The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutTimes Advocate, 1991-10-09, Page 13Edged 43 by Sebringville Royals beaten in final game By Fred Groves SEBRINGVILLE - Everyday in sports, youth is matched against expe- rience. If you were to take a survey of which wins the most games, it would probably come out evenly. The Exeter Royals, filled with experience, came out on the short side of a 4-3, 10 inning game here Sunday afternoon, bowing to a team filled with youth, the Sebringville Juniors. Sebringville won the best -of -five South Perth Men's Fastball League series in the final and deckling game. A throwing error by Royals third baseman Steve Neil saw the Juniors bring home the winning run. "It cost us the game, but that wasn't the game there," said Exeter coach Fred Cook. He said the turning point in the series was last Sunday when the Juniors tied the series at a game each with a 1-0 win in the bottom of the ninth in- ning in Sebringville. "It was the second game, we should have won that game and we should have had three of four runs going into the ninth inning," said Cook. After winning the opener, the Juniors took the second game and Exeter won big 15-1 in game three in Lucan on Thursday night. But Saturday, Sebringville forced a deciding game with a 1-0 10th inning victory. "Lack of hitting in the clutch hurt us more than anything." The championship game in Sebringville on Sunday saw the Royals get on the board very quickly when Kevin Lightfoot singled and after a sacri- fice bunt by Dan Heywood and Brian Noyes grounding out, Lightfoot slid home after a passed ball. But the Juniors tied it up on pitcher Jason Baier's base hit and in the bottom of the second went ahead 2-1. Sebringville padded their lead in the fifth when Darryl Eidt doubled, stole second and scored on a bunt. "They made their breaks they played real well. They just didn't make any mistakes, particularly in that last game," said Cook. Baier, who won the second and fifth games, made one mistake on Sun- day when he watched Exeter's Mike Neil tie the game in the eighth in- ning. After Graham Nesbitt walked, Neil crushed a homer over the fence to bring new life back to the Royals. In the ninth, the Juniors loaded the bases on Royals' hurler Derwyn Hodgins but with one out rightfielder Darren Neil caught a fly ball and gunned down what could have been the winning run at the plate. Long season: One of the highlights of the Royals season had to be Thursday when they pounded the Juniors 15-1. In that shortened seven inning game, Nesbitt had two solo homers off of a frustrated Baier and Brian Noyes also had a homesun. Doug Edit and catcher Scott Cook were both ejected from thegae in the third inning. In this game Exeter's Dan Heywood had a doubleMiice Neil had three singles, Brent Dawson connected with a double and a triple, Jim Lewis had three hits and Mike Desjardine had two singles. On Saturday in Lucan in the 1-0 loss, the game took nearly three hours as it had to be haulted due to a blinding sun which prevented the catcher, umpire and batter from seeing the ball. Sebringville pitcher Cook threw well and struck out seven. The win- ning run in the fourth game came when Doug Eidt connected with a sin- gle. Exeter played 59 games this season, winning 38 of them. "We probably had the best season the Exeter Royals ever had," said Cook. The . Royals won their own tournament, were second in another and fourth in another tourney. The march to the championship series included a big semi-final win over the St. Marys Selects. Cook said he was pleased with the efforts of a couple of young out- fielders. "Brent Dawson and Jim Lewis had good years. I hope they'll be back." This year saw several players from Lucan join the Royals which gave them a lot more depth. Basepaths:...Cook thanked Huron Motor Products and Murphy's Pub and Eatery for their assistance throughout the year and also the 1991 ex- ecutive, Andy McIntyre, Fred Groves, Barry Overholt and Jim Allison. All eyes were on Exeter Royals catcher Brian Noyes (13) as and deciding game held Sunday afternoon. Noyes applied the he tagged this Sebringville player out at the plate In the fifth tag after a good throw from thtfielder Darren Neaa--- LAST I.01`G 11'EIi;ICE1"ll Finish up your yard work o�te 1• p • eta.A • Very Competitive Prices • Check our prices before ou rent Triebner's Rental Service Hwy. 83 W., on William St. (Behind Eric Campbell Lincoln Mercury) Exeter 235-2184 After nearly 30 years, Fulop hangs up his spikes hroughout Joe Fulop's apartment there are re- minders that he is a coach. A jacket here, a plaque there; Fulop has spent nearly 30 years coaching in Exeter. On the ball diamond, on the volleyball courts and on cross-country fields. After nine years of leading the Exeter Express to more than re- spectable finishes in senior baseball, he has decided to call it quits. Fulop thinks perhaps that a change in the coaches box could bring another championship to the Express. "For whatever reason, the killer instinct isn't there," said Fulop. Under his guidance, the Express won the Ontario Baseball Asso- ciation Senior D' crown in both 1986 and again in 1988. "It's best for the team to have a change." Fulop hails from Walsingham where he began coaching when still a teenager. "Our coach moved away. I wanted to play but I was a better coach than I was a player." Before joining the Express, Fulop was the skipper of the Exeter juniors for four seasons and prior to that a senior club called the Dashwood Tigers which he said eventually became the Express. There is a difference between coaching juniors and seniors. "The younger ones you have to stress the fundamentals." Fulop is just recovering from gall bladder surgery which had un- expected complications. But he is doing fine and is coaching the South Huron District High School cross-country once again. When asked why he decided to retire as the Express' coach, Fulop really couldn't pinpoint an answer. "We had 21 guys on the roster and I don't remember having 12 or 13 at a practice. I still enjoyed it. I have no hard feelings towards the team. There was nothing personal." As far as a successor is concerned, Fulop said there are several likely candidates who are capable. That list includes player Walter Parkinson, co -coach Glenn Thurman, general manager Geary Pen - hale and even Exeter mayor Bruce Shaw. Fulop also said third baseman Barry Baynham, a veteran of both the Express and the Exeter Senior 'A' hockey Mohawks, could be a good manager. "He's a good player, he knows exactly what's going on. He'd be an excellent manager if he ever wanted to do it." Like all coaches, Fulop has got his favorite players. He is high on Dave Shaw and Don MacDonald, both members of the 1991 team and former Express John Hayter. High school coach: For over 20 years, Fulop has been a regular face on the South Huron coaching staff. Although he did have thoughts of making this is final fall of coaching the cross-country runners. he's decided to stay on. "I said I'd stop at this year but I'M going to come tiliCk ficiamse the group I've got now is really keen," iiid Fulop of the runners' enthu- siasm. Cross-country is not the only secondary school sport he has lent a helping hand to as he has helped with the track and field team and with volleyball. "It (track and field) was the most frustrating because the kids wouldn't come out. In baseball, you have to practice what you play. They have to be there." An avid Blue Jays fan, Fulop is all geared up for the American league championship with his Jays and the Minnesota Twins. I wonder if he was coaching, what his plans would be? sidelines by Fred G roves The Exeter Mohawks continue to get stronger as there is now a Booster Club. The club has mei a couple of times and have already began fundraising. They_W4_having-a draw so if a member ap- proaches you, lend your support. NMI ki 0 a z _ • I__ I ;__ i.• iJ al roma r. Aram r .a r ooN'rr - E -r- 'r F i s i 00 s obeir' 1b! COUNTRY LOW moo MINN MIA — 1111111101 ..78./1"; ;...7.101iiiniallrili• 'Li Mg laggliv • • • • • - • • �. OCtktivinx• ObU'' 1Z • 2SYEPas V6entee v 25I•• ecwp NG fleE.at C,tA FLOVJE.Re. b tU'9CM oe --� 0t" ocr 2 C7c-r 1(o COLNDT f LOW5 7.55 -• Z560 we dell V4 9EV4 IC€ • 11, to