By Rob Potter
MONGAUP VALLEY — May 3, 2002 – The Cornwall softball team used the tried-and-true method of good pitching and timely hitting against Monticello Wednesday in an OCIAA Division III game at Edward Collins Memorial Park in Mongaup Valley.
Cornwall sophomore pitcher Kristen Halvorsen kept the Monticello batters off balance all afternoon and the Green Dragons scored runs in three different innings to record a 6-1 win.
Cornwall improved to 9-2 overall and 6-0 in OCIAA Division III play. Monticello fell to 8-5 overall and 5-2 OCIAA.
Halvorsen (6-1) struck out a dozen Lady Panthers and did not issue a walk. She allowed only two hits in the game.
“She’s been pitching like that all season,” said Cornwall Coach Rick Miller of Halvorsen’s performance.
Monticello pitcher Megan Drobysh did not walk any batters either and only allowed seven hits. But Drobysh, who struck out five Cornwall batters in the contest, and her teammates were hurt by defensive miscues.
After two scoreless innings, Cornwall broke through in the top of the third. With two runners on base, Jessie Krause singled to center field to bring Marissa Baker around to score.
An infield error then allowed Christine Stathes and Krause to score and make it a 3-0 game.
The Green Dragons added a pair of runs in the top of the fourth. Allison Diange ripped an RBI single to left field to give Cornwall a 4-0 advantage. Diange then stole second base as teammate Lauren Casino, who had been on third base, broke for home and scored the fifth Green Dragon run.
An RBI single by Katie Farrugia in the sixth accounted for the final Cornwall run.
“We put the ball in play and were able to get some hits,” Cornwall Coach Rick Miller said. “That makes a difference, especially when you get two-out hits.”
Monticello scored its only run in the bottom of the sixth.
With one out, Shannon Dietrich was hit by a Halvorsen pitch and went to first base. Two batters later, Dietrich scored when Drobysh turned on a Halvorsen offering and ripped the ball down the left field line for a double.
“We haven’t been able to score runs lately,” Monticello Coach Ed Kaufmann said. “And defensively we were a little shaky today.”
Though disappointed with the loss, Kaufmann noted that Cornwall is “a very good team” and that the Lady Panthers have been playing well overall this season.
“We’ve lost to quality teams like Cornwall, Port Jervis and Pine Bush,” he said. “We’ve got to get over that hump (and beat them).”