JUNE 17 • 2021 | 27

They’re Leading the Way in the 
Inter-Congregational Men’s Club 
Softball League
So who were the division leaders 
in the Inter-Congregational Men’s 
Club Summer Softball League as 
the season swung into June?
Temple Israel No. 5 led the 
Greenberg Division with an 8-0-1 
record. Temple Israel No. 2 was in 
second place at 5-1-1.
Adat Shalom Synagogue No. 1 
was in front of the Koufax Division 
at 5-2-1. Right behind was Temple Beth El at 5-3-0.
Congregation Shir Tikvah was at the top of the Rosen Division stand-
ings at 5-2-0. Congregation Beth Ahm was in second place at 5-5-0.
Each division has five teams.
This is the league’s 26th season. Opening day was April 25.
Games are played each Sunday on two diamonds at Drake Sports 
Park and three diamonds at Keith Sports Park in West Bloomfield.
Each team is scheduled to play 20 regular-season games (weather 
permitting) and qualify for the double-elimination playoffs, scheduled to 
begin Aug. 8 and conclude Aug. 15.

“It happened so quickly. 
I looked up, and they were 
ahead 8-3,
” Birnberg said.
Bernstein said he met with 
his Frankel team the day 
before the Southfield Christian 
game and urged the players to 
“cherish the moment and leave 
it all on the field. After that 
happened last year, we can’t 
take anything for granted.
”
The Jaguars listened to their 
coach. They battled Southfield 
Christian to the very end of 
the nearly four-hour game, 
losing when the Eagles pushed 
across a run in the bottom of 
the 11th inning.
“Our guys were incredibly 
competitive. They never quit,
” 
Bernstein said.
Nobody led the game by 
more than one run. Frankel 
rallied from three one-run 
deficits and led briefly 4-3 in 
the top of the ninth.
There were some coura-
geous efforts by the Jaguars 
during the marathon.
Frankel’s Ethan Gray caught 
all 11 innings in his first game 
behind the plate all season. He 
was hampered for most of the 
year by a thumb injury.
Adam Levitt wouldn’t have 
played last season because of 

a separated left shoulder. He 
suffered another separation to 
the same shoulder prior to this 
season and missed much of 
the year.
Given a chance to bat 
against Southfield Christian, 
the senior who is headed to 
Purdue University blasted a 
triple to lead the fifth inning. 
Ari Michaels ran for Levitt, 
and he scored on a single by 
Ryan Schmeltz to tie the game 
2-2.
“
Adam came to every one of 
our practices and games this 
year,
” Bernstein said. “That’s 
what high school sports are all 
about.
”
Benji Schmeltz threw about 
100 pitches in the game for 
Frankel. His brother Ryan 
Schmeltz threw about 80 
pitches.
Ethan Baker (.424) and 
Ryan Schmeltz (.406) were 
Frankel’s leading hitters for the 
season. Benji Schmeltz had 
a team-leading 16 RBI and 
Daniel Bernstein, the coach’s 
son, drove in 13 runs for the 
Jaguars (4-6).
Daniel Bernstein filled in at 
first base all year because of 
injuries. 

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