Riverdogs Close in on First Place with Win Over Prime Pub

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On Monday July 8, Radding Insurance Riverdogs stood two games out of first and hoped to inch closer versus Prime Pub. Only putting up first runs, such a run shortage is never good, but these dogs played strong up the middle - especially at short.

Gobbling up every ball the Pub put at him, Kevin Kopec had his manager beaming after the 5-1 victory. “If you’re teaching your kid to play shortstop, that’s who you model them after,” boasted Chris Radding.

And they needed him right away. After Mike Perfito and Mike Seminara led the game off with singles, Kopec turned two force plays at second to end the early threat.

The shortstop did it with the bat too. With John Vitale and Dave Phillips leading off with a walk and a single, Kopec brought in the first run with a line single to left.

The bases were then loaded on a Chris Cohane walk, and two more came in on RJ Thomas’ single and Warren Derevere’s ground out to short.

A 3-0 game, Pub threatened again and were undone by the defense for a second time. Singles by Al Tiso and Nolan Considine made it first and second with one out. But Mike Cooney’s fly out resulted in a double play when the courtesy runner was thrown out at third by Mike McDowell in center.

No answer for the Riverdogs in the top of the second, Kopec kept the damage contained in the top of the third. He ranged at short for the first two outs, but a error in center paved the way for a two out rally. Seminara reached second on the play, and Mike Nicosia’s single made it a 3-1 game.

Then Pub showed they could flash the glove too. With runners on first and second, Derevere delivered what appeared to be a clutch two out single to right. But Nick Uva came up throwing and gunned Cohane out at the plate.

The two run difference preserved, Kopec returned the favor. He made a diving stop on Uva’s shot into the hole, and stabbed Tiso’s one hopper for the out at first.

A fly ball to center ended the inning. But the Riverdogs remained status quo at the plate, and Pub appeared to answer with another two out rally.

Ben Marano and Perfito stroked singles, and a bloop to center by Seminara looked like it might score two. On the run, Mike McDowell had his ears anticipating some help. “I was running in, and I kept hoping someone would call me off,” said the centerfielder.

No such luck, his inspired running catch still had him a little bewildered. “I’m waiting for them to replace me with a young guy, but so far they keep making me go out there,” McDowell joked.

In the stands, he was the only Riverdog with a fan, and she was just as funny. His daughter Kyra agreed that having an ambulance on speed dial was probably a good idea, but at the same time, the risk is worth it. “I like it when he makes a play,” said Kyra McDowell, who’s a long time softball player too.

He wasn’t done giving her something to cheer about either. After Phillips and Kopec singled, Dad lined a single to right to extend the lead to three.

Six outs to go, two more ground balls to short had Kopec wondering why Pub kept finding him with their bats. “That’s an excellent question,” he deadpanned.

Not waiting around for an answer, Derevere, Dan Dibino and Thomas singled for run number five, and Pub going quietly in the seventh had McDowell relishing more than the win. “We have a good team and a good bunch of guys,” he assured.

The cheering section agreed - especially in his case. “I’m very proud that he’s still out there kicking,” Kyra McDowell concluded.