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FALCONS MAKE HISTORY

By CHUCK BURGHARDT (Sports Editor)

BUFFALO - It wasn’t just another opening it was a happening as the Connecticut Falcons made an auspicious debut by sweeping a doubleheader from the Buffalo Breskis before a jam-packed crowd at Legion Field, here, Friday night.

Joan Joyce and Willie Roze were the history-makers in the first game ever in the Women’s Professional Softball Association. Joyce fired a four-hitter and Roze creamed the second pitch for the first homer in the league’s history for a 1-0 win.

With over 5,000 watching and thousands more turned away at the gate, Donna Terry came on in relief in the second game to snuff a Breskis uprising and then smashed a home run over the left field fence for the tie-breaking run in the top of the seventh.

With co-owner Billie Jean King among the thousands on hand, Joyce turned in a masterful performance in the opener. She struck out 11 and didn’t walk any in taming the local favorites. The greatest women’s softball pitcher in the world got into a couple of jams but explained after the game, “I wasn’t nervous. I never think I’m in trouble until they cross the plate.” But even Joan admitted that the game conditions were impressive. “I was really excited,” said the veteran of 18 seasons in the game.

Roze, who shared the honors with Joyce happily said, “I like to have that ball. It sure feels good.” The exciting doubleheader will be seen in parts on NBC-TV’s grandstand on Sunday afternoon.

In the second game the Falcons turned on the power with a 15-hit attack but still needed Terry’s clutch pitching and hitting performance to bail them out. Connecticut broke into a 3-0 lead in the top of the first as the second hitter Snooki Mulder walked and came racing home on a triple by Kathy Krygier. Joyce Compton broke out of spring hitting slump with a double to score Krygier and came home two plays later on error at third.

The Breskis bounced back with a couple of runs off of starter Sandi Fischer as Jody Reichow led off with a double, Dawn Forster was hit by a pitch and Cindy Breski reached on a fielder’s choice. Fischer then walked in two runs. Ironically she struck out the side in the inning.

The Falcons boosted their lead in the top of the third as Judy Martino walked, went to second on a ground out and Lu Gecewicz, who led all hitters with five for seven on the night, singled Martino to third. Fran Sarullo then lined a two-run single to center.

The Breskis closed the gap to two in the bottom of the third on a single by Frazer, an error and a double by Leda Peterson. Connecticut, already thinned by injuries to Irene Shea and Sue Tomko, suffered yet another injury to an infielder as Sandy Hamm was spiked at third in the bottom of the fourth.

Buffalo knocked Fischer from the box with a two-run uprising in the sixth. An error at third, a double by Breski’s pitcher Judy Jungwirth and an infield grounder by Jody Reichow produced one run. Forster singled to tie the game. Terry came on to put out the fire as she got Breski to fly to Krygier in right and the hard-throwing outfielder gunned down Forster at first for a double play. Terry then struck out Frazer to end the inning.

With one out Terry won her own game when she jumped on a Jungwirth pitch and lined it over the left field fence. Like Roze’s homer in the opener there was no doubt when it left the bat. The Falcons added two insurance runs on singles by Roze and Sarullo, with both advancing a base on the throw to third. Heads-up base-running by Snooki Mulder and Roze produced the second run when the Falcons took advantage of a fielder’s choice, trapping the Breskis into rundowns which ended up with Roze scoring. Krygier singled home the game’s final run.

It is historic, darn good softball and a thrilling moment for both fans and players, not to mention a great start for the local pros.

To read more about the Falcon's regular season, see below.