By Rob Potter
MONGAUP VALLEY — July 20, 2007 — The Sullivan County Women’s Softball League (SCWSL) held its annual all-star game last Friday evening at Edward M. Collins Memorial Park.
Each of the league’s 13 teams picked two all-star players and two alternates for the game.
Those all-stars were then selected for Team “A” or Team “B.”
The Team A roster included: Coach Jo Walls (Charlie’s Angels), Mary Adriaans (International Contractors Corp.), Lori Brown (Cooper Paints), Eve Cruz (Lindsey’s Cuisine), Brianne DeMeis (New Hope), Marie Frunzi (Sonny’s Service Center), Liz Giumarra (L&B Tack), Leanne Mangabang (Charlie’s Angels), Katrina Meyer (Mr. Willy’s), Elaine Moriggia (International Contractors Corp.), Karen Perrello (The Nugget), Charish Priest (Cooper Paints), Anna Puleo (Klein & Sons Logging), Erin Shuart (Cooper Paints), Joscelyn Travers (Animal Hospital of Sullivan County) and Justine Whitcomb (Dutch’s/T&C Tanning).
The Team B roster included: Coach Val Fersch (Cooper Paints), Coach Pat Shuart (Cooper Paints), Connie Beach (International Contractors Corp.), Shannon Dietrich (Charlie’s Angels), Jen Eisenbach (Animal Hospital of Sullivan County), Robyn Gannon (Charlie’s Angels), Kendra Harris (The Nugget), Terri Hess (Charlie’s Angels), Kathy Jo Hoyt (Dutch’s/T&C Tanning), Kim Jay (Mr. Willy’s), Tini Kaiser (Dutch’s/T&C Tanning), Ally McCarthy (Cooper Paints), Barb Merton (L&B Tack), Roe Steuber (The Nugget), Tammy Sondermeyer (New Hope), Liz Stubits (L&B Tack), Theresa Nietzel (Dutch’s/T&C Tanning) and Shannon Weigand (Sonny’s Service Center).
The teams agreed to play nine innings instead of the usual seven so that everyone could have a chance to play in the contest. And those nine innings featured plenty of hits, a few great defensive plays and a couple of home runs.
In the end, Team B edged Team A, 13-12.
Team A took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning as Leanne Mangabang hit an RBI double and Erin Shuart added a two-run single.
Terri Hess scored Team B’s first run in the bottom of the first when Ally McCarthy doubled to right field.
Team A extended its advantage to 5-1 before Team B tied the score and took the lead in the bottom of the third. Consecutive RBI singles by McCarthy and Theresa Nietzel brought Team B to with two runs at 5-3.
McCarthy and Nietzel both scored when Kim Jay singled to left field. Jay crossed home plate with the go-ahead run when Kendra Harris singled.
The lead didn’t last long, however. With two outs in the top of the fourth, Lori Brown blasted an inside-the-park grand slam to left field to give Team A a 9-6 advantage.
Team A added two runs in the top of fifth. Eve Cruz scored when Anna Puleo hit into a fielder’s choice and Brianne DeMeis crossed the plate on a single by Karen Perrello.
Team B narrowed its deficit to 11-8 in the bottom of the fifth as a two-out single by Nietzel brought Barb Merton and Hess in to score.
In the top of the sixth, Erin Shuart doubled down the left field line and Brown scored on the hit to give Team A a 12-8 lead.
Team B responded with two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Harris scored on a single by Liz Stubits and Robyn Gannon scored on a sacrifice fly by Tammy Sondermeyer.
The score remained 12-10 in favor of Team A until the bottom of the seventh. McCarthy reached base on a fielder’s choice and Nietzel followed with a double to right field.
The next batter, Jay, drilled the ball into deep left field and quickly rounded the bases as the Team A outfielders chased after the ball.
McCarthy and Nietzel crossed home plate to tie the contest at 12-12. A few seconds later, Jay scored to give Team B a 13-12 lead.
Jay’s inside-the-park home run proved to be the game-winning hit.
Team A had the bases loaded with one out in the top of the eighth. But Team B pitcher Merton induced two infield groundouts which allowed Team B to get out of the frame with its one-run lead intact.
In the top of the ninth, Team A’s Meyer hit a two-out single to keep the game going. But Merton got the next batter to fly out and end the game.
Following the game, the SCWSL held a raffle for several prizes, including a new barbeque grill, $100 cash and gift certificates and prizes from several of the Sullivan County business which sponsor many of the league’s teams.
Nietzel, who is the SCWSL President, noted that the event was very successful.
“It was a fun night and everybody seemed to have a good time,” she said.