BML belts Tri-County 18-2 in All-Star Classic

By Keith Groller
Of The Morning Call


At 20-2, the Catasauqua Black Sox have the best record in local amateur baseball this summer.

Last night during the 7th annual Blue Mountain League/Tri-County League All-Star Classic at Limeport Stadium, several Sox showed why their team is off to the terrific start by powering the BML Stars to an easy 18-2 win before close to 500 fans.

Catty players combined for eight hits, eight runs and 10 RBIs in pacing the BML to the most lopsided win in the seven-year history of the mid-summer spectacle for the Valley's two amateur circuits.

Black Sox first baseman Mike Saccani wasn't involved in the pre-game Home Run Contest between the leagues, but he should have been.

The left-handed slugger ripped two home runs and a double in his three plate appearances. Saccani's long two-run homer to right capped a five-run BML uprising in the first inning which set the tone for the pleasant evening -- at least from the BML's point of view.

"I was kind of hoping I'd get a call for the home run contest, but it didn't happen," said Saccani, a 1987 Whitehall High grad. "Maybe it would have been my night in that, too. I don't know what was going on. I got two good pitches to hit for home runs. The first one the count was 0-2 and I got a curveball and I hit it well. I don't know about being named MVP, if they had one in this game. I think everybody's an MVP on this team.

"In my opinion, this is by far the better league. We had great pitching here tonight, too. It was a lot like what we have going at Catty, combining a good hitting lineup with solid pitching."

Saccani's bomb in the first followed an RBI double by Catty teammate John Csencsits, a Fred Tomasko sacrifice fly and a run-scoring single by another Black Sox, Drew Witouski.

Saccani's solo shot over the wall in right made it 6-0 in the third and he added an RBI double in the fourth when the BML assured itself of a one-sided victory with six runs. Scott Brosky, another Catty player, had the big blow in the fourth -- a two-run double.

"I think our team represented ourselves well," said Catty and BML manager Tom Byrd. "Saccani really had a day. He probably should have been in the home run derby. The only bad thing is that the guy we got all the runs off in the first inning (Steve Rau) also pitches in our league and is one of our best pitchers. He had a tough night, and I felt bad for him. But he's a much better pitcher than that and will bounce back."

Rau wasn't the only Tri-Co hurler to scuffle. Several quality Tri-Co pitchers should have stayed home. RBI singles by Northampton's Mike Bodnar and Andretti's Scott Engler highlighted a four-run fifth for the BML. Banko's Matt Merkle got into the 17-hit assault with an RBI triple in the seventh.

"I didn't expect this; I predicted a 5-4 win for us in this game," Byrd said. "But our bats really came alive. Our guys were definitely ready. We talked to them. You want to have fun, but you also want to win."

While BML batters were flexing their muscles, the league's hurlers showed off crafty arms. The Tri-Co was limited to four hits by 12 BML pitchers. The lone bright spot offensively came in the fourth when the Yankees' Steve Gober slashed a two-run single to left.

"It was just one of those nights," said Tri-Co skipper Dave Ernst from Center Valley. "It's tough to get down 5-0 in the first inning. They just hit the ball. We got two runs back to get within 6-2 and then they exploded again.

"The leagues are actually much closer in overall talent than the score indicates. I just think we have to do a better job as a league of getting our guys who are voted in for this game to show up. The guys that come are good players, but your best should be here."

At least, the Tri-Co had a better time in the Home Run Derby prior to the game. Gilbertsville's Jeff Evans and Bob Drumbore combined for five knocks into the nearby pastures to give the Tri-Co a 7-5 win despite three blasts by Northampton's Karl Rentzheimer.

Former Whitehall High, Coplay Legion and New York Met Dave Schneck participated as a guest celebrity and showed he hasn't lost his power with four rips over the fence.

Also before the game, several local dignitaries saluted the BML's 50th anniversary season with proclamations and speeches.

Among those making presentations were Congressman Paul McHale, Northampton County Executive Bill Brackbill and Ken Mohr, a Lehigh County administrator.



keith.groller@mcall.com

From The Morning Call -- July 9, 1995

Copyright © 1995, The Morning Call