By Ted Waddell
LIBERTY — May 2, 2003 – It looked like a rout for 6 1/2 innings Tuesday as visiting Sullivan West had a 8-2 over Liberty in an OCIAA Division IV baseball game.
But in the bottom of the seventh, the Indians staged a four-run comeback in a spirited attempt to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
However, it was a classic case of too little too late, as the Bulldogs shut down the opposition on the way to a 8-6 win.
Jake Sauer-Jones started the ball rolling for SW in the second inning with a walk. Mike Washington singled to right. Sean Kelly swatted a RBI single to score Sauer-Jones. Ed Raum sent Washington across the plate on a ground out.
In the fourth, the Bulldogs barked up five runs to make it a 7-0 game. Sauer-Jones led off with a double, followed by hits by Kelly and Bill Nordenhold. A two base error advanced Nordenhold to third and allowed Sauer-Jones and Kelly to cross home plate.
Matt Berger cranked up a two-run homer. Washington closed out the scoring with a triple and scored on a passed ball.
In the bottom of the fifth, Liberty (2-7, 1-3 Division IV) got a run into the scorebook.
Ashton Richards led off by reaching on an error, and then stole second and third. He scored on a grounder by Corey Pazzalia.
At their turn at bat in the seventh, the Indians put a scare into SW (3-5, 3-2 Division IV) as they mounted a four-run comeback.
Dan Ratner got it started with a single. Jason Garritt walked and Pazzalia smacked a two-run triple. Joe Colacurcio sent Pazzalia home with a single. Derek Blume reached on an error. Conner Noetzel scored Colacurcio with a single. Blume closed out the rally crossing the plate on an error.
Colacurcio started out on the mound for the Indians, but was relieved after the first frame by Josh England.
SW sent two pitchers up to the mound: Everett Saul and Berger.
“We battled through to a nice lead, but we didn’t put them away,” SW Coach Kurt Scheibe, Jr. said. “They made us a little nervous, but we got it.”
Asked to take a peek at the 2003 season, Scheibe said the team is made up of a lot of young kids, including two starting sophomores.
In addition to the younger players, the Bulldogs are fielding a trio of returning seniors: Henry, Saul and Sauer-Jones.
“It’s an adjustment for some of ’em, but we’re starting to improve,” said Scheibe. “But we have a long way to go.”