(EDITOR’S NOTE: Since May of 1999, the Times News Sports Department has featured an On This Date practically every day, highlighting an event that happened in the past. With the coronavirus putting a halt to sports locally and nationally, the On This Dates have been expanded to the stories that actually ran in the next day’s newspaper. Today’s On This Date story is from May 15, 1991).

By Todd Suarez

TIMES NEWS Staff

Add yet another chapter to the ever-growing story of the 1991 Northern Lehigh baseball season.

The Bulldogs pulled out an incredible 11-10, nine-inning victory over visiting rival Palmerton to capture the Centennial League second half title.

Northern Lehigh (14-6 overall) will face defending champ Pocono Mountain (15-4), the first half titlist, at a site and time to be determined for the overall CL crown.

Back in late March when the season began, not many people gave this Bulldog squad much of a chance. Now, they’re one win away from the CL crown.

“I cannot think of anyone who would have figured us to be where we are today,” said NL head coach Frank Carazo.

While the game featured many heroes, it was junior shortstop/pitcher Damian Olewine’s line single over a drawn in outfield in the bottom of the ninth that ended the game and the Bombers season.

It was also Olewine who evened the score in the seventh with a two-run, two-out single.

Palmerton, which went 6-2 in the first half, fell to 1-7 in a disappointing second half performance, needed a win to qualify for the District 11 2A tournament. It was the fourth consecutive year that they faced a last-game, must-win situation. The loss marked the third year the Bombers (7-11) fell short.

“We gave it our best shot and unfortunately things didn’t fall right for us,” said Palmerton mentor Ted Plessl. “I think what we did today was prove that the first six ballgames we won were not flukes. We have a nice ballclub.”

Palmerton jumped on NL starter Josh Friebolin for three second inning runs and a solo tally in the third to open an early 4-0 lead.

Palmerton’s Eric Haydt (4-for-5, HR, 3 RBIs) started the scoring with a solo home run before Chad Everett (2-for-4) singled home another run.

The third run scored on a Northern Lehigh outfield error before a Barry Williams (2-for-5) RBI single in the third upped the Bomber margin to 4-0.

As they have done all season long, the Bulldogs fought from behind and caught Palmerton with three-run fourth and fifth innings to take a 6-5 lead and chase Haydt, the Palmerton starter.

Big blows for Northern Lehigh were Jason Plotsko’s (2-for-5, 3 RBIs) RBI double in the fourth and two-run double in the fifth along with Erik Eitner’s (2-for-5, HR, 3 RBIs) two-run blast in the fourth.

After a scoreless sixth frame and the Bomber season on the line, Palmerton soon found itself with two outs and the tying run on first.

The game appeared over on an infield grounder but two Bulldog errors put runners on second and third.

Mike Serfass (1-for-4, 3 RBIs) followed with a two-run single to center field that put Palmerton ahead 7-6. Following a Williams single, Haydt ripped a double to left that scored Serfass and pinch-runner Ryan Connell to put Plessl’s crew up by three.

Not to be outdone, Northern Lehigh responded with three runs, the final run coming on an Olewine, two-out, two-run single to send the game into extra innings.

Both teams scored two-out single runs in the eighth frame with Serfass bringing in Palmerton’s run on a bases-loaded walk while NL’s Matt Handwerk (3-for-5, 2 RBIs) ripped a double that plated the tying run, but also had the game-winning run thrown out at the plate.

Haydt led off the Bomber ninth with a single, but after a fielder’s choice, a Northern Lehigh double play (third of the game) ended the inning.

Marc Messinger (3-for-4) singled to center to start the winning rally. Pinch-hitter Chad Schaeffer greeted new pitcher Chris Lucykanish with a bloop single that fell between two Palmerton outfielders, moving pinch-runner Bill Walker to second.

A wild pitch advanced the runners to second and third to set up Olewine’s game-winning stroke.

Olewine ripped a 2-1 pitch to center that scored Walker with the game-winning run.

“My hats off to Northern Lehigh,” said Plessl. “They played one helluva ballgame. They were down how many times and kept coming back.”

The Bulldogs came back from deficits of 4-0, 9-6, and 10-9 throughout the course of the game.

“I figured we had the game lost twice,” said Carazo. “We went down three, and we came back and got three - then we were down one and came back - it was like the Pleasant Valley game all over again.”

“We had our chances,” lamented Plessl, “but I’m proud of the kids today. I thought they played a real hard-nose ballgame. It just wasn’t in the cards today.”

In the cards for the Bulldogs is a date with a Cardinal for the CL title.

“I’m glad we got the second half,” said Carazo. “We’ll give it our best shot and if we don’t win, it won’t diminish anything we’ve done.”

Palmerton 031 010 410 - 10 14 1

No. Lehigh 000 330 311 - 11 17 5

Haydt, Beblavy (5), Williams (6), Lucykanish (9) and Serfass; Friebolin, Olewine (5), Plotsko (7) and Messinger. W - Plotsko. L - Williams. HR: Palmerton - Haydt (2nd, none on); Northern Lehigh - Eitner (4th, one on).