N. Parkland beats Upper Perk in Tri-Co play

By Matt Michael
Of The Morning Call


On Scott Stoudt's second at-bat last night he was knocked down by Upper Perkiomen starter Todd Swenk. The brush-back pitch was obviously unintentional, but it was enough to get the North Parkland slugger's wheels turning.

"I got hit early in the year and I was out for about a week," said Stoudt, who struck out after he was knocked down. "When he came inside like that it made me think about the injury."

Stoudt refused to become timid at the plate, however, and on his next at- bat he smacked a tremendous two-run home run into left center to spark the host Cardinals to a 4-2 victory over the Chiefs. The win evened their best-of-three Tri-County League playoff series at one game apiece with the finale at 2 today at Upper Perk.

"That pitch shook him up," said North Parkland Manager George Horn, who pointed out that Stoudt was hit on the left elbow in the middle of the season. "After he got knocked down we had to relax him a little."

Ted Young began the Cardinals' winning rally in the fifth by drawing a leadoff walk off of Swenk. Stoudt then followed with his third home run of the year to give North Parkland its margin of victory.

"That one felt really good," Stoudt said of the blast which broke a 2-2 deadlock. "I wanted to hit one; I was thinking home run."

Stoudt's blast made a winner out of Kevin Beck, who upped his record to 7-3. Beck allowed at least one hit in every inning except the seventh (when he walked two batters) but Upper Perk was its own worst enemy with 12 men left on base.

Upper Perk broke on top in the first inning when Biz Keeny drew a leadoff walk, stole second, went to third on Pete Hoff's infield single and scored on Bob Graber's sacrifice fly. North Parkland came right back in the bottom of that frame when leadoff man Scott Clark walked, went to second on a ground out, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on Horn's single to left.

The Chiefs could have broken the game open in the third when they scored their second run. Tim Fox reached on an error with one out and came around to score on Glenn Mensch's two-out single. Upper Perk proceeded to load the bases but Cardinal right fielder Clark made a diving catch of Kevin Stahl's liner in the gap to end the rally.

North Parkland tied the game again in the fourth. Mark Matejicka doubled down the third base line and scored on Dave Oswald's single to make it 2-2.

The Chiefs had more chances to get on the board (they left two men on base in the fourth, fifth and seventh innings) but Beck and the North Parkland defense were able to dodge the Upper Perk bullets.

"He (Beck) has thrown good all year, especially when he keeps the ball down like he did tonight," Stoudt said. "And our outfield played its best ball of the year."

The win was North Parkland's first-ever Tri-County playoff victory. This is the first time the Cardinals have participated in post-season play.

* In other action, Joe Turri of Limeport will long remember the second series opener against Gilbertsville. After a tie game Friday, the two teams went at it again yesterday and Gilbertsville won 3-0 with Turri absorbing only his second pitching loss in 29 outings.

Lew Chillot pitched the shutout, scattering seven singles, walking five and striking out four.

The Gilbertsville bats were there when they were needed with home- run hitter Neil Fox connecting in the sixth inning to record his team's third run. Previously, Barry Moyer's fielder's choice groundout was good for the first RBI in the second inning and Brian Gilbert's sacrifice fly in the fifth scored the second Gilbertsville run.

Limeport loaded the bases in the seventh inning, however, Bob and Ishky Fatzinger made the final two outs.

Gilbertsville leads the best-of-three series 1-0 and will play two games today. The first is on tap for a 1:30 start at Limeport and if a third game is necessary the two teams travel to Gilbertsville for a 5:30 game.

* In another game, Bill Sigmans singled with the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth inning to give Quakertown a 3-2 victory over Coplay.

The victory tied the best-of-three series 1-1. The final game will be played at 8 p.m. today in Coplay.

Quakertown began the fateful fifth with Jim Bevan's single. After two walks, Sigmans hit the important single.

Meanwhile, winning pitcher Scott Davis went 2-for-2. He also tossed a six- hitter.

For Coplay, Lou Falco and Matt Mondschein each went 2-for-3.



  

From The Morning Call -- August 5, 1984

Copyright © 1984, The Morning Call