By Rob Potter
MONGAUP VALLEY — Tuesday night was a good night on the diamond for the L&B Tack softball team.
On that evening, L&B Tack won two Sullivan County Women’s Softball League playoff games at Edward M. Collins Memorial Park in Mongaup Valley.
First, L&B Tack defeated Klein & Sons Logging, 12-9, in Game 2 of their best-of-three “A” Division semifinal series.
L&B Tack then topped Charlie’s Angels, 12-10, in Game 1 of the “A” Division best-of-three finals series.
An extra-inning win for L&B Tack
L&B Tack needed nine innings to defeat Klein & Sons Logging. The game began on Wednesday night, Aug. 10 at Collins Park. After the regulation seven innings of play, the score was tied at 9-9.
The score was still even in the ninth inning when heavy rain forced the umpires to suspend the game.
On Tuesday night, the game resumed with L&B Tack batting in the top of the ninth inning. Barb Merton hit a two-run double to give L&B Tack an 11-9 lead. Merton then scored thanks to a triple by Danielle Dailey.
Klein & Sons Logging tried to rally in the bottom of the ninth. Katerina Gaebel was the first batter of the frame and she reached base on an infield hit.
But L&B Tack quickly recorded three outs on a fielder’s choice and two fly balls to seal its three-run win.
The win propelled L&B Tack into the “A” Division finals to face Charlie’s Angels. Klein & Sons Logging, which finished in third place in the “A” Division regular season and the playoffs, ended its season with a 17-7 record.
L&B Tack wins finals series opener
L&B Tack took a big lead in the first inning and then held off a comeback attempt by Charlie’s Angels in the seventh inning to win the opener of the finals series.
In the top of the first, L&B Tack grabbed a 6-0 advantage. Merton scored the team’s first run on a double by Dailey. Francine Kaiser then reached base on an error, which allowed Dailey to cross home plate.
Kaiser scored to give L&B Tack a 3-0 lead as Liz Stubits reached base on an error.
Later in the frame, Holli Schoonmaker had an RBI single and Karen Smith hit a two-run single.
Charlie’s Angels wasted little time in reducing its deficit, however, scoring five runs in the bottom of the first.
Karyn Sheeley and Jessica Bradley both scored on a single by Tonya Martin to get Charlie’s Angels on the scoreboard. Martin and Shannon Dietrich were on base when Heidi Blade stepped into the batter’s box. Blade got her bat on the ball, sending it to deep left field for a three-run, inside-the-park home run.
For the next four innings, both teams played great defense and the score remained 6-5 in favor of L&B Tack.
In the top of the sixth, L&B Tack extended its advantage to 10-5. Kim Bradley scored on an error and Stubits scored on a sacrifice fly by Smith to give L&B Tack a three-run lead at 8-5.
Tricia Tuttle then hit a two-run single.
Charlie’s Angles answered with two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Laura Monell doubled to left field, which allowed both Analey Dietrich and Christine Costa-Decker to cross home plate and cut the L&B Tack lead to 10-7.
L&B Tack pushed its advantage back to five runs at 12-7 in the top of the seventh when Merton hit a two-run, inside-the-park home run.
Charlie’s Angels attempted to rally for the victory in the bottom of the seventh. Sheeley scored on a sacrifice fly by Leanne Mangabang. Martin then hit an RBI double. The next batter, Shannon Dietrich, singled to center field, which enabled Martin to score and cut the L&B Tack lead to 12-10.
But L&B Tack pitcher Merton then got the final out of the game with a groundball.
Charlie’s Angels and L&B Tack were scheduled to play Game 2 of the finals series last night at Collins Park. If L&B Tack won, the team captured the “A” Division playoff championship. But if Charlie’s Angels prevailed, the two teams will need to play the third and deciding game of the series at a date and location to be determined.