By Rob Potter
MONGAUP VALLEY — Both the L&B Tack and Mr. Willy’s softball teams recorded a win on Monday night during a Sullivan County Women’s Softball League (SCWSL) doubleheader at Edward M. Collins Memorial Park.
In the evening’s opening game at the Mongaup Valley park, L&B Tack, a SCWSL “A” Division team, outslugged Sonny’s Service Center, a SCWSL “B” Division team, 23-20, in eight innings.
In the second game, Mr. Willy’s, a SCWSL “A” Division team, topped The Nugget, a SCWSL “B” Division team, 18-9.
Game 1 goes into the eighth
L&B Tack needed an extra inning to defeat Sonny’s Service Center.
After batting in the top of the seventh inning, L&B Tack (9-2) held a seemingly safe 19-12 lead. But the determined Sonny’s Service Center team scored seven times in the bottom of the seventh inning to force an extra frame.
An RBI single by Carly Sklar and an RBI double by Candie Lake allowed Sonny’s Service Center (8-3) to close to within five runs at 19-14.
Sklar then scored on an error to make it a four-run game.
Two batters later, Shannon Weigand hit a two-run single to cut the L&B Tack lead to 19-17. Weigand then scored when Debbie Noecker reached base on a fielder’s choice.
Renee Edwards scored the tying run when Stephanie Babich grounded out.
Maureen Johnson reached base by beating out a ground ball to second base to keep the inning going for Sonny’s Service Center.
But L&B Tack pitcher Lisa Hummel got the next batter to fly out to end the frame and keep the score even at 19-19.
L&B Tack scored four runs in the top of the eighth to take a 23-19 advantage.
Tricia Tuttle scored the go-ahead run on an error. Moments later, Robin DeMarmels crossed the plate when Karen Smith singled.
Lacy Dalrymple added an RBI single and Denice Smith earned an RBI when she drew a walk with the bases loaded.
Sonny’s Service Center tried to rally in the bottom of the eighth.
With one out, Janet Calangelo singled and Sklar doubled to put themselves in scoring position at third base and second base, respectively. Sklar was able to cross home plate when the next batter, Lake, beat out an infield grounder.
But the L&B Tack infielders turned a double play to end the game in dramatic fashion.
Sonny’s Service Center took an early lead by scoring four runs in the bottom of the third inning to break a 1-1 tie. The key hit in the frame was a two-run single by Johnson.
L&B Tack evened the score at 5-5 in the top of the fourth. The team scored its four runs on a two-run double by Hummel, an error and a fielder’s choice.
Mr Willy’s scores early on its way to a win
In Game 2 of the Monday night twinbill, Mr. Willy’s grabbed a 6-0 lead in the top of the first inning and added to that advantage as the game progressed.
Key hits in the team’s first-inning offensive outburst included Kim Jay’s RBI double, Megan Ellison’s two-run triple and Ashley Mann’s RBI single.
Danielle Lichwick had an RBI single in the bottom of the first to help The Nugget cut the Mr. Willy’s lead to 6-2.
After each team tacked on a run in the second inning, Mr. Willy’s scored four times in the top of the third to stretch its advantage to 11-3. Two of those runs were scored due to errors and the other two runs were recorded on a sacrifice fly by Mann and a single by Jay.
Mr. Willy’s made it a 12-5 game in the top of the fourth when Diane Meyer scored on Megan Reichmann’s double to left-center field.
The Nugget answered with a run in the bottom of the fourth. Teresa Colvin led off the frame with a bloop double to center field and scored when Ashley Soules singled to left field.
Mr. Willy’s took a 15-6 lead in the top of the fifth. Ellison ripped a single to center field to bring both Jen Margolis and Kendra Harris in to score. Ellison then crossed home plate on a base hit by Cindy LaRuffa.
After holding The Nugget scoreless in the bottom of the fifth, Mr. Willy’s added three more runs in the top of the sixth.
Reichmann began the inning by belting a double to left field. She scored when the next batter, Heather Sherwood, singled. Harris and Jay both hit RBI singles later in the frame to give Mr. Willy’s an 18-6 advantage.
The Nugget scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth and one run in the bottom of the seventh.
The run in the seventh was scored by Lacey Kehlenbeck. With no outs and Soules on second base, Kehlenbeck smacked the softball into left center field between the Mr. Willy’s outfielders.
As the outfielders chased after the ball as it rolled toward the fence, Kehlenbeck and Soules sprinted around the bases to score. They were met by their happy teammates just outside the dugout to celebrate the two-run, inside-the-park home run.
But the celebration was tempered when the umpire called Soules out for missing third base.