to tat OX, ich@ oO =SS 3. ds ed 00 Section 2 Wednesday, May 24, 1995 i= as By LEN KRYESKI or Sports Writer r Katie Sallitt drilled a bases to loaded two out single just past the outstretched glove of third base- man Amy Rogers in the top of the e twelth inning to give Dallas a 4-2 5 -_victory over Lake-Lehman Friday 0, @ Mefternoon. The two run hit, Sal- d -_-litt’s third of the afternoon, gave 1- the senior hurler a feeling of re- 0 demption after she allowed the Knights to tie the score on a throw- ing error in the bottom of the d- seventh. S, “I messed up pretty bad there al in the last inning, “ said Sallitt. “I y- got it back though.” 3s The Lady Mountaineers held a AG &° lead going in the bottom of the i seventh before Lehman tied the game with just one hit. Darby Wolfe drilled a one out - single and moved to second with - two down when Terry Macieczyk's y ground ball bounced through the e legs of Dallas third baseman Becky e Beisel. Nicole Naugle loaded the g bases when Dallas failed to get - the lead runner at third. Kacie QP ~~7iomek bounced a slow dribbler *7to Sallitt, who wanted to throw * home, but would not have thrown out Wolfe in time. Macieczyk then ran home with ‘the tying run when Sallitt threw the ball into the outfield trying to get Naugle at second. For Dallas it was just one bad inning in a some spectacular defensive plays, AN in the infield. 3 “Itwas one of the best defensive games | have ever seen,” said Dallas coach Jay Pope. “It’s justa shame somebody had to lose this ballgame. Both teams played well ‘and we're just happy to get out of here with a victory.” The visiting Mounts sent seven players to the plate during their - 12th inning rally. Melanie Getz and Suzanne Fisher hit back to = back singles with one out. Getz was forced at third when Lisa Tomaine hit into a fielder’s choice. Therese Paxton got the third Dal- las hit of the inning after Ann Hayes came in to run for Fisher. Sallitt then banged out her game winning hit and went on to pitch her 12th inning of work. “If I had to I could go another 24,” said Sallitt, who allowed just @ five hits, struck out four, walked no one and recorded five assists on the field. “It was twelve innings of alot of heart on Kate's part and every- one's part,” Pope said. “Twelve innings is a long, long stretch for the kids, but they hung in there and we're very, very proud of | them.” |. < Losing pitcher Jen Birt also L 2 pitched the entire twelve innings, ~ struck out four, didn't give up any walks and retired the first nine batters she faced in extra innings. “Jennifer hung in," said Lehman coach Flossy Finn. “When the going got rough, she got tough. We had runners in scoring posi- tion with our big bats and didn't | ~ get them in.” | Lehman left the bases loaded . @ in the first inning while Dallas recorded solo runs in the second game that otherwise featured The Dallas Post SportsWeek :, Mounts win season's best softball game “If we play this quality of play the rest of the schedule we’ll be okay.” Flossie Finn Lake-Lehman softball coach and sixth. With the bases loaded and no one out in the second, Mounts center fielder Mary Ann Selenski hit the ball right at first baseman Kelly Spencer. Spencer tagged Selenski for out number one and tossed the ball home to sister Kim. The ball beat Sallitt to the plate, but with a force play no longer in effect she was called safe when Spencer applied the tag late. Sallitt figured in all four Dallas scores. Fisher scored the second Dallas run as Sallit reached base via a fielding error by Birt with two out in the sixth. “We dedicated this game to the seniors,” added Pope, “and every- body wanted to make sure that this game was going to be some- thing that the seniors would remember and I'm sure it will be something they’ll take with them the rest of their lives.” Pope will remember it as well, since he promised the team be- fore their last at bat he would shave his head if they won. The outcome leaves Dallasin a tie for first place with Tunkhan- nock in the AAA North Division of the Wyoming Valley Conference. The Lady Knights are right be- hind the leaders. “I predicted the first week of the season that the team that goes to “It’s just a shame somebody had to lose this ballgame.” Jay Pope Dallas softball coach playoffs may very well have five loses,” Finn said. “We just can't let this get to us. If we play this quality of play the rest of the schedule we'll be okay. And some- one will be put out when Dallas plays Tunkhannock.” Fisher led the Dallas attack by going 4-for-6 at the plate, with a double. The first baseman also scored a run and stole a base. Wolfe had two hits for the Lady Knights and recorded five assists from her new shortstop position. Ziomek also recorded five assists atsecond base. Playing just their second game in Lehman's re- vamped infield, the keystone combination also teamed for seven putouts and just one error. The Lady Knights bounced back with a 4-1 victory over Wyoming Area Saturday. Freshman Au- tumn Wood gave up just one run in five innings of work while Kim Spencer finished the game by striking out ali six batters she faced. Bl School news HM Classified BM Calendar Melanie Getz was ready to apply the tag to a sliding Kacy Ziomek of Lehman. As Kim Spencer prepared to warm up Jen Birt, Dallas coach Black Knight coach Flossie Finn gave Darby Wolfe some encouragement. Jay Pope talked strategy with Mary Ann Selenski. This diving catch by Amy Rogers was one of many | outstanding defensive plays in the game. ARTES a Aa a ay EE I hw Po ee. A a oP Wes ret A - I By LEN KRYESKI Sports Writer ) ¢ Lake-Lehman boys' volleyball coach, John Baranowski, has made it a point over the years to not only teach his players to master the game of volleyball, but to think, focus and play as a single unit. Baranowski also likes to have | a number of players ready for game action at all times. At least : _ a dozen players had a significant / | @¥ role in helping the Black Knights to a 12-0 finish in the Wyoming Valley Conference this spring, and two more victories to claim the district title last week. Mike Yoblonski has been one of those key contributors. He's | worked hard to improve his game and truly fits the Lehman mold by | realizing from the start that the | coaching staff knows best. | @ “I felt from the beginning that the coaching turns you into what you are,” Yoblonski said, “sol just listened, tried and did what I was supposed to out there and then practiced when I had the chance.” The senior middle hitter/ blocker fell in love with volleyball while playing the game during gym class in eighth grade. Mike has been out for the sport since ninth grade and has spent the past two seasons as a member of the varsity. He saw considerable game action as a junior due to a teammate's injury. Mike was slotted for starting duty this year before an ankle injury slowed him down early in the season. Baranowski believes Mike is just now playing at full capability. He starts a game occa- sionally, but always plays a sig- nificant role in Lehman's attack from his middle position. “He gives us a little different look in the middle from the other guys,” Baranowski said. “Each one gives us a little different look, Mike is the most exciting and probably our quickest middle.” Mike really enjoys playing in the front row because of the con- stant hitting, jumping and block- ing. There's no doubt in his mind that blocking is the best part of “Mike is the most exciting and probably our quickest middle.” John Baranowski Lake-Lehman volleyball coach his game. “Hitting can be consistent, it can be inconsistent, depending on a lot of things,” Yoblonski said. “But blocking is basically up to you. You have to get up there and jump and if you can do that right you're going to be consistent with it.” “He's a free spirit,” said Bara- nowski. “His jumping and block- ing abilities are definitely the strong part of his game, but if we get stuck with him in the back row playing defense he can handle that too.” : Since joining the varsity, Mike has made it a point to work hard on his back row play and has also improved as a server this year. “His all around skills are pretty good,” added Baranowski. “His net skills are pretty good and that's what his major effort is for us - at the net.” Setting is probably the weakest part of his game, but Yoblonski knows a good setter when he sees one, claiming that junior Jeremy Baranowski, the coach's son, is the best setter in the world. Mike's biggest moment occurred in a contest this spring with Abington Heights. He saved a ball from near the back wall, hit it over the net, ran to the net, blocked the return and Lehman scored the ~ Yoblonski's a free spirit and a spirited blocker point. “It was a big save, a big mo- ment,” said Yoblonski. Mike also came up big a num- ber of times during Lehman's 2-0 victory over second place Tunkhannock earlier this season. He simply dominated the net at times during the 17-15 and 15-6 wins. He helped stop a Tiger rally in the second contest and at one point accounted for three blocks and a dink in the span of five volleys. With the post-season upon them he hopes the Black Knights play up their potential. “I just want the team to go as far as we can because we can go very far,” Yoblonski said. “I think what we have to do is get our mental attitude into the game. We have the physical ability, we have to get our minds in the game and play our best. We don't have to win states, but need to play up to our ability.” MIKE YOBLONSKI The Black Knights took the first step on the post-season journey by sweeping Tunkhannock for the District 2 title last Thursday. The Knights had reached the final match by beating Wyoming Valley West 2-1. Yoblonski led his team with five blocks in the final match. See YOBLONSKI, pg 10
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