By Rob Potter
MONGAUP VALLEY — July 13, 2010 — The L&B Tack and International Contractors Corporation (ICC) softball teams registered wins on Thursday night in a Sullivan County Women’s Softball League (SCWSL) doubleheader at Edward M. Collins Memorial Park in Mongaup Valley.
In the evening’s opener, L&B Tack defeated Sonny’s Service Center, 23-6, in an “A” Division game. In the second game, ICC topped Robin Hood Diner, 6-4, in a “B” Division contest.
Early lead helps L&B Tack
L&B Tack jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the top of the first inning and didn’t look back on its way to a 23-6 victory. The game ended after five innings due to the SCWSL’s 15-run mercy rule.
L&B Tack (7-3) scored its first six runs on RBI singles by Liz Stubits, Barb Merton, Denice Smith, Holli Schoonmaker, Chrissy Powers and Karen Smith. Jamie Hopkins hit a three-run triple and scored on a triple by Stubits to give L&B Tack a 10-0 advantage.
Sonny’s Service Center (5-7) got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first. Leadoff batter Shannon Weigand singled to center field and scored on a base hit by Chris Martinek.
L&B Tack regained its 10-run lead in the top of the second when Francine Kaiser scored on a double by Schoonmaker.
Sonny’s Service Center scored a run in the bottom of the second. Deb Noecker began the frame with a single and scored on a single by Kathy Jo Hoyt.
In the top of the third, Stubits had a two-run single and Trish Tuttle and Schoonmaker each added an RBI single as L&B Tack pushed its advantage to 15-2.
An RBI single by Martinek and a sacrifice fly by Noecker in the bottom of the third allowed Sonny’s Service Center to cut the L&B Tack advantage to 15-4.
But L&B Tack responded with six runs in the top of the fourth to extend its lead to 21-4. Karen Smith and Hopkins both hit RBI singles, Tuttle belted a two-run double to center field, Kaiser had an RBI triple and Denice Smith hit an RBI double.
L&B Tack scored its final runs of the game in the top of the fifth. Powers scored when Karen Smith hit into a fielder’s choice and Lori Froehlich crossed home plate when Stubits singled.
Sonny’s Service Center scored its last two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Martinek scored on a double by Janet Colangelo. Moments later, Theresa Murdock hit a sacrifice fly to bring Colangelo in to score.
ICC edges Robin Hood Diner
ICC took a four-run lead in the bottom of the second inning and went on to record a 6-4 victory over Robin Hood Diner.
After a scoreless first inning, Robin Hood Diner grabbed a 1-0 advantage in the top of the second. Renay Crespo led off with an infield hit and the next batter, Jen Patrowicz, also had an infield hit. Kelly Taggart then reached base on a fielder’s choice to load the bases with no outs.
Ashley Banks hit a groundball to ICC third baseman Elaine Moriggia, who tagged out Patrowicz as she ran from second base to third base. But Crespo scored on the play.
In the bottom of the second, ICC tied the score and then took the lead for good. Becca Ramirez and Karla McAdams hit singles to put runners at the corners with no outs. Ramirez scored the game-tying run on April Bracken’s infield hit.
Later in the inning, Anna Puleo singled to center field to score both McAdams and Bracken and give ICC a 3-1 advantage.
After Jen Margolas walked to load the bases again, Lynda Bracken singled to left field, which allowed Jodi Kane and Puleo to cross home plate and extend ICC’s lead to 5-1.
The score remained 5-1 until the bottom of the sixth when Amber Rogers scored as Lynda Bracken hit into a fielder’s choice.
Down by five runs, Robin Hood Diner attempted a comeback in the top of the seventh. With the bases loaded and no outs, Liz Giumarra reached base on an error and Sandy Deckelman scored on the play.
After two outs were recorded, Nicole Keesler and Kelly Doherty both scored on an infield hit by Patrowicz to cut the ICC lead to two runs at 6-4.
But ICC sealed its victory when Beach got the next batter to hit a ground ball to shortstop, which Ramirez fielded and threw to third baseman Moriggia for the final out of the game.