Sullivan County Women’s Softball League All-Star Game

For the love of the game

Red team comes out on top in fun-filled SCWSL All-Star game

By RICHARD A. ROSS

MONGAUP VALLEY, NY - Smiles and laughter were in no short supply as select players from the Sullivan County Women’s Softball League played their annual All-Star game on Friday the 13th. The only hint of bad luck that weighed in on the conspicuous date was a couple of injuries, resulting from collisions, and a couple of twisted knees. Other than that, a splendid time was had by all.

Rather than pitting the A league All-Stars against those of the B league, which would have resulted in a mismatch, players were split up into a red and blue team that had players from both divisions on them. The parity resulted in a close game that was decided by a single run, as the B team ladies in red overcame an early deficit with a three-run homer by Nugget’s Kim Jay to take the lead in the seventh inning that they would not relinquish.

During the course of the nine-inning game, all of the women got into the fray. Four players, including a pair of alternates, had been chosen from each team for this year’s game, which featured fine hitting, including a grand-slam home-run blast by Lori Brown of Cooper Paint that helped her Blue A team overcome an early one-run deficit to take a 9-6 lead in the fourth inning. True to form, leads are apt to be short-lived in softball and with some fine batters on hand, a bevy of hits were part of the action.

But so, too, were great fielding plays, including those turned in by A-team shortstop Karen Perrella, who plays for Nugget, and B team’s Kim Jay, another Nugget standout. Other glove masters of the game included A-team stars Shannon Weigand of Sonny’s Service, B team’s Robyn Gannon of Charlie’s Angels and A team’s Lori Brown of Cooper Paint fame.

Others excelled as well.

The A squad wasted no time in posting a 3-0 lead in the first with a RBI from Leanne Mangabang (Charlie’s Angels) and two RBI from Cooper Paint’s Erin Shuart. The B squad came back with a run in the bottom of the first, courtesy of a double from Ally McCarthy of Cooper Paint.

Barb Merton from L&B Tack was the starting pitcher for the B team, while Jocelyn Travers of Animal Hospital got the nod for the A squad. When Travers reinjured her knee, she was replaced on the hill by Katrina Meyer of Mr. Willy’s, who guided her team the rest of the way.

Merton gave way to Connie Beach of ICC, and other players subbed in and out, with a number taking up positions that they normally don’t play. The A team made it a 5-1 game by adding a run in the second and third innings. But the B squad exploded for five runs, all scored with two outs in the third, to take a 6-5 lead. RBI from McCarthy, Dutch’s Theresa Nietzel and Nugget’s Kendra Harris were added to a two-run triple from Jay.

Undaunted, the A team loaded the bases in the top of the fourth, setting the table for Brown’s grand slam bomb to left, which allowed the blue team to retake the lead at 9-6.

After holding the red storm scoreless in the fourth, the A team made it 11-6, with a two-run outburst in the top of the fifth. The B team got those runs back in the bottom of the inning, by virtue of a two-run single by Nietzel to close the gap at 11-8.

The A ladies got another in the top of the sixth, with a double by Shuart. The B squad got two more in the bottom of the sixth, with RBI from Liz Stubits of L&B Tack and Tammy Sondermeyer of New Hope Community.

Three more came courtesy of Jay’s three-run homer in the seventh, for the 13-12 lead that would prove to be the game’s final score.

Following the game, both groups shook hands and many hugged, denoting the sportsmanship that had been in evidence all night. Both teams posed for pictures, before the raffle drawing that saw the distribution of a number of prizes.

The All-Star game offered a pleasant break from the highly competitive league games, which were slated to begin again on July 16 with a vital fray between tied A team leaders Charlie’s Angels and Cooper Paint. Both teams entered that with two losses, with Charlie’s picking up their second defeat this past week in a loss to Klein and Sons Logging. See page 20 for coverage of that game.

Visit riverreportersports.com for an album of game pictures.