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Angels' age, youth blank
Chiefs
By Ted Meixell
Of The Morning Call
The
host Allentown Angels used their trademark blend of youth and experience to
register an 8-0 whitewash of Upper Perkiomen last night in the first game of
their best 2-of-3 Tri-County League semifinal series at Scherersville.
Ray
Ganser, a diminutive 34-year old lefthander who, as the Angels' player-manager,
is a card-carrying member of their veteran platoon, did the honors on the mound,
holding the normally potent Chiefs' bats well in check through the contest,
which was shortened to five innings because of darkness. He scattered four hits,
struck out six and walked only three to earn the shutout and put his club one up
for the series.
"I
use a fastball, a slider, a curve, a sinker and a changeup," Ganser said of
the varied repertoire of pitches he used to befuddle the heavy-hitting
Chiefs. "I wanted to throw more fastballs late in the game, because I felt
they'd (Upper Perk) looked at enough breaking balls earlier. It was just one
of those nights when my catcher (Rick Rothrock) was thinking the same way I
was. To be honest with you, I thought we looked a little lethargic tonight -
but everything seemed to go our way."
The
offense? Well, most of that was taken care of by two guys: Herb Hemerly,
another grizzled vet; and Dave Lutte, a guy who may not be looking forward
to his first shave - but who isn't yet ready for membership in the Geritol
Set, either. Both Hemerly, who graduated from Dieruff in 1971, and Lutte,
who (along with teammate and shortstop Dale Weiss) is one of the current
Huskies' assistant coaches under Rich Sniscak, walloped two-run homers off
Upper Perk starter and loser Matt Duka to account for half of the Angels'
runs.
When
it was over, Ganser, a 1972 Central Catholic grad, credited that fine mix of
youth and age for the Angels' brand new look: that of a winner.
"We
picked up a lot of good young guys toward the end of last season," Ganser
said, "and they all came back with us this year. They're all team players,
and they all really want to play baseball."
Game
2 in the semifinal series is slated for 5:45 p.m. today at Upper Perkiomen
High School, with Game 3, if necessary, for 5:45 p.m. tomorrow.
One
of the young bucks Ganser alluded to is 19-year old second baseman Joe
Aleszczyk, who will attempt to crack the lineup for coach Barry
Shollenberger (a former Moravian College pitcher) at the University of
Alabama next spring. Another is Aleszczyk's former Allen High teammate, Todd
Downing - and it is the 19-year old Downing to whom Ganser will hand the
ball tonight to try and wrap up the series and send his club into the
playoff finals.
"He
had two or three outings for us last year," Ganser said. "He didn't join us
this year until mid-June, but since then he's pitched fine."
Should Upper Perk force a third game, Ganser will pitch Scott Buck tomorrow.
"Scott's one of the veterans, too. He pitched very well against
Gilbertsville a couple times, so he should be able to do the job for us."
The way Ray Ganser has it figured, if the old guys don't get it done, the
young guys will. Or vice versa.
From The Morning Call --
August 9, 1988
Copyright
© 1988,
The Morning Call
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