Daily Times: Women's ASA Charity Challenge - Smashing start boosts Appco's/Duke's to title
By HARRY CHAYKUN, Special to the Times
RIDLEY TWP. — As first innings go, it was the best of times for Appco's Sports World/Duke's Tavern and the worst of times for Casey's Saloon.
Casey's had been undefeated in the Women's ASA Charity Classic winners bracket, while Appco's/Duke's climbed its way through the losers bracket and knocked off Casey's to force a deciding game in the championship round.
In the top of the first inning in the deciding game, 12 Appco's/Duke's batters came to the plate before Casey's recorded an out — which came on a sacrifice fly. When the numbers were totaled, the defending champions had scored 12 runs and were on their way to a 20-4 decision over Casey's in a game halted after five innings by the 12-run rule.
Leadoff batter Becca Stanley, who was named the tournament's most valuable player, had two hits, scored twice and knocked in one run in the top of the first. She finished 4-for-5.
Lynee Schlack went 4-for-4 and knocked in two runs. Dawn McGrath also reached base four times, including a run-scoring single and bases-loaded triple, and Renee Leary chipped in with three hits and three RBIs.
Vicky Pecunia was the winning pitcher. She and Leary were teammates with the Sharon Hill franchise in the Del Val Women's Fast Pitch League, and Leary also pitched in the Delco Women's Fast Pitch League before turning to slow pitch about 10 years ago.
"I started becoming one of the older ones on the (fast-pitch) team," Leary said. "I live in Delaware, and it was getting tough driving up here and then sitting while someone else pitched."
The former Wilmington College hurler admitted that she didn’t find immediate success adjusting to the slow-pitch game.
"I had to learn about hitting the ball the other way," she said.
Leary joined the Appco's/Duke's team this spring. She and outfielder Dawn McGrath, whose husband, Mike McGrath, coaches the team, were members of the Marcus Hook Deli co-ed team.
"Vicky, (outfielder) Cindy Rabideau and I were fast-pitch teammates, and Dawn and I played together in the co-ed league," said Leary, who played basketball and softball at St. Elizabeth's High in Wilmington and softball at Wilmington College. "Lisa (Calhoun), who played third base and pitched for Casey's, was my catcher in college.
Pictured below: Dawn McGrath connects for a bases-loaded triple in the fifth inning of Appco's Sports World/Duke's Tavern 20-4 victory over Casey's Saloon in the Women's ASA Charity Classic championship game Sunday at Father Nall Field. (Times Staff / JULIA WILKINSON)
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