By Rob Potter
SWAN LAKE — June 20, 2006 – The L&B softball team grabbed an early lead on Tuesday night and did not look back.
L&B scored three runs in the top of the first inning in its Sullivan County Women’s Softball League (SCWSL) game versus the Center For Discovery (CFD) team at the Swan Lake Firefighters’ Max Eronimous Field.
With the victory, L&B evened its season record at 2-2. The loss was the first of 2006 for CFD, which now has a 3-1 record.
L&B scored three runs in the first inning and 11 runs in the second to take a commanding 14-0 advantage. Over the next three frames, L&B added four runs to record an 18-0 victory.
The game ended after five innings due to the SCWSL’s 15-run mercy rule.
With one out in the opening frame, L&B batters Liz Stubits, Lyndsay Loos and Mary Hall hit consecutive singles to load the bases. The next batter, Mary Smith, ripped a single to left field, which brought both Stubits and Loos in to score.
Julie Potosek then smashed a single to left that allowed Smith to cross home plate and give L&B a 3-0 lead.
Jamie Hopkins began L&B’s 11-run second-inning scoring binge with a bloop single to left field. After Lacy Dalrymple reached base on a single, Bethany Hamilton smacked a base hit to center field that allowed Hopkins to score.
Three batters later, Loos blasted a bases-loaded double to left center field. Two runners scored on the play, giving L&B a 7-0 lead.
Hall, Potosek, Laura White, Hopkins and Hamilton all had key hits later in the frame. Potosek ripped a double down the left field line to score both Loos and Hall, while Hall, White, Hopkins and Hamilton all had RBI singles.
Loos and Potosek each added an RBI single in the top of the third inning to give L&B a 17-0 advantage.
The final run of the evening was recorded in the top of the fifth when Potosek, who had doubled moments earlier, crossed the plate thanks to an infield single by Karen Smith.
CFD, which improved its defensive performance as the game progressed, had several chances to score at least one run. Judy Konefal and Bonnie Blackwell began the bottom of the second with back-to-back singles. But L&B pitcher Laura White, who picked up the victory, recorded a fly out, strikeout and another fly out to keep CFD scoreless.
In the bottom of the third, Vanessa Konefal led off with an infield hit and April VanOrden followed with a single to center field. But the next two batters to hit easy fly balls which were caught by L&B fielders. Terry Lewis then hit into a fielder’s choice grounder, which the L&B middle infielders turned into an out at second base to end the frame.
Judy Konefal began the bottom of the fourth by ripping a single to center field. But when Blackwell hit a sharp ground ball to shortstop moments later, L&B turned a double play to clear the bases.
Ashley Bowers kept the inning alive by blasting a double to right field. But the next batter grounded out to end the inning.
CFD is looking to get back on the winning track this week. CFD was slated to meet International Contractors’ Corp. (ICC) last night in a SCWSL “B” Division game and is scheduled to meet “A” Division squad Charlie’s Angels tomorrow night.
L&B, which defeated The Nugget on last Thursday night in a SCWSL “A” Division game, 25-16, is scheduled to play Behan’s, a “B” Division team, tonight in White Sulphur Springs. On Thursday evening, L&B will meet another “B” Division team, L&B TOO. (Both squads are sponsored by L&B Tack of Monticello, but L&B TOO is in its inaugural SCWSL season and therefore is a member of the league’s “B” Division.)