RAY SWANSON | Keystoner Womack delivers in the clutch for the Diamondbacks

Tony Womack, shortstop for the Arizona Diamondbacks, hit both ends of the spectrum last Sunday night. He did it all in one at bat in the bottom of the ninth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Division Playoffs.
Womack, one of the featured speakers at the Mercer County Hall of Fame's 51st Banquet in 1998, drove in the winning run against Cardinals' reliever Steve Kline.
Before Womack delivered his dramatic hit, a line drive over the head of St. Louis shortstop Edgar Renteria, the score was tied 1-1. His soft liner lifted the Diamondbacks into their first National League Championship Series.
Womack had two other hits as he was a thorn in the side of the Cards during the five-game series. Womack was mobbed by his teammates after his game-winner and Diamondback fans were delirious.
Mercer County connection: Womack, a standout with the Pittsburgh Pirates as a second baseman, was accompanied to the Hall of Fame dinner by Lanny Frattare, a Pirate broadcaster and master of ceremonies for the Mercer County affair.
I had the opportunity to interview Tony prior to the banquet. He is an articulate young man who has his head on straight. He is also a man who feels that baseball is just a stepping stone in his life, not a permanent fixture.
"If baseball doesn't work out for me, I have my degree and that's the way I'm approaching this thing," said Womack.
Womack is a big hit with Diamondback fans and a vital cog in the team's winning ways.
When Tony stepped to the plate in the ninth last week he was called on to bunt home the winning run after Midre Cummings had advanced to third. Womack's attempt at a suicide squeeze failed as a pitch came in low and away from Womack.
Said Womack, following his game-winning hit, "This guy [Kline] made one of the toughest pitches I've seen to squeeze."
Tony couldn't make contact and Cummings was nailed coming home.
Four pitches later, Womack delivered the game-winner.
It's been a season of ups-and-downs for Womack, who lost his father earlier this year on Father's Day. Tony hit a grand slam, which he dedicated to his father.
Down to the wire: Of the four division playoffs in Major League Baseball this year, three of them were decided in five games. Only Atlanta, with the sweep of the Houston Astros, settled things quickly.
The hotly contested series were won by the New York Yankees, who ousted Oakland, Seattle which won over Cleveland, and the Diamondbacks, who took care of St. Louis. The Yanks, of course, had the toughest series, rallying from a two-game deficit to win three straight against the Athletics to stay in contention to defend their World Series crown.
Tyson's back: Mike Tyson returned to the ring last weekend, stopping Denmark's Brian Nielsen after six rounds. Nielsen didn't want to continue after taking a beating from Tyson. Tyson appeared powerful but slower and rusty and he said he believes he should have about two more fights under his belt before he takes on either Hasim Rahman or Lennox Lewis.