Union Dale Ballclub Posts 17-1 Win Over Cordaro's
By Kevin Edwards, Sports Editor, email: kevsports7@hotmail.com
The Wayne Independent: www.wayneindependent.com
UNION DALE - It wasn't all that long ago that Chet's Place in Union Dale sponsored one of the best men's teams in area modified softball action. Led by veterans like Mark Silfee and Brad Strickland, the ballclub was a perennial contender for the Wayne County Men's League championship.
Photo by Kevin Edwards
ON THE HILL: Brad Strickland of Chet's Place had his knuckleball dancing madly Tuesday evening in Union Dale.
The veteran hurler led homestanding Chet's to an impressive 17-1 victory over Cordaro's.
At one point in the game, Strickland struck out three consecutive batters with the devastating knuckler. He finished with five whiffs.
However, over the course of the past decade or so, Chet's fell on hard times...even having to drop out of the circuit for several years. Now, Chet's is back and, invigorated by an infusion of young blood, is once again making noise in the Wayne County Men's League.
On Tuesday evening, TWI Sports made the trek north to Union Dale for Chet's regular season home finale, a clash with the loop's newest entry, Cordaro's of Honesdale.
With Elk Mountain looming in the background, an enthusiastic crowd gathered in the wooden bleachers to watch Chet's recall its glory days. By the time the final run crossed the plate, Chet's had posted a 17-1 victory over Cordaro's.
The win was the fifth against six losses for Chet's. It was also a third straight at home for the club, which closes out its season on the road. Chet's plays its final regular season game of the season Thursday at Kestler's.
Cordaro's has yet to break into the win column thus far in the 2004 campaign. The squad currently sports a record of 0-10. Cordaro's finishes up the year with a home game against Jake's Elk Lake Tavern.
Bats & Gloves
Brad Strickland took the hill Tuesday as Chet's starter. He was opposed by Buddy Hertzler of Cordaro's.
Strickland was on his game from the start, mixing fastballs with a devastating knuckler. Though Strickland wasn't in need of a whole lotta support on this particular night, his teammates went out and got him a truckload of runs.
Chet's broke out on top in the bottom half of the first. The home team exploded for five quick runs and an early lead it never relinquished.
Scott Compton got things going with a lead-off walk, then moved to third on a double off the bat of Lynn McLaud. Ricky Norton delivered the game's first run on an infield single.
A second run tallied on Chuck Kuriger's groundout. Billy Norton and Myles Kilmer also reached, and when Strickland's routine grounder was booted, Chet's lead ballooned to 5-0.
Although Cordaro's would struggle all day at the plate, the Honesdale nine pulled off several stellar defensive plays.
Cordaro's Joe Bisceglia chimed in first with a terrific catch. The second sacker raced back into short right and made a spectacular over-the-shoulder snag, robbing McLaud of a sure basehit.
Shortstop Earl Whitmore got into the act as well in the following frame. Whitmore also ranged into the outfield to make a highlight-reel worthy, one-handed stab of Matt Smith's bid for basehit. Whitmore then wheeled around and fired a bullet to second, nearly completing a double play.
Looking Dominant
Unfortunately for the hardy band of fans who made the long trek north, these few bright spots weren't nearly enough to keep Cordaro's in the ballgame for very long. Chet's was the better team on this day, from the opening inning to the last stroke of the bat.
Strickland was seemingly on cruise control all night long. His knuckleball was particularly deadly, as Cordaro's batsmen found out in the top of the third. The visitors sent three hitters to the plate in this frame. All three went back to the bench, bat in hand...the victims of three straight strikeouts.
Chet's offense then went back to work in the bottom of the third. As Hertzler struggled with his control and Cordaro;'s defense committed several key errors, the home team tacked six more runs to its ever-growing total.
Rick Norton, Kuriger, Billy Norton, Myles Kilmer, Erin Slick and Strickland reeled off six consecutive base knocks in the frame. Each eventually came around to score, thus putting the game out of reach for all intents and purposes.
Chet's then flashed a little bit of leather as well, showing the partisan home crowd that it is a well-balanced team.
Catcher Allie Bates made the defensive play of the game in the fourth. A lefthanded back-stop, Bates sprinted into foul territory, leaned over the fence and made an electrifying catch of a pop-up. The play elicited a big roar from the crowd and served to deflate Cordaro's even more.
This is The End
Strickland left the game after five dominating innings. He gave way to reliever Billy Norton who finished out the contest.
Chet's added two more runs in the home half of the fifth, then closed out the game in the sixth.
Kilmer led off the fifth with a three-bagger and eventually trotted home on a Slick RBI single. When Ryan Ross delivered an RBI basehit of his own, Cordaro's found itself in the shadow of the 15-run rule.
Chet's sealed the deal in the sixth with a four-run outburst that put an early end to the proceedings.
Compton ignited the final rally with a lead-off walk, then scored on a McLaud double off the fence. Norton then worked a walk, setting the stage for some walk-off, Big Fly heroics, courtesy of Kuriger.
Chet's clean-up batter found a Hertzler offering to his liking and pounced. The ball sailed high over the wall in left center, giving Chet's a 17-1 victory.
