Popolillo Clips DV

By Rob Potter
NARROWSBURG — May 9, 2000 -- Delaware Valley’s Billy Reichmann and Narrowsburg’s Mike Popolillo squared off in a pitcher’s duel Friday in Narrowsburg.
By the time the two were done throwing strikes, the Eagle and Indian hitters had combined for only 13 hits and seven runs.
But the Narrowsburg batters made slightly better use of their hits to grab a 5-2 win over DV. The win improved Narrowsburg’s season mark to 4–9, 2–4 in the Western Sullivan League, while the Eagles dropped to 7–3 overall and 4–2 in WSL play.
The key blow for Narrowsburg came in the second inning. With a 1-0 lead, the Indians added to their advantage. After the first two batters of the frame recorded outs, Evan Kraack reached base on an error. Matt Nordenhold then followed with a ground-rule double to the deepest regions of center field to move Kraack to third base. A single by Bruce Nober then loaded the bases for Roy Jay.
Jay, the third batter in the Indian lineup, ripped a single up the middle to score both Kraack and Nordenhold for a 4-0 lead.
DV rallied in the top of the third, however. After Terrance Fink led off the inning with a double and Gary Hubert followed with a single, Rory Carrier reached base thanks to an error on a infield grounder. The play also allowed Fink to score and cut the Narrowsburg advantage to 4-1.
After James Sykes walked to load the bases, Cody Bojo hit a fielder’s choice ground ball to short that plated Hubert with the second DV run.
But that would be all the Eagles would get as Popolillo struck out the next two batters to end the scoring threat , holding DV in check the rest of the way.
Popolillo moved to 2–4 on the season with the win and scattered six hits over the seven innings. He struck out seven and walked one.
Reichmann (4–2) allowed only one earned run while striking out three and walking only one batter.
“We were pretty much shut down,” noted DV coach Bill Kirk. “Popolillo pitched a great game and Bill threw a great game for us. But Narrowsburg deserved to win it; they played very well.”
Jay finished the day with a double and a pair of RBI. Nober had two hits and an RBI and Nordenhold added two doubles and an RBI.
For DV, Fink had a double, single and run scored and Hubert finished 2-for-4 with a run scored.
“It was good defensive battle,” said Narrowsburg coach Scott Haberli. “The team that made fewer mistakes won. Our bats are finally starting to come alive.”