Sports Page trips Gabelsville on Talbot's bases-loaded walk

The victory ups the winner's lead in the Tri-County North Division.


By Ted Meixell
Of The Morning Call

 

Sean Carey's two-out single in the sixth inning chased home Jim Brezack to snap a scoreless deadlock and start the Tri-County League North Division-leading Sports Page Red Sox to a taut 2-1 victory over host and South Division power Gabelsville Wednesday night.

Lehigh grad Ben Talbott's bases-loaded walk pushed over an unearned insurance tally in the top of the seventh, and Lehigh undergrad Chris Frey held on to win a magnificent pitchers' duel with East Stroudsburg University right-hander Matt Eisenhard.

The win enabled the Sox (15-2), who hovered around the .500 mark most of last year, to sweep their regular season series with the Owls (13-3), who trail Limeport (15-2) by 1-1/2 games in the South title chase. Sports Page leads Lehigh Township (14-4) by 1-1/2 in the North.

Most important, player/manager Greg Wotring said, "A win like this proves to our guys they can play with anybody in the league. The difference between last year and this one is that our pitchers -- Chris, Jimmy (Brezack) and Mike Kressler -- have really stepped up."

Frey sure did Wednesday. In fact, he came within one strike of shutting out the Owls. But, with two out in the seventh, Josh Williamson singled on an 0-2 pitch and Gabelsville put up a major fuss before bowing. Frey hit Ed Reilly with a pitch, after which Dave Pence singled to left to plate Wiilliamson. Frey then walked Greg Gilbert to load the bases, but he registered the final out by getting Ken Renninger on a line drive to Carey in center.

"I know their reputation even though I'm not from around here," admitted Frey, who's taking summer courses on South Mountain. "I felt good today. But I didn't feel my fastball was what it usually is, so I knew I had to mix it up and move it around against hitters like that."

Brezack went 2-for-4 but, since he came in hitting a lusty .544, his average actually fell. That didn't bother him because his first hit, a double leading off the sixth, resulted in the first dent in either pitcher's armor.

First, Brezack took out the rear window on a shiny new black Ford Taurus with a screaming line drive foul ball. Then he whacked a fair ball over Reilley's head in right. Talbott did his job, moving Brezack to third with a grounder to the right side, but Eisenhard could see his way out when Dave Stalsitz popped up. Carey whacked a sinking liner to left to break the ice.

Jason Frederick reached on a two-out error in the seventh. Singles by Johnny Rodriguez and Brezack loaded the bases and Talbott walked to bring in what subsequently proved to be a vital second run.

"I've been seeing the ball really well," Brezack understated. "(Eisenhard) had been pitching me inside, so I tried opening up a little. But on the double he threw me a fastball away and I just took it to right."

"An excellent baseball game in general," mused Gabelsville skipper Mike Moyer. "It boiled down to the fact that they got a couple key hits when they had opportunities and we didn't."



ted.meixell@mcall.com

From The Morning Call -- June 25, 1998

Copyright © 1998, The Morning Call