Limeport's Miller stops Upper Perk on two hits

By Jeff Cory
Of The Morning Call


Limeport pitcher Steve Miller knew he would have to pitch an almost flawless game in order to beat Upper Perkiomen in last night's Tri-County League matchup. And Miller did just that, hurling a two-hitter to his team over the previously unbeaten Chiefs, 5-2.

Miller, who walked one and struck out two, took a no-hitter into the seventh inning before tiring and allowing both runs, one earned. It was the first earned run of the season given up by Miller (4-0).

"I was really psyched up for this game," Miller said. "They've been the best team in the league so far. They hit a lot of balls hard in the first three innings, but luckily they were right at people."

Shortstop Dale Weiss drove in three runs for Limeport on an RBI- single in the first inning and a two-run homer in the third, which made the score 3-0. The home run was Weiss' fourth of the season.

Weiss was also responsible for one of several fine defensive plays behind Miller, making a diving stop of Keith Leamer's sinking line drive leading off the bottom of the third.

Through six innings, the only man to reach base for Upper Perk was Tom Cichoki, who got on in the fourth when thirdbaseman Bob Sedler misplayed a bouncer that took a bad hop off the third base bag.

Cichoki broke up Miller's no-hit bid by leading off the seventh with a single up the middle. Pitcher Bob Graber followed with a walk, and one out later Joe Ricapito lined an RBI single to center to make the score 5-1. The Chiefs scored their other run on second baseman Bob Zeky's throwing error.

"I think we just came out a little flat tonight," Leamer said. "When you're 12-0, what do you expect. We knew we weren't going to win them all. I'm just glad we lost to a high-caliber team."

Limeport, which struggled at the beginning of the season, won its sixth straight game to raise its record to 11-4.

"We're just jelling now," Weiss said. "We've come up here the last five years and kicked the ball around, made mistakes, and just looked like jerks. Upper Perk's a great ballclub, and to beat them here against one of the best pitchers in the league, it's a real boost."

Miller's continued fine pitching comes on the heels of arm problems, which bothered him throughout the past year during his freshman season at Lafayette College.

"I guess it was from throwing too much," Miller said. "It ruined my season at college. This summer things have really started to come together for me. There's no more soreness now."

Miller's injury caused him to alter his pitching style. He says he has begun to rely less on his fastball, enabling him to catch hitters off guard with breaking pitches.

"I like to change speeds," he said. "I used to be mostly a fastball thrower, but then I developed a curve. Now I'm more of a control pitcher."

Just missing a no-hitter did not seem to bother Miller too much, perhaps because he already pitched one once-in Little League six years ago.



  

From The Morning Call -- June 27, 1985

Copyright © 1985, The Morning Call