By Rob Potter
LIVINGSTON MANOR — April 30, 2004 – High school baseball fans were treated to a pitcher’s duel Tuesday afternoon at Livingston Manor Central School.
For the majority of the game’s seven innings, Chapel Field pitcher Eric Lloyd and Manor hurler Kyle Lackey matched each other by putting zeros in the runs columns of the two team’s respective scorebooks.
But the Wildcats managed to scratch out three runs in the bottom of the first inning to post a 3-0 victory in the OCIAA Division VI game.
Josh Mendez led off the frame for Manor and promptly hit a double to deep left field. Two batters later, Mendez, who had already stolen third base, scored on a single by Derek Irwin.
Later in the inning, Manor’s Marvin Bonilla stepped into the batter’s box with the bases loaded. He hit a ground ball to shortstop, but was able to beat out the throw to first base as Chapel Field tried to turn a 6-4-3 double play. Irwin scored on the play to give the Wildcats a 2-0 lead.
Iqbal Saqib then hit a bloop single to center field that brought Lackey in with the third run of the game.
Lackey then took control on the mound. He allowed only three hits in the game while recording nine strikeouts and giving up four walks.
Lloyd registered five strikeouts and allowed only a handful of hits after the first inning.
“It was a nice pitching duel,” Chapel Field Coach Joe Canazon said. “They were just able to get a couple of runs in that first inning.”
Canazon added that Manor was “a solid team.”
“They’ll do well in the league,” he said, refering to the OCIAA Division VI, which consists of Chapel Field, Eldred, Manor and S. S. Seward.
Evan Irwin and Iqbal each went 2-for-3 in the game.
Manor Coach Rob Farrell, who is in his third season at the helm, was happy with the way his team played.
“We came out hitting in the first inning,” he said. “That’s what we wanted to do.”
Farrell was quick to credit Lloyd for his efforts on the mound.
He also was pleased that the Wildcats committed only one error in the game.
Looking ahead to the rest of the season, Farrell is looking for even more improvement from his players.
“I want us to hit a little better,” he said.
Notes: Because of the school’s extended spring break earlier this month, Tuesday’s game was only the fourth of the season for Manor. The win boosted the team’s record to 2-2 overall and 1-0 in OCIAA Division VI.
Chapel Field fell to 1-5 overall and 0-1 in Division VI action.