By Rob Potter
MONTICELLO — The Sutphen East Corporation softball team recorded a 13-2 victory over Fallsburg Lumber in Game 1 of their YMCA Men’s Softball League semifinal series on Monday night at Kenneth H. Somerville Memorial Field in Monticello.
Both teams finished the league’s regular season with an 11-4 record. Because of victories in head-to-head competition, Sutphen East was the home team for the opening game of the series. In Game 2, which was to be played on Tuesday night at Somerville Field, Fallsburg Lumber was the home team.
Sutphen East grabbed an early lead on Monday evening and kept adding to it.
In the bottom of the first inning, Sutphen East scored two runs. Leadoff batter Cody Fredo reached base with a bunt and stole second base. He advanced to third base and home plate when Fallsburg Lumber committed two errors.
Jeff O’Neill, who reached base with a single, moved to second and third on a sacrifice bunt by John Bell and a sacrifice fly by Adam Lake, respectively. O’Neill then scored on an error.
Fallsburg Lumber cut its deficit in half in the top of the second. Dave Luczyski began the frame by ripping a double to center field. He came around to score when the next batter, Ron Fello, singled.
Sutphen East extended its advantage to 8-1 by scoring six runs in the bottom of the third. Bell had an RBI single and Lake hit a sacrifice fly to make it a 4-1 game.
Later in the frame, Joe Carricia hit an RBI double and Gary Miller and Chuck McAllister each had an RBI single.
Fallsburg Lumber answered with a run in the top of the fourth. The first batter of the inning, Darren Kenney, was hit by a pitch. He advanced to second base on a passed ball and scored when Luczyski doubled to right field.
Sutphen East scored its final five runs of the evening in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, O’Neill and Bell both singled. Lake then singled to left field to allow O’Neill to cross home plate.
After the second out of the frame was recorded, Carricia hit a bloop double to center field to score Bell. Lake and Carricia both scored when Miller reached base on an error.
Miller crossed the plate seconds later when Derek Kilcoin doubled to center field.
Sutphen East pitcher Chris Marsden allowed a leadoff single to Johnny Hoefling in the top of the fifth. But Marsden retired the next three batters in order.
The game ended at that point due to the league’s 10-run after five innings mercy rule.
Note: Sutphen East swept the series with a 9-7 win in Game 2 on Tuesday night. With the victory, Sutphen East advanced to face Fitness Factory, which finished first during the league’s regular season and received a bye in the semifinal round, in the best-of-three game championship series.
Game 1 of the title series is slated for 6 p.m. on Monday. Game 2 is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Tuesday. If necessary, Game 3 would be played immediately following the second game. All games will be played at Somerville Field.