By Rob Potter
LIBERTY — July 16, 2002 – The Sullivan County Phillies rallied twice to comeback and defeat the visiting Warwick Wildcats Friday night in a Greater Hudson Valley League baseball game.
The Phillies overcame 3-0 and 7-3 deficits to post a 13-7 win over the Wildcats, a fellow Cobb Division team. The game was concluded in the sixth inning due to impending darkness.
Down 7-3 in the bottom of the third, Sullivan County (3-11, 1-7 Cobb Division) scored three times to draw within one run. Jason Garritt led off the frame with a solo home run to left field to make it a 7-4 game. Later in the inning, Derek Blume hit into a fielder’s choice with the bases loaded and Corey Pazzalia scored from third base on the play. The next batter, Dan Ratner, singled to score Shane Noetzel, which made it a one-run contest.
The Phillies took the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth.
Simmons led off the frame by ripping a triple to right field. Matt Waldman then singled to score Simmons. Garritt then hit a 2-run homer to left field to give the Phillies a 9-7 lead.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Phillies added four insurance runs. An RBI triple by J. R. Rennison brought Blume to the plate. Three batters later, Garritt smashed a 2-RBI double to left that made it a 12-7 game. The Phillies added another run on a Warwick (8-7) error.
“We came back and tied it up and kept working to build a lead,” Phillies Coach Tom Pazzalia said. “Our leadoff hitter (Garritt) hit the ball very well and everyone else came through.”
Garritt finished the evening 4-for-4 with 5 RBIs.
Pitcher Scott Alfano went the distance for the Phillies. He allowed seven hits, struck out six and walked six.
“We had too many errors,” Warwick Coach Mike Stubeck said. “We gave them too many outs per inning – you can’t give a team five and six outs an inning.
“But they’re a good hitting team and they earned the win tonight,” he added.
After the Wildcats grabbed a 3-0 lead in the top of the first, the Phillies responded with three runs in the bottom of the frame. Garritt, who led off the inning with a double, and Matt Berger, who beat out an infield grounder to reach base, both scored when Alfano ripped a one-out triple to left center.
Two batters later, Blume singled to left to bring Alfano home with the tying run.
“We have five games left in the season and hopefully we can keep playing well together like we did tonight,” Tom Pazzalia said. “Hopefully we can keep this momentum going for our next game.”