Bulls score dramatic win, 10-9

Jeff Cavanaugh's 2-out, 3-run HR in the 7th ties it, sets stage for win in 9th to tie series.

By Josh Goodin

    LIMEPORT -- For the second night in a row, the Limeport Bulls fought off elimination by winning in their final at-bat. Tony D'Amico once again drove in the game winner, this time on a fielder's choice in the bottom of the ninth. But the heroics belong to Jeff Cavanaugh, whose three-run homer with two outs in the seventh provided the drama as the Bulls downed the Gabelsville Owls 10-9.

    In a bit of foreshadowing, the Bulls scored three two-out runs in the first inning, after Pat Toner set the Owls down in order in the top half of the frame. Pat Lane singled and scored on D'Amico's double into center field. Cavanaugh followed with a two-run single, scoring Kevin Kershner, who walked earlier, and D'Amico.

    The Owls returned the favor, putting up their own threespot in the second as they batted around against Lane. Starting pitcher Pete Colon hit a leadoff homerun to left field. Then, with two outs, Toner hit Kyle Hoffman with a pitch and allowed back-to-back singles to Mitch Schueck and Steve Gabel, the second scoring Hoffman. A.J. Bohn drew a walk to load the bases, and Greg Gilbert walked in a run. After Jason Irey popped up to end the inning, Colon also returned a 1-2-3 inning to the Bulls.

    After passing that goose egg back to the Owls in the third inning, Limeport was ready for another three. Kershner drove a one-out single to right, followed by a Glenn Kushma walk. D'Amico answered the call with another RBI double. Cavanaugh walked and loaded the bases, chasing Colon off the mound. He went to right field and Jeremy Cabot took the hill. A wild pitch brought home Kushma, then Chris Bensing hit a ground ball to third that Al Fitch couldn't handle, allowing D'Amico to score. Cabot settled in and got Steve Raysley to pop up and Mike Krauss to ground out to get out of any further trouble.

    Gabelsville tied it up again, answering the Bulls' call with three runs of their own in the fourth. Cabot drew a one-out walk, then Bohn reached on an error at second base, setting up Gilbert's moonshot of a homerun to left field. Cabot held Limeport scoreless until the seventh inning, striking out five batters in his 4 1/3 innings of relief.

    The Owls took the lead with yet another three-run inning, this time in the sixth. Bohn singled off Scott Rodriguez and stole second, then scored on Irey's double to deep center field. Irey moved to third on Colon's flyout to right, but the throw to third base went out of play and Irey walked in for the score. Fitch smashed a homer to right and it looked like the Owls had the game, and the series, in the bag.

    The dramatic seventh inning began when Lane walked. After striking out Kershner and popping up Kushma, Cabot issued another freebie, this one to D'Amico. Cavanaugh made him pay for it though, crushing a fastball and sending the crowd into a frenzy.

    New Limeport pitcher Matt Schultz put the Owls away in order in the eighth, and Justin Konnick did the same to Limeport. Matt Danner led off the ninth for Gabelsville with an innocent pop up into shallow right field but Lane dropped it. Hoffman singled and with two on and no outs, it looked like the end for Limeport. But textbook Boyertown baseball backfired on the Owls. Schueck bunted foul with two strikes for out number one, then Konnick grounded to third. Kershner stepped on the bag for out number two, then threw across to first to get Konnick and end the inning.

    Konnick began the ninth inning by falling behind Lane 3-0, but came back and got him looking. Kershner doubled into left center and moved to third when Kushma's ground ball hopped of Fitch at third and into left field. D'Amico hit a double play ball and Kushma was wiped out at second. But as Kershner raced home, D'Amico raced to first and the call was safe. Two improbable wins late in the game tie the series at two games apiece and force a deciding Game 5 at Gabelsville on Tuesday at 5:45.

    For Gabelsville, Kyle Hoffman was 2-4 with a run scored. Greg Gilbert was 1-4 with a home run and four RBI's.

    For Limeport, Tony D'Amico was 2-4 with a pair of doubles, three runs, and three RBI's, including the game winner. Kevin Kershner was 2-4 with three runs. Jeff Cavanuagh was the star of the game, going 3-3 with five RBI's.