(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 most 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 18, 1999).

By JOE PLASKO

jplasko@web.tnonline.com

FREELAND - With one swing of the bat, Ryan Gerber turned what had been a tough game into a memorable one.

Gerber’s one-out single in the top of the eighth set the wheels in motion for the deciding rally in the Tamaqua 11-12 Little League All-Stars’ 5-4 District 18 Tournament triumph over Freeland before a huge and raucous crowd Sunday evening.

Tamaqua will now host Freeland on Dutch Hill Tuesday evening for a shot at its second straight District crown. Both clubs figure to throw their aces: Aaron Smith for Tamaqua and Justin Gutsie for Freeland.

Sunday’s loss was the first for Freeland in the double-elimination tourney. Earlier in the week, Freeland had dealt the visiting Tams their only setback by a 5-1 count.

For the second straight year, Tamaqua was forced to battle through the loser’s bracket. Thanks to a phenomenal pitching performance by Joe Vidzicki the Tams have a shot to repeat.

Vidzicki, a right handed hurler, retired the first 15 batters he faced and finished with a one-hitter, fanning 15 and walking five in eight full innings of mound work.

That effort was almost wasted when Freeland rallied for three runs in the top of the sixth to gain a 3-3 deadlock, then took a 4-3 edge in the eighth on its only hit, a solo homer by Gutsie.

“Maybe it’s in the blood, or it’s in the water in Tamaqua, but they didn’t stop after that,” said Tamaqua manager Harry Lux. “It pumped us up, if anything. It’s like reverse psychology. When he (Gutsie) hit the homer, it picked us up.”

Tamaqua was ready to close out Freeland two innings earlier, but, after being in total command for the first five frames, Vidzicki issued walks to Matt Wysocky, Nate Staruch and C.J. Falatko with one out.

Matt Palko’s comebacker to Vidzicki plated Wysocky, but it also gave Tamaqua the second out. When Gutsie lofted a lazy fly to short center, it looked like the game-ender.

As Jim Bumbulsky circled under the fly, however, second baseman Gerber collided with him, knocking the ball from Bumbulsky’s glove. Staruch and Falatko scrambled home to tie things at 3-3.

“Everything happened so fast,” explained Bumbulsky. “I called for it, but I don’t think he (Gerber) heard me, because the crowd was so intense.”

Gutsie advanced to third after the collision, but he stayed there. Vidzicki walked Kyle Evancho but recovered to fan Jon Dancho to end the threat.

Gutsie’s long two-out homer to center in the eighth had the throng of Freeland followers poised to celebrate their first District title since 1983, but Tamaqua had other ideas.

Smith led off the bottom of the eighth by beating out a bunt single. He was sacrificed to second by Abby Knoblauch, and Bumbulsky was walked, putting runners on first and second with one out.

Gerber, who was 0-for-3 at the plate to that point, slapped Falatko’s pitch to center. Gutsie fired a bullet to third base to try and cut down Smith.

The peg careened off Matt Wysocky’s glove, however, and bounced out of play over the fence next to the Tamaqua dugout. Smith scored, and since Bumbulsky was on second base when the throw went out of play, he was allowed to advance two bases for the winning run.

Bumbulsky and Dave Delay had two hits apiece for Tamaqua.

Freeland 000 003 01 - 4 1 4

Tamaqua 002 100 02 - 5 8 1

Dancho, Falatko (5) and Falatko, Dancho (5); Vidzicki and A. Smith. W - Vidzicki. L - Falatko. HR: Tamaqua - Bumbulsky (third inning, solo); Freeland - Gutsie (eighth inning, solo).

NOTE: Two days later, Tamaqua used a four-run sixth inning rally to gain a 5-2 victory over Freeland and claim the District 18 title. Dave Delay hit a solo homer in the sixth, while Joe Vidzicki delivered a three run blast.