By Rob Potter
MONGAUP VALLEY — May 31, 2005 – The White Sulphur Springs Fire Department softball team continued its winning ways last Thursday night.
WSSFD defeated the Smallwood-Mongaup Valley Fire Department team by a final score of 18-13 in a Sullivan County Firemen’s Softball League game at Edward M. Collins Memorial Park in Mongaup Valley.
Because WSSFD recorded undefeated seasons in 2003 and 2004 and has a record of 3-0 this season, the team has now won more than 30 consecutive games.
However, early on in the contest versus SMVFD, which has a record of 1-2 this season, the WSSFD team found itself in an unfamiliar position – trailing on the scoreboard. Faced with a 7-6 deficit, WSSFD responded with three runs in the top of the fourth and eight runs in the top of the fifth.
In the fourth, WSSFD put together a two-out rally. With runners on first and third, Matt DeWitt ripped a double to left center field to bring both of his teammates around to score. Joe Decker then smacked a double to center field, which allowed DeWitt to score.
SMVFD pitcher Chris Cavello then got a groundout to end the frame, but not before WSSFD had taken a 9-7 lead.
In the fifth, Tim Pellam had an RBI single to extend WSSFD’s advantage to 10-7. Moments later, Tim Fink and DeWitt each brought in a run with a sacrifice fly.
After DeWitt’s sac fly, Josh Schwartz smashed a two-run double to left field to give WSSFD a 14-7 lead. Schwartz scored when the next batter, Joe Decker, tripled to left field.
Mike Black then blasted a home run over the left field fence to give WSSFD a 10-run lead at 17-7.
SMVFD picked up a run in the bottom of the fifth when Glenn “Bubba” LaPolt hit an infield single.
In the bottom of the sixth, SMVFD mounted a comeback attempt. Des Gonzalez and Joe Bonnaci had RBI singles and George Roosevelt had a two-run single as SMVFD narrowed its deficit to 17-12.
After Cavello singled to put two runners on base, LaPolt singled, which allowed Roosevelt to cross home plate to make it a 17-13 contest.
However, WSSFD added an insurance run in the top of the seventh when Schwartz scored on an error.
In the bottom of the seventh, WSSFD pitcher Ryan Calkin retired the first two SMVFD batters before yielding a single to Josh Hinkley. But Calkin got the next batter to fly out to end the game and preserve WSSFD’s five-run victory – as well as its long winning streak.