Giants vs. Flyers
Marshall Bloom’s Giants have had their way with Loren Fabian’s Flyers all season until Friday’s game, when the Flyers came from behind in the last inning to win a 14-13 decision.
The Flyers never had a lead in the game until the bottom of the seventh, when winning pitcher Jerry Witter hit a sharp ground ball down the third base line to drive in the game-ending run. Witter was the only Flyer to go 4-4 at the plate.
The Flyers battled back to tie the game 11-11 in the bottom of the fifth. After a scoreless sixth inning, the Giants scored two runs in the top of the seventh, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Flyers who scored three in the bottom of the inning to win the game.
Until Friday, Pat Lopiccolo’s pitching had handcuffed the Flyers with his left-hand, right-foot delivery, dropping the ball on the plate or just in front of it, tempting the Flyers to swing at bad pitches.
Bill McLellan had the hot bat for the Giants, driving two balls over the left-center field fence. The defensive player of the game was Ron Thompson, who made several lunging grabs at second base, each time shutting down the Flyers hopes for a rally.
Ralph Boswell, Don Schapeler, and Rudy LaPointe hit well for the Flyers, all three knocking balls over the outfield fence. A tip of the hat goes to Jimmy McPartlin, the league’s oldest player at 86 years, who played errorless ball in right field for the Flyers.
The Polk State College women’s team arrived in time to watch the last inning from the bleachers. They were entertained by what they saw on the field, but we couldn’t tell if they were smiling in admiration or laughing in embarrassment at these rusty “bygones and has beens.” I am sure it was admiration. Well, pretty sure.
Write up by Doug Hapeman
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