Charlie's Angels turn back L&B Tack
A Division Finals
Story by Jon Dinan
MONGAUP VALLEY — Charlie’s Angels defeated L&B Tack 15-5 in the third and deciding game to claim the Sullivan County Women’s A Division title Wednesday evening at Collins Park.
“Congratulations to them. They outplayed us. It’s always a good game when these two teams match up,” L&B Coach, Doug Gosney of Monticello said. “I feel like either team would’ve represented the league well.”
L&B struck first when Barb Merton scored on an RBI double by Trisha Tuttle. That would be L&B’s only lead of the night.
In the bottom of the fourth Charlies Angels busted the game open with a seven-run outburst, courtesy of eight hits. Tonya Martin, who went four-for-four with five RBI’s in the game and Shannon Dietrich, who went three for four, led the Angels’s attack.
L&B attempted to answer in the top of the fifth as Autumn Ackerman and Holli Schoonmaker had back-to-back RBI singles, but it wasn’t enough given the way the Angels were swinging the bats.
“We feel explosive!” said Angel’s winning pitcher, Joanne Walls.
“We didn’t hit last night [in game two] but I had a feeling our bats would come alive tonight. Hats off to them though, they are a great team and they played a terrific series.”
Walls also noted that Wednesday was her late father’s birthday. He was the Charlie of Charlies Angels.
“It came down to hitting,” said Charlie’s Angels shortstop Shannon Dietrich of Monticello. “Both teams are going to play good defense. Thats a given.”
“Our team is very comfortable with each other, and we played as a team from start to finish so we have that to be proud of,” said L&B right fielder, Jamie Hopkins of Liberty.
“I’m relieved it’s over,” Dietrich said. “They’re a great team, and I’m sure they’ll win a championship of their own sooner or later. They’re too good not to.”
In the series’ first game on Monday night Charlie’s Angels put together a convincing 12-3 victory over L&B. Analey Dietrich and Leanne Mangabang both had three hits including a triple for each. Mangabang also had three RBIs along with Karyn Sheeley and Tonya Martin.
L&B won game two on Tuesday night in a nailbiter, handing Charlie’s Angels (22-1) its only loss of the season.
The difference came in the bottom of the fourth as L &B broke a 3-3 tie and went up 6-3 on three RBI singles from Lacy Dalrymple, Mary Smith, and Barb Merton.
“I love my team and we played our hearts out tonight.” L&B pitcher Barb Merton of Monticello said.
“We couldn’t hit tonight,” Walls said. “Last night we were hitting like crazy and our middle fielder Nicole Accomondo was making some defensive plays that would make your eyes pop out of your head.”
River Edge Rebels rise up against Nugget
B Division Finals
Story by Jon Dinan
MONGAUP VALLEY — Monticello’s River Edge Restaurant Rebels defeated Nugget Restaurant & Pub Tuesday evening at Collins Park to sweep the Sullivan County Women’s League B best-of-three championship series.
River Edge won Monday night’s game one in a 23-8 blowout. The contest was called after five innings due to the SCWSL’s 15-run mercy rule.
“Our hitting was great,” said Heather Bachmann, River Edge’s player-coach. “Jaimie lake banged out three hits, Ally Maltese a triple, and Melissa Bachmann a home run. Michelle Orrego also had some terrific plays in the field.”
Tuesday night’s game two followed a similar pattern but the score was not quite as one-sided as River Edge prevailed 20-13 in the title clincher.
Ally Maltese jump-started the Rebels knocking in the game’s first two with a double.
The Nugget swiftly came back from a 3-0 deficit as shortstop Courtney Finn launched a three-run inside- the-park home run. The Nugget added another rn in the first to take the lead 4-3.
River Edge emphatically answered with seven runs on seven hits in the top of the second. There would be no more lead changes. The Nugget threatened to mount a comeback in the fourth inning, scoring six runs to cut a 10-run deficit to four.
And they were poised to draw even closer as they had another runner in scoring position with two outs. But the rally was extinguished by an impressive assist by the Rebels centerfielder Heather Bachmann who gunned down Jamie VanderMeulen at home plate.
“We won the championship in our first year as a team under River Edge’s sponsorship,” said River Edge’s Jacque Labaugh of White Sulphur Springs. “It feels awesome.”
