On the final day in May, the Columbus Lodge #2143 Golden Lions ("CL") took the field at the 9th Annual Business Cares for Kids Sports Festival softball tournament prepared for battle. Weathermen had predicted rain but, as the 9 a.m. opening round of games began, the sun peaked through the clouds and teased everyone with partially blue sky.

United Electric Power ("UEP") was the first team the Golden Lions faced and led by leftfielder Ron Gandolfo's 3 HRs and 9 RBIs, the Lions banged out 7 runs in each of the first two innings. Gandolfo hit the first of his three consecutive homeruns in the second inning. Joining the homerun parade was Dave Saviano (2 HRs, 5 RBIs in the game) and Jeff Steinberg (3 hits, 3 RBIs in the game).

Throughout the game, UEP's offense appeared to short circuit. CL's Anthony ("the Big Sausage") Curran pitched a no-hitter into the fourth and scattered 3 hits for the game. Showing no signs of a power failure, the Lions continued to surge for 3 runs in the third and 8 runs in the fourth. Third base coach Pete Gisonda, who turns 71 years old in November, pinch hit a single during the Lions 10 run fifth inning.

Massapequa's Joe Pecella, who had 5 hits, led the Lions to a team record 39 hits. Anthony Curran, Ron Gandolfo and Lisa Hynoski chipped with 4 hits each. "Everyone's intensity level was so high," said centerfielder Gus Costalas. And in her first game, Lioness Debbie McTigue went 3-3. The 35-0 massacre set a Cl record for largest margin of victory.

In the quarter-finals, the Golden Lions were matched up against the "Grinders' from Coffee Distributing Corp. From the start the Grinders looked like a team running on decaf. The Lions banged out 5 runs in the first, 4 runs in the second and 7 runs in the third. During the third inning, Saviano, Curran, Steinberg and Gandolfo connected on consecutive homeruns; a CL record. Fittingly, veteran first baseman Ed Bochynski drove in rookie Lisa Hynoski with the team's final run.

Second baseman Rita DiSalvo's smile wasn't the only thing sparkling as the Lions defense was luminous. In the third inning, Gus Costalas played a one-hop bouncer off the centerfield wall and relayed it to Jeff Steinberg, who threw a strike to catcher Gina Nonenaker. Gina's tag on the incoming base runner ended the inning. In the fourth, shortstop Joe Pecella's diving catch led to an inning-ending double play. Pecella and third baseman Joe Pesale each had 3 hits to lead the Lions to a 17-6 triumph.

The afternoon began with grey clouds and a semi-final match-up against the Robert Plan Corporation ("RPC"). Earlier in the day, the RPC defeated the defending champs from LISD Inc., holding them to just 3 runs, and then soundly defeated McDonald Corp. In the first inning, RPC jumped out in front 1-0, but the lead proved to be short lived as the Lions returned the favor by scoring 8 runs in their frame, 6 coming with 2 outs.

In this game, the Big Sausage hit a homerun in his first two times at the plate. Having hit a homerun in his final at-bat against the Grinders, Curran successfully hit 3 consecutive homeruns on 3 consecutive swings. CL's Lee Meceli replaced Gus Costalas (who pulled a hamstring) and went 2 for 2, scoring twice, and driving in a run. "Today's success is a by-product of individual hard work and unselfish teamwork," said Lions captain Ed Bochynski.

After both teams tacked on a pair of runs in the second, the Lions led 10-3 when the long anticipated rain began to come down. In the third, the hitting assault continued as Dave Saviano's 3-run homerun cleared the bases and extended the lead to 14-5, with no outs. As Columbus Lodge was about to hammer the final nail in coffin, it seemed that no team could prevent them from winning their first championship at the Sports Festival. No team, but what about Mother Nature?

Everything seemed to be going almost too well for the Golden Lions. For the day, the Lions' team batting average was .723, with 12 homeruns and 66 runs scored. "It's hard to criticize an offense that had about 70 runs," said Jeff Steinberg. Twelve of the 14 players batted .600 or better led by Joe Pecella (10 for 10), Joe Pesale (.875), Anthony Curran (.778), Lisa Hynoski (.750), and Jeff Steinberg (.750) and Gus Costalas (.714). "This is the best co-ed team I've ever played on," said Gus Costalas.

As the rain continued to fall, CL's offense was finally stopped by Nassau County Park officials, who ruled the field unplayable. The final round of the tournament would be played at a later date. "There is no doubt in my mind, we would have ran the table on Saturday," said Jeff Steinberg. "Some team that we will play in the finals got lucky with the rain."

Despite the first rain-shortened Sports Festival, over $70,000 was raised for the Ronald McDonald House of Long Island. According to RMH officials, over $39,500 was raised from the Kids Walk-A-Thon, alone. Currently in a capital campaign to raise $5-million dollars, the RMH hopes to more than double the size of its facility.

The Columbus Lodge Golden Lions are a team dedicated to community service through softball fund-raising events. Since the team's inception, their participation in such events has helped various Long Island charities raise over a half-million dollars. To become a member of the lodge, one may contact Steve LaScala at 735-2535.