( 2- 1) CARLSTADT 0 0 0 0 0 0 -- 0 3 1
( 3- 0) RUTHERFORD NL 0 0 2 0 1 x -- 3 3 2
W - Pollara (2-0)
L - Janeczko (0-1)
The Rutherford National Little League all-stars, victors 3-0 Monday against Carlstadt, enter the finals in district tourney play this Saturday when they face Fairlawn, which beat Ridgefield Tuesday 2-0.
Starting time is 2 p.m. The game will be played at Lyndhurst.
Tourney rules specify that a pitcher can not be used two games in succession so Frank Pollara, who three-hitted Carlstadt Monday, is not eligible to pitch. Local Little League authorities have stated they will attempt to get Billy Hands, star Rotary pitcher, from Long Island where he is vacationing.
If Hands can’t get to Rutherford for the game, it is expected that Eugene Cole of the Pastore squad will hurl.
Frank Pollara hurled three-hit fourteen strike-out ball Monday evening to pitch the weak hitting Rutherford National League All-Stars to a 3-0 victory over the Carlstadt All-Stars in a game at Lyndhurst Little League park.
Rutherford scored twice in the third inning and added a single tally in the fifth, as Pollara pitched out of the only Carlstadt threat when he whiffed three batters with two runners on base.
Rutherford played with only ten men on the bench, four of the all-stars failing to put in an appearance and the two alternates, for some reason, not being pressed into service.
But the local nationals didn’t have too much trouble up-ending Carlstadt, which had gotten into the semi-finals by outscoring the Rutherford American loop stars 6-5 a week ago.
Pollara bearing down in the clutches, had the Carlstadt batters in his mitt throughout the game.
When the losers put together a pair of bunts in the third inning to get two men on base with none away – and this was before Rutherford had gotten a run – Pollara let loose with his fast ball and struck out the next three Carlstadt batters.
He swished shortstop Bruce Jones on three pitches, making him look at a third strike, took just three deliveries to send third baseman Joe Ritchie back to the Carlstadt dug-out, and with a full count on first sacker Jim Havel, blew one past the Carlstadt batter which he looked at for a called third strike.
Rutherford scored in their third, after a weird bit of base-running threatened to cut their rally short.
Eugene Cole led off with a walk on four straight pitches. And Nils Wisloff, after working Carlstadt hurler Bobby Janeczko to the full count, also drew a base on balls.
Tom Tanton sacrificed the runners ahead with a nice bunt along the first base line, and it was Richie Butcher’s turn.
Butcher pulled an Eddie Stanky, fouling off four of Janeczko’s offerings, before he watched a fourth ball float by. But when Carlstadt catcher Lou Biamonte let the ball get through him, Cole broke from third for the plate.
He was out easily, Biamonte to Janeczko covering.
Frank Pollara stepped up with two away and drove a grass cutter at first baseman Havel, who stopped the ball with a really beautiful backhand stab. But the ball was too hard for him to come up with cleanly, and Pollara beat him in a race to the bag, Wisloff coming home from third and Butcher going all the way around to the third sack.
That was all for Janeczko.
Then with Tom Daniele on the mound and Len Baylor up, Pollara broke for second, and Biamonte threw the ball into center field, Butcher hurrying home with the second Rutherford run.
The local nationals added another in the fifth when Nils Wisloff sent a major league calibre bunt down the third baseline and reached first safely. He stole second and third and came home when Richie Butcher slapped a single through the middle.
Pollara had to pitch with runners on in both the fifth and sixth innings, but in the fifth Dom Daniele was out stealing at third base and the Rutherford moundsman whiffed pinch hitter Steve Barberi and Joe Ritchie on three pitches apiece.
And in the sixth Jim Havel was forced at second after a free pass, and Pollara stuck out Ed Schiano on three pitches and let Ron Nussbaum look at a called third strike to end the game.
Pollara was the difference for Rutherford as he showed the ability and the courage to bear down in the clutches. The Carlstadt batters were never able to solve his speed.
One extra base blow was struck, a double to right center by Gene Muller with two away in the second. And he was out stealing, Cole to Dionisio.