Carrier Homer Caps Comeback

By Rob Potter
CALLICOON — May 30, 2000 -- Rory Carrier’s two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning Thursday gave Delaware Valley a dramatic, come-from-behind victory over visiting Livingston Manor.
With one out and Manor clinging to a 6-5 lead, DV’s Gary Hubert reached base on an infield error. Carrier then stepped to the plate and launched an offering from Wildcat hurler Tim Mills deep to left center.
The ball landed about 10 feet beyond the fence and set off a celebration by the DV players and fans.
“It couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy,” DV coach Bill Kirk said of Carrier, who also pitched the first five innings of the contest.
For awhile, though, it looked like Carrier and his teammates might be on the opposite end of the outcome. A RBI single by Manor’s Ryan Edwards in the top of the first gave the visitors a quick 1-0 lead.
In the fourth inning, the Wildcats struck for four more runs. Singles by Ryan Carlson, Jason Will and Tim Mills loaded the bases with only one out. A sacrifice fly by Tom Dobrydney increased the lead to 2-0. A DV error then allowed both Will and Mills to score.
Two batters later, an RBI single off of Carlson’s bat gave the Wildcats a 5-0 lead.
DV (10–5, 7–4 Western Sullivan League) responded immediately to the Manor offensive outburst.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Eagles took advantage of two Manor errors as well as three solid hits —including a base-loaded single by Ian Detch that scored two runners — to cut the lead to 5-4. Detch then scored the tying run when he reached the plate on a passed ball.
Manor regained some momentum when Edwards led off the fifth inning with a solo home run to deep left field. But the 6-5 lead only lasted until Carrier stepped to the plate in the seventh inning.
“It was a shame somebody had to lose this game,” Kirk commented. “Manor played a great game. And Tim Mills pitched wonderfully, he gutted out seven innings.”
(Because of the recent rash of rainouts, Manor faced Narrowsburg in Callicoon prior to playing its scheduled game versus DV. Mills pitched the final three innings versus the Indians.)
Kirk also praised his team and noted that Hubert came in to pitch in the sixth and “held them so we could try and get a timely hit in the seventh.” Hubert got the win and is 2-0 on the season.
“I’m proud of my team,” Kirk added. “We were down 5-0 and we didn’t fall apart. My guys wouldn’t quit.”
Carlson finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and Edwards was 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI.
“It would have been nice to end the season with a win, but we ended on a better note than we started the season,” said Manor coach Chuck McKenna, whose squad finished with a 4–12 overall record (3–9 in WSL play). “We didn’t give up and played [DV] tough to the end of the game.”
Indians Help Playoff Hopes
Narrowsburg knocked off Livingston Manor by an 8-3 score in a Western Sullivan League (WSL) baseball game Thursday in Callicoon.
Due to the recent stretch of cloudy, rainy weather, the two teams agreed to play in Callicoon because Manor was slated to face Delaware Valley later that afternoon.
The win gave Narrowsburg a 6–12 overall record and a 5–6 WSL mark, while Manor dropped to 4-11 and 3-8 versus WSL foes.
According to Narrowsburg coach Scott Haberli, his team needed to beat Roscoe the follwing day to clinch a sectionals spot.
Leading the way for the Indians were catcher Mike Poppolillo, who hit a two-run homerun and picked two Manor runners off base, and Rob Taylor, who recorded a double and a pair of RBI. In addition, Roy Jay had a double and a triple and Matt Peloquin scored twice for Narrowsburg.
“Both teams played a great game,” noted Haberli. “And both teams played great defense. We were just able to get a few more timely hits and that made the difference.”