Bethlehem Twp. loses bid for Tri-Co playoffs

By Jack Lapos
Of The Morning Call


Ouch! Bethlehem Township's dream of a berth in the Tri-County League Northern Division playoffs was shattered by Silver Creek 6-1 yesterday as both clubs closed their regular schedules.

The heartbreaking loss gave Bethlehem Township a final record of 12-15. The Buccaneers had to win to keep pace with the Allentown Angels and Salisbury, each of whom was 13-14.

The Angels and Salisbury will meet in a showdown for third place at 6 p.m. today at Salisbury, the winner advancing to the playoffs beginning tomorrow. Coplay (21-6) and Limeport (19-8) already are sure of playoff berths.

"What can I say?" asked Bethlehem Township Manager Nick Marino. "The season has come to a disappointing end, that's all." He pointed out this was the closest the Buccaneers had ever come to a playoff spot in their four years of existence.

"We were shooting for at least a 14-13 record," Marino continued. "We almost made it but our guys were just a little too tight in this game and our bats went dead." He quickly added that the Buccaneers' future looks bright. "Maybe we are only one pitcher away from being a playoff team," he noted.

This was a makeup game for a contest played July 17 when rain put an end to the action with Bethlehem Township leading 8-0. In one other meeting this season, the Buccaneers belted Silver Creek 11-2. No wonder Marino was shaking his head in disbelief after yesterday's game.

Silver Creek thus closed its campaign with an 8-19 record, and Manager Mike Kotkoski admitted he rather enjoyed beating Bethlehem Township. "All year long we were the ones getting whipped and now we finally turned that around," he exclaimed.

"All the pressure was on Bethlehem Township in this game," Kotkoski observed. "We played loose and that made our job easier . . . we looked like a team for a change . . . no errors . . . it was the first time all season that we won two games in a row."

Kotkoski was not happy with the overall season, pointing out the 19 losses in 27 outings made for much frustration. The team was hurt midway in the schedule when its leading hitter Gary Laub (.488) decided to call it quits.

The Silver Creek skipper is thinking positively about next year. "Hopefully the momentum of this win will carry over into the 1986 season," Kotoski said.

Each team used two pitchers. Rich Fratrick was the starter and winner. He gave way to Bob Clausen in the sixth inning. Bethlehem Township collected six hits off the pair. The Buccaneers' starter and loser was Scott Snyder, who gave way to Mark Wargo in the sixth. Silver Creek had nine hits.

Only two players had more than one hit - Silver Creek's Don Hepner and Bethlehem Township's Jeff Knipe.

The contest was scoreless for four innings. Then Silver Creek jumped in front with a three-run fifth. Greg Schleppy walked and stole second. He then raced all the way home as Dave Rasich was grounding out. Adam Jones singled and stole second. Tom Boice walked. Both runners advanced on a long fly out by Kotoski and then they scored on a single by John Ference.

The Orioles made it 5-0 in the top of the sixth. Clausen was safe on an error and stole second. Gary Garscar doubled him home. After Tom Schmidt singled, Mike Scully singled across Garscar.

The Buccaneers came up with their only run in the bottom of the frame. John King doubled. Joe Bubba singled. King then hurried home on a long fly out by Gary Moritz.

It remained then for Silver Creek to tally the final run of the evening in the seventh on singled by Kotoski, Brian Knoble and Hepner.

Bethlehem Township threatened in the last of the seventh with two out. Glenn Snyder singled. Wargo walked. Clausen then bore down to get Scott Snyder to fly out to center field and the Silver Creek players celebrated a highly- satisfying victory.

A league meeting was held last night to plan the playoffs - which will get under way of course after the Angels-Salisbury deadlock is resolved.

Opening round pairings tomorrow have Coplay at Gilbertsville, Quakertown at Limeport and the Angels-Salisbury survivor at Upper Perk, all at 6 p.m.

Then on Thursday it will be Quakertown (home team) at Limeport and Upper Perk at Angels-Salisbury survivor, both at 6 p.m., followed by an 8:15 contest listing Gilbertsville at Coplay.

Third games if necessary will take place Friday, times and sites to be determined.

Gilbertsville had the league's best record for the regular season as it copped Southern Division honors with a 23-4 report card. Delaware Valley forfeited its game to Gilbertsville yesterday. Upper Perk was second at 20-7 and Quakertown third at 11-16 in the South.



  

From The Morning Call -- July 30, 1985

Copyright © 1985, The Morning Call