May 31, 2002 By Jim Kriek For The 3 min read

MILL RUN – If Dickie Krause plays many more games at Mill Run he might need a new birth certificate. Carmichaels held off a late threat by host Mill Run to gain a 7-5 win in their County Baseball League game played here yesterday, the fourth win in a row for the still unbeaten Copperheads.

Derek Fritz came on in relief in the sixth for Carmichaels and put forth an effort that many major league relievers would love to have, to preserve the win for starter Ryan Shetterly. Todd Bell led off the home sixth being hit by a pitch, and pinch-hitter Ray Orndorff walked. Manager Krause waved Fritz into the game at this point.

Dennis Show, who had already homered and singled, went out on strikes, Mike Doppelheuer walked to load the bases, then Fritz got heavy hitters Jeremy Miller on a pop to short and John Warrick, who homered earlier, on strikes to end the game.

Krause said, “Ryan is a new pitcher for us this year and did well today, then Derek gave us a fine effort, with the help of a veteran catcher (Jeff Thompson) who steadied both, and an errorless defense behind them. Derek got two of the league’s best long-ball hitters at the end to hold our lead.”

Then he noted, “Every time we come up here to play, I lose a couple years off my life. Mill Run is one of the toughest fields for us. In fact, this is the first time we have won here since 1999. We can win at our field, but this is a jinx field for us.”

Carmichaels led 5-0 before Mill Run got on the board with four in the third, but over the last three innings it left six runners stranded, including the bases loaded in the sixth.

Manager Bugs Orndorff said, “We had our chances to pull it out, but we couldn’t get the big hit. Carmichaels is a good team, one that can stop threats like ours, and that’s how you win. We had runners on base every inning but didn’t hit like I know we can. The hits are going to come.”

Thompson also led the offense with a double and two singles, and Scott Swinchock had a double. For Mill Run, Warrick hit a three-run homer, Show hit a home run and single, Miller hit a double and single, and Dan Gratchic hit a double.

The Copperheads led 1-0 in the first after Swinchock drew a one-out walk, stole second, and scored on Duane Dupont’s single, then hiked that to 4-0 in the second. Thompson singled to lead off and Eric Holt walked. Tom Ricco forced Thompson at third, but when the throw to first was high, Ricco was safe and Holt reached third. Lee Fritz and Scott Krajnak walked, and Swinchock doubled in two. Humes singled to open the third and came around on Thompson’s double and Vince Zapotosky’s single to make it 5-0.

Mill Run cut that to 5-4 in the home third. With one down, Show homered past the swings in left-center, Doppelheuer was hit by a pitch, Miller walked, and Warrick cleared the pavilion in deep left.

Carmichaels got two back in the fourth with a hit batsman and two errors, and Mill Run offset one of those in the fifth on doubles by Miller and Gratchic.

Mill Run has its first test of the season with arch-rival Bud Murphy’s on Sunday at the Breakneck Field (1 p.m.), while Carmichaels plays Monday at Brownsville.