Eldred Downs Eagles

By Ted Waddell
ELDRED — April 21, 2000 -- Despite a field made sloppy by a spate of recent rainstorms, the home team Eldred Yellow Jackets defeated the Eagles of Delaware Valley 8-4 in Wednesday’s rescheduled Western Sullivan League (WSL) baseball game.
The first inning was a big frame for both teams. In the top of the first, Eldred pitcher Chris Desseauve walked leadoff batter Bill Reichmann and then served up a free trip to first base to Terrance Fink. Gary Hubert then doubled, sending Reichmann across the plate. Rory Carrier’s single scored Fink, and sent Hubert to third. A sac fly by James Sykes then scored Hubert.
But then Desseauve, with the bases still loaded, kept more Eagles from crossing the plate.
In the bottom of the first frame, Desseauve and John Schneider hammered out consecutive singles against Delaware Valley starter Bill Reichmann, who then issued a walk to Craig Vandermark to load the bases. Clean-up batter Jason Rondinelli then singled and drove in Desseauve and Schneider. Bob Card singled, sending Vandermark scampering across the plate. Tom Butler’s sacrifice scored Card, followed by a single by Wayne McKenley, which sent Butler home and gave Eldred a 5-3 lead.
In the second frame, Reichmann walked and then scored on a double by Hubert to make it 5-4.
Eldred picked up a run after Desseauve reached on an error and advanced to third on a single by Schneider. After Vandermark walked to load the bases, Desseauve scored on a fielder’s choice by Rondinelli.
In the fourth Rondinelli scored on a double by Card after reaching first on a walk.
In the fifth frame, it was all Desseauve: after reaching base on a single, he stole second and then scored on a double by Vandermark to end the scoring at 8-4.
In the bottom of the sixth, Delaware Valley third-year varsity baseball coach Bill Kirk replaced Reichmann with Terrance Fink. Eldred’s starter Desseauve stayed the course despite a rocky first inning to pick up the win.
“Eldred played very well, and they are very well coached,” said Kirk. “They were running the ‘hit and run’ against us like crazy, and it seemed to work every time. They hit the ball right [to the spot] our floater had just vacated to make a play on the base runner.
“Eldred’s pitching and timely situational hitting was just too much to overcome today,” he added.
According to Kirk, he’s taking the loss in stride. So far this season, Delaware Valley has played three league games.
“The field was sloppy, and I think that hurt both teams,” said Frank Kean who has been coaching swarms of Yellow Jackets varsity baseball teams for 27 years.
“Chris [Desseauve] has a good arm, and from the second inning on, he got stronger and stronger. I think his control made the difference.”
According to Kean, his teams usually get off to a slow start.
“In the beginning of the season, we usually have a big problem getting the guys to field well and hit, but I think we’ve started to come around,” he said. “We always come around by half way through and start winning. We’re a little early this year, and I think that’s positive.”
Desseauve and McKenley both went 3-for-4 on the game while Card went 2-for-4. Hubert and Carrier had two hits each for DV.
The Yellow Jackets are 3-1 in league, 4-2 overall. DV fell to 2–1 in league play.