Covenant News

Scholars Edge Albany Park in Softball Finals

CHICAGO, IL (August 13, 2003) - Catcher Matt Guncheon drove in the winning run with a single in the bottom of the seventh inning as the North Park Theological Seminary (NPTS) Scholars edged Albany Park Covenant Church 10-9 in the finals of the Covenant Softball League of Chicago Tuesday night at Legion Park.

Guncheon had keyed a three-run scoring burst in the bottom of the fifth inning to break a 5-5 tie and NPTS overcame a late Albany Park comeback to win its first title in the three-year history of the league. NPTS finished in a tie for first place during the regular season with Ravenswood Evangelical Covenant Church. The Scholars ended the year 10-3 overall.

Albany Park, fourth in the regular season standings, took a 4-0 lead before NPTS rallied to tie the game. Albany took a 5-4 lead and NPTS tied it again on Katie Peterson's RBI single in the bottom of the fourth inning. After NPTS took the lead in the fifth, it was Albany Park's turn to make a comeback. Trailing 8-5 in the top of the seventh inning, Albany Park narrowed the deficit to one run on a two-run homer by Julian Pena and took a brief 9-8 lead by capitalizing on some NPTS fielding miscues.

NPTS had beaten two-time league champion Covenant Office 12-8 earlier in the evening, scoring eight runs in the first inning. Albany Park routed Ravenswood 20-6 on an adjacent field as Pena contributed a home run and shortstop Greg Sklenar anchored a solid defense.

Team members for manager Richard Carlson's Scholars included: Guncheon, Joel and Kim Delp, Mike and Keri Haefner, Joel and Inger Payne, Adam and Sarah Phillips, Heather Proper Fortuine, Brian Simpson, Rico Altiery, Mark Roberson, Velda Love, Marina and Ryan Ferguson, Lester Sheneberger, Josh Swenson, Paul Corner, Katie and Nils Peterson, Anthony Silano and Matt Braun.

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