WPCNR PRESS BOX. By Fastpitch Johnny. July 20, 2004: The Hudson River Panthers split their first two games in Pool Play at the PONY Nationals in Sterling Viginia Monday, beating the Huntington Mills Mystics of New Jersey, 6-3 behind Michelle Barone, two speed bunts of Maggie Goldberg, and three timely RBI's by Dena Frederick. They lost their second game to the Blue Thunder of Warrington, Pennsylvania, trailing 1-0 going into the sixth when the Thunder turned on their speed game and timely placed hits to break open the game. The Panthers play again today at 11 in the Tournament of Champions that has attracted 300 14 and 12 and under teams to the complex in northern Virginia making the economy in this area jump.
The Panthers won their first game when Goldberg beat out a lead off bunt went to second on Danielle Basciano's hard grounder to third then scored on Dena Frederick's hard single deep in the shortstop hole. When Frederick stole second and attempted to steal third the ball was thrown down the line and Dena came in to score, 2-0, Panthers.
They picked up to more in the third when Goldberg legged out her second bunt hit of the day and scored, stole second and came around to score on when Danielle Basciano's bunt was misplayed by the catcher, allowing Basciano to come all the way around to third. Next Dena Frederick plated her with a perfect squeeze bunt to make it 4-0. The Panthers wrapped up their scoring in the 4th with 2 out. Maggie Goldberg walked, Basciano singled. Goldberg scored on a passed ball and Dena Frederick singled Basciano home to make it 6-0. Michelle Barone went all the way striking out 6 and allowing only 3 hits.
In their second game of the day, the Panthers ran into a very on Blue Thunder pitcher, but hung very close until the final frame. The Panthers are wrapping up a successful first season under Ray Frederick of White Plains and Joe Carrabello of Brewster having won 19 games, lost 13 on the Travel Circuit.
You can see 7 to 10 games of fastpitch softball at at once at the beautiful Claude Moore Park complex in Leesburg, Virginia where most of the PONY games are being staged. All the fields have electronic scoreboards. The infields are immaculate and manicured with new foul lines circles and batters' boxes each game giving the girls a real big league treatment.
Concession prices are big league too, $2.25 for a hotdog, $4 for a sausage sandwich. $2 for bottled water. An atmosphere of camaraderie prevails, and the softball is fast and furious starting at 9 AM and going deep into the night.
