By Rob Potter
MONGAUP VALLEY — The Center For Discovery Diamonds and Charlie’s Angels posted victories in a Sullivan County Women’s Softball League (SCWSL) doubleheader on Monday night at Edward M. Collins Memorial Park in Mongaup Valley.
In the evening’s first game, Center For Discovery, a SCWSL “B” Division team, defeated New Hope, a SCWSL “A” Division team, 15-6. The contest was originally scheduled to be held on July 28, but was postponed due to rain.
In the nightcap, Charlie’s Angels topped Cooper Paint, 6-2, in an “A” Division tie-breaker game. Both teams finished the regular season with a 16-6 record to tie for third place in the “A” Division.
Center For Discovery wins
The Center For Discovery Diamonds had to overcome an early deficit to earn their win against New Hope.
In the top of the first inning, New Hope (5-17) took a 2-0 lead. Leadoff batter Becky Piechuta singled and scored on a single by Karen Andrews. Three batters later, Andrews crossed the plate when Lori Kimmes reached base on a fielder’s choice.
Center For Discovery (14-8) took a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the first. Stephanie Johnson scored the team’s first run on a single by Terri Lewis and April VanOrden scored the tying run when Joan Krieger hit into a fielder’s choice.
The Diamonds took a two-run lead as Lewis and Jackie LaBagh both scored when Candie Sheerer singled to left field.
New Hope answered with a run in the top of the second. Agnes Lane singled and scored on a base hit by Jasmine Thomas.
However, Center For Discovery pushed its lead to 9-3 in the bottom of the second. Lewis hit an RBI double, Johnson and LaBagh each had an RBI single and Kim Daum added a two-run single.
The Diamonds extended their advantage to 13-3 by scoring four times in the bottom of the fourth. LaBagh scored on an error and Sheerer scored on a sacrifice fly by Johnson. The next batter, VanOrden, belted a double to left center field to bring home both Daum and Laura Bakos.
New Hope scored three runs in the top of the fifth to make it a 13-6 game. Andrews started the frame with a single. After an out was recorded, she scored when Kristen Niemann reached base on an error. Kimmes then smashed a double to right center to allow Niemann to cross the plate. Kimmes scored when Tammy Sondermeyer reached base on an error.
Center For Discovery recorded its final two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Lewis hit a leadoff double and scored when LaBagh singled. LaBagh scored when Johnson walked with the bases loaded.
New Hope tried to reduce the Diamonds’ lead in the top of the sixth. With two outs and Andrews on first base, Alison Whipple and Niemann hit a fielder’s choice and an infield single, respectively, to load the bases.
But Center For Discovery pitcher Krieger induced a groundout to end the inning. Krieger then set the New Hope batters down in order in the top of the seventh.
Center For Discovery, which finished second in the “B” Division during the regular season, was scheduled to start a best-of-three-game “B” Division semifinal series against The Nugget, which finished third in the regular season standings, last night at Collins Park.
In the other best-of-three “B” Division semifinal series which began last night at Collins Park, Sonny’s Service Center, the “B” Division regular season champion, squared off against L&B II, which placed fourth in the division.
Charlie’s Angels claim
third place with victory
Charlie’s Angels finished in third place for the “A” Division regular season with a four-run win against Cooper Paint.
Charlie’s Angels took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Tonya Martin and Shannon Dietrich both hit RBI singles.
In the bottom of the third, Charlie’s Angels doubled its advantage to 4-0. Jo Walls hit a one-out single and scored moments later when Martin singled to left field. Dietrich then singled to center field to score Jessica Bradley.
Cooper Paint got on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth. Jennifer Wright led off with a single. After the first out was made, Lori Brown ripped a double to center field to put herself and Wright in scoring position.
The next batter, Tiffany Hauser, hit a sacrifice fly to score Wright. Amanda Cox then singled to center field to allow Brown to cross the plate and cut the Charlie’s Angels lead in half at 4-2.
Charlie’s Angels answered with a run in the bottom of the fourth. Terri Hess scored on Robyn Gannon’s single to make it a 5-2 game.
Charlie’s Angels registered the final run of the night in the bottom of the fifth. With the bases loaded, Analey Dietrich hit an infield single, which allowed Leanne Mangabang to score.
By winning the game and placing third, Charlie’s Angels (17-6) will play Klein and Sons Logging (19-3), which finished second in the “A” Division regular season, in a best-of-three-game semifinal series.
In the other “A” Division semifinal series, fourth-place Cooper Paint (16-6), will meet L&B Tack (20-2), which won the “A” Division title for the regular season.
Both of those semifinal series were scheduled to begin on Wednesday night at Collins Park.