By Rob Potter
MONGAUP VALLEY — August 19, 2005 – The Charlie’s Angels softball team rebounded from a loss on Monday night to defeat Cooper Paint two games to one in the Sullivan County Women’s Softball League’s “A” Division Championship Series.
In Monday night’s opening game, Cooper Paint held Charlie’s Angels scoreless over the final three innings to record a 13-10 victory.
But on Tuesday evening, Charlie’s Angels scored a run in the bottom of the ninth inning for a dramatic 11-10 win, which knotted the series at one game apiece.
In Wednesday night’s deciding third game, Charlie’s Angels used a six-run fourth inning to break open a close contest and record a 14-6 win.
All three games were played at Edward M. Collins Memorial Park in Mongaup Valley.
With the score tied at 4-4 in the bottom of the third in Wednesday night’s contest, Charlie’s Angels scored three times to take a 7-4 lead. With one out, Shannon Dietrich ripped a triple to left center field. Terri Hess then hit a double to center field, which allowed Dietrich to cross home plate. Hess scored moments later on a single by Christine Decker.
Decker scored on an error later in the frame to give Charlie’s Angels a three-run advantage.
But Cooper Paint responded in the top of the fourth as Rachelle “Rocky” Irwin led off with a single and scored when the next batter, Erin Shuart, smacked a triple down the left field line. Shuart scored on an error to bring Cooper Paint to within one run at 7-6.
However, Charlie’s Angels pitcher Lisa Krom set down the next three batters in order to preserve her team’s lead.
Charlie’s Angels extended that lead to 13-6 in the bottom of the fourth. Key hits in the frame included an RBI single by Tonya Martin, a sacrifice fly by Karen Fisher, an RBI triple by Cindy Ellmauer and an RBI single by Decker.
Krom helped her own cause by hitting a single in the bottom of the fifth that allowed Leanne Mangabang to score what would be the final run of the game.
Angels Win Game 2
In Extra Innings
On Tuesday night, Charlie’s Angels needed two extra innings to beat Cooper Paint and force the third and deciding game.
Charlie’s Angels took an early 7-1 lead in that contest, but Cooper Paint used a four-run third inning to close the gap to 7-5.
Charlie’s Angels scored once in the fourth and twice in the sixth to take a 10-5 lead into the top of the seventh inning.
But displaying the talent and tenacity that resulted in a perfect 21-0 record during the SCWSL regular season, Cooper Paint rallied to tie the game at 10-10. Jennifer Wright, Ir-win and Shuart led off the top of the seventh with back-to-back-to-back singles, which made the score 10-6.
After Charlie’s Angels recorded two outs, Charish Priest doubled to left field. Amanda Cox followed with triple to deep left center field, which allowed Priest to score and narrow the Charlie’s Angels lead to a single run. Cox then crossed home plate with the game-tying run on a single to right field by Amanda Irwin.
But Charlie’s Angels broke that tie in the bottom of the ninth. With Martin on first base, Debbi Ackerley hit a ground ball to short center field. Martin was forced out at second base on the play, but Ackerley safely reached first base. Diane Staves then entered the game to run for Ackerley. The next batter, Fisher, singled up the middle. When the ball got away from the Cooper Paint outfielders, Staves was able to score the game-winning run.
Cooper Paint Wins Game 1
On Monday night, Cooper Paint used its potent offense to take a one game to none lead in the series.
In the bottom of the second, Cooper Paint scored eight times to break a 2-2 tie and take control of the game. Shuart, Nat Cillis and Cox all had RBI singles in the frame and Lori Brown had an RBI triple. In addition, Amanda Irwin blasted a three-run homer over the left center field fence. Appropriately enough, the ball flew over the Cooper Paint sign on the outfield wall.
RBI doubles by Ackerley and Ellmauer and an RBI triple by Martin in the top of the third allowed Charlie’s Angels to close its deficit to 10-7.
But Shuart and Cillis smacked an RBI double and RBI single, respectively, in the bottom of the third as Cooper Paint took a 12-7 lead.
Cillis, the Cooper Paint pitcher, then allowed Charlie’s Angels just three more runs over the final four innings as Cooper Paint recorded the 13-10 win.
Charlie’s Angels ended the season with an overall record of 24-4, with all four of its losses to Cooper Paint.
Cooper Paint finished the season with a 24-2 mark.
“Going into Tuesday night’s game, we had nothing to lose,” said Jo Walls, player/coach for Charlie’s Angels. “There was no pressure, so we were able to relax and play the game.”
“They played well, too,” Walls said of the Cooper Paint team. “Every game we play against them is a good game.”
Walls noted the key performance of Martin, who played second base, and Dietrich, who played shortstop, in Tuesday night’s game. They helped Charlie’s Angels record three double plays that evening.
“We all played well in these three games, everybody contributed,” Walls commented.
Although disappointed that they lost the playoff series, Val Fersch and Pat Shuart, who both serve as a player/coach for Cooper Paint, noted that no one can take away the team’s regular season championship and that perfect 21-0 record during the regular season.
“It was a tough season, a long season,” Shuart said. “We were playing two or three games a week. I’ll take that regular season trophy any day of the week.”
As for the championship series, Fersch gave credit to Charlie’s Angels.
“They wanted it more than we did,” she said.