By MICHAEL RADANO
Courier-Post Staff
CAMDEN

Yes, there is a second half.

Yes, the Camden Riversharks will enjoy a rebirth on Friday that is one of the unique aspects of independent baseball.

Yes, this team has shown flashes of talent and the ability to win games.

Unfortunately, and Monday night was a perfect example, the Sharks failed to show any urgency or energy when a win was within their grasp.

Lehigh Valley, the worst team in the Atlantic League with a paltry 18-45 record, shut out the Sharks 1-0 in front of 3,957 at Campbell's Field. A crowd that, by the way, secured the third highest average attendance in the league during the first half, and a crowd that deserved a better effort from an offense that managed only five baserunners.

The anemic offense wasted what was otherwise a great outing from starter Derek Root (2-4).

Root pitched a complete game and allowed only a single run in the fourth inning. For Root, the fact that he set a team mark of 10 strikeouts in a single game to surpass the previous mark of eight set by Ted Silva on two occasions, wasn't enough.

More importantly, it wasn't enough to overcome a nine- strikeout two-hit performance from Lehigh Valley's Zac Stark (4-8).

``That's my luck,'' Root said with a grin. ``(Stark) looked like he had his stuff going too. I'm not pointing fingers or anything. I know it was tough for us to hit him. It was two good pitching performances and we'll go on from there.''

Manager Wayne Krenchicki wasn't as forgiving.

P.J. Williams led off the top of the third with a one hopper to third baseman Kim Batiste. Batiste took his time going to first and Williams beat it out for an infield hit. Williams then stole second and advanced to third on a fly out to right. With one out Edgar Tovar then grounded out to short and Williams scored the lone run of the game.

Batiste struck out looking to end the second, and unfortunately the team captain failed to let it go.

``(Batiste) probably took his at-bat out into the field,'' Krenchicki said, ``and winded up costing us the ballgame. That's the way the first half has been.

``Im sure he knows. Obviously he knows. Its upsetting with anybody.''

Krenchicki's wrath wasn't just for Batiste. He saved his most disgust for his outfielders and their defense over the last two weeks.

``These guys are not right out of high school or college,'' Krenchicki said. ``They've been playing professional baseball for a lot of years. When fly balls aren't caught that should be caught in the outfield. And then they wind up giving hits and the pitchers wind up getting earned runs and sucking up losses ... At times I understand the outfield is hard to play because the winds swirl. But we've been here more than any team and we are the ones missing balls.''

Now, for the second half.

``They have three days off,'' Krenchicki said. ``They better come back ready to play.''