Graber pitches and bats Upper Perk to Tri-Co win

By Ted Meixell
Of The Morning Call


Upper Perkiomen's Bob Graber's been pitching -- and hitting -- in the Tri-County League for the last 17 years, so it's understandable that he no longer either does cartwheels following a good, winning performance or throws a tantrum after a bad, losing one.

Still, after a game like the Chiefs' 7-3 victory over the host ICC Pirates in Bethlehem Township last night, a game he turned into his own personal stage, both on the mound and at the plate, he permits himself a big grin of satisfaction.

"No," the Upper Perk High School, Kutztown University and Allentown Wings alumnus said through that grin, "a game like this one isn't routine. But I have been hitting pretty decently all year. My (batting) average isn't way up there, but I have been driving in runs and hitting some homers. I think this one was my sixth."

"This one" was Graber's reference to a never-in-doubt line drive he slammed over the right field fence off Pirates' starter and loser Eric Baran in the third inning last night, a blow that gave the Chiefs a 3-1 lead -- which soon grew to 4-1 when Joe Ricapito walked, stole second and scored on Scott Engle's single.

In all, Graber drove in five of the Chiefs' seven runs. In the first, he walloped a sacrifice fly to the base of the fence in center. And, with two out in the fourth, he lofted a long double to left-center to chase home two more runs.

The latter blow gave Graber a 6-2 margin, which became 7-2 when he scored on Ricapito's flare to short center. He then had no difficulty nursing it the rest of the way.

The Pirates nicked him for seven hits and single runs in the first, third and seventh --only one of which was earned. He walked two and struck out eight -- including the side in the fourth.

ICC's first run came when Chris Medei walked, brother Dave singled and Rich Gaugler reached on an error to load the bases with none out and Chris Medei scored as the Chiefs turned a double play. In the third, Chris Medei tripled to deep right-center and scored as Dave grounded out. And, in the seventh, the Pirates' tally was the result of a two-base error and Dave Medei's single.

"All in all," Graber said thoughtfully. "this would probably have been the best game I've pitched this year, if only because my arm felt decent. I've had arm problems all year, so it felt good to go through a whole game without feeling a lot of pain."

The victory lifted the Chiefs to 15-9, two games behind Gilbertsville (16-6) in the South Division pending the outcome of the Rangers' game with Quakertown last night. ICC fell to 13-9. The Pirates are in fourth place in the Central behind Center Valley, Limeport and Silver Creek.

Graber liked the Chiefs' chances of securing one of the four wild card berths into the TCL's championship playoffs better than those of catching Gilbertsville for the divisional crown.

"I'd say slim," he replied to the latter question, "because we've got eight games left, and several of them are against the really good teams. (Two are against a 20-4 Stahley's Bar club, including one tonight.)

"We're thinking mainly about one of the playoff slots -- and even that's not really secure. We've got to keep winning. We have beaten some of the top teams, but we've also blown at least two games to teams that, at least in our minds, should not beat us."

The Pirates remain in the thick of the wild card hunt, too -- but will have to shake themselves out of a recent funk that's been due mainly to poor defense. Even last night, for example, Baran (seven hits, five strikeouts, four walks in 4-2/3 innings) deserved a much better fate, as five Pirates' boots led to three unearned runs.



ted.meixell@mcall.com

From The Morning Call -- July 13, 1995

Copyright © 1995, The Morning Call