By Rob Potter
CALLICOON — April 27, 2001 – The Sullivan West/Delaware Valley Lady Eagles used the tried and true method of timely hitting and good pitching to pick up their first win of the young season.
The Lady Eagles pounded out 16 hits and withstood a late rally by visiting Fallsburg to post a 13-6 victory in Tuesday’s non-league contest. SW/DV moved to 1–2 on the season, while Fallsburg’s record dropped to 0–4.
Megan Moran got the SW/DV offense rolling with an RBI single in the bottom of the third inning. Moran’s hit plated teammates Alicia Peters and Karen Terry for a 2-0 lead.
The Lady Eagles added two more runs in the frame. In the bottom of fourth, Erika Long’s bloop RBI single to center field gave SW/DV a 6-0 cushion.
After scoring twice in the bottom of the fifth, five Lady Eagles safely crossed home plate in the bottom of the sixth. The key hit was Christina Head’s bases-loaded single that scored Veronika Dlouha and Calley Sander.
Fallsburg, however, mounted a comeback in the top of the seventh. With one out and two runners on, Lady Comet Stephanie Sutton coaxed a walk from SW/DV hurler Erika Long to load the bases. After Nicole Perrello scored on an error, Ashley Frunzi doubled to clear the bases and cut the Lady Eagle lead to 13-4.
The Lady Comets added two more runs later in the inning on a single by Maria Kajankova.
But the Lady Comet rally was then quelled as Long recorded a strikeout and a groundout to end the contest.
“We got the timely hits today,” SW/DV coach John Meyer said. “We had been hitting the ball in our first two games, but today we were able to put the hits together and score some runs.”
Meyer also praised the pitching performance by Head, who worked five innings before Long took over on mound. Head gave up only two hits and struck out five batters to hold Fallsburg scoreless over the first five frames.
“She did much better today,” Meyer said of Head, who took the losses in the team’s first two games. “She cut down on walks, threw strikes and didn’t get herself in a hole.”
The Lady Eagle offense was paced by Ashley Reimer, who went 3-for-5 with an RBI, Long (2-for-4, two RBI) and Moran (1-4, 3 RBI). Meyer pointed out that the first three batters in the line-up — Calley Sander, Peters and Terry — went a combined 6-for-13 on the afternoon.
Though naturally disappointed with the loss, Fallsburg co-coach Jen DeCroix noted a few positive aspects.
“A couple of errors hurt us in the game, but the girls played really well,” said DeCroix, who shares the Lady Comet coaching duties with Joe Levner. “This was a start in the right direction. The girls played well and I’m proud of them.”
She also praised the team’s six-run outburst in the final inning.
“We really started to hit the ball then,” DeCroix said. “It was a great effort to try and comeback.”
Frunzi led the Comet offense by going 2-for-4 at the plate with three RBI.