Recap: Starrucca Stays Unbeaten By Edging Prompton, 2-1

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Danny Millard
Danny Millard

Lefty Danny Millard (40, Beach Lake) tossed a complete-game three-hitter as the Starrucca Hawks stayed unbeaten with a 2-1 victory over the Prompton Anglers on Tuesday evening.

Millard allowed an unearned run in the top of the sixth and finished with one walk and 12 strikeouts. He coaxed 124 pitches, 84 strikes, out of his 40-year-old arm while making his second start of the season.

“I’m not going to lie — I was getting tired out there,” Millard said after the win. “I’d trade a few of those strikeouts for some one-pitch outs. But the soreness will be easier to deal with tomorrow because we got the win today.”

Starrucca took the lead in the second inning on a solo homer by shortstop Ryan Thompson (24, Mt. Cobb), but Prompton knotted things up with an unearned run on a two-out, RBI single by second baseman Tim Johnson (43, Mt. Cobb).

The Hawks immediately retook the lead in the bottom half of the inning with an RBI double by left fielder Felix Inger (45, Forest City).

Prompton starter Justin Wright (20, Forest City) took the loss while going the distance, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out four.

In other Wayne County Baseball League action …

♦ Damascus 3, Hawley 1, 10 innings

The Grays scored twice in the top of the 10th to deny Hawley its first victory of the season. Second baseman Norm Lewis (47, Honesdale) delivered an RBI sac fly to put Damascus ahead, and left fielder Mike Reed (40, Greentown), who had come into the game on defense in the eighth, added an RBI double.

Damascus starter Brandeis Lector (28, Honesdale) got the win, allowing a run on eight hits and five walks while fanning six in nine innings. Lefty John “Mauler” Pelletier (21, Honesdale) worked a perfect bottom of the 10th, striking out two, for his second save.

Hawley lefty Dave O’Quinlan (22, Clifford) pitched all 10 innings in the loss, allowing three runs on seven hits and a walk while fanning three.

Donald “Fingers” Phillips (49, Forest City) finished singled, doubled and scored the go-ahead run in the 10th for the Grays.

Waymart 3, Lake Ariel 1

Waymart left fielder Cy Irvin (44, Uniondale) went 2-for-3 with a home run, RBI and two runs scored as Waymart kept Lake Ariel winless.

Brent St. John (27, Greentown) went the distance for the win, giving up a run on seven hits and three walks while striking out five.

Lake Ariel center fielder Ralph “Refund” Paulton (22, Waymart) tried to get the best of his hometown team by singling twice and scoring the Angels’ only run.

Honesdale 4, Bethany 2

All six runs came in the last two innings, and it was left fielder Sam Beasley’s (34, Cherry Ridge) three-run homer in the top of the eighth that made the difference for Honesdale.

“Beasley was beastly tonight,” joked Honesdale manager Steve Shanney.

Beasley finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs and a run scored, and third baseman Paul McDaniel (45, Waymart) singled twice, doubled, drove in a run and scored a run in the win.

Bethany catcher Bryan Jenkins (38, Palmyra Township) had a two-out, two-run double in the bottom of the ninth. Blues starter Richard Peterson (21, Forest City) took a no-decision after working seven scoreless innings before being lifted for a pinch-hitter. He allowed seven hits and three walks while striking out five.

Recap: Damascus duo combines on two-hit shutout

Saturday, June 7, 2014

Jack Mitchell
Jack Mitchell
John Pelletier
John Pelletier

Righty Jack Mitchell (44, Orson) and lefty John “Mauler” Pelletier (21, Honesdale) teamed up to toss a two-hit shutout to lead Damascus to a 1-0 victory over the Prompton Anglers in Wayne County Baseball League action on Saturday.

Mitchell went the first six innings before being lifted for a pinch-hitter, allowing one run on three walks and fanning four to pick up the win. Pelletier followed and worked the final three innings, allowing a lone single while striking out five.

“That’s as good as you can ask for from two guys,” Damascus manager Bo Rivers said. “Jack battled for six innings, which is what we were hoping to get out of him. We were lucky enough to have a lead to hand to John and he did the rest.”

The Grays scored the game’s only run in the top of the sixth when they loaded the bases with no outs on two walks and a single. Right fielder Donald Phillips (49, Forest City) delivered an RBI sac fly to drive in center fielder Grigory Misitnikov, who had led off the inning with a walk.

Left-hander Christian “Crazy” Milligan (24, Moscow) was the tough-luck loser for Prompton, allowing a run on five hits and three walks while striking out seven in a complete game.

In other league action …

Bethany 2, Lake Ariel 1

The Blues stayed unbeaten as right-hander Daniel Hartman (24, Orson) went the distance for his second win of the season, allowing a run on five hits and two walks while striking out six.

Catcher Bryan Jenkins (38, Palmyra Township) ripped a solo home run in the third and finished the day 2-for-3. Second baseman Calvin Jones (46, Dreher Township) added an RBI single and center fielder Richie Rivera (35, Thompson) went 2-for-3 with a run scored.

Lake Ariel center fielder Ralph “Refund” Paulton went 3-for-4 with two doubles and a run scored, and starter Ricky McMahon (43, Lakewood) struck out nine over seven innings, but took the loss.

Starrucca 3, Hawley 2

Starrucca lefty Cole Lunday (43, Palmyra Township) overcame a two-run first inning to go the distance, allowing just those two runs on six hits and two walks while striking out eight as the Hawks stayed unbeaten. Lunday used his cutter and big, slow curveball to limit the Eagles to just three hits over the final eight innings.

The Hawks, who responded to Hawley’s two-run first inning with one of their own, scored the decisive run in the second on third baseman Alex Cross (25, South Gibson) doubled with one out, moved to third on a bunt by Lunday and scored on a wild pitch. Cross and right fielder Glen Sherman (25, Paupack Township) each finished with two hits.

Hawley center fielder Ramiro Martinez (41, Hawley) delivered a two-run double in the first inning for the Eagles’ only output.

Waymart 3, Honesdale 2

A pair of 40-somethings got the job done at the plate as Waymart won a battle of winless teams.

Left fielder Cy Irvin (44, Uniondale) laced a two-run double in the fifth inning as Waymart overcame an early two-run deficit. Irvin’s line drive down the right field line tied the score, and first baseman Joe Harris (42, Honesdale) gave the Generals the victory with a two-out, RBI single in the seventh.

Waymart starter Ed Jones (26, Damascus) allowed two first-inning runs and finished allowing just three hits and two walks while striking out five. Another well-seasoned veteran, Jake Sims (48, South Canaan), pitched a scoreless ninth for the save.

Center fielder Steve Cahill (26, Honesdale) delighted the his hometown crowd with two hits, including an RBI double in the first, and third baseman Paul McDaniel (45, Waymart) tried to do his hometown team dirty by adding an RBI sacrifice fly in the inning.