Game 2 - May 18, 2000

DPW 3   Raiders 3 

Rain out after 2 1/2 innings.  This is what the field kind of looked like:

The crew thought it was going to be business as usual after the first half-inning.  The Raiders had a pair of runs plated before an out was made, and had runners on base as well, thanks in part to fielding errors.  But a bit of sharp playing by infielders Andrea Pallio and Kevin Roseman, and an outfield grab by Ralph Hanson, kept the scoring to just one more run over the course of the inning.  Jack McPhillips made his pitching debut with the team in the absence of Vince Pastore.

The flow of the game was looking bleak when DPW was retired 1-2-3 in the bottom of the first, but McPhillips later did the same to his opponents in the top of the third.  Could promise be brewing?

Rookie Deborah Chapeton made her County debut with a sharp single to assist in the put-together of a three run second inning.  Bob Giglio, Dave Smyth, Ralph Hanson contributed hits as well.  Laurie Ventura-Levy nearly mangled herself running out a grounder to first, but proved her worth by arriving safely at the first baseman's feet, thus preserving the inning.

Unfortunately, with the 500'ers mounting another threat in the bottom of the third, the sky began its descent into darkness.  With things truly looking like the midnight hour, the umpire wisely decided to call the game before the rains came.  All players and fans managed to get their gear together in time to make it to the cars when the torrents arrived.  Buckets of rain, combined with excessive Route 9A traffic, turned a short spin into a half hour trip from the lot to the park exit.

The team, particularly acting coach Ed Seminara, believes they could have pulled out a victory against an otherwise tough opponent.  Let's hope that confidence carries on into next week's contest.