutive double with only one out. Perry would move to third on a Denise Badders' groundout but would be stranded there.

Future of America threatened in its half of the first, but could only muster one run. Butterworth began the inning with a single that snuck itself between Hanson and third base bag. Sister Emily Butterworth followed with a single of her own that moved B. Butterworth to third. A good defensive play by Scott Marks kept B. Butterworth from scoring on an Oliver Lafarge groundout, but Emily Strauss came up big with an RBI single, scoring B. Butterworth and sending E. Butterworth to third. The next two batters, however, were retired and the threat was eliminated.

A double play helped Future of America work out of a jam in both the second and third innings, although not soon enough in the third as The Levelers tacked on one more run courtesy of a Marks double and a one out sacrifice fly by Read. Future of America answered again with one run on a Josh Galvin RBI triple that plated E. Butterworth.

Two more Leveler runs in the fourth inning rounded out the away team's scoring for the day. Perry and Rich Holdgate both reached on singles and came around to score The Leveler's fifth and sixth runs. Perry led off the inning with a single and moved to second after a ground out. Holdgate followed with a single to right plating Perry. Paige Holdgate then singled moving R. Holdgate to third until he crossed the plate on a Bob Cirilo sacrifice fly to left.

Future of America answered in the bottom of the fifth, scoring two runs with two outs to cut the lead to 6-4. Lafarge got things started with a one out single to left and moved to second on a groundout back to the pitcher. Galvin then ripped a double to right center to score Lafarge. Offensive stalwart Mary Lentowski then singled to score Galvin who motored through a stop sign by the third base coach.

The sixth inning brought just one more run for Future of America who could not manage to close the gap. Shortstop Christian Fleming singled with one out before scoring on E. Butterworth's third hit of the day. Lafarge and Strauss led off the bottom of the seventh with back to back singles but a fly out and double play ended things quickly as The

Levelers sealed the victory. I