Monticello Men’s Softball League

Sullivan Sports takes first of two over dormant Lewis Auto Parts

By RICHARD A. ROSS

MONTICELLO, NY - After days of drenching rain and devastating floods, members of Sullivan Sports and Lewis Auto Parts gathered at Somerville Field for their first meeting of the season, a double header on June 29.

Before Lewis pitcher Brian “Mooner” Buday could even fire his first pitch to Sullivan Sports’ John Bell, a booming crack of thunder amid darkening skies caused anxious eyes to look aloft.

The floods and their effect on the various hamlets around the county had already been the subject of conversation. Fortunately, this latest storm never materialized and the teams got underway in their Bickham Division battle.

Historically, Lewis Auto Parts has held sway over Mike Greco’s former teams, including last year’s incarnation known as ABC Sports. The same fate had been that of Sullivan Sports pitcher D.J. Pugh, who had never beaten the men in black.

That was soon to change. Pugh’s stuff was far from overpowering, but it had Lewis’ hitters way out in front and popping up balls for the first half of the game.

Pugh held the heavy hitters scoreless through the first two innings, while his own team plated a pair of runs in the first inning for an early lead.

Bell had a leadoff single in the first and promptly stole second. He reached third on Mike Gilberg’s single and both crossed the plate when Des Williams banged a single.

Sullivan Sports broke out for six more runs in the third to take a commanding 8-1 lead over a Lewis team that looked sluggish and rusty. During that offensive flurry, they sent eight men to the plate against Mooner. Hits by recent Monticello graduate Josh Cohen, Gilberg, Gil Suarez, Des Williams and RBI doubles from Julian Dawson and Pugh did the damage.

Sullivan tacked on single runs in the fifth and sixth. They drove in four more for good measure in the seventh to record the 14-4 win over their division adversaries. In the seventh, the floodgates opened, courtesy of back-to-back triples from Derwin Rivera and Bell, followed by hits from Suarez, Dawson, George Brandes, Pugh and a sac fly from Williams.

Although Lewis came back with a trio of runs in the fifth, that would be it for their offense. Singles from E.T. Toledo, Cody Bojo, a two-run single from Chris Hubert and a double by Brian Kitson fueled the rally.

Sullivan Sports moved within one game of division leader Lewis Auto Parts as their record improved to 9-3 to Lewis’ mark of 8-2.

“After all these years, I finally beat these guys,” said an ecstatic Pugh, following the win.

Game two: The Empire strikes back

Once okay, twice never! That was the mantra that Lewis Auto Parts took into the nightcap of their two-night doubleheader against Sullivan Sports. Both teams sent the same pitchers to the mound and it looked at the outset as if Sullivan Sports would pick up right where they left off in game one.

Pugh held Lewis scoreless for the first two innings as Sullivan Sports scored a run in each of the first two frames. The first run came on a leadoff homer by Bell.

In the third inning, Lewis broke out with four runs as Pugh began to tire. Joe Meyer’s RBI single got the party started by scoring Bob Glassell. Mike Weir added an RBI on a sac fly and Craig Smith and Chris Reichmann had RBI singles as well.

Sullivan Sports made it a 4-3 game with Bell’s second RBI.

Lewis caught fire in the fourth with seven runs, beginning with a booming triple from Bojo, who scored on an errant throw to third. Kitson’s two-run triple and RBI from Weir, Reichmann and E.T. Toledo added to the onslaught.

To punctuate their statement of dominance, Lewis drove in 10 runs in the top of the sixth, chasing Pugh and browbeating Greco, who had come in to relieve him.

Sullivan Sports’ ploy to work out a division-leading tie with Lewis fell by the wayside as Greco’s team fell to 9-4. Lewis improved to 9-2.

Up on the hill, members of Fitness Factory bemoaned their relative isolation in the Culligan Division.

“We’d like to play these teams everyday,” said captain Edwin “Flaco” Rodriguez.

In the interim, while keeping their undefeated stranglehold lead on their division, Fitness Factory will prepare for a spate of upcoming tournaments including states, Turfler, Collins and the Fremont Center tourney in August.

Visit riverreportersports.com for additional pictures.