Funkstown, Mapleville Clash Sunday

Mapleville and Funkstown clash at Funkstown in a crucial contest as the Independent League moves into its 11th week of play on Sunday with a trio of games. Antietam travels to Greencastle and Bakerton visits Mt. Lena to round out the slate.

All games get underway at 2:30p.m.

This is an especially critical stage of the season for the Mapleville crew, which stands two lengths off the pace with a 5-3 record. A loss in this one would drop the team three games off the lead with just eight remaining.

Mapleville bowed to Williamsport last week by a 7-0 verdict and touched Bob Taylor for only three hits. The club must do better against the contenders if it hopes to remain in the running.

Funkstown, meanwhile, keeps winging right along the top after burying Greencastle, 23-5, with an 18-hil onslaught last Sunday. The Pony Express shows a shining 7-1 mark and can assume undisputed possession of first place since Williamsport, also 7-1, is idle.

The pre-season favorites clubbed five Greencastle pitches for four home runs and enjoyed a great relief stint from Phil Petry, Funkstown won the first game between the two, 9-4.

Antietam and Greencastle both will be seeking to rebound from lopsided setbacks in the Pennsylvania town. Antietam turned in one of its worst efforts of the campaign last Sunday in falling to Mt. Lena, 22-5, and will have to do better if it hopes to vacate the cellar. The Ants were charged with 11 costly errors and five pitchers were shelled for 20 base hits.

Greencastle, too, would like to forget last week. The team from the Keystone State committed nine errors and never was a factor in the Funkstown massacre. The team is now 3-4 after a rapid start and a victory would elevate it to the 500 level again. Antietam upset Greencastle earlier, 4-3 at Keedysville.

Bakerton has proven the hard luck outfit of the circuit, dropping three games by one run and two others by two. The team’s pitching has been good enough, but lack of timely hitting has been disastrous.

Mt. Lena is back on the victory train and may be ready to make its move toward the three pacesetters. The squad is 4-5 and will be favored to reach the all-even plateau, Fred Pittenger led the assault on Antietam moundsmen last Sunday with five hits and eight runs batted in. Mt. Lena prevailed before, 4-3.