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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1971-09-23, Page 11Clinton, Ontario Second Section Thursday, September 23, 1971 106 Veur .Vo. 38 Colts hang on for OBA win Laurie Colquhoun beats a pickoff at first Ponies even OBA series Mark Nicholson steals second Fowl Dave. Counter helped from Briton teams win in biggest afternoon of baseball in town's history Pitcher - Pickett BY BERT CLIFFORD Clinton Colts fended off a nineth inning threat by Hagersville and earned their first Ontario Baseball Intermediate championship since organizing the club two years ago. The game had all the drama of a World Series game. In the early innings, Clinton, lead by Laurie Colquhoun pounded out seven hits, setting up a big 8-0 lead. Colquhoun hit home runs in the first and third innings, both on the first pitch. The homer in the third innings, both on the first pitch. The homer in the third began a big six run rally in the third. Stu Mustard's lead-off hit and Colquhoun's first homer gave the Colts a 2-0 lead in the first innings. Archie Pickett was on base with a walk when the second homer came in the third inning. Then Hans Leppington walked, Butch Fleet singled and both scored on Cam Colquhoun's single. Hagersville then switched pitchers and Don Bartliff greeted the new hurler with a triple. Hagerville's starting pitcher had• shut out Clinton last Saturday on a one-hitter, but in this game he couldn't find the plate and gave up six hits while walking three. The relief pitcher was tough only four hits: two more singles by Laurie Colquhoun and one each by Don Bartliff and Doc. Miller. In the fifth inning, Larry "Archie" Pickett retired the side with three strikeouts, but in the sixth the roof fell in with. two errors, a walk and a single allowing four runs to score. Coach Jim Livermore removed Pickett with two out in the sixth and reliever Cam MacDonald came in and kept Hagersville off the scoreboard until the ninth. Back-to-back singles and ,a hit batter loaded the bases with none out in the ninth. Hagersville's short stop and second baseman then cracked out singles scoring the three runners and leaving runners at second and third base. Clinton centre fielder Don Bartliff was brought in to pitch and the first batter flew out to Laurie Colquhoun in right field. The catch was a key play as the ball was a short hit and Colquhoun had to run a long way to make the out, With a two-strike count on the next batter, the Hagersville coach tried a squeeze play, but the batter missed in his attempt to hit the ball and struck out, and the runner coming in from third was tagged out in a close play by catcher Butch Fleet. Following the after game excitment, fire chief Grant Rath chaufferred the team on a tour of main street on the firetruck. It was the first OBA championship since 1961 when the junveniles also won a third and deciding game of a series. Sports in pictures By Keith Rouiston A 11-9 victory over Dresden in Clinton Saturday afternoon has set the stage for an exciting afternoon this Saturday as the Clinton Ponies go after the Ontario Baseball Association Peewee "C" championship. The victory tied the series 1-1. Dresden bad taken the first game of the series last week in Dresden. The third and final game is scheduled for Clinton Community Par.k, 2 p.m. Saturday. Although Dresden out-hit the Ponies 12-9, the Ponies came through with some hot back-to-back hitting. The first inning was three-up-three-down for Dresden. In Clinton's half, Mark Nicholson was hit with a pitch, but was stranded at second base. Dresden broke the ice in the second inning when they started with a double and a single. Then their big hitter, D. Guest, cracked out a triple, and with two out, Guest scored on a single. Clinton's pitcher Terry Gordner walked the next two batters, loading the bases, but he had the next batter fly out to Mark Nicholson in right field. Dave Clynick and Neil Coiquhoun scored in the bottom of the second, At the start of the third Pat Phillips came in to pitch and quickly retired the first three Dresden batters, Catcher Dave Counter was safe on an error to start Clinton's half of the second. Then, as he stole second, he was hit by the throw from the catcher. The ball struck him on the left am and when he fell to the ground he landed on the injured arm. Patti Wise replaced Counter at second base and he moved to third on Don Peterson's single. Nicholson struck out on a 8.2 count, then Robert Harkes sacrificed Wise home to tie the score. Dave Clynick and Paul Priestap followed with singles. Peterson and Clynick scored on Priestap's single. Neil Colquhoun walked, then Priestap scored on a fielding error on a hit by Terry Gordner. The rally was snuffed out when Colquhoun was caught trying to steal third. The injury to Counter proved the value of the bench strength of the Ponies when Doug "Roogie" Schoenhals went into right field, Mark Nicholson moved behind the plate and pitcher Gordner was put at first base. Phillips gar up his first hit in the fourth to. Guest, but three groundouts left Guest at second base. Phillips' run in the fourth gave the Ponies a 6.2 lead. A single and a throwing error allowed two runs in the fifth for Dresden but the Ponies came back with three big runs in their half of the fifth. Priestap, Colquhoun and Phillips scored the runs. Colquhoun and Peterson hit the two singles in the inning. The...tension showed in the sixth when sure-handed Robert Harkes couldn't find the handle on two back.to-back hits and allowed one run to score. In the bottom of the Inning, Priestap got a hit. The ball bounded past the centrefielder and he came all the way around for an inside.the-park homer. As in the intermediate game, the visitors came back in the final inning to make it close. Dresden collected four solid hits. Phillips had one out when he gave up two tough hits, then a triple by Guest, his fourth hit of the day, Two runs scored on Guest's triple and he came home on a long sacrifice fly, beating Don Peterson's long throw to the plate. The next batter was on with a single and then the lead-off hitter reached base on the only walk given up by Phillips. With these two runners on, Robert Harkes made a great catch on a fly ball down the left field foal line. Game time for this week's game is 2 p.m. and a big crowd will not only help inspire the local boys, but help defray the cost of the bus trip to Rockeliffe in the semi-finals. Now see here Laurie Colquhoun unloads again