Sports
August 25, 2005
By Don Lyons
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Winners in the several classes returned for a championship round. Jen Gardner saved her best for last and heaved the skillet 53’3”.
Photos by Ralph Stewart
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Jen Gardner keeps her spider title
Seventy women took turns throwing an iron skillet, the kind of frying pan your grandmother called a spider, at the 144th MV Agricultural Society Fair, Sunday: five in the 65 and over class, 19 in the 40-64 class, 22 in the 30-45 class and 24 aged 18 to 25.
It was one of the best-attended contests of the four-day fair.
All throwers used an underhand motion, like a softball pitcher. Most threw from a stationary stance, with or without a pumping wind up. Some tried a running start, a la bowling.
The best throws:
18-29 group: (1) Jennifer Oliver, 44’ 3” (2) Chick Dowd 42’ 8” (3) Melissa Tomascik, 38’ 9” (4) Mona Ausubel, 38’ 4” (5) Julie Savas, 37’ 7” (6) Robin Hosey, 37’ 7”.
30-45 group: (1) Jennifer Gardner, 47’ 6” (2) Michelle Barry, 44’ 3” (3) Holly MacKenzie, 44’ 2” (4) Patricia Jette, 41’ 6” (5) Caitlyn Zettl, 41’ 1” (6) a tie at 40’ 8” Melissa Manter and Andrea Taylor.
46-64 group: (1) Tracy Schalles, 39’ 5” (2) Beth Campbell, 38’ 0” (3) Carolyn Cain Ware, 37’ 5” (4) Dana Anderson, 37’ 0” (5) Alicia Lesnikowski, 36’ 8” (6) Julie O’Connor, 36” 0”.
65-plus group: (1) Ellen Diss, 31’ 2” (2) Judy Crawford, 29’ 10” (3) Judy Bryant, 24’ 11” (4) Ricki Cain Stambaugh, 23’ 1” (5) Joan O’Connor, 9’ 8”.
Winners in the age groups competed for the grand prize won by Jennifer Gardner, last year’s champion, with the best throw of the day, 53’3”
Honey's first base Kelly Sylvia makes contact against the Shady Ladies.
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How sweet it is!
The Honeys won the Women’s Softball League playoffs, at Veterans Park, Tuesday, disposing of the Shady Ladies in the semi-final round, 8-4, then holding off the Creamers in the finals, 8-7.
The Shady Ladies posted four runs in the top of the first inning to the Honeys one, but that was it. The Ladies held the lead through four innings but lost it in the fifth when the Honeys scored four of their own, then added two more in the sixth.
The Creamers shut out the Snaps in the other semi-final game, 7-0, scoring four in the first, two in the bottom of the fourth, and playing tight “D” behind pitcher Susie Schofield.
The championship game
Neither the Creamers nor the Honeys scored in the first inning. Both left their two leadoff batters stranded after they reached on two bases on balls, a hit and an error.
The Creamers loaded the bases in the top of the second but failed to score. The Honeys posted the game’s first runs, three of them in the bottom of the inning.
Neither team scored in the third.
In the top of the fourth, Creamer muscle showed itself as Faith Vanderhoop singled sharply to start the inning and Lisa Stewart followed with a monster home run smashed into the darkness of deep left field. Lori Kieras followed with another long drive, which was mishandled in left field allowing Lori to circle all the bases. After Alex Rothwell walked, Sam Burns hit a gapper into left-center that went for a triple, driving in Alex with the Creamers go-ahead fourth run.
The Honeys knotted the score with a run in the bottom of the inning. Susie Schofield walked and went to second on Jill Benevedas’s single into center and came home when a fly ball was dropped in right field.
Both sides were retired without scoring in the fifth.
The Creamers went quietly in the sixth. But the Honeys exploded for four runs. The big blow was Nicole Gazaille’s triple, driving in Simma Rashba and Susie Schofield, and putting her team up, 8-4.
In the top of the seventh, the Creamers came within one of tying the score again. Faith Vanderhoop and Lisa Stewart drew walks. Lori Kieras’s bouncer was too hot to handle at second base, scoring Vanderhoop. After Alex Rothwell popped out, Sam Burns walked, loading the bases. Melissa Randall also walked, scoring Stewart. Chick Dowd’s single through the left side scored Kieras. With the bases still loaded, Liz Dowd was called out on strikes, ending the game.
Beginning at 6:30 pm next Tuesday, the women’s softball league’s all-star game and cookout will close the season. Women interested in joining the league for next summer’s season are encouraged to come to the game and sign up.
Folding chairs and/or blankets are suggested as seating is very limited at Veterans Park.
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