Louis Cappelli Comes Through. Will Reline Main Street Sewer Beginning in 2 Weeks

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WPCNR MAIN STREET JOURNAL. By John F. Bailey. August 12, 2004: Cappelli Enterpises announced to WPCNR Thursday that the firm will begin relining the Main Street sewer line in little more than two weeks. Bruce Berg, Vice President of Cappelli Enterprises said the firm is contracting with a private company within the next week to reline the sewer at Mr. Cappelli’s expense as agreed with the Department of Public Works. Berg said Cappelli Enterprises decided to hire their own firm rather than pay the city to execute the relining. He said work on the relining should begin very soon.



LOUIS CAPPELLI, The Super Developer Addressing the Common Council June 7, 2004 at approval of his 221 Main Street Cappelli Hotel-Condoplex. Photo by WPCNR News.


A sewer engineer told WPCNR the relining process, that consists of applying a plastic coating on the interior of the sewer pipe, has been found to improve sewer flow so much that it decreases the level of the sewer pipe by as much as 50%. He said that it prevents seepage from cracks in the sewer line, eliminates coagulations of grease and other sluggish contents that tend to slow the flow.


 


Louis Cappelli was very confident in the process in his appearance on White Plains Week on December 3, 2003, he explained the compromise he and the city had worked out to make sure the Main Street Sewer could handle the effluent from the City Center:


“The Department of Public Works came up with a very creative and ingenious idea that the pipe capacity could be increased substantially by lining the pipe, in effect making it smoother, and that cost of lining that pipe which is in very good shape, but could be lined is significantly less than in rebuilding the sewer because you don’t have to dig in the ground,” Cappelli said.


On that show, Cappelli explained the process: “You do it from inside. You actually get inside the pipe with special equipment, go down the pipe and you line it. It’s much cheaper.”


The Nicoletti RedLine and Nicoletti Bypass Solution.


The lining of the pipe was the suggestion of Joseph Nicoletti, Commissioner of Public Works, as a solution to the controversy over just how high the water in the pipe was running. Mr. Cappelli’s consultants said, based on flow meter tests, that it was averaging 25% tops and 15% at its lowest based on their flow meter tests.


Mr. Nicoletti doubted those results and purchased the exact same machine for the city of White Plains to check out the results  over objection by Mayor Delfino. Mr. Nicoletti’s flow readings showed the sewer was averaging less than 20% average capacity.


However, the meter used only measures flow rate, it does not measure volume.


Mr. Nicoletti, leary of his Sewer Stick  measurements (the standard way of measuring volume of sewer flow in cities and towns nationwide). His stick tests showed the sewer running at or near capacity. He wrote a memo to George Gretsas in September, 2001, (as the City Center approached approval), warning of “catastrophic results” if the City Center effluent from its two apartment towers were to be added to the Main Street sewer line.


The September 2001 memo surfaced by luck only last fall as a result of a Freedom of Information Act request filed by Susan Elan of The Journal News. What the memo confirmed was that Mr. Nicoletti had serious reservations about the sewer capacity that was surpressed by the City’s former Executive Officer from the Common Council.


All Council members told WPCNR they had never seen the memorandum, and did not take seriously, or did not noitce, or thought to be just “boilerplate” the paragraph written into the Site Plan Approval  in which Mr. Nicoletti noted his concerns about the sewer.


As a result of the surfacing of that memo by Ms. Elan’s brilliant and gutsy FOIA, producing the effluent memo,The Mayor,  Mr. Cappelli, Mr. Nicoletti and the Common Council agreed on relining the Main Street Sewer and building a separate “direct connect” sewer line, just to make sure for the Cappelli Hotel Condoplex would be safely effluented. That Hotel project (known more prosaicly as 221 Main Street) was just approved in June of 2004.


WPCNR has learned the city relined a portion of the sewer line south of  Main Street on Broadway within the last year which has substantially improved the flow on South Broadway and also required and had relined the Mamaroneck Avenue sewer line as a condition of the JPI 300 Mamaroneck Avenue Jefferson project.

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SUNY IS IN THE MONEY.

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WPCNR’S ADAM IN ALBANY. From the Office of Assemblyman Adam T. Bradley. August 12, 2004: Assemblyman Adam Bradley (D-White Plains) announced that he helped secure over $8.75 million in capital funding for improvements at SUNY Purchase’s Campus Central Plaza in this year’s state budget.


 


        


   “SUNY Purchase provides quality higher education, and has been a tremendous asset to our community. I am delighted to help the college maintain the infrastructure for those that study, work, and enjoy the SUNY Purchase campus,” Bradley said. “By helping fund these capital projects, construction jobs will be created and the cost of higher education will be kept in check.”

 


      The money will go toward badly-needed renovations and enhancements to the plaza, which is the center of student activity and campus life. Those improvements include new pavement, enhanced lighting, upgraded waterproofing, an updated drainage system, and other important enhancements.


 


      “SUNY Purchase really needs this funding, because the school is a vital part of our economy,” Bradley said. “I’m going to continue my efforts to invest in New York’s higher education system.”


 

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JPI Explains Planned Jefferson Condo Test Market Plan. Declines Comment on Leak

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WPCNR Mamaroneck Avenue Ambler. From JPI. August 12, 2004: JPI of Irving, Texas, builders of The Jefferson at 300 Mamaroneck Avenue have released a statement explaining the concept of their planned condominum market test for The Jefferson and denied further comment on exactly how news of the condominum conversion concept was released to the media before the White Plains Common Council was informed of the plan.


WPCNR contacted Paul Crisalli’s office at JPI Thursday afternoon to clarify exactly when Mr. Crisalli spoke with media on the condominium conversion plan and revealed it to the press, as Paul Wood of the Mayor’s Office said he did, so as to absolve city hall of the charge by a member of the JPI inner management team  that city hall leaked the condominium plan in advance.


Late Thursday afternoon, WPCNR was contacted by a JPI spokesman saying the company would have no further comment on this matter. However they did release a statement on their condominum plan explaining how it will be approached.  Here is the text of that statement, unexpurgated, unedited:


 


The Residences at Jefferson Place, 300 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, NY, has received approval from the New York State Attorney General’s office to solicit interest in the project as a condominium.  The approval granted pursuant to the Cooperative Policy Statement No. 1, issued by the New York State Attorney General’s Office, File No:  CP04-0090, is not an offering.  No offering can be made until an offering plan is filed with the Office of the Attorney General of the State of New York.


 


Specifically the application approved by the Attorney General’s office, commonly referred to as an “Application To Test The Market”, permits the developer to solicit indications of interest in the project for occupancy as a condominium.


 


Bronxville based Houlihan/Lawrence Real Estate, along with New York City’s Halstead Properties, have been retained to work on behalf of the property’s developer to solicit interest in the property as a condominium during the Test of the Market.  A modest advertising campaign is planned for the end of August, with a more aggressive campaign to follow in the months of September and October.  The Houlihan/Lawrence-Halstead team will provide estimated pricing at the time the marketing campaign kicks-off.


 


The project’s construction timetable continues to move ahead unabated by these efforts, and until the Houlihan/Lawrence-Halstead team has had an opportunity to “Test The Market”, the project’s intended use will remain that of a luxury rental property.


 


In order to provide for the possibility that property will be occupied as a condominium, the developer will likely make certain changes to interior finishes within the apartments.  These changes include an upgrade to granite countertops, ceramic kitchen floor tiling, upgraded appliances, and wood flooring in the living room, dining area, and foyers.  No changes which would alter the current unit mix, and / or size of individual apartments is contemplated.

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Brian Murphy appointed Deputy Commissioner of Public Works

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WPCNR CITY HALL SCENE. By John F. Bailey. August 12, 2004:  Brian Murphy, longtime employee of the Department of Public Works has been appointed Deputy Commissioner of Public Works, according to his fellow co-workers. Brian, an all-around good guy, replaces Peter Termine who retired. No official announcment of Mr. Murphy’s career advancement has been issued, but WPCNR congratulates him on his appointment.

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JPI Plans Leaked by Mayor’s Office. JPI Will Complete Bldg. Ben, Rita Stunned.

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Ambler. By John F. Bailey. August 12, 2004, UPDATED 11:12 P.M. E.D.T.: A source with JPI, the builders of the Jefferson charged today that City Hall leaked JPI’s plan to explore the condominum market information given to the city in confidence several weeks ago on a “heads-up basis.” The source, speaking to WPCNR on condition of anonymity, said flat out that The Journal News story on condominiuming The Jefferson came directly from City Hall. He added that JPI has every intention of completing the building before a sale.


 


WPCNR called Mr. Crisalli at his office to request confirmation of when and what he told The Journal News about the condominium plan, as Paul Wood, the City Acting Executive Officer, said he did. WPCNR was informed this afternoon by a company spokesman that the company would have no further comment on this matter.


 


Meanwhile, two White Plains Councilpersons expressed surprise, bordering on shock about the condominium possibility.


 


In an irate phone call to WPCNR, Paul Wood, City Acting Executive Officer, denied the story was leaked by city hall, and demanded to know WPCNR’s source. He said that Paul Chrisalli of JPI told Wood that he (Chrisalli) told the reporter writing the story that JPI was turning the JPI development into condos, which Mr. Wood failed to say when he (Crisalli) was contacted about this matter and asked about it. Wood said, “I’ll confront him. I’ll call him (WPCNR’s source) an (expletive deleted) liar.”


 


WPCNR called Mr. Crisalli at his office to request confirmation of when and what he told the Journal News about the condominium plan. WPCNR was informed this afternoon that the company would have no further comment on this matter.


 


A curt Councilwoman Rita Malmud said she recalled no mention of condominium conversion possibility whatsoever when the JPI Jefferson project was approved. She also said that at the time a project becomes condominium, the PILOT agreement is null and void, the sales tax will change, as well as the IDA agreements.


 


A no-nonsense Councilman Benjamin Boykin said “when someone comes in for an approval for rental apartments, I expect rental apartments to be built.” He said he had to check with the city Corporation Council (Edward Dunphy) whether or not the owner had the right as part of the site plan to change the nature of the marketing of residential housing, as long as it remained residential.


 


Paul Wood, the City Acting Executive Officer, told WPCNR JPI did have that right as owner, and that any switch to condominiums would require only a minor site plan amendment, not a resubmitted site plan.


 


“The Mayor for All Seasons, “ former White Plains Mayor Alfred Del Vecchio, an expert on what is a minor site plan amendment and what is a major site plan change, said he hoped the city would require a new site plan.  Asked whether the matter in his view required a new site plan, and new Common Council approval,  Del Vecchio thundered on the phone, “Absolutely!”


 


Did City leak developer strategy to press?


 


The JPI source said JPI “did not release information on condo possibility. The Journal News got that from City Hall.”


 


 WPCNR has learned that the sale story originated 10 days ago  with the  Westchester County Business Journal  when they reported JPI putting the property for sale with Cushman & Wakefield in their August 2, issue, with no mention of the condominium possibility.


 


Paul Wood, the city’s Acting Executive Officer, confirmed to WPCNR Wednesday afternoon that JPI had mentioned to the Mayor’s office “several weeks ago” that they were exploring the condominium possibility, and he had no idea where the condominium story appearing in Wednesday’s Journal News  business section had come from.


 


Wood speculated that Cushman & Wakefield had been the source, whom he said had told him they had expected a story to appear this weekend, and were “surprised” to see the story appear in The Journal News yesterday.


 


In his phone call to WPCNR today, Wood was more specific, he said Crisalli told him he told the reporter, Noreen Seebacher that information about condoizing Tuesday afternoon.


 


Ms. Seebacher is to be commended for getting comments from Larry Schwartz, Deputy County Executive that very afternoon on such short notice about condominium effects on the IDA agreement with JPI, comments from JPI, a chart from her art department (perhaps already existing), and two photographs (perhaps file photos). However the condo information was not revealed to the Westchester County Business Journal in their report of the Cushman & Wakefield assignment August 2.


 


Just a Test


 


WPCNR’s JPI source characterized the condominium possibility as “just a test,” as they explain it, “The White Plains condo market is strong, as is the rental market. JPI has decided that based on number of inquiries it has received from individuals interested in buying a unit, that they will test the market with some ads.”


 


Condo-izing a Dry Test Not A Formal Advertisement.


 


The source stressed this is a dry test by JPI, not “a formal offering.”


 


“If the prospects (for condo buyers) look good, they would then seek full approval from the State Attorney General’s Office. The State AG can allow them to test the viability of the condo market as they plan to do over the next few weeks with some ads. Prices would begin in the low $300,000 range.”


 


Just a few cosmetic changes.


 


Our JPI insider said, the building now scheduled for completion in 2005 was not going to change in terms of structure: “No changes to floor plans or unit count would be made.” If it were to go condo, he said, “finishes would be upgraded, wood floors instead of carpet, granite kitchen countertops, but not structural changes. The building is too far along for that. ”


 


Cushman & Wakefield Hired as Gatekeeper. We’re not selling the project.


 


Possibly to counter wild speculation that JPI has again exceeded its budget on this project and was contemplating selling before selling the building,  our insider said “the possible sale of building is based on unsolicited inquires from investors (to JPI).”


 


The JPI “insider” explains: “Rather than taking these random calls, Cushman & Wakefield was retained to screen the calls and determine if they were serious investors. Any would-be investor would have to sign a confidentiality agreement before any financial discussions took place.”


 


Cushman & Wakefield is characterized as not aggressively promoting the building, just checking bankrolls. WPCNR’s contact says: “If C&W determines that there is serious interested parties, they will be providing full information. JPI might then consider selling the property if the price was deemend appropriate.”


 


The JPI organization is spending approximately $100,000,000 to construct the property.


 


 


JPI will finish off the Building.


 


Our man on the inside said that there is no question the building will be completed even if the building is sold. He says:


 


“They (JPI and HRH Construction) will complete the construction of the project regardless of sale. The first portions are on schedule to be ready the last quarter of 2004 with all remaining units ready during the first quarter of 2005.”


 


 


We love this project. Not “actively” moving it.


 


The JPI man said, JPI loves White Plains, the Jefferson Project and the White Plains market. He noted that the Cushman & Wakefield arrangement is by nomeans an attempt to dump the property:



 


“The company is happy with the project and with the strength of the White Plains market and has not actively attempted to sell the project. The interest has come in because many investors are now looking at opportunities in White Plains, and the JPI job is one that is drawing their attention.”


 


 


 


 


 


 


 

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Westchester Tourism Promotes Antiquing & Gardens Books Just OUT!

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WPCNR WESTCHESTER COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From WCOT. AUGUST 12, 2004: The Westchester County Office of Tourism has released the updated second editions of the popular brochures “Antiques, The Westchester Way“ and “Gardens, The Westchester Way“.  For serious antique shoppers or green-thumbed garden aficionados, these publications are perfect for planning a weekend getaway to Westchester County, NY, located just north of New York City in the lower Hudson River Valley.


·         Antiques, The Westchester Way” — Nearly 50 antiques stores that are open at least four days per week are listed in alphabetical order, including the types of products that are available, any special collections from specific countries or time periods, the days and hours of operation, addresses and websites.  Auction houses that sell antiques to the public are also listed. The brochure provides a county map showing the location of each store or shop and can be used to plan shopping trips along specific “Antique Shopping Trails”.  A calendar of special events is also included, listing annual antique shows and fairs that take place the same month every year.


·         “Gardens, The Westchester Way” — Fourteen notable public and private gardens that are open for individual and group tours are listed, including descriptions and points of interest, site history and, the species of trees, plants and flowers.  Additional information includes months, days and hours of operation; admission fees (if any); and the types of tours that are available (guided or self-guided, group or individual).  The brochure also provides a county map showing the location of each major garden and a calendar of special events, listing annual garden-related events that take place the same month every year.


Funds from the D.O.T. Smart Commute program made the printing of these brochures possible.


Directions to each place utilizing public transportation (trains, buses, and taxis) are included.


To receive your free copy of “Antiques, The Westchester Way” or “Gardens, The Westchester Way“, please contact the Westchester County Office of Tourism at 914-995-8500, or request them online at www.westchestertourism.com.

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JPI puts the Jefferson on the Market. Plans to Convert Rental to Condo.

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WPCNR MAMARONECK AVENUE AMBLER. From News Reports. August 11, 2004: Paul Wood, Acting Executive Officer for Mayor Delfino is reported telling The Journal News Business Reporter Noreen Seebacher that JPI which is building The Jefferson at White Plains at 300 Mamaroneck Avenue, is planning to sell the 281 units previously described as being built as rental units, as condominiums. A company spokesman confirms JPI has put the entire Jefferson property on the market.


 Wood said, according to the article that the flip flop from rentals to condos would not require approval by the Common Council. Seebacher is also reporting that Jeffrey Thompson of Thompson & Bender, spokes agency for JPI had not confirmed the switch, but that a major announcement was coming next week. Thompson is reported by Ms. Seebacher as saying The Jefferson is being fancied by interests wanting to purchase The Jefferson. Cushman & Wakefield is handling inquiries.

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Beach Girls With Gardner, Kulk, McNamara, Shamrocks’ Coon Play in ASA Nation.

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WPCNR PRESS BOX. By Fastpitch Johnny with Amateur Softball Association Reports. August 11, 2004: The NY-NJ-Brooklyn Beach Girls 18-Under Fastpitch Softball team with Westchester’s own Katie McNamara, Allie Gardiner and White Plains Tiger Kelsey Kulk contributing to the success of the club is playing the Arizona Heatwave right now in Marietta Georgia in the massive 65-team 18-Under Fastpitch Softball Championship. Maddy Coon of Horace Greeley is participating in the same tournament with the powerhouse Virginia Shamrocks.  They’re playing in front of an estimated 200 college coaches, 1,000 or more parents and hundreds more spectators. 


Now Batting for the Beach Girls….White Plains Tiger Kelsey Kulk, shown at the Easton Angels 18-Under showcase at Edison, New Jersey in July. Photo from WPCNR Sports Archive.


Featured in that tournament and playing for the New York New Jersey Beach Girls will be four top gun Westchester-Putnam All Section players: White Plains Tigers own Kelsey Kulk;  Ali Gardiner of John Jay, Cross River, and Katie McNamara of Putnam Valley. Also in action will be Westchester’s All World player, Maddy Coon of Horace Greeley playing for the Virginia Shamrocks.



ALLY GARDINER FIRING for the Beach Girls at the Edison Showcase.  The Beach Girls lost 2-0 to the Lady Gators in Pool  M Tuesday and are playing the Arizona Heatwave midday Wednesday. Photo, WPCNR Sports Archive.


The GOLD rush began Monday. Sixty-five 18-under fast pitch teams from throughout the United States are competing in the 12th Annual ASA’s Girls’ 18-under GOLD Fast Pitch National Championship Finals, through August 15 in Marietta, GA. The teams are divided into 17 pools with pool play that began Tuesday and  continues this morning before the double elimination play begins tonight.



KATIE MCNAMARA LAUNCHING TO THE PLATE FOR THE BEACH GIRLS AT THE EDISON SHOWCASE. Photo, WPCNR Sports Archive.




Last year in Eugene, OR the Orange Country Batbusters were unbeaten (6-0) in the 64 team field. They are seeking the first ever three-peat this year in Marietta.

Since 1996, the Batbusters have compiled a 47-10 record in this event with national titles in 2002, 2003 and 1997 and second place finishes in 2000 and 1998. In 1996, the Batbusters finished 13th, were seventh in 2001 and fourth in 1999. They were undefeated in this event in 2002 and 2003 and will be seeking to extend their winning streak, which is now at 13 in a row in ASA National Championship competitions.



CHAPPAQUA’S MADDY COON SNEAKING IN ON A BUNT FOR THE SHAMROCKS AT THE SHOWCASE IN JULY. The Shamrocks are taking aim at the Batbusters. They beat the Tulsa Eagles Tuesday morning and the Washington Lady Hawks, 1-0 to go 2-0 in Pool M Tuesday. Photo, WPCNR Sports Archive.




With this tournament you can expect an overflow crowd of the nation’s top college coaches in attendance. “We had 225 college coaches when we hosted this event in 2001,” said ASA Tournament Director Brooks Tinsley of the Cobb County Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department. “We are expecting at least 200 plus this year and we will have separate viewing areas behind each backstop for the coaches.”

Two complexes will be utilized for the pool play and early double elimination games (AL Bishop and Lost Mountain) with the championship game scheduled for 1 p.m. August 15th at Lost Mountain. For daily updates, please visit the tournament website hosted by Cobb County Parks and Recreation at www.cobbcountyasanationals.com/



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Williams on Christa-Control, Baffles Nauts, 5-1. Collins Gapper Gamer

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WPCNR PRESS BOX. By Fastpitch Johnny. August 11, 2004: The Texas Thunder caught up with Amazing Amanda Scott Tuesday night. They ripped the New York New Jersey Juggernaut’s Blonde Dominator for four smash hits in the 4th to overcome a 1-0 Nauts lead. Christa Williams, the Olympic Champion was in control the entire way at Montclair State University Stadium, allowing only two hits, fanning 7  to maintain the Thunder’s  2 Game lead over Akron for first place and push the Juggernaut 3 games behind Akron with 7 to play.


 



 


CHRISTA CONTROL: Christa Williams, the Olympic Champion was in complete command Tuesday evening as the Juggernaut closed out their inaugural season in New York. Selena Collins delivered the knockout punch with a soaring 2-run double to right center to put Texas ahead 3-1. Lyndsey Klein drove in the only Juggernaut run and narrowly missed a 2-run homer in the sixth that Erin Evans caught back to the fence. Photo by WPCNR Sports


Amanda Scott had retired 22 of 23 Texas hitters in a row starting from the 4th inning of Sunday evening’s game to the 4th inning of Tuesday’s game, just handcuffing the big bats of the hardest hitting team in the league.


 


 Laura Harms, starting at 3rd in an effort to handle Liz Bouck’s bunts, lead off the Naut third with a bunt single to first base, giving the Thunder a taste of Bouck. In fact Bouck did not hurt the Nauts tonight, as Harms threw the Texas Jackrabbit out once, except for one sweet run and bunt play in the 5th inning that Bouck executed in the 4th.


 



 


Harms in Way: Williams fanned Courtney Scott and caught Carri Leto looking, but on the first pitch to Leto, Harms swiped second sliding past the bag but getting a hand back in. Thunder Manager Wayne Daigle argued in vain. Photo by WPCNR Sports


 


 



 


Nauts Grab Early Lead: The 358 fans who showed up for the last home game were feeling pretty good after a Lyndsey Gardner error set up a Naut lead in the bottom of the third. Here Lyndsay Gardner at second base is playing hot potato with Lauren Bauer’s grounder while Laura Harms races to third. It prolonged the 3rd inning, allowing Lyndsey Klein of the Nauts to come up and single home the run for a 1-0 Naut lead. Photo by WPCNR Sports


 


With 2 out Lauren Bauer hit a routine grounder to Gardner at second who appeared to take her eye off the ball and she boxed it with Harms wheeling to third.


 


Lyndsey Klein then singled cleanly past shortstop Buchholz for a 1-0 lead, Joy in Juggernautville.


 


Naut Fans Shake their Heads.


 


With Amazing Amanda in the circle and mowing them down, fans felt the Nauts were in good shape. Then, in one of the mysteries of the game, Amanda Scott stopped being amazing and turned into Jose Contreras all too quickly.


 


Hardly had the fans had time to enjoy the sweet Klein RBI, when Lyndsay Gardner singled sharply to right on the first pitch. O.K., no harm done. On a 3-2 pitch, 3rd place hitter Kristin Zaleski laced a looper to right on pitch appearing to be up. Two on. Well, that pitch didn’t look too good.


 


Again, Amanda worked the redoubtable Ryan Realmuto, the heroine of Monday night. Realmuto ran to another 3-2 count. This was eerie….so similar to Sunday evening’s Amanda attack in the 3rd inning of Sunday’s game.


 


On a 3-2, Amanda again appeared to locate up, over the plate with not much on it and Realmuto singled high over the outstretched glove of a leaping Lyndsey Klein at shortstop, to tie the game 1-1. What was wrong with Amanda? This is not good.


 


With Zaleski on second and Realmuto on first, Scott threw 2 balls to Ginger Jones-Powers and Ginger smacked one to Carri Leto moving quickly to her right and throwing Powers out at first moving runners to 2nd and 3rd. Well, maybe we can get out of this.


 


Selena Slugs It.


 


The Great Scott smiling at the 10 balls she had been called for so far in the inning by plate umpire Angel Martinez, went to work. The count moved to 3-2 and BOOM! Disaster.


 


Catcher Selena Collins took another pitch that appeared up, slow and fat and tagged it high and deep to the rightcenter. It was sailing into the gap against the backdrop of the night.


 


Wilkerson playing her in straightaway right was not going to get it. Bauer, shading Collins to left center appeared to have the better shot but the ball out distanced Lauren, getting down and rolling, rolling to the 210 mark at the base of the fence. Zaleski scored. Realmuto scored. 3-1, Thunder. Not a good thing.


 



 


SELENA COLLINS, SCOTT SOLVER: WPCNR asked Selena to take us through the key at bat. “It was either 3-2 or 2-2, I’m not sure. I was looking out (side). I knew I had to make that adjustment inside, that’s what she was throwing pretty much all night. I was just looking for a good outside pitch. I got one and I just went with it. I think it was a curve ball.” Photo by WPCNR Sports


 


Collins said you have to have a plan on each at bat: “You don’t necessarily want to guess. You want to have a game plan when you go up to bat. Mine was definitely to just hit the ball hard.”


 


I asked how the Thunder got to a pitcher that had retired 22 of 23 Thunder hitters over 7 innings, Collins credited the Thunder heart: “Just the momentum, the fact that they scored we wanted to get a run back, help out our pitcher. We got some basehits. People got on. Did their job. And that was our goal. To get on base and hit the ball hard.”


 


Asked if the team could run the table the rest of the way, Collins said. “It would be nice to. We have a good pitching staff. We have a good all-around defense. It’s a matter of how well we swing our bats. As of right now, we’re swinging the bats real well, and hopefully that’ll get us through the playoffs.”


 


That’s something the Juggernaut is not doing. After the 3 runs scored in the sixth (by way of an error prolonging the 6th inning), the Nauts have scored 1 run in 17 innings, as the Thunder took three of 4 after losing the first game of the series.


 


Williams on Christa Control


 


The main reason for that was Christa Williams the nemesis of the USA Softball team in the NPF All-Star Game. Williams kept the Nauts off-balance and looking inept at the plate the entire game. Only Lyndsey Klein and Kellie Wilkerson hit the ball hard.


 


Williams was touched up in relief Sunday night for a loss, but things were different Tuesday night, she said:


 



CHRISTA WILLIAMS on the turnaround:  “I felt like I did a better job warming up tonight, and I found out some things that were keys to my mechanics that obviously made a big difference tonight. I felt really good. I felt good in warm-ups. My catcher (Selena Collins) and I clicked really well. We pretty much hit our spots and did the best we could. Stuff happens and you have to be able to bounce back. You know we’ve had some rough spells defensively at times. But, we have a good team. We have a good offense. You got to keep them in there and hopefully, sooner or later they’ll pull a run out for you, and they played a very nice inning (the 4th).” Photo by WPCNR Sports


 


We asked the champ about the playoffs: “I feel confident. Once you get in the playoffs though, it’s anybody’s game. It doesn’t really matter how good you are, or what you’ve done in the season. It’s important that we realize as a team that we gotta go out there and bust our butts from the very first pitch.”


 


Erin Reels in Klein


 


Klein blasted one in the sixth after a Williams error allowed Lauren Bauer to reach base. On the first pitch Klein hit a towering drive to straight away left up into the west wind. Back back back drifted Erin Evans the fleet leftfielder. She was on the running track, still backing up. Her back against the yellow Reno Appliance sign. A collective moan lifted to the night as Evans calmly reached up with both hands and hauled the drive in as it came down. Klein had just missed a 2-run homer.


 



ERIN EVANS MADE THE CATCH OF THE NIGHT. Photo by WPCNR Sports


 


Erin Evans, the best defensive leftfielder in the league, said she thought it was gone when it left the bat: “When it first came off the bat, yeah, but you have to play everything like it’s not going to go out. So I took off for it. It’s really high. I really didn’t know I was that close to the fence. But I tried to keep my eyes focused on the ball and come up with the catch and I did.”


 


Did the wind blow it back? “You  know I really couldn’t tell ya, I was just watching it, and it came down to me. You just focus on the ball. Sometimes the wind does play a big part, I really didn’t see it being a big factor in this game. It was really high so she probably didn’t get all of it. If it was more of a line drive it would have gone out. I’m sure she got under it a little bit to hit that high. Lucky for us it stayed in the park.”


 


Getting the Jump.


 


Evans says she “works on getting great jumps,” in her outfield play. That was evident when she robbed Kellie Wilkerson on a straight-to-the-left-field line running waist high catch leaning to the line off Kellie in the 4th inning.


 


“That’s something that helps me out a lot is I can get a great jump and I can see it off the bat pretty well, and I be aggressive, you know, and knowing when you can go for it and when you can’t. It’s knowing the game.”


 


Asked how much she practiced, she said they play so many games that her practice is pretty much the warm-ups for the game: “It’s really whatever they hit us. At this level, they feel we should be able to catch them by now.”


 


The biggest mistakes outfielders make:


 


“I think the biggest thing in not being able to do is not getting a read on the ball. If you don’t have a good read on the ball it means the difference between a base hit or a triple, if you don’t get a good read on it and it goes over your head. The biggest mistake that I think other outfielders have, is a lot of times, especially when we have infielders go to the outfield and they haven’t seen the line drives. Line drives I think are the toughest ones. They come right at you, and it lifts or it curves. Infielders aren’t used to seeing that.


 


They get out there,  thinking that a fly ball is no big deal, but the line drives, I think that’s the biggest thing is getting the jumps and reading the ball, and the biggest mistake is not knowing how to read it.”


 


The Thunder finish the season with New England and Sacramento and barring an intensity let down, they should hold off Akron which trails them by two games.


 


Ironically, Christa Williams retired the last 13 Nauts she faced tonight after coughing up the one run. It was an eerie duplication of what Amanda Scott did to the Thunder Sunday night, after the Thunder scored their 3 runs. Ball is so symetrical.


 


Plemenos’ Take:


 


Naut Manager Paul Plemenos, the Connie Mack of the NPF, said “We couldn’t catch a break. I thought the strike zone moved all over the place. So when the strike zone moved, she (Amanda) was getting squeezed. She got totally squeezed (in the 4th). It’s hard to be a pitcher when you have to throw it down the pipe, and when you have to throw it down the pipe to really good hitters. That’s hard.”


 


Asked if Amand was tired, Plemenos said “No. Amanda’s strong, and she got herself out of tough spots. Hey, look, if Klein’s ball goes out it’s a 4-3 game, and we’re right back in it. Evans is a great left fielder. She made two great plays. Kellie Wilkerson hit a hard one to left and Evans made a nice play on that, and the shortstop ( Buchholz) made a great play on her before. So we just couldn’t string things together. “


 


We’ll get em. We have a six game road trip. We come back. Three days of hard pratice, and then we fly out to Akron.”


 


Scott took the loss, her record is now 13-7 to lead the league. Williams is right behind with the win at 12-6. The Thunder wanted this game and showed speed, power, daring, and their best baserunning of the series.


 


The Thunder added a 4th run in the 5th inning on  a run and bunt executed by Erin Evans and Liz Bouck, The Texas Jackrabbit. With Evans running Bouck bunted to Harms who threw her out, but Gina Oaks throw to third did not get Evans at third.  With a runner on third, Lyndsay Gardner executed a suicide squeeze perfectly right to the pitcher forcing Amanda to handle the bunt, who elected to get the sure out at first since the fleet Evans was almost in to the plate when Amanda picked up the ball, to make it 4-1. Karrie Rider’s double down the line in the 7th to right field and a single by Zaleski scored the 5th run.


 


The Juggernaut head for Sacramento tomorrow for a three-game set Thursday Friday and Saturday.


 



THUNDER TAKE CONTROL: The last handshakes of the season at the Juggernaut home park last night. Photo by WPCNR Sports


 


NATIONAL PRO FASTPITCH STANDINGS August 11, 2004


 




























































W L PCT GB HOME AWAY
Texas Thunder 37 15 0.712 – 18-5 19-10
Akron Racers 34 17 0.667 2.5 18-8 16-9
NY/NJ Juggernaut 32 21 0.604 5.5 20-9 12-12
New England Riptide 22 31 0.415 15.5 11-12 11-19
Arizona Heat 17 35 0.327 20.0 10-19 7-16
California Sunbirds 14 37 0.275 22.5 9-17 5-20


 


Tuesday Results


 


Texas 5, NY-NJ Juggernaut 1


New England 2, Arizona 1


Akron at Sacremento (Late Night)

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