Bethany’s Daniel Hartman (24, Orson) and Starrucca’s Cole Lunday (43, Palmyra Township) continued their domination of the Wayne County Baseball League with complete-game gems on Thursday.
Hartman improved to 3-0 with a three-hit shutout in a 1-0 victory as Bethany kept Hawley winless. Hartman finished 10 strikeouts and just one walk.
“I knew they had two games today,” Hartman said, referencing a rare doubleheader against different teams for Hawley. “I just wanted to go at them and see what would happen. Fortunately we got a run and I was able to shut them out.”
Bethany scored in the top of the third when center fielder Dale Aitkenhead (27, Mt. Cobb) delivered a two-out, RBI double.
At Starrucca, Lunday set a WCBL record with 13 strikeouts in eight innings of a 2-1 victory over Honesdale. He allowed five hits and two walks while also improving to 3-0.
“We haven’t lost yet, so I didn’t want to be the first one to suffer an ‘L,'” said Lunday, who was named Pitcher of the Week after going 2-0 last week.
Starrucca, which improved to 5-0, got RBI singles in the fourth from right fielder Glen Sherman (25, Paupack Township) and second baseman Arthur Simpson (24, Mt. Cobb).
Honesdale, which fell to 2-3, got a solo homer in the ninth from first baseman Ernie Martins (49, Honesdale).
In other league action …
♦ Prompton 3, Hawley 2
The Anglers beat Hawley in the first game of the Eagles’ doubleheader by rebounding from a 2-0 deficit after an inning. Left fielder Jack Bond (26, Tyler Hill) delivered a tie-breaking solo homer in the eighth after third baseman Eddie Canzler (40, Moscow) had tied the game with a two-out, two run single in the fifth.
Hawley had taken a 2-0 lead in the first on a two-out, two-run bomb by catcher Scott McDowell (23, Mt. Cobb).
♦ Lake Ariel 4, Damascus 3
The Angels rallied for their first victory, winning it in the bottom of the 10th on a walk-off RBI double by catcher John Connolly (50, Lakeville), who had tied the game with a solo homer in the eighth. Connolly finished 3-for-5 with two doubles, a homer, two RBIs and a run.
Lake Ariel shortstop Rich Drake (35, Hamlin) added two doubles, a single and two runs scored, third baseman Mark “Thrash” Oliver (36, Greeley) had three hits, and left fielder Mike Hoffman (22, Clifford) singled twice and drove in two.
Right fielder Donald “Fingers” Phillips (49, Forest City) singled and doubled for Damascus, and reliever John Pelletier (21, Honesdale) had a two-run single, but gave up Connolly’s game-tying homer in the eighth.
Wayne County Baseball League 