CHA Alums Slug Their Way to Softball Title

by TOM UTESCHER

Scoring more runs than they had in their first two games combined, the Chestnut Hill Academy alumni charged to a 17-7 victory last Monday in the third game of the Club Softball Association championship series, clinching the league crown for 2005.

CHA and fellow finalist Philadelphia Cricket Club were tied at 1-1 after one inning of play, but visiting Chestnut Hill went ahead for good with two runs in the top of the second, and continued on to a 9-1 lead before PCC scored again. CHA had fallen victim to a late rally by Philly Cricket in the second game of the series, but this time the erstwhile Blue Devils put the game out of reach by piling on eight runs in the top of the seventh inning.

Chestnut Hill hurler Norris Jordan went the distance for the win, recording two strike-outs against five walks and seven hits. Cricket Club starter Rich Shepherd registered two strike-outs, eight walks and a dozen hits in six-and-a-third innings before he was relieved by Larry Hyde (K-0, BB-0, H-5).

PCC had beaten the Chestnut Hill alums twice during the regular season, and was seeded first for the playoffs. After each team posted a 2-0 sweep in the semifinal round, third-seeded CHA won the opening game of the final series, 8-6, on July 11. Three days later, Cricket evened up the series with a 13-8 win in game two.

At the start of the third game, CHA got on the board in the top of the first as Matt Davis doubled through the left side of the infield and then came home when PCC made a throwing error on a ball hit by Tim Fles. Jack Elliott’s solo homer down the line in left tied the contest in the bottom half, but the former Devils moved ahead again by putting up a pair in the top of the second frame. Ted Swain’s double to shallow right center was followed by two walks to load the bases with two outs, and Eric Blenheim drove home the first two runners with a hit between short and second base.

Philly Cricket was held hitless for the next three innings, and CHA itself did not score again until the top of the fifth. Here, however, Chestnut Hill significantly reinforced its position with a five-run spree. John Harris was on first with a single with one out, then a hit batter and a walk filled the bags to set up a two-run hit over second base by Brian O’Donnell.

Another walk loaded the bases with Blue Devils again, and once more a two-RBI hit followed. This one was a double to left center by Jack Longstreth. On the next play, Carl Frank sacrificed himself with a grounder to short to bring home the last run of the inning.

The count rose to 9-1 in the top of the sixth, when Harris walked on, moved to third on a line-drive double to center by Davis, and scored on a bullet to the left side by Jordan. Elliott, the PCC shortstop, dove to knock down the ball and prevent further damage on the play.

Now down by eight, the cricketeers finally produced some offense in their half of round six. Two outs bracketed a single by Kirwan Elliott, then Bill Freeman drew a walk. Norm Wilde walloped a three-run homer, sending the ball well over the soccer goal in deep left center and into the large evergreen behind it.

There were now stirrings of hope in the Cricket camp, but they still trailed 9-4 and would have to shut down CHA at the top of the seventh to have a shot at an effective eleventh-hour rally. This would not happen, however.

With a Swain single, a walk, and a hit batter, Chestnut Hill loaded the bases with one out. Shepherd, the PCC pitcher, was starting to have control problems, and two more walks each pushed in a run for the visitors. After a two-RBI double to left by Davis made it 13-4, Shepherd was relieved by Larry Hyde.

The new hurler was welcomed with a three-run homer by Fles over the head of the left fielder, and later the final run for CHA stemmed from back-to-back hits by O’Donnell and Swain.

As Philly Cricket came to bat for the final time, Chestnut Hill went through its own rough patch on the pitcher’s mound. Jordan loaded the bases on walks, then Warren Schmidt drove home two runners with a single through the right side of the infield. A fly to left by Kirwan Elliott followed, but CHA made a wild throw to the plate and another run scored.

Jordan regrouped and fanned the next batter for the second out, then a fly to right field sealed Chestnut Hill’s 17-7 victory.