SCWSL B Division Final

Hope fulfilled

New Hope Community repeats as B Division champs with series sweep of Cobbler’s

By RICHARD A. ROSS

MONGAUP VALLEY, NY - New Hope Community capped off its perfect season against B Division rivals with a stunning 13-5 victory over Cobbler’s in game two of the Sullivan County Women’s Softball League playoff series on Hope fullfilled August 15. The win completed a two-game sweep and propelled the ladies in blue and white to their second consecutive title.

In a game that was much tighter than game one, the two teams battled through the first four innings to a near standoff. Darlene Malewit of New Hope Community and Lara Stoutenburg of Cobbler’s pitched well and held their opponents scoreless through the first two innings. Cobbler’s broke through in the bottom of the third inning with a pair of RBI from Shannon Weigand and Erin Brown.

New Hope answered back in the top of the fourth with a trio of runs to take the lead. After Heather Bachmann led off with a double, Allison Whipple smashed a two-run homer. A pair of singles by Moe Johnson and Kelly Cicero set the table for Laura Denman, who drove in the third run by reaching on an E-10.

After getting Cobbler’s out 1-2-3 in the bottom of the fourth, New Hope broke the game wide open in the top of the fifth by scoring eight runs. In an inning that began with a pair of Cobbler’s errors, New Hope sent 14 batters to the plate. New Hope got RBI from Bachmann, Devon Davis, Whipple, Cicero, Denman, Malewit and King to thrust the hopeful ladies to a 11-2 lead.

Cobbler’s got a booming RBI triple from Brown in the bottom of the sixth, but left the bases loaded as Malewit induced an inning-ending strikeout. Cobbler’s went quietly in the seventh inning, as the New Hope Community team demurely celebrated their second consecutive championship. Good sportsmanship prevailed as the teams amicably shook hands before the New Hope Community team gathered for a championship team photo at home plate. Whipple went three-for-four with four RBI. Bachmann also went three-for-four with one RBI.

New Hope Community will play in the A Division next year as a result of their 2006 regular season supremacy. The competition will be much tougher, with heavy-hitting teams such as Charlie’s Angels, Cooper Paint and Dutch’s Bar/T&C Tanning, but New Hope Community is sure to do two things: play hard and have fun.

Congratulations to New Hope Community for their victory and to Cobbler’s for a fine effort.

Cobbler’s is a fine young team replete with good athletes. This year’s experience will help further their development as a B Division contender. Look for the ladies in maroon and white to be a force to be reckoned with in 2007.

Visit riverreportersports.com for the story of game one and pictures from the complete series.