(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 23, 1990).

By Joe Plasko

TIMES NEWS Staff

The double play can be a pitcher’s best friend, and it certainly was for Tamaqua and hurler Tommy LeMasters against Nesquehoning last night.

The twin killing allowed Tamaqua to get out of a bases-loaded, no out jam in the sixth and hold on for a 6-4 triumph in District 18 11-12 Little League play.

The victory kept Tamaqua unbeaten in the tournament and advanced the Tams to the final round on Friday. One more win in the double-elimination tourney would give Tamaqua its second title in three years.

Nesquehoning suffered its first loss in District 18 play and will now travel to Hazle Township on Wednesday with the loser ousted. Hazle Township knocked Franklin Township out of the tourney with a 7-6 win.

The Nesquers have been the surprise of the tournament so far, sweeping through the competition despite having a club comprised mainly of 11-year-olds.

Nesquehoning made a strong bid to keep it going, jumping out to a 3-0 first inning lead only to watch Tamaqua come back to take a 6-3 edge into the sixth.

LeMasters, who relieved Tamaqua starter Chris McLaughlin in the fourth, tossed two scoreless innings before starting off the sixth by walking Andy Degiglio, allowing a single by Max Gasker, and plunking pinch hitter Anthony Cerimele with a pitch.

With the sacks crammed, Joe Jachowicz smacked a single to center to plate Degiglio, but Tamaqua centerfielder Ryan Navitsky came up throwing, firing a strike to catcher Joe Pinkey, whose roadblock at home stonewalled Gasker.

After tagging out Gasker, Pinkey’s peg to Chad Trubilla nailed Cerimele going to third to complete the double play.

“I can’t say enough about everybody on my team,” said Tamaqua coach Jim Barron afterwards. “I’d say they really wanted this one. Nesquehoning has a fine bunch of boys, and they’re going to be tough again next year.

“That double play really picked us up. That was a beautiful throw from the outfield by Ryan Navitsky. He really hustled on the ball, and Joey (Pinkey) came up quick and threw to Chad, who hung in there for the tag.”

“We went up against a tough Tamaqua team tonight, but our kids played tough. We’re proud of them, because they stuck right in it,” mentioned Nesquehoning coach Angelo Santore.

“We were down a couple of runs and came back to make a run at them, but their centerfielder made a nice throw.”

The Nesquers broke through in their first at bat. A single by Billy Hunsicker, a wild pitch and an RBI single by Mike Davis put Nesquehoning on top 1-0.

Rodger Gehring followed with a single, moving Davis to third. After Gehring swiped second, Degiglio laid down a bunt that plated Davis and advanced Gehring to third. Gehring scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-0.

McLaughlin shut the door after that, striking out five and walking two in his three-inning stint, but Tamaqua had trouble cracking Davis, the Nesquers’ lefty flamethrower.

Tamaqua got on the board in the third after Corey Fritz and McLaughlin reached on errors. Pinkey hit a sac fly to score Fritz, and Bobby Rex delivered a ground-rule double to plate McLaughlin to cut the deficit to 3-2.

Tamaqua took the lead in the fourth when hot-hitting Jason Benner came up with Alex Yearick aboard and drilled a 3-0 pitch over the centerfield fence for a two-run circuit clout.

The lead went up to 6-3 in the fifth. Pinkey beat out an infield single, moving to second on a wild pitch and scored when LeMasters’ single eluded the outfielder. Pinch runner Jimmy Murphy then went to third on a wild pitch and crossed the plate on a passed ball.

LeMasters then came back in and, with a little help from his friend the DP, survived the sixth for his second win of the tourney. He struck out five and walked two.

Davis fired a fine game in defeat for Nesquehoning, fanning nine and passing two. He surrendered just six hits, with Rex getting a single and double in addition to Benner’s homer and singles by Trubilla, Pinkey and LeMasters.

Nesquehoning also had six hits, all singles, with Jachowicz getting two of them and Hunsicker, Davis, Gehring and Gasker chipping in one each.

Nesquehoning 300 001 - 4 6 3

Tamaqua 002 22x - 6 6 0

Davis and McKee; McLaughlin, LeMasters (4) and Pinkey. WP - LeMasters. LP - Davis. HR: Tamaqua - Benner (fourth inning, one on).

NOTE: Tamaqua would finish the tournament undefeated, beating Nesquehoning 7-6 four days later to capture the District 18 title.