PCF/HH Improves to 3-1 In Game of Firsts

The combined team of Pei Cobb Freed/Hart Howerton received contributions up and down the lineup, Wednesday, as they pulled out a 12-8 nailbiter over Mitchell Giurgola under a cold, cloudy sky at Central Park's North Meadow Field 11.

The teams exchanged three runs apiece in the opening inning before PCF/HH took a 5-3 lead on runs by Ron Rainone (1-for-1) and Steven Peterson (2-for-3). But some timely hitting in the third by MGA put the Black and Red in a position they haven't seen often this season - trailing as they enter the fourth inning.

It took patience at the plate, provided by Cate Foster (1-for-2), Caitlin Campbell (1-for-2), and Peterson in the form of consecutive walks, and important RBIs, knocked in by Dwidson Metayer (1-for-3), Mike Copeland (2-for-2), and William Work (1-for-1), to get PCF/HH back on top, where they stayed for good.

Maintaining a 8-6 lead into the fifth, PCF/HH put the game away with four straight hits to lead off a 6-hit, 4-run inning. This inning, and arguably the win itself, was made possible largely by the efforts of the substitutes who came in cold off the bench. Rich Haskell (1-for-1), Joe Smith (1-for-1) and Peter LoGiudice (1-for-2) each came up with big hits from the latter portion of the order, scoring on a double by pitcher Juan Monahan (1-for-3), and RBI singles by LoGiudice, Campbell, and Peterson. Campbell, Haskell, and Smith all registered hits for the first time this season.

Defensively, the game all came down to the Monahan's effort in the bottom of the fifth. While the Red and Black hurler didn't have his best game from the mound, surrendering 8 runs on 13 hits, he did strike out four batters while walking just one. With the shortstop Peterson instructing the infield to give up base hits rather than throw wildly for errors, and to give up a run scored in exchange for an out in the final inning, it was Monahan who made the two plays of the game to finish off MGA.

With a runner on first and 1 out, MGA's tough No. 4 hitter Rolando Tavarez scorched a hit to the left side of the mound. Monahan dove to catch the ball on one hop before throwing Tavarez out at first from his knees. Later, with two outs and the bases loaded, a pinch hitter singled to left-center field. Carlos Sagastume (0-for-3) fielded the ball and threw home. With Chris Patneau rounding third and looking for the third run of the inning for MGA, Monahan cut the throw home off half-way down the third-base line and dove to his right, tagging Patneau for the final out of the game.

Peterson finished the game with 1 walk, 1 double, 2 RBI, and 3 runs scored. Monahan continued his dominance of extra-base hits with his third in seven at-bats this season. Copeland improved his third-best team batting average to a very respectable .667 with his 2 hits, 2 RBI, and 1 run scored. Copeland leads the team with 8 base hits. J. Strong is second on the team in batting average with .750 and leads the team in runs batted in (7), despite playing in three of the team's four games. Strong finished the night 1-for-2 yesterday. Finally, Carl Pearson kept his streak alive, hittg for a single and a double against MGA and keeping his batting average at a perfect 1.000 through 5 at-bats.

PCF/HH, 3-1 on the season, faces a very capable Polshek Partnership team that's 1-0 after two rainouts. That game will be held at Central Park's North Meadow, Field 11, on Tuesday. Game time is 5:30 p.m.