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 Monday, July 9, 2007

SPORTS

 C-5 

 

Smull's Reds roll over ICC, remain in first

Coplay improves to 21-2-1, hopes to clinch No. 1 playoff seed.
By Keith Groller
 Of The Morning Call

 

As the Tri-County League's vice president, head statistician and webmaster, Steve Smull is usually busy during the playoffs writing stories for the league's Web site.

But this year, Smull may need to find another writer because he could have a definite conflict of interest.

That's because Smull is also the manager of the Coplay Reds, who own Tri-Co's best record.
 

  
  His Reds rolled over the visiting ICC Pirates 10-1 Sunday night to improve to 21-2-1.

With just two weeks left in the regular season, the defending  Tri-Co champs look like the team to beat.

''We've had strong pitching and great defense all year,'' Smull said. ''It's a great wooden-bat team because we go six-deep with the pitching, we play great defense and get just enough offense. We methodically chip away and score runs to put teams away.''

Smull calls himself ''an interim'' manager. Shawn Andrews, a  long-time Tri-Co skipper, managed the Reds to the league title last year.

But he moved to the Scranton area and had to bow out just before the season began.

''If Shawn comes back, it's his job,'' Smull said. ''Because they won the championship last year, I'm kind of in a no-win situation.''

But all the Reds have done -- with the exception of a 3-2 loss to the Fleetwings on June 6 and a 2-0 setback to Gabelsville on  June 23 -- is win.

Coplay lost seven players from its 2006 roster, which went      33-14-1.

However, the nucleus remained intact and Smull added to it by signing Josh and Jeremy Faust, a pair of Parkland and King's College grads.
 

  Photo by Kathleen X. Cook, The Morning Call  

JOSH FAUST, a newcomer to the Reds this season, crosses home plate during a Tri-County League game between ICC and Coplay at Scherersville Park Sunday. Faust recorded a   team-high three hits. The Coplay Reds finished with 15 hits.
  Jeremy Faust, who leads the league with a .481 batting average, wasn't there Sunday night and yet Coplay didn't miss a beat or a scoring opportunity.

The Reds scored in every inning but the sixth to back the solid pitching of Caleb Calarco, who allowed a run and four hits over six innings.

''It really helps a pitcher relax when you score in every inning like that,'' said Calarco, a Tamaqua High grad. ''We had great offense and defense and that's the way it's been all year.''

Calarco (4-0, 0.77 ERA) was part of the 2006 team and said this year is ''just a little different.''

''The core is the same and we picked up some other guys who know how to win,'' Calarco said. ''We haven't skipped a beat. We've just kept going and whatever mix we have, it's working right now.

''The change in managers hasn't affected us. Steve has been around this league a long time. He was here before and everybody knows him.''

Against ICC (8-15-1) Josh Faust led a 15-hit attack with three hits. Calarco, Jesse Borden, Brandon Leslie, J.R. Graver and Mike Bortz had two hits each. Bortz knocked in three runs.

As if the Reds aren't talented enough, they have a distinct home-field edge since the sun glares directly in the eyes of the outfielders at Scherersville Field No. 5 in the early evening hours.

That's one more reason why they want to nail down the best regular season record and the No. 1 seed throughout the six-team postseason.

''We've still got some tough games left, including the Fleetwings twice,'' Calarco said. ''This is an important part of the year. You want to build momentum going into the playoffs. Our goal is to repeat as league champs, but we've got a long way to go.''

ICC       001 000 0 -- 1   4  2

Coplay  141 310 x -- 10 15 1

Pogorzelski, Lezinsky (3), Rogers (5) and K. Ruff, Sobrinski (5). Calarco, Graver (7) and D. Borden.         W: Calarco, L: Pogorzelski. NOTES: Graver 2 2Bs.




keith.groller@mcall.com

610-778-6740

  

From The Morning Call -- July 9, 2007

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