Softball

Painted wood

Cooper Paint batters Klein and Sons Logging with 18 unanswered runs

By RICHARD A. ROSS

MONGAUP VALLEY, NY — For both Cooper Paint and Klein and Sons Logging, the two “A” Division finalists of the 2007 Sullivan County Women’s League, this season is not going quite as well as a year ago when the log ladies triumphed over Charlie’s Angels in the semifinals and Cooper Paint successfully defended its crown by sweeping Klein and Sons in the finals.

For Cooper Paint though, things are really okay, despite a pair of losses to the Angels and a recent befuddling 3-1 loss to Mr. Willy’s. “We hit the ball hard,” noted coach Pat Shuart, “we just hit right at people.”

Coming into this game, Cooper still sported an impressive 9-3 record, while Klein and Sons was faring far worse at 5-9. With the all-star game denoting the halfway point of the season, Klein and Sons needs to start putting wins together if they hope to return to the playoffs. Cooper Paint needs only to keep up its mostly winning ways to earn the chance to defend its crown.

Both Cooper Paint and Klein and Sons Logging have a distinct modus operandi. Cooper is noted for its somewhat sleepy early innings and furious late-game outbursts. Klein and Sons has difficulty scoring runs and, of late, has some fielding issues wrought by the departure of standouts Michelle Ross, Cheryl Sheerer and Jane Smith. In this game, the team’s fine new acquisition Kaylie Ackerley was still out of town.

Klein and Sons starter Susan Waddell worked around a pair of E-5s in the opening frame to keep Cooper from scoring. Part of that help came from a leaping catch by left fielder Barbara Ward-Blank on a long fly by Cooper’s Jackie Litwak. Her teammates helped in the bottom of the frame with two runs, courtesy of RBI from Meghan Sheeley and Kris Stant.

In the top of the third, Cooper Paint woke up with a six-run outburst. Waddell walked the first two batters. An E-6 loaded the bases with no out. Jackie Litwak hit a two-run single. Lori Brown drove in a run and Ally McCarthy plated two more with a base hit. Coach Paul Hubert replaced Waddell with Stant, who got Erin Shuart to fly out to center. That plated the final run of the inning.

Klein and Sons got one run back in the bottom of the third. Meghan Sheeley led off with a single and Nikomi Thompson reached on an E-6 errant throw. Chris “Jersey” Price knocked in a run with a single as Meghan Sheeley tooled around the bases. A 1-1-3 double play erased Jersey. Sue Sheeley grounded out to end the inning.

As far as Klein and Sons scoring would go, that would be it.

Cooper Paint was just getting started with three runs in the fourth, five in the fifth, three in the sixth and seven in the seventh for a total of 18 unanswered runs to close out their 24-3 win. The game was temporarily delayed by a brief downpour but a lovely rainbow appeared as players resumed action.

Big hitters on the day included Lori Brown, Amanda Irwin and Litwak. Cooper Paint improved to 10-3, while Klein and Sons fell to 5-10. Visit www.riverreportersports.com for an album of game photos.