By Rob Potter
MONGAUP VALLEY — August 28, 2001 – Currency Club began pounding the ball in the top of the first inning Thursday night at Collins Park in Mongaup Valley and didn’t stop until the fifth inning.
The Currency Club hit parade ceased in the fifth due to the 10-run mercy rule, but not before the squad had recorded 15 hits en route to crushing Frankie’s 22-0 in the Monticello Men’s League “B” Division playoffs. The victory clinched the “B” Division title for Currency Club, formerly known as Roark’s. (In the first game of the series, Currency Club scored a 15-3 win over Frankie’s.)
Currency Club wasted little time in getting the bats going. Leadoff batter Rick Whitney drew a walk from Frankie’s hurler Ron Lewis and Shane Connor followed with a double off the fence in left center to bring Whitney to the plate. Joe Staudt and Steve Nash followed with consecutive singles to give Currency Club a quick 3-0 lead.
Two batters later, Dan Gallo tripled to make it a 5-0 advantage.
Currency Club scored three times in the second, thanks a two-run single off Staudt’s bat and a hit by Edwin Rodriguez.
A bases-loaded double by Staudt and Gallo’s second two-run triple of the contest highlighted an eight-run third for Currency Club.
With plenty of offensive support from his teammates, Connor kept the Frankie’s batters off balance. He only allowed four hits on the evening.
“Last year they pounded us and this year we pounded them,” Currency Club player/coach Mike Greco said. “We’ve had quite a rivalry the past couple years.”
Frankie’s player/coach Steve Weatherly concurred.
“This is one of the best rivalries in the league,” Weatherly said.
As for the outcome of Thursday’s game, Weatherly had a simple explanation.
“The better team won tonight,” he said.