By Ted Waddell
LOCH SHELDRAKE — Now that’s a lot of baseball.
Sunday afternoon’s scheduled Collegiate Baseball League (CBL) doubleheader between the host Sullivan Spartans and the Marlboro Cobras at the Sullivan County Community College baseball field started with the teams wrapping up a game from June 26. That contest was tied 14-14 after seven frames, but had to be postponed due to darkness.
Five innings later, the Spartans sent the winning run across the plate in the top of the 12th.
With one out, Byron Haynes was hit by a pitch and then stole second base. Pete Eichner walked and then Dave Luczyski doubled home Haynes for the go-ahead run.
In the bottom of the 12th, Marlboro loaded the bases with no outs. Spartans infielder Matt Burns fielded a ground ball and threw the ball to home plate for the first out of the inning. Spartan pitcher Everett Saul then got a strikeout and groundout with the bases loaded to complete the 15-14 win.
Saul picked up where he left off, pitching the first five innings of the first game of the planned doubleheader.
Matt Berger pitched the sixth inning and Steve Ace closed out the game for the Spartans in their 3-1 victory. Ace walked the first Cobra hitter, but sent the next three batters back to the bench with his fastball.
“I wasn’t planning on Steve coming into the game, but as soon as we had the lead I couldn’t take a chance on not getting the win,” Sullivan Spartans Coach Jed Carrier said. “He walked the first guy, but was able to run his fastball past the other guys.
“He came in and went right at ‘em and they didn’t have time to adjust.”
The Spartans scored once in the third inning. B.J. Masopost reached on a wild pitch and advanced to second base on an error by the Marlboro pitcher. He was knocked in by Mickey Collins.
The Spartans scored twice in the sixth. Dave Luczyski doubled. Burns grounded out to advance Luczyski to the hot corner. Masopust singled to score Luczyski, and Masopust advanced to second on a wild throw to home plate.
After Haynes walked, Masopust crossed the plate on a wild pitch.
The Cobras scored their only run of the game on a wild pitch with two outs in the top of the seventh.
The Spartans won the second game of the doubleheader, 9-2, as Ace cranked up his speed ball.
“He got a ton of fly balls out to the infield off the end of the bat… he kept them off balance,” Carrier said.
The Spartans scored once in the second. Derek Blume led off with a single and reached second base on a passed ball. Burns stroked an RBI single.
In the third inning, the home team sent a trio of players across the plate. Haynes walked. Collins singled to load the bases. But while Collins was at bat, Masopust scored on a wild pitch. Pete Eichner then ripped a two-RBI single.
The Spartans added two more runs in the fourth. Berger walked and Carrier sent in Lenny Sepluveda as a pinch runner.
After Luczyski walked, Sepluveda scored on a throwing error at first base and Haynes doubled to score Luczyski.
In the sixth, the home team scored three runs. Luczyski reached on an error by the Marlboro third baseman. Masopust singled and Haynes poked a two-run double. Eichner had an RBI single.
The Cobras scored once in the fifth inning and once in the seventh.
“It’s been a struggle for my team,” Marlboro Coach Tony Morales said. “It’s hard when only 10 out of 25 guys show up and you have a tripleheader.”
Notes: The Spartans’ next game is at 7:30 p.m. tonight at Wappingers Falls.
Tomorrow night, the Spartans travel to Marlboro to face the Cobras for a 6 p.m. game.
The Spartans return to SCCC field on Thursday evening for their final home game of the regular season. At 6 p.m. the Spartans will meet the Dutchess Dutchmen in a CBL contest.
The Spartans are scheduled to wrap up the regular season on Saturday with a 1 p.m. doubleheader against the Dutchess Tigers at Fishkill.