(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 June 18, 1991).

By Todd Suarez

TIMES NEWS Staff

Even a steady rainfall couldn’t stop Palmerton from posting its third straight win of the season.

Palmerton, behind the strong pitching of Troy George and a key hit from outfielder Dave Kemmerer, squared off its season mark with a 5-0 whitewashing of visiting Northwestern.

The win improved Palmerton’s mark to 3-3 and surpasses the most victories in a season for the program in quite some time.

“It’s been a long time coming for these kids,” said first-year Palmerton coach Mike Sculley. “I feel good for the kids because they have been working hard.”

Palmerton’s last hurrah in Legion ball was a three-year string in the early 80s that saw them reach the league semifinals in each season. However, since that time, victories have been few and far between.

George braved a steady rain that never let up and tossed a five-hit shutout at Northwestern (1-8). The senior-to-be walked just one batter and struck out five. George allowed just one hit after the third inning and had a streak of seven consecutive batters set down.

“Troy pitched very well tonight,” assessed Sculley. “He mixed his pitches well and got them over the plate.”

Northwestern stranded five runners in the first three innings as they threatened to push a few runs across the plate. But over the final four innings, George settled into a nice groove and shut down the visitors.

Meanwhile, the Palmerton offense, which had produced 43 runs in its prior three games, needed the opening three innings to figure out Northwestern starter Shawn Paras.

The winners rallied for four runs in the fourth inning to break the scoreless tie.

Barry Williams led off the rally with a right-field single. George helped himself with a single off shortstop Brett Fristick’s glove that advanced pinch-runner Greg King to second.

A walk to Chad Everett loaded the bases and set the stage for Kemmerer.

Kemmerer lined the second Paras offering over centerfielder Craig Sadowski’s head that cleared the bases as Kemmerer had a triple. Tony Tobia (two hits) then singled home Kemmerer to extend the Palmerton lead to 4-0.

Palmerton threatened to add more when pinch-hitter Joe Love ripped a double to center that pushed Tobia to third, but both were left stranded on a pair of ground outs.

Palmerton did add a sixth-inning insurance run to increase the margin to the final 5-0 score.

Pinch-hitter Marc Carazo singled and advanced to second on an error. After a walk to Tobia, Carazo was erased at third on a fielder’s choice.

Tobia then set up the run by stealing third and scoring on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Travis Williams.

“Every game is big for us,” says Sculley. “Every time we win it’s going to make each game that more important. It makes it more fun for the kids when a game has meaning to it.”

Northwestern lost a pair of runs in the third inning on a ground rule. After Craig Sell singled, Brett Fristick (two hits) lined a gapper to right-center field that rolled beyond a backstop and onto the front part of the parking lot and was ruled a ground-rule double, keeping Sell at third.

Both Sell and Fristick would have easily scored and given Northwestern a two-run lead.

Northwestern plays at Southern Lehigh Thursday evening at 7:30 before returning home with Lehighton in a 5:30 start.

Weather-permitting, Palmerton will travel to Southern Lehigh tonight in a 7:30 start. On Thursday, they will also be on the road as they face Lehighton at 6 p.m.

N’western 000 000 0 - 0 5 2

Palmerton 000 401 x - 5 8 1

Paras, Harp (5) and Messinger; George and Serfass. W - George. L - Paras.