Big Dawgz Beat Grizzlies In Last At Bat To Stay In First Place

BEAR STADIUM - As the Big Dawgz came to bat in the seventh inning trailing Boyertown 2-1, they must have felt like they had the Grizzlies right where they wanted them.

After all, in the past two weeks coach Ken Long has seen his Norchester squad record five come from behind wins.

In baseball as in any other sport, good teams find a way to win while some teams develop or have an inherent ability to raise their game to an extra level that can’t be coached, taught or practiced.

If the current trend continues, the Dawgz better check the warrantee on the switch they use, because again on Saturday they kicked their game into hyper drive, posting five runs on four hits in their final at bat to snag a 6-2 win over a very good Boyertown team and a stunned home crowd.

“I don’t like it,” said Long. “I guess it’s part of maturing process, but it seems to be working for us. We have found a way to get it done no matter what kind of hole we have dug ourselves. Give that Boyertown pitcher credit, he pitched a great game and really had us guessing most of the game.”  

Right fielder Jeff Zeborowski got things started in the seventh as he laced a 1-2 fast ball into right center field following a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt by Chase Line, who was standing 180 feet from home plate with the tying run.

“I was just looking to get on any way I could,” said Zeborowski. “My job was to get on base and Chase did a great job getting the bunt down. I knew when I was at third with Ben (Condello) and Dave (Clay) coming up, that one of them would get me home.”

Following a shallow single by Matt Raymond and Troy Salerno working a walk, Ben Condello, who pitched five innings and allowed two runs on seven hits, stepped into the batter’s box with the game in his hands.

Condello delivered in a big way driving a ball into the gap in left center field, scoring Zeborowski and Raymond to give the Big Dawgz their first lead of the game.

“Wow what a game,” said Condello. “We never feel like we are out of any game. Everybody knows that we all have to contribute and when Jeff got on it, started the whole thing going. We have gotten very good at putting up big innings as the hitting get contagious. I knew that I had to put the ball in play and was able to drive a fast ball which found the hole out there.”

As Condello led off second base, catcher Dave Clay, who scored the first run of the game for Norchester on a bases loaded walk worked by Zeborowoski, grabbed a free pass of his own and eventually scampered home with the final run of the game on an infield ground out by Ryan Rumer.

“We still have some things we have to work on," said Long. “Ben did an outstanding job for us today. I planned on using Endy for just one inning, but when we got some space there, and he felt fine, we just stuck with him in the seventh. We have had a tough stretch of games and really came through with some good wins this week, but I would rather not depend on that one big inning. We need to get back to working for one run each inning.”

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

R

H

E

Norchester

0

0

0

1

0

0

5

6

6

2

Boyertown Grizzlies

1

0

0

1

0

0

0

2

8

1

IP

R

ER

H

SO

BB

Moser (L)

6.1

6

6

6

5

2

Bowman

.2

0

0

0

1

0

Condello

5

2

1

7

4

2

Endy (W)

2

0

0

1

2

1

2B-Hughes,Condello   3B-none  HR- none      LOB- NOR- 8  BOY –3  Dplay-NOR 

time of the game 2:03   game temp 84 degrees