(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 July 14, 1991).

By Joe Plasko

TIMES NEWS Staff

DRIFTON - There wasn’t much separating Tamaqua and Blue Valley during their three-game series in the District 4 Babe Ruth 14-15 year-old Tournament.

After splitting the first two contests, each decided by one run, Blue Valley scored twice in the sixth and held an 8-7 edge heading into the seventh of Sunday’s title game.

Tamaqua, who lost 3-2 on Saturday when a last-inning bid to tie things fell short, wasn’t denied this time. Run-scoring singles by Robbie Hummel and Marc Gallagher put Tamaqua on top to stay for a 9-8 triumph and the District 4 championship.

The win qualifies Tamaqua for the Babe Ruth 14-15 state tournament, which will be held starting this weekend at Westfield in Tioga County.

A number of Tamaqua players are familiar with the territory. A good portion of the team were members of Tamaqua’s 11-12 year-old Little League All-Stars that qualified for the state Final Four by beating Potter-McKean at Shinglehouse in 1988.

The Tioga trip won’t be quite as long as the Shinglehouse Express, but Tamaqua could be staying for awhile, as the double elimination tourney begins Saturday at noon with a game against the District 6 winner and will continue through Friday, July 26.

There will be a meeting for all Tamaqua team parents and players on Tuesday, July 16 at 8 p.m. at the Dutch Hill Complex to finalize plans for the trip to the state tournament in Westfield. For more information about accommodations, contact Walter Kruczek at 668-0327.

Given the intensity of its battles with Bangor-based Blue Valley at the Drifton Complex the past two weeks, Tamaqua can look at states as a well-deserved vacation.

“We ended up playing 21 innings against them, and there was only one run difference,” said Tamaqua head coach Bob Zeplin.

Tamaqua advanced through the winner’s bracket without a setback, including a comeback 11-10 win over Blue Valley, who fought its way back through the loser’s bracket for a rematch.

On Saturday, the defending champs postponed Tamaqua’s title drive with a 3-2 win. Singles by pinch hitters Lee Strohe and Chris Geake pushed across the winning Blue Valley run in the sixth.

Tamaqua had a chance to tie it in the top of the seventh when Hummel singled and got to second on a wild pitch, but Gallagher lined into a game-ending double play.

It was more of the same on Sunday, as Blue Valley scored a pair of unearned runs in the sixth to erase a 7-6 Tamaqua lead. Once again Geake came off the bench for the key hit, an RBI single that tied it. He scored the go-ahead run from third after Tamaqua threw the ball away on Steve Stackhouse’s walking steal of second.

The Tamaqua seventh began with Steve Behr reaching on an error. Jason Shellhamer replaced him on a fielder’s choice. Brian Boyer drew a walk ahead of Hummel’s grounder over the third base bag which plated Shellhamer with the tying run.

“I was trying to hit it on the ground,” explained Hummel, who was 3-for-5 with a double and three RBI. “Coach (Joe) Ligenza said to hit it on the ground and get it through a hole, and that’s what I tried to do.”

Boyer was out after getting caught in a rundown at third, but Hummel moved to second. That brought up Gallagher, who had fanned against Blue Valley pitcher Josh Huber in his last at bat. This time he singled to drive home Hummel.

“I was down 0-2, and it was a curve ball or something off-speed, and I just hit it back through the middle,” related Gallagher. “I knew it was coming, because I think he knew I couldn’t hit the curve from the last time up.”

“When we got to Hummel and Gallagher, I was pretty confident we’d get the runs in. They’re good clutch hitters,” expressed Zeplin.

The tandem teamed up to drive in Tamaqua’s first run in the opening frame when Hummel doubled and Gallagher singled him in, but Blue Valley took a 4-1 lead on just one hit in the bottom of the inning.

Mark Due, Howie Clinese and Matt Falcinelli each drew free passes from Tamaqua starter Geoff Kruczek. Die scored on the front end of a double steal, and Dale Pasko (2-for-2, 4 RBI) singled to plate a pair. An error off the bat of Huber allowed the fourth run to score.

Tamaqua whittled away at the lead. Joe Ligenza scored on a wild pitch. Pasko’s sacrifice fly made it 5-2 after three, but Shellhamer crossed the plate on a miscue off the bat of Gallagher in the fourth to cut it to 5-3.

A four-run fifth suddenly catapulted Tamaqua ahead, 7-5. R.J. Finley walked, and Rich White and Ligenza singled to load the bases. Behr grounded to short, but the throw to the plate was wide, allowing Finley to score.

Boyer, who replaced Kruczek on the mound in the fourth, walked with the bases loaded to tie it at five. Hummel greeted reliever Huber with a two-run single to put Tamaqua in front.

Boyer gave up singles to Stackhouse, Clinese and Pasko in the fifth that chopped the lead to 7-6. Shellhamer kept Tamaqua ahead by throwing out Josh Mohlman at the plate from right field.

Blue Valley surged ahead with the help of Geake and two errors in the sixth before Tamaqua regained the lead. Boyer walked a pair in the seventh before fanning pinch-hitter Matt Keith to get his third win of the tourney.

Tamaqua outhit Blue Valley 10-5 with Gallagher, Behr and White each adding two hits to Hummel’s outing. Blue Valley committed six errors to aid the Tamaqua attack.

The late rally was typical for Tamaqua throughout the tourney, but it’s a trend that Gallagher would like to see end at Westfield.

“We did it all through the series, but I hope at states we don’t have to come back,” he concluded. “Out there, I hope we can get a lead and sit on it.”

Tamaqua 110 140 2 - 9 10 4

Blue Valley 401 012 0 - 8 5 6

Kruczek, Boyer (4) and Hummel; Pasko, Huber (5) and Falcinelli. WP - Boyer. LP - Huber.