1978 World Series

FALCONS MAKE IT THREE STRAIGHT CROWNS

The two-time defending champion Connecticut Falcons clinched the regular-season BIC-IWPSA crown with a gaudy 69-19 record and awaited the winner of a best-of-five playoff series between the second-place St. Louis Hummers (55-38) and the third-place Buffalo Bisons (35-48) for the best-of-five World Series at Falcon Field.

The Hummers who had succumbed to the Santa Ana Lionettes in the 1977 playoffs, emerged victorious by sweeping the Bisons in three straight games and journeyed to Meriden in quest of their first World Series championship.

1978 World Series Game #1 – Connecticut 5, St. Louis 2

The Falcons started ace Joan Joyce who had posted a sizzling 18-1 ledger and a 0.69 ERA during the regular season, on the mound and the superstar responded with a four-hitter, striking out six while allowing a single walk, in sparking Connecticut to a 5-2 verdict.

Connecticut took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a leadoff home run by Kathy Stilwell and added a tally in the third frame on an Audi Kujala double and a run-scoring single by Karen Gallaher.

The Hummers answered with single runs in fourth and fifth innings on solo circuits by Pat Guenzler and Charlene Sennewald to knot the score at 2-2 before the Falcons iced the win with a three-run uprising in the sixth. The scoring came on walks to Linda McMorran and Joyce and a two-run triple by Willie Roze, who later scored on a wild pitch by loser Cindy Henderson.

Henderson allowed six hits, striking out four and walking two, through the first 7 1/3 innings before giving way to reliever Tanya Adreon.

1978 World Series Game #2 – Connecticut 3, St. Louis 1

Margaret Rebenar, who had racked up an 11-5 record and a 1.77 ERA in her initial season as a Falcon, got the starting nod from head coach Bob Attanasio. The righthander stopped St. Louis on six hits, striking out eight and walking one, to give Connecticut a 3-1 decision and a commanding 2-0 lead in the World Series.

Singles by Roze and Jackie Ledbetter gave the Falcons a 1-0 advantage in the second inning, but the Hummers bounced back to deadlock the score in the fourth as Bethel Stout singled and came all the way around to score on an error by third baseman McMorran off the bat of Nancy “Boomer” Nelson.

However, the hosts were not to be denied. Singles by designated hitter Donna Terry and Joyce, combined with a St. Louis error, provided Connecticut with what proved to be the winning run in the sixth while a walk to Joyce Compton, a McMorran sacrifice and an RBI single by Joyce gave the Falcons an insurance tally in the eighth.

Marge Wright, owner of a 20-11 regular-season log, allowed seven hits, striking out two and issuing two walks, in suffering the defeat.

1978 World Series Game #3 – Connecticut 4, St. Louis 2

The Falcons presented first-year coach Attanasio with their third consecutive World Series title as southpaw Sandy Fischer, 12-6 during the regular campaign with a 1.44 earned run average, scattered 10 hits in besting Henderson and the Hummers 4-2.

Connecticut opened the scoring in the first frame as Stilwell collected a leadoff walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a McMorran single. The Falcons then produced three runs in the fifth inning on a walk to Roze, singles by Rayla Jo Allison and Snooki Mulder and a three-run Compton double.

The Hummers struck for a run in the sixth on Bobbi Mattingly’s solo homer and added their final tally in the seventh as Vicki Schneider reached base on a fielder’s choice, moved to third on an error by shortstop Gallagher and crossed the plate on a Stout single.

Henderson, who was 22-8 during the regular season, tossed a six-hitter, striking out six and walking four, in absorbing her second World Series loss.