Fleetwings go quietly, lose 4-1 to Lehigh Twp.

Brewers claim the sometimes-volitale series 4 games to 1.

By Keith Groller
Of The Morning Call

 

Those anticipating fireworks — both of the offensive and emotional variety — left Scherersville disappointed Tuesday night.

The previously high-voltage Tri-County League semifinal series between Lehigh Township and Tri-City ended with tempers, and Fleetwing bats, subdued.

Ryan Amey, working on just two days rest after pitching in a Blue Mountain League playoff game, ended the Fleetwings' season, tossing a six-hitter in Lehigh Township's 4-1 victory in the fifth and deciding game of the hotly contested series.

Brandon Leslie doubled in two runs and Steve Unger singled in another during a three-run third inning. Amey made those runs stick to place the Brewers in the Tri-Co finals for the second consecutive year, while eliminating the Fleetwings for the second straight summer.

The Tri-Co's best-of-five championship round begins Thursday at Gabelsville.

Player-manager Shawn Andrews quickly reminded his fifth-seeded, 23-16 team, which has never won a Tri-Co title, that its work is not done.

''We were in the finals last year, and we know what it feels like to come out on the short end,'' Andrews said. ''We'll be the underdog. We're the lowest seed. But we know what kind of team we have. We knew we were the better team here. That may sound arrogant, but that's the confidence we have in ourselves.''

Amey, an Emmaus High and East Stroudsburg University product, was confident he could get the job done.

''I just had to hit my spots,'' he said. ''It doesn't matter who's up there. If you throw every pitch with confidence and conviction and hit your spots, that's all you can hope for.''

Amey struck out four and walked just two. The lone Tri-City run came in the first when Mike Palos clubbed a home run to right-center.

''He made one bad pitch to Palos,'' Andrews said. ''I was concerned because he was up with some of his pitches early, but he settled into a groove. I left it up to him about pitching tonight. We had Nick Bowen ready on five days rest and we planned to use them both, but Ryan kept cruising.''

Tri-City starter Steve Rothermel didn't pitch badly before turning the ball over to Ryan Palos and Dennis Kinney late. It was the first time that the winning team in the series didn't reach double digits.

A single to No. 8 hitter Mike Trimble and Rothermel's error on Charlie Torres' sacrifice bunt attempt set the stage for Leslie's go-ahead double.

''The first time up, I took pitches, got behind in the count and struck out,'' Leslie said. ''This time, I was more aggressive and just went with an outside pitch to right.''

Tri-City, which slugged its way through the regular season at 27-5 and had a first-round bye, had runners in every inning but the fifth, but couldn't get a clutch hit.

''I didn't think it would be a high-scoring game, but I thought we'd score more than we did,'' said Fleetwings' manager Bob Fatzinger. ''Even in the games we lost, we still hit the ball. But Amey did a real good job. We had some heated moments with them, but this was just a real good ballgame tonight.''


Lehigh Township  003 001 0 — 4 11 1

Tri-City                 100 000 0 — 1  6  1


Amey and Schmitt; Rothermel, R. Palos (7), Kinney (7) and Arner. L: Rothermel. HR: TC, M. Palos (1st, none on).

keith.groller@mcall.com

610-820-6740

From The Morning Call -- August 13, 2003

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