Norwood baseball unbeaten heading into playoffs

by TOM UTESCHER

Norwood Fontbonne Academy wrapped up an undefeated regular-season campaign in the Catholic Academies League last Wednesday, topping visiting Waldron Academy, 21-11, at the Water Tower Recreation Center.

In their eight CAL outings thus far, the NFA Bears (9-2-1 overall) have won seven games and have had a contest with Gwynedd Mercy Academy end in a tie due to time constraints.

Wednesday’s game only lasted three-and-a-half innings, because Norwood held a ten-run lead after Waldron batted in the top of the fourth, and league rules stipulated that it was too late in the day to begin a fifth frame. On the mound for Norwood, Dan Hyman (2K, 4BB, 2H) started the game, then was relieved by Dann Pfefferle (1K, 6BB, 5H) at the beginning of the third inning.

After walking Waldron’s first batter of the game, Norwood retired the side in order and then went to work with the sticks. The Bears immediately seized the lead thanks to Kevin Kelley’s solo homer over the head of the right fielder. Later, with one out, John Sczepanski and Dave Murray drew walks, and Brett Greenberg was hit by a pitch to load the bases with Bears.

This set up a two-run double down the right field line by Tim Davis, and then RBI efforts from Pfefferle (single) and Pat Kenney (sacrifice grounder) left Norwood with a 5-0 lead at the end of the inning.

Waldron got three runs back at the top of the second, but on the flipside eight more points poured onto the board for NFA. The first came home on an error (a dropped fly ball in centerfield), and the next two scored on a bases-loaded infield single by Greenberg as Waldron fielded the ball but didn’t make a throw to any base.

An error on the next play loaded the bags again, and Kenney drove in all three baserunners with a double deep to center. He and Hyman (who also doubled) later came home on a hit through the right side of the infield by Colin Ramsey. The Bears’ batting turn actually ended with just one out, as it had been agreed before the game that no more than ten Norwood players would bat in a given inning.

Waldron made it a little closer, 13-5, in the top of the third, which ended with a bases-loaded double play by Norwood. Pfefferle fielded a ground ball and got the force at home with a toss to the catcher, Murray, who in turn threw to Kenney at first base in time to nail the batter.

In the bottom half the Bears embarked upon another eight-run spree. Kelley started it off with his third hit of the day, and later scored on a single to center by Sczepanski. The Bears continued to knock the ball around, with hits by Davis and Tripp McKeon bringing in two runs apiece, while other RBI’s were credited to Greenberg, Kenney, and Ramsay.

Waldron made the final tally a bit more respectable, scoring six runs in the top of the fourth before Pfefferle ended the game with a strike-out.