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Serpents sting Chiefs, 9-6
Adam Sandt and Mark Bentz combine for
four hits and five RBI to lead South Whitehall.
PENNSBURG --
The South Whitehall Serpents avoided setting an
unenviable record by beating the Upper Perk Chiefs. A 9-6 win boosted the
Serpents' record to 5-30, meaning they could only tie the Tri-County League
record of 31 losses in a season, set in 1997 by Quakertown and equaled in 1999
by the Silver Creek Orioles (same franchise). The Chiefs (12-24) ended the
season as they began it, with a loss.
Timely hitting and Bruce Sokol's ground ball pitching, backed by solid defense
paved the way for the win. South Whitehall jumped to an 8-0 lead after posting
four-spots in the second and third innings. Veteran Chuck Mondschein, who had
his 500th career hit earlier in the season, led off the second with a single
down the third base line. Eric Csencsits followed with a walk. Jose Medina's
chopper up the middle scored Mondschein, and Adam Sandt followed with a two-run
double to right. Sandt scored the final run of the inning on an error.
The Serpents picked up in the third where they left off in
the second, this time with Dave Sandt getting things started with a double. He
scored on another single by Mondschein. Medina walked and Adam Sandt hit an
infield single to Mike Brannen at third base that allowed Mondschein to score.
Mark Bentz drove in two more runs on a single to right field to cap the scoring
in the third inning.
Upper Perk cut into the lead in the fourth inning, scoring three times. Scott
and Bob Gehringer singled back to back to start the inning, then Dan Pierce
doubled to right field. Scott scored, but Bob was thrown out at the plate.
Pierce moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on Jeff Moyer's fielder's
choice. Matt Derr singled and then scored after Derrek Keller cranked a triple
to deep center.
South Whitehall extended their lead to 9-3 in the sixth inning without getting a
hit. William Flores walked but was wiped out at second on Dave Sandt's fielder's
choice. Sandt moved to second on a wild pitch and went to third after the throw
hit Mondschein running to first. He scored on Csencsits' sacrifice fly to right
field.
The Chiefs battled back to 9-6 in the bottom half of the inning. Pierce and
Moyer banged out back-to-back doubles, with Moyer's scoring Pierce. Derr, who
was a quiet 3-3 on the night, singled. Keller drove in his second run of the
night on a sac fly. Scott Reeder hit into a fielder's choice, wiping out out
Derr at second. He moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on Brannen's
single to left field to cap all the scoring. Matt Kuronya relieved Sokol (1-4,
who picked up his 30th career win) in the seventh and pitched a 1-2-3 inning for
his second save.
The Chiefs were led by Pierce's three doubles and Derr also chipped in with
three singles. Keller and Moyer added two RBI's each. Mondschein and Adam Sandt
led South Whitehall with two hits each. Sandt also drove in three runs, and Mark
Bentz added two RBI's. The Serpents close out the season July 26 at home against
the Milford Pioneers in the final regular season game of 2002.
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