Jodi and Cliff Bluml make their yearly pilgrimage from Minnesota to Lake Placid in time for the Lake Placid senior softball season. The Blumls run lakecountryvacationrentals.com, an online private cabin rental business. They rent 16 to 20 homes 150 miles north of the Twin Cities on picturesque lakes Roosevelt, Washburn, and Thunder. They boast that it is “a great, affordable way for people to have that ‘cabin up north’ experience.” However, they do prefer the Florida sunshine to ice fishing and cross country skiing during the winter months.

Cliff’s Yates Insurance team battled Schooni’s Restaurant with first place at stake last week. Yates managed a hard fought 25-24 win. Shortstop Paul Brand made three diving stops on defense to thwart Schooni rallies, while first baseman Larry Oser flashed leather on two key scoops. Brand, Oser, Bluml, rookie Dave Bilyea, and Woody Hoffman had four hits. Ed Engler and winning pitcher Jeff Stanley had five hits apiece, with Engler’s catch near the fence of a Victor Rodriguez towering blast with two out and two on ended the game.