(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 edition’s newspaper. Today’s On This Date story is from July 24, 1982).

By Craig Potter

Associate Sports Editor

Lehigh Township won its first Northampton County Legion division title in 17 years Saturday with an 8-4 victory over Nazareth.

Lehigh’s last title came in 1965 when now assistant coach Dennis Hock played on the team. That year Lehigh captured the district crown as well.

Lehigh swept a tired Nazareth team two straight in the Northeast Division finals as Nazareth played its sixth game in six days. Nazareth also operated under the handicap of fielding a team with three starters out including a pitcher, catcher and first baseman (Bob Fehr) who bruised his hip in the first game against Lehigh Township Friday.

Lehigh will meet Northampton, winners of the Southwest Division, for the overall league title in the best-of-three series which starts Tuesday at Northampton. The series moves to Berlinsville Wednesday with the third, if needed, being played Friday at Northampton.

Decision Time

Paul Chiaradia, who went the distance in hurling the win, was faced with a dilemma for the past couple of weeks. Chiaradia was a member of the Eastern champion Northern Lehigh basketball team which received from the community a trip to the Bahamas this week.

“I thought about it for two weeks every day bang, bang, bang in my head,” Chiaradia remarked of the decision whether to stay or go on the trip. “My decision was to stay but it’s a once in a lifetime shot with all my basketball friends and I think I owe them too.”

Lehigh coach Dick Kulp made the decision a little easier as he told Chiaradia he would pitch Saturday’s game, then go on the trip Sunday.

“Paul is really a dedicated player,” Kulp said. “He told me he was going to stay, but I told him he should go on the trip. As much as we would like to have him, his first responsibility is to the basketball team.”

So with mixed emotions, Chiaradia and his 11 teammates took a direct flight to the Bahamas from ABE Airport early Sunday afternoon.

The Northern Lehigh big right-hander struck out 11 Nazareth batters in the deciding game while walking seven and giving up six hits.

“Too many walks,” Chiaradia said of his outing. “I wasn;t happy with my performance, but we won the game though. That will do.”

Nazareth Leads

The visitors jumped out to an early lead scoring in the first. Bob Schmoyer led off with a walk and stole second. After a strikeout, Jon Honsel bounced a ball over the left field fence for a double and one RBI. Honsel stole third and later was out at home on a delayed double steal attempt with Joe Ortelli on via a walk.

Nazareth upped the lead to 2-0 as Schmoyer led off the third with a hit to center. Two outs later, Mike Werkheiser ripped a hit to right to plate Schmoyer.

Lehigh took the lead for good in the home third. Dave Reese singled to left and stole second. Steve Rogers reached on an error and also swiped second. Todd Fisher followed with an RBI hit to left.

That was all for Nazareth starter Ortelli as Greg Einfalt came on in relief. Troy Heffelfinger drew a base on balls to load the bases. After a strikeout, Chiaradia’s grounder to the third baseman forced Fisher, but the relay to first was wide as one run scored. Heffelfinger scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch.

Lehigh made it a 4-2 game in the fourth when Dennis Fehnel singled to right and was sacrificed to second by Dave Pierzga. Another out later, Rogers’ infield single to deep short scored Fehnel.

The hosts scored a run in the fifth without benefit of a hit. Heffelfinger opened the frame with a walk, stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch and came home when the pitcher tried to pick off Chiaradia off first after he had walked.

Nazareth cut the difference to one, 5-4, taking advantage of a hit batsman, three Lehigh miscues and one hit to plate a pair of runs in the seventh.

But Lehigh locked the game away with three runs in the eighth as Fehnel walked and stole second with one gone. Perzga doubled to left for one run before Kevin Romanishon drew a walk. Rogers’ hit produced the second run with the final coming across on a ground out by Greg Horgash.

Changed Bats

Pierzga, who had been struggling at the plate recently, switched bats and it paid off.

“It felt good to get a hit,” Pierzga said. “I went to a different bat and finally got a hit.”

Pierzga added that he is looking forward to playing Northampton for the league title because he and several of the Lehigh players attend Northampton High School.

Coach Hock stated the team is playing like they should have been playing all year.

“We said this right along when it comes down to it, we knew we were going to be playing Northampton,” Hock said. “We’re going against teammates for the most part.”

Coach Kulp added, “We want it bad.”s

Kulp praised Nazareth also citing that they were a tired ballclub with so many games straight to play. “They’re a good bunch of kids,” Kulp said, “and they have all but two back next year, so they’ve got a good club there.”

The Lehigh coach cited his own team, especially the bench which make it possible for Kulp to make adjustments. John Edwards, who hasn’t seen much playing time, gives the team a big boost by being there because if a team gets an injury and can’t field nine players, the team must forfeit. Kulp said that Edwards was hitting well in batting practice and may get a chance to play.

Nazareth 101 000 200 - 4 6 3

Lehigh 003 110 03x - 8 8 3

Ortelli, Einfalt (3) and Lambert; Chiaradia and Silvius. W - Chiaradia. L - Ortelli.