Wolfe, McMackin Spark Chatsworth Past Oak Ridge

After three days of sunbathing and sightseeing, the Chatsworth High Chancellors could not wait to button up their uniforms and reach for some bats. After seeing the cozy confines of 58-year-old Epperson Field at Colonial High, they almost tore the shirts off each other trying to get to the bat rack.

“This is a pure hitter’s park, no doubt about that,” third baseman Joel Wolfe said. “We came in here and just started salivating.”

The center-field fence--333 feet away with an 18-foot-high Kelly green wall--had both Wolfe and teammate Rex McMackin licking their chops.

Both players impressed the Florida fans with mammoth home runs over the little green monster as Chatsworth clubbed Oak Ridge (Fla.), 7-3, Tuesday in the first round of the Colonial Baseball Classic.

“Man, it’s awesome,” McMackin said, taking another look at the fence before packing his gear. “Just look at that fence. Wind blowing out. . . . It’s awesome.”

McMackin’s three-run blast in the sixth capped a four-run inning and gave the Chancellors a 7-1 lead.

Shawn Bowen (2-0) pitched 5 innings, allowing 7 hits and 3 runs to earn the win.

Chatsworth (8-1) plays defending-tournament champion Winter Park (Fla.) today in the quarterfinals.

“We’re not afraid to travel 3,000 miles and put this team on the field,” Chatsworth Coach Bob Lofrano said. “This first one helps us get the jitters out.”

Idle since arriving Saturday, and with their last game six days ago, the Chancellors had worried about their sharpness for the tournament. But doubts were quickly dispelled by Wolfe.

“We talked before the game about setting the tone right away,” Wolfe said. “So the first pitch I got, I just gave it all I could.”

And it landed on the roof of a bungalow about 400 feet away. Wolfe’s leadoff home run in the first gave Chatsworth the lead before most fans had applied their suntan lotion.

Chatsworth added a run in the second when Ty Powell’s grounder went through the legs of second baseman Nick Pressler and Vince Simili scored from second.

The Chancellors made it 3-0 in the fourth when John Haselbusch walked, stole two bases while Powell walked and scored on Kevin Chong’s fielder’s choice grounder. The inning might have ended in a double play had shortstop Aldridge Randolph not bobbled Chong’s grounder before throwing to second to force Powell. Chong beat Pressler’s throw to first.

Chatsworth’s defense kept Oak Ridge (2-11), which has the worst record in the tournament, from mounting a serious rally. Catcher Eric Niece snuffed one threat in the third inning by whipping the ball to Wolfe at third, picking off Rafael Sanchez with two out and the bases loaded.

In the fifth inning, Niece snared Sanchez’s bunt in the air and threw to Art Lowe at first to double up Randolph.

Chatsworth also turned two double plays on ground balls, one to end the sixth and hold Oak Ridge to two runs, and one to end the game on a fine whirling throw from Simili at second to shortstop David Waco and on to Lowe.