North stars 'thunder' to 8-3 Tri-Co decision

By Keith Groller
Of The Morning Call


Although it's hardly the second coming of the Civil War, an intense North-South rivalry has developed recently in the Tri-County Baseball League.

That's why members of the North Division squad were as happy as drought-stricken farmers last night when a thundershower hit Limeport Stadium in the bottom of the eighth inning, providing momentary relief from the heat wave and ending the North's 8-3 victory in the Tri-Co's annual All-Star Game.

The storm provided the lightning and the North bats provided the thunder as they pounded out 14 hits, including three by player-manager Lou Falco of Coplay and two home runs by Salisbury's Joe Ernst.

"We really wanted to beat the South, partly because of a pre-season article (in The Morning Call) that said the South was the better division," said Falco, who knocked in three runs and would have probably claimed the MVP Award had one been issued. "The guys talked about it (the article) during the game. This year, I have no doubt that the North is a much better division. We're stronger, at least this year."

Falco, whose Coplay team owns the league's best record at 16-3, had another talented group to work with last night.

"We really had an awesome lineup here tonight, it's the kind of lineup I wish I had all year," said Falco. "I think everybody I put in there was hitting .375 or better. I was a little keyed up myself, since I was one of the old men (he's 32). I saw the ball well and had a pretty good night. I know I had a lot of fun. You play against these guys all year, but tonight it was a pleasure to sit in the same dugout with them and just bat the breeze."

The North did more than just "bat the breeze."

Falco's team went to work immediately in the first inning. Joe Aleszczyk and Falco delivered one-out singles and then the Allentown Angels' Dave Chapman picked up the night's first RBI when he singled in Aleszczyk, his Angel teammate, with two out.

Then in the third, Falco again was a key man as he followed a single by Coplay teammate Randy Remaly and a walk to Aleszczyk with a two-run double to the wall in right-center to make it 3-0. Chapman (3-for-3,      2 RBI) then made it 4-0 as he scored Falco with a triple to right.

The South came back with a run in the bottom of the third on an RBI-single by Gilbertsville's Rob Trace before the North regained the four-run advantage on another clutch hit by Falco - this one an RBI- single to left - in the top of the fourth.

"I think everybody came here a little vengeful tonight, really wanting to win," said Falco. "Everybody just hit the heck out of the ball. Plus, all our pitchers did the job. This was my first time as a manager and it was a very enjoyable experience."

Things did get a little tense for the North in the bottom of the fourth when Gilbertsville's Jeff Evans powered a two-run home run to left. But that was the South's last hurrah as the parade of pitchers Falco had going to the mound shut down the South over the last four innings, giving up just two hits in the process.

The scoring wasn't over, however, as the few hundred fans on hand were treated to another North run in the fifth - another Chapman single, an error, wild pitch and infield groundout by Limeport's Bill Fatzinger - and then solo home runs by Ernst in the sixth and eighth.

"I'm not sure if the second one officially counts because the eighth inning wasn't completed because of the rain, but at least I know I hit them," said Ernst, who showed power to all fields as his first home run was to left and the second to right-center. "This is the first time I've ever hit two home runs in an All-Star game, although I know I've had two in a game before . . . probably legion."

For Ernst, the winning feeling might have seemed a little strange. His Salisbury team owns one of the league's worst records at 6-16 and has no chance of making the playoffs.

"It was nice to be in a game the whole way through for once," said Ernst. "We (Salisbury) have been out of a lot of games early this season. I think all the guys wanted to have some fun tonight, but we also wanted to win. They (the South) have beaten us the last couple years in this game and whipped us pretty good last season. Plus, our division was put down in the pre-season in the newspaper. We had a little something to prove."

With the North having proved its point and two out in the eighth, the raindrops that had been falling softly much of the night, finally came harder. A brief delay occurred before the umpires and league president Steve Michael signaled the end.

"In a game like this, why take a chance and get somebody hurt," said Falco. "It would have been nice to finish it to the end, but I think we all had our fun."



keith.groller@mcall.com

From The Morning Call -- July 17, 1988

Copyright © 1988, The Morning Call