(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 April 10, 1981).

By Craig Potter

Associate Sports Editor

“If we could only get out of the sixth and seventh innings,” lamented Lehighton coach Tom Schaeffer after Palmerton staged a late rally Friday to win its first Centennial League game 9-5.

“We’ve led in every game,” Schaeffer continued, “but walks, hit batters have hurt us. We’ve either needed five or three outs to win and can’t get it.

“We’re a young team but the kids can’t keep taking it like this. They’ve got to get up, I have to get up. We’re hoping to come around. If we didn’t have two halves (in the CL) our heads would be down and we’d be thinking next year.”

The loss leaves the Indians in the CL cellar with an 0-3 mark. The victory gave the Bombers a 1-3 record.

“It feels good to win our first game,” Palmerton coach Ted Plessl said. “It shows we can come back.”

The Blue Bombers trailed 5-2 until they exploded for seven runs in the sixth to pull out the victory.

“We’re pleased to come back after losing two games earlier in the week,” Plessl added. “We lost to Notre Dame and to Pocono Mountain Wednesday 4-0.”

The game with the Cardinals was a replay of the 9-9 tie contest which opened the season.

Plessl continued to comment on the rally.

“We got behind and came back, that’s a plus,” said Plessl. “The kids battled to come back. That’s all you can ask. We’re trying to put our act together, maybe now we’ll be on the right track.”

Palmerton broke on top with a single run in the third. Jerry Snyder walked, was balked to second and scored on Tom Wargo’s basehit.

The visitors from Lehighton tied the contest in the fourth.

Steve Hill led off with a single. An error on Brian Bollinger’s ground ball and Glenn Daily’s bunt single loaded the bases for the Indians. Fred Koons then drew a walk to tie the game.

Bomber hurler Robbie Endres started a double play on a grounder back to the mound. Endres threw to catcher Mark Horinko for the force at home and Horinko’s relay to first was in time to double up the batter.

The Bomber pitcher then registered a strikeout to end the inning.

Palmerton regained the edge in the bottom of the frame when Bill Silvius singled and later scored.

Lehighton refused to give up and plated four runs in the fifth to jump back in front.

The Indians utilized four hits and a walk with Bollinger, Daily and Koons driving in runs.

The visitors appeared to have the game under control until the home half of the sixth.

In that inning, the Bombers combined four hits, two walks, two Indian errors and a hit batsman to plate seven runs. The big blow came as Wargo doubled and drove in two runs to knot the contest at 5-5. Brad Myers’ base rap plated Greg Serfass with the eventual winning run.

Endres again utilized a double play, which he started, in the seventh to squander an Indian scoring threat. Endres fanned four and walked three in going the distance for the win.

Lehighton’s Dale Michaels started before tiring in the sixth when Steigerwalt relieved. Michaels suffered the loss.

Palmerton travels to Stroudsburg Monday while Lehighton is at home to Northwestern.

Lehighton 000 140 0 - 5 8 3

Palmerton 001 107 x - 9 8 2

Michaels, Steigerwalt (6) and Schaeffer; Endres and Suarez. W - Endres. L - Michaels.