RUTHERFORD 0 0 2 0 0 0 -- 2 9 3 CLIFTON 0 0 3 0 8 x --11 8 0 W - not reported L - Fiscella
It looked for awhile as if the Rutherford Rotary might advance to the semi-finals in Lyndhurst’s two county Little League tournament Tuesday night. But eight crushing runs by Clifton in the bottom of the fifth inning were too much for the local club to cope with, and they wound up on the short end of an 11-2 count.
The game wasn’t as one-sided as it sounds, as, after two scoreless innings, Rutherford hopped off to a 2-0 lead, and were still in the contest after Clifton worked Rotary pick-up hurler Dave Fiscella for three tallies in the fourth.
The Clifton fifth put the game on ice, though.
At that, the Rotary out-hit their opponents with nine hits to eight for the victors, but three Rutherford errors, six bases on balls, and four stolen bases by Clifton made the difference.
Fiscella, who was picked up from the Junior Chamber nine by the Rotary tournament entrants, was in trouble in every inning but the first, as he came through for the third out with the bases loaded in both the second and third frames, and stranded a pair of Clifton baserunners in both the fourth and fifth.
The Rotary’s two tallies, which gained them a momentary lead, crossed the plate in the third. Gene Cole led off with a single over second and moved down on Fiscella’s bunt single inside first. The runners advanced on a double steal, and took another base on catcher John Floyd’s single through the left side, Cole scoring.
Harry Usher, another pick-up player, who performed during the regular season for the Kiwanis, walked to load the bases with none away, but Brian Sherry’s sacrifice bunt was picked off by the pitcher to force Fiscella at the plate, and Floyd was out at third trying to go down on the play.
Danny Luke followed with a single to center which brought Usher home from second, but Nelson grounded out to second to end the rally.
Clifton answered with three in their third on three hits, a walk, and a Rotary error, and their eight run outburst in the fifth ended the Rotary hopes.
The Rutherford Little Leaguers, not noted throughout the season for potency at bat, unleashed a nine-hit attack, including two bingles by Fiscella, Luke, and Nelson.