Richie Walker began his mound career in earnest just two seasons ago.
Before that, Waymart Hotel’s ace was something of a dilettante, messing around with different wind-ups, deliveries and pitches. Over the course of the past two years, however, Walker has evolved into one of the Wayne County Men’s Softball League’s elite hurlers.
On Tuesday evening at the HomerDome, Richie put on a pitching clinic for a the big partisan crowd. Walker dominated the game against Kestler’s, rolling to a 4-2 decision and allowing just two hits along the way.
With this win, the tournament’s #1 seed moved to within one game of a spot in the finals. Second seeded Wargo Flooring has already punched its ticket after sweeping Joe’s Ranch House in the other semifinal.
Game Two of the Waymart Hotel vs. Kestler’s series is set for tonight at Bingham Park in Hawley. First pitch for this contest is slated for 6:30 p.m.
Should the Hotel emerge victorious, the finals would begin next Tuesday in Waymart at the HomerDome. If Kestler’s battles its way back to the championship series, Game One would take place next Thursday at Hamlin Elementary School.
Stay tuned to TWI Sports for continuing coverage of the ‘09 Wayne County Men’s Softball League play-offs.
Dominant Performance
Walker set the tone for this one right off the bat.
Richie fanned the first batter he faced en route to a 1-2-3 opening inning. In fact, Walker set down nine in a row before allowing a Kestler’s baserunner.
Offensively, Waymart Hotel jumped out to a quick lead. The home team tallied one run in each of the first three innings.
Joe Williams Jr. worked a one-out walk, then sprinted to third when Wally Kulick laced a single to right center. “Hoey” trotted home just moments later when Dennis Smeding lashed an RBI single right up the pipe.
The Hotel made it 2-0 in the second with another run off Kestler’s starter Pete Saprona.
Bobby Bunting led off the inning with a walk, but was cut down one batter later. Bunting tried to take an extra base on Walker’s single and was thrown out at third.
Ron Hendershot delivered a big hit, though. “Kid” ripped a double to the gap in right center. This brought home Walker to give the Hotel a 2-run cushion.
Richie continued his mound dominance in the top of the third. Walker struck out the first two batters, then retired Mike Hanor on a flyball to center.
Waymart tallied its third run of the contest thanks to pure hustle from Joe Williams Jr.
“Hoey” opened the frame by coaxing another walk from Saprona. For the second straight at-bat, Williams raced all the way to third when Kulick singled.
Smeding collected another RBI, this time staying out of a possible double play by sprinting to first on his grounder. Joe scored on the play and the Hotel led by three.
After the two pitchers traded zeroes in the fourth, Kestler’s offense finally awakened in the top of the fifth.
Jeff Barnes got things going with a one-out single. He was joined on the basepaths by Chris Caccavale, who prevailed in an epic duel with Richie by working a 10-pitch walk.
Steve Knapp bounced back from a third inning strikeout by blasting an RBI single to center. Barnes scored on the play and Caccavale took third.
Chris jetted home one batter later on a fielder’s choice and suddenly Waymart Hotel’s lead had been whittled to just a single run, 3-2.
Closing It Out
Not surprisingly, Joe Williams Jr. was right in the middle of the Hotel’s final rally.
“Hoey” roped a one-out single to start the fifth. Two pitches later, Joe wheeled his way home courtesy of Kulick. Wally hammered a belt-high heater off the top of the fence in center.
This RBI double was Kulick’s third hit of the night and gave Walker a bit of breathing room at 4-2. Wally went 3-for-3 for the game, while “Hoey” tallied three of his team’s four runs.
Defensively, Richie received solid support all night long.
Dante Terenzio made a stellar sliding catch in short right center to rob Steffen of a sure basehit. Hendershot anchored the Hot Corner admirably. Ron snared a wormburner off the bat of Barnes, then gunned him out at first with a perfect throw from foul territory.
Score by Innings...
Kestler's 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 - 2
Waymart 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 - 4
Get Out the Brooms
Wargo Flooring didn’t waste any time claiming its spot in the ‘09 championship series.
The Hamlin-based ballclub took Game One of its semifinal by a score of 11-6. Wargo followed that up Tuesday night with a 5-2 victory in Game Two.
Brian Bolduc drew the starting nod for Wargo and turned in a complete game effort. “Fabio” pitched all seven innings and allowed just two earned runs on five basehits. He issued five walks and struck out two en route to the decision.
Rob Spaulding took the hill for Joe’s Ranch House and eventually absorbed the loss. Rob also pitched a complete game, working seven frames. Spaulding surrendered nine hits, walked two and fanned three.
Dave “Curly” Bell and Frank Thomas each played a part in Wargo’s initial uprising. Thomas led off the top of the fourth with a single, then came all the way around to score when Bell smoked an RBI double.
Joe’s Ranch House retaliated quickly, pushing across a pair of runs in the home half.
Kenny Bates and Pete Steffen each lashed a single off Bolduc. This set the stage for Ray Steffen, who came through with a clutch basehit.
Steffen ripped a 2-run double up the alley in left center. This laserbeam plated both runners and gave the Ranch House a short-lived 2-1 advantage.
Wargo Flooring re-captured the lead in the top of the fifth, then tacked on two insurance runs in the seventh.
Justin Collins provided the fireworks in the fifth. Western Wayne’s talented young track & field coach crushed a two-run homer that swung momentum once and for all.
Lenny Wargo put the game away with an RBI single in the top of the seventh. Wargo went 2-for-3 on the day.
Score by Innings...
Wargo 0 0 0 1 2 0 2 - 5
Ranch 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 - 2
