Spring into action

Richard A. Ross
Posted 4/5/11

JEFFERSONVILLE, NY — Spring training is an essential forerunner to the Major League Baseball season as teams spend more than a month in the warmth of Florida or Arizona, getting ready for the …

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Spring into action

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JEFFERSONVILLE, NY — Spring training is an essential forerunner to the Major League Baseball season as teams spend more than a month in the warmth of Florida or Arizona, getting ready for the season ahead by honing their skills in hitting, pitching, fielding and base running. This past week, the long-awaited MLB season began as teams travelled north to begin the 2011 campaign.

For local baseball teams, spring training is limited to practicing in gymnasiums while winter makes its belated departure. Consequently, much of the skills refinement comes during the actual season. For Sullivan West and Fallsburg, about to open their 2011 season on April 4 on a damp, but playable, Lion’s Field, a sole scrimmage against Ellenville and Spackenkill respectively would have to suffice as “live” preparation.

With Fallsburg’s move to Class C a year ago, the two teams are no longer in the same division. Fallsburg now wrangles with the likes of S.S. Seward, Chester and Tri-Valley. This year’s Comets’ squad is very young, with only one senior onboard in Mike Arce. Coach Mike Weiner’s squad had a rough go of it last year, but this spring they hope to make significant strides and earn themselves a spot in sectionals.

A year ago, Class B Sullivan West made it to the postseason by having its way with Division IV rivals Burke, Liberty and O’Neill. A sweep of archrival Burke was particularly pleasing to the ravenous Bulldogs.

Sullivan West Coach Kurt Scheibe Jr. sent Richard Mirch to the hill to counter Fallsburg’s Cory McKeon. The junior hurlers locked up in a tight pitching battle for the first couple of innings, as each held the opposing lineups scoreless through the first and second frames.

Fallsburg had its chances to take the early lead, but squandered a leadoff double in the first by Dustin Foertsch and a pair of leadoff singles in the second by Arce and Skyler Madura, as Sullivan West’s pitching and defense rose to the occasion to put out the potential fires. A 6-4-3 double play ended the second inning as Fallsburg’s base running showed itself to be an Achilles’ heel. Two more double plays would ensue as the game progressed, both resulting from runners tagged off base following caught flies in the outfield.

Sullivan West broke the tie as senior Jeremy Degori smacked a two-run triple in the third inning, scoring Lucas Bauer and Mike Durkin, who had singled and walked respectively. Degori would add a three-run double in the sixth, accounting for five of Sullivan West’s eight runs in the 8-0 shutout of the visiting Comets. The score does not reflect the closeness of the game, however, as neither team scored in the fourth or fifth innings. Fallsburg held the Bulldogs to a 3-0 lead until the sixth.

Each starter lasted five innings. Mirch gave way to senior Ryan Alsdorf, while McKeon was relieved by junior Jimmy Bertholf. McKeon was charged with three runs, while Bertholf was tagged for the last five. Alsdorf followed up Mirch’s five-inning shutout with a scoreless sixth and seventh. He benefited from a seven-six double play in the sixth inning that followed an E-6 to Josh Carter, who was caught stealing in a very close play at second.

Sullivan West’s EJ Franskevicz and Alsdorf had two hits apiece in the game. Sullivan West (1-0) looked forward to a busy week ahead with upcoming games at Chapel Field, home against Tri-Valley, and next week’s three game league series vs. Burke.

Fallsburg (0-1) travels to Tuxedo and then hosts Burke in non-league tilts before opening its league season with a three-game series against Chester next week. Rainy weather greatly diminished other early week sports activity on April 4 and 5.

Visit www.sportsinsightsny.com for ongoing stories and photos.

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