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Dukes and was named the Most Valuable Pitcher for his heroic effort.
DUKES TAKE CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY
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Bay City Arrow TV ran out of innings at the 8th Annual Men's Fastpitch C/D Tournament held at Vet's Park, June 20. Port Huron Dukes' pitcher, Ron Joseph's arm lasted just long enough as the Dukes defeated Arrow 7-5 to capture the championshiptrophy. TheTour-iament was sponsored by the Bay City Softball Association.
Arrow earned a spot in the championship game by surviving a three team sudden-dealth playoff with the Owosso Eagles
and Akron Merchants to win
Bracket I. Arrow then edged Dheboygan 2-1 (Bracket Il winner) in the semi-final game.
The Dukes scrambled out of a four-way tie in Bracket IV, winning two sudden-death thrillers and then bombed Ann
Arbor Strohs(Bracket 111 winner)
10-0 in their semi-final encounter to gain a berth in the championship game.
Semi-Final Action
Jerry Blake fired a strong 4-hitter for Arrow against Cheboy-gan Sunoco as he struck out 6
and walked only 2.
A 4th inning walk to Cheboy- gan's Gary Zimpfer, a single by designated hitter Bob Mushlock and John Beck's high bounder off Chalky Talaga's glove scored the only run for Sunoco.
Arrow came right back to tie in the bottom of theinning as Kevin Wirgowski singled sharply, moved to second on a passed ball, and rode home on Al Tacey's liner to left.
Arrow iced the victory in the 6th when Del Benson singled to left, moved to second on a Wirgowski grounder and scored as designated-hitter Gary Thompson laced a game-winning single off losing pitcher Clay Eldridge.
Blake then retired the side
1-2-3 in the 7th and Arrow was in the finals.
Sudden Death
The Bracket I sudden death
thriller between Arrow and
Owosso went four innings.
Neither team scored in the first inning.
Arrow opened the scoring in the 2nd as Al Tacey singled to left. Talaga then laid down a perfect drag bunt and runners were safe at first and third. Del Benson then doubled to right scoring Tacey, and Owosso elected to intentionally walk Wirgowski to fill the bases. With Gary Thompson at bat, a Mike Czeisperger rise-ball got past the Owosso catcher and Benson streaked for home. The catcher's
throw to Czeisperger covering the plate was in time to tag the sliding Benson'and endtherally. A heated argument ensued as Arrow players claimed Czeisper-ger juggled the throw, but plate umpire, Paul Seville ruled that Benson was out
Owosso rallied again to tie in
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the bottom of the 2nd as Mike
Kibby bounced a run-scoring single through the infield.
Neither team scored in the
third although Owosso moved a runner to third with only one out.
Arrow pitcher, Lyle Meyer then reached back for a little extra and retired the next two Owosso
hitters on routine plays to force another inning.
In the deciding 4th, At Tacey doubled to left for his second hit and waltzed home when Talaga followed with a looping triple to right. Benson then grounded to deep second and Talaga scampered home. Arrow led 3-1.
Arrow started their charge in the last of the fifth inning as Meyer opened the inning with a single. Talaga walked and Wirgowski hammered asingleto right scoring Meyer and sending Talaga to third. Talaga then scored the second run of the inning as Arrow worked a delayed double - steal and Chalky scurried home beforethe Dukes could tag Wirgowski at second. That made the score
Dukes 7, Arrow 4.
In the last of the seventh, Meyer again sparked the Arrow uprising as he lined a right-field homer off an obviously tiring Ron Joseph. That pulled Arrow
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Owosso Refused to play dead and moved runners to second and third with only one out. Meyer then struck out Czeisper-ger with a hard drop and forced Gary Kadzhan to fly weakly to Talaga in center for the final out.
Championship Game
In the championship game,
Arrow fell behind early as the
Port Huron Dukes scored in
each of the first five innings to take a commanding 7-2 lead.
Blake again started on the mound for Arrow but tired in the
fourth and was relieved by Lyle Meyer.
Winning pitcher, Ron Joseph of the Dukes went the distance for the seventh time in the tour
nament, striking out seven and walking three. Joseph pitched more than 50 innings during the week-end for the champion
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