Cavanaugh helps Limeport oust Tri-City

He hits a grand slam, and the Bulls advance in the Tri-Co playoffs.


By Steve Moore
Of The Morning Call

 

For the Limeport Bulls' Jeff Cavanaugh, the end of one season was simply the beginning of another.

And on Wednesday night, it was one smooth swing by Cavanaugh that allowed that second season to grow just a little bit longer than most people expected.

Cavanaugh, who joined the Bulls only after his other team, the Limeport Dodgers of the Blue Mountain League, were eliminated from playoff contention, belted a third-inning grand slam to propel the sixth-seeded Bulls to an 8-4, rain-shortened win over third-seeded Tri-City in Scherersville in the Tri-County League playoffs. The upset sends the Bulls to a second-round date with top-seeded ICC, a best-of-five series that begins tonight in Bethlehem Township.

''I knew it was bases loaded, and Palos didn't want to walk him,'' said Bulls manager Chris Parsell of Cavanaugh's blast. ''And I know he would put something near the plate, and Cavs takes good swings, and he connected with one. He was due for one. I wouldn't have wanted anyone else in that spot.''

After going down 4-0 in the first inning, Limeport got three back in the second on a solo homer by Jim Ernst and an RBI single by Zach Kepczynski. Palos continued to struggle in the top of the third, loading the bases with just one out and setting the scene for Cavanaugh's heroics.

Despite walking Cavanaugh in the second inning with a steady diet of curveballs off the plate, Palos continued to come at the Phillipsburg High and Villanova grad with offspeed pitches. But with nowhere to put him, Palos finally was forced to bring a curveball over the plate.

Cavanaugh left no doubt, lofting a high, majestic shot over the fence in left field.

''I was having trouble waiting on the curveball after he threw me so many in the first at-bat,'' said Cavanaugh. ''He threw back-to-back curveballs, and the pitch before that was a perfect one right on the corner. But on the next pitch he kind of hung it a little bit, and I just got lucky, I guess.''

Cavanaugh was not the only star of the night for the Bulls. After walking two batters and allowing three hits in the four-run first inning, Limeport pitcher Christian Bensing really settled in. The Northampton High School graduate retired the Fleetwings in order in the second and third, and allowed just four hits in his final five innings of work.

Parsell said he approached this season with a different perspective than he did in 2003, when he said he overworked his pitchers and ran out of arms in the playoffs. He also said he didn't know who would start Wednesday's game until the very last minute.

''We just wanted to get in the playoffs healthy,'' Parsell said. ''Every pitcher that we had had four days' rest, unlike last year. So this time Bensing was ready, and Toner pitched great in the first game. I tried to have more of a mindset toward the playoffs this year instead of just the regular season.''

The game ended after six full innings, the final two of which were played in steady rain. Tri-City, which entered the playoffs with an impressive 25-8 record, saw its season end prematurely for the second straight year. The Fleetwings finished last season in first place before falling in the playoffs.

Limeport on the other hand, will head to the semifinals for the second-straight year and face ICC. Last year the Bulls fell in five games to Gabelsville.


Limeport   034 001 x — 8 10 0

Tri-City     400 000 x — 4  6  2


Christian Bensing and Mike Krauss; Ryan Palos, Matt Hlay (4) and Jeremy Arner. WP: Bensing. LP: Palos. HR: Jim Ernst (2nd, 0 on), Jeff Cavanaugh (3rd, 3 on).



steve.moore@mcall.com

From The Morning Call -- August 5, 2004

Copyright © 2004, The Morning Call