By Rob Potter
MONGAUP VALLEY — July 11, 2003 – For the first few innings of Tuesday night’s Sullivan County Women’s Softball League game between the Irwin Siegel Agency and Mr. Willy’s at Collins Park in Mongaup Valley, the teams kept the scoreboard operator busy.
Like two boxers trading punches, the squads scored several runs and exchanged the lead in the early innings.
But Mr. Willy’s outscored Irwin Siegel by a 9-1 margin in the third, fourth and fifth innings to post a 16-8 victory.
Mr. Willy’s improved to 8-5 on the season, while Irwin Siegel Agency fell to 1-10.
Down 5-3, Mr. Willy’s scored four runs in the bottom of the second. With two outs and two runners on, Erica Boyd hit a double to center field. Beth Cogswell scored on the play to bring Mr. Willy’s to within one run.
The next batter, Megan Sheeley, walked to load the bases. Lisa Dowling then patiently drew a walk, which allowed Teresa Semfleth to score the tying run.
Donna Karkos then ripped a single to center field to bring both Boyd and Sheeley across the plate.
Mr. Willy’s added three runs in the bottom of the third. Diane Meyer led off with a triple to right center field. Just after reaching third base, Meyer turned and raced home as the throw into third was high.
Melissa Cullen followed with a single and the next batter, Cogswell, hit an infield ground ball. But the throw to second base to force out Cullen was errant and she raced around third and crossed the plate to give Mr. Willy’s a 9-5 lead.
Three batters later, Boyd singled to bring Cogswell in to score.
Down five runs, Irwin Siegel Agency responded in the top of the fourth.
With two outs, Julie Murray reached base on an error. On that same play, Jacque LaBagh, who tripled earlier in the inning, scored to make it a 10-6 game. Cathy Lewis followed with an infield hit to score Murray. Christy Willis recorded an infield hit to bring Lewis around to score and cut the Mr. Willy’s advantage to 10-8.
But Mr. Willy’s added three insurance runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth. Shelisa Duquette provided the big hit in the fourth, ripping the ball down the left field line for a two-run triple. Kerry Buckley added an RBI single in the frame.
In the fifth, Mr. Willy’s loaded the bases with two outs. Karkos beat out a grounder to second base and Sheeley scored on the play to make it a 14-8 contest. Cindy LaRuffa then stroked a single to left that scored Lisa Dowling and Karkos with game’s final runs.
While Mr. Willy’s recorded an eight-run win, it appeared as through the game would be closer by the way it began.
In the top of the first, Beth Schafer and Amber Welton led off with back-to-back hits for Irwin Siegel Agency. Two batters later, Kelly Herzog tripled to center field to score both Schafer and Welton. Herzog scored on a ground out moments later to give Irwin Siegel a quick 3-0 lead.
But Mr. Willy’s answered in the bottom of the first. Boyd and Sheeley each stroked a single and Dowling followed with an inside-the-park home run to center field to knot the score at 3-3.
Irwin Siegel Agency responded with a pair of runs in the second. Welton and LaBagh each had an RBI single as the team grabbed a 5-3 lead.
The Irwin Siegel Agency advantage was brief, however, as Mr. Willy’s took the lead for good with the aforementioned four-run rally in the bottom of the second.