By Ashlea Prouty
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS — August 24, 2010 — Charlie’s Angels claimed the Sullivan County Women’s Softball League “A” Division championship with a 13-11 victory over Cooper Paint in Game 3 of the best-of-three finals series on Thursday night at Gary A. Bradley Field at the White Sulphur Springs Firemen’s Park.
The deciding game was needed after Charlie’s Angels won Game 1 last Tuesday night, 13-10, at Edward M. Collins Memorial Park in Mongaup Valley and Cooper Paint evened the series with a 9-7 triumph in Game 2 on Wednesday night at Bradley Field.
After their loss on Wednesday night, the Charlie’s Angels players seemed determined to play well on Thursday night.
Jo Walls was in the pitcher’s circle for Charlie’s Angels and held Cooper Paint scoreless in the top of the first inning.
In the bottom of the first, Karyn Sheeley hit a leadoff single and Jessica Bradley and Tonya Martin both recorded singles to load the bases. Shannon Dietrich then hit a grand slam, inside-the-park home run to give Charlie’s Angels a 4-0 advantage going into the second inning.
But Cooper Paint answered in the top of the second by quickly loading the bases. Erin Shuart, who had reached base with a single, scored when Ally McCarthy singled to make it a 4-1 game.
However, Charlie’s Angels added to their lead in the bottom of the second. Robyn Gannon, Sheeley, Bradley, Leanne Mangabang and Shannon Dietrich all recorded singles in the frame. Gannon and Bradley went on to score, which extended Charlie’s Angels’ lead to 6-1.
A double play quickly ended the top of the third inning and gave Charlie’s Angels the opportunity to increase their lead. In the bottom of the third, Charlie’s Angels pushed their lead to 9-1. Walls and Emily Zier both crossed home plate. In addition, Sheeley, who tripled to deep left field, scored on a single by Bradley.
Cooper Paint made it a 9-3 game in the top of the fourth. McCarthy hit a double which allowed Shuart and Julie Benzenberg to score.
But a double play by Charlie’s Angels quickly ended the inning.
In the bottom of the fourth, Charlie’s Angels added a run as Analey Dietrich doubled and then scored on a single by Walls.
The Cooper Paint offense exploded in the top of the fifth. Jen Wright, Amanda Cox, Jackie Litwak, Diana Sherman, Shuart and Benzenberg all crossed home plate to narrow the Charlie’s Angels’ lead to 10-9.
Walls walked Kate Mahan to start the top of the sixth inning and then walked Wright. A single by Lori Brown allowed Mahan to score and tie the game at 10-10. Cox followed with a triple, which brought Wright in to score and give Cooper Paint the lead for the first time in the game at 11-10.
Shannon Dietrich began the bottom of the sixth inning with a home run to tie the game at 11-11. Analey Dietrich and Deb Ackerley followed with singles. They both scored on a triple by Lindsay Liquori as Charlie’s Angels regained the lead, 13-11.
Wall pitched a 1-2-3 top of the seventh to clinch the “A” Division playoff championship for Charlie’s Angels, which also won the “A” Division regular season title.
“It was a tremendous game,” Walls, who is the Charlie’s Angels Player/Coach, said amid the postgame celebration. “They [Cooper Paint] really came back and gave us a run for the money.
“This team that I have can always come from behind [to win],” Walls added. “Tonight, they did!”