By Rob Potter
MONGAUP VALLEY — The 2009 Sullivan County Women’s Softball League (SCWSL) season did not begin very well for Charlie’s Angels as the team lost its first three games.
But the team rebounded to finish third in the SCWSL “A” Division regular season standings and qualified for the playoffs.
On Wednesday night at Edward M. Collins Memorial Park in Mongaup Valley, Charlie’s Angels posted a 10-5 victory over L&B Tack in Game 2 of the “A” Division best-of-three-game finals series. The win, coupled with a 17-5 triumph in Tuesday night’s Game 1, allowed Charlie’s Angels to claim the “A” Division playoff championship for the second consecutive year.
Charlie’s Angels (20-7) had to overcome an early deficit in Game 2, however. In the top of the first inning, L&B Tack took a 2-0 lead on RBI singles by sisters Tricia Tuttle and Francine Kaiser.
But in the bottom of the first, Charlie’s Angels rallied to go ahead, 3-2. Sisters Shannon Dietrich and Analey Dietrich hit an RBI single and two-run double, respectively, to give their team a one-run lead.
After a scoreless second inning, Charlie’s Angels added a run in the bottom of the third. With two outs and two runners on base, Shannon Dietrich singled to center field to score Jessica Bradley.
Charlie’s Angels made it a 5-2 game in the bottom of the fourth. Lindsay Liquori crossed home plate on a base hit by Sue Zieres.
In the top of the sixth, L&B Tack (22-4), which won the “A” Division regular season championship and reached the finals with a two-game sweep of Cooper Paint in the semifinals, closed to within two runs at 5-3. Kaiser, who reached base on a single, scored when Karen Smith hit into a fielder’s choice.
However, Charlie’s Angels added some insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth. Lisa Krom and Zieres had RBI singles and Bradley ripped an RBI double to left field to give the team an 8-3 advantage. Leanne Mangabang then singled to right field, which allowed Zieres and Bradley to cross home plate.
Down 10-3 in its last at-bat, L&B Tack tried to rally and at least tie the score in the top of the seventh. Jessica Simpson scored when Barb Merton reached base on a fielder’s choice. Merton then scored as Jamie Hopkins safely reached first base on an error.
Kaiser then singled to keep the inning going.
But Krom, the Charlie’s Angels pitcher, got the next batter to hit a groundball back to the circle. Krom fielded the ball and threw it to first baseman Robyn Gannon to end the game.
“We really struggled early in the season, we were 0 and 3,” said Charlie’s Angels Player/Coach Jo Walls. “I guess maybe some teams wrote us off. But we started to win some games and hung tight.
“It was a pleasure to play against L&B Tack,” Walls added. “They are a great team. They won the regular season [“A” Division] championship.”
Walls also praised her teammates.
“Our bats were hot tonight,” she said. “We played great defense and played together as a team. You put that all together and it spells ‘champs.’”
Walls noted that winning the championship was a great way to celebrate the birthday of her late father, Charlie Walls, for whom Charlie’s Angels is named. Jo Walls said that the SCWSL playoffs always happen around Charlie Walls’ birthday, which is tomorrow, Aug. 15.
Angels win opening game
In Tuesday’s Game 1, Charlie’s Angels recorded the majority of its runs in the later innings.
After three innings, Charlie’s Angels held a 5-4 edge over L&B Tack. But Charlie’s Angels scored four runs in the top of the fifth and eight runs in the top of the sixth to take a 17-4 advantage.
Jo Walls, who was the winning pitcher, and Terri Ward each hit a two-run triple to key the Charlie’s Angels offense.
Charlie’s Angels defeats
Klein & Sons Logging
Charlie’s Angels reached the “A” Division finals by defeating Klein & Sons Logging, Inc. two games to one in an “A” Division semifinal series.
After falling to Klein & Sons by the score of 13-6 in Game 1 of the series on Aug. 5, Charlie’s Angels won the next two games.
On Thursday, Aug. 6, Charlie’s Angels defeated Klein & Sons, 9-3, in Game 2 at the Beaverkill Valley Fire Department Softball Field in Lew Beach to even the series.
Leading Charlie’s Angels to the win were Mangabang and Tonya Martin, each of whom had two RBIs.
The winning pitcher was Jo Walls.
Monday night’s Game 3 was played at Collins Park. With the score tied at 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth inning, the game was halted due to lightning. Moments later, the skies opened up and heavy rain drenched the field, which forced the game to be postponed.
When the game resumed on Tuesday night, Charlie’s Angels scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth and seven runs in the bottom of the sixth en route to a 10-2 win.