By Rob Potter
LIBERTY — June 29, 2010 — Aside from a brief 2-2 tie early on, the Center For Discovery Dodgers held the lead against Team Schiff throughout their Liberty Slo-Pitch Softball League “B” Division game on Thursday night at Liberty Elementary School.
As a result, Center For Discovery recorded a 14-5 victory.
Center For Discovery (6-4) grabbed a 2-0 advantage in the top of the first inning. With one out, Jesse Wall singled and Donny Santiago followed with a ground-rule double to left field. Wall and Santiago both scored when the next batter, Luis Pagan, singled to center field.
But Team Schiff (2-7) responded by tying the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the first. Pete Hefele stepped into the batter’s box with one out and the bases loaded. He promptly singled to center field, which allowed both Jeff Cohen and Ed Reichenbach to cross home plate.
The Dodgers took the lead for good in the top of the third. Wall and Pagan both scored when Chris Constant singled, which gave the team a 4-2 advantage.
Center For Discovery extended its lead to 13-2 by scoring nine runs in the top of the fourth. Deon Mendez ripped a double to left center field to bring Mike Hendrickson and Kevin Drown in to score. Moments later, Manny Miranda hit an RBI single and Santiago hit a two-run single to give Center For Discovery a 9-2 lead.
Center For Discovery scored its four other runs in the inning on a double by Pagan, a sacrifice fly by Constant and RBI singles by Hendrickson and Drown.
In the bottom of the fourth, William Geelan blasted a solo home run over the left center field fence to bring Team Schiff within 10 runs at 13-3.
Geelan belted a two-run homer over the left field fence in the bottom of the sixth to make it a 13-5 game.
Center For Discovery scored the final run of the contest in the top of the seventh. Constant, who reached base on a fielder’s choice, scored when Pagan doubled to left field.
In the bottom of the seventh, Center For Discovery pitcher Tom Drown retired the Team Schiff batters in order to end the game.