By Rob Potter
MONTICELLO — The New Hope team improved its season record to 6-0 on Tuesday night by defeating Burnwell Oil, 18-8, in a Village of Monticello Men’s Softball League game at Kenneth H. Somerville Field.
After Burnwell Oil took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on an RBI single by Mike McArdle, New Hope answered with four runs in the bottom of the first.
Leadoff batter Mike Kushetsky reached base with an infield hit and Gil Suarez followed with a home run to put New Hope ahead 2-1. Moments later, Scott Hamlin belted a two-run homer to increase the New Hope lead to 4-1.
Burnwell Oil (3-5) tied the score at 4-4 with three runs in the top of the second. Jeffery Snowden hit a one-out triple and scored on a triple by Ray Ciprian. Ciprian then crossed home plate on a passed ball to make it a one-run game. Billy Albronda scored the tying run when Jimmy Crawley singled to center field.
New Hope took a 7-4 lead in the bottom of the second as Kushetsky hit a two-run home run and Darrin Raynor hit a solo homer.
In the bottom of the fourth, New Hope added to its advantage. Raynor blasted a three-run homer and Hamlin had a solo home run to make it an 11-4 game.
Burnwell Oil answered with a run in the top of the fifth. Greg Merola, who reached base on a double, scored on a sacrifice fly by McArdle.
Sacrifice flies by Mike Greco and Kushetsky in the bottom of the fifth pushed New Hope’s lead to 13-5.
Burnwell Oil scored three times in the top of the sixth to cut its deficit to 13-8. Snowden hit an RBI double and scored on a sacrifice fly by Ciprian, while Crawley added an RBI single.
In the bottom of the sixth, New Hope took a 16-8 advantage thanks to RBI doubles by Lou Velasco and Adam Birkett and an RBI single by D.J. Pugh.
After Pugh singled, Kushetsky hit a home run to right- center field. The game ended at that point due to the league’s 10-run lead after five innings rule.