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#2 Lehigh Twp. vs. #3
Tri-City
Semifinals Preview: Fleetwings look to return
to Finals while Brewers look for first trip.
Two
veteran and experienced clubs in the Lehigh Township Brewers and the Tri-City
Fleetwings will square off in a best-of-five semifinal. Both rosters are stock-piled full of
talented position players and pitchers. Each team has been to the semis in the past
two years, the Brewers made it in 2000 and the Fleetwings have been there in
2000 and 2001.
The
road team has won each game played between the two this year. The Brewers
traveled to Scherersville #1 twice in a week’s time and came away with victories
both times. Josh Freibolin was brilliant in that first game as the Brewers won
6-3. Lehigh Township pulled it out again a week later behind solid pitching
from Pedro Alvarado and three hits from Charlie Torres. The Fleetwings got one
back at Bryfogle Park in Berlinsville as Josh Gunkle outpitched Jeff Erschen in
a 5-0 whitewash. Justin Godusky was 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs.
The
Lehigh Township Brewers got off to a great start by rattling off thirteen wins
in a row. Then they went into a bit of a tailslide by losing six of their next
eight games. Most people started to write the Brewers off at that point, as
that was a time in the season when Limeport and Tri-City began to get hot. But
the Brewers never panicked and won their next eight times out. While they
weren’t brilliant in their final few regular season games, a workmanlike
performance in the opening round against the Cetronia Longhorns solidified the
Brewers as a championship contender.
On
offense the Brewers are led by top hitters in Jeremy Bartha (.378), Bill
Fatzinger (.344), Bryn Lindenmuth (.341), Steve Unger (.483), Steve Smull
(.345), Charlie (.329) and Omar Torres (.342), Brandon Leslie (.356) and
perhaps their best hitter in Eric Schmitt (.477). There are simply no easy outs
in the Brewer batting order that possibly could out-hit the incompetent
Milwaukee Brewer lineup. They also play solid defense, not necessarily making
the brilliant play, but always making the basic play.
Perhaps
their best strength is on the mound, however. Top hurlers Geoff Kelowitz (4-1,
2.25), Leslie (1-0, 3.37), Erschen (2-3, 0.94), Friebolin (5-1, 2.82), Mike
Petrucci (5-0, 3.18), Alvarado (3-2, 4.92) and closer Nick Bowen (1-0, one
save, 6.64) all are capable of winning big games in the postseason. Manager
Shawn Andrews has a plethora of arms to choose from in this series.
On the
other side of the ball, the Tri-City Fleetwings survived a major scare from the
Banko Athletics on their way to the semifinals. Tri-City came through when they
needed to however, coming back in both the series and in the seventh inning of
the deciding third game. Not all of their best hitters had their best series in
the opening round, so it is essential that they get the big hits against the
Brewers. Justin Godusky (.426), Ben Swatsky (.473), Paul Santay (.400), Matt
Marcks (.330) and Dan Dillon (.378) fill up the top spots in the batting order
for the Fleetwings. They have also gotten clutch hits from Teague Fatzinger and
Jeremy Arner that contributed against the A’s.
The Fleetwings
got good pitching from Dillon (2-2, 3.58), Josh Gunkle (5-3, 3.45) and veteran Dennis Kinney (2-2, 5.02) in the first round. They also have
solid arms in Ray Ganser (4-1, 3.10), Matt Hlay (3-1, 3.68), Ryan Palos (2-2,
5.00) and Kevin Woodbridge (5-0, 2.24) that will need to be ready in a
best-of-five series.
Prediction:
This one should be good. Expect a lengthy series because of the great match-ups
both on the hill and at the plate. The Fleetwings had to work much harder to
advance to this round than did the Brewers. Tri-City cannot afford to fall
behind Lehigh Township as they did against Banko. It will be essential for a
team to take command on the road. Despite the regular season results between
these teams, home-field advantage is often more important in the playoffs. Look
for this series to go the distance, and I think that Lehigh Township will pull
it out in five games because of their depth in the line-up and on their
pitching staff as well as the home-field advantage.
Mark's
choice: Lehigh Township in 5
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