It's been a great run at the mystery field in question, but the rumor is that we will have to move on and start getting permits again. So, remember all those funds you have been stockpiling for the permit costs, right? In any case, it was a great game if it was the final game.
We had 17 hearty souls and a beautiful day, and I mean beautiful! Sun shining, a little too intense some might say, a light breeze pushing the ball to right. Sean started for the visitors and Sonny for the homers. We jumped to a quick 4-0 lead, which surprised us more than anyone, and we held the line for the first few innings, 4-2 as we entered the middle innings. Which was a complete mystery to everyone as to what the inning was. We went back and forth on if it was the 5th or the 6th for a while, all I will say is that I had 3 at bats at that point, which felt like a lot for that much game. But hey, who doesn't love more baseball?
The homers mounted a comeback and tied up the game, on the heads-up play of Chris Powell, who sprinted to first on a dropped swinging strike out. Greg couldn't get the throw off in time, and the 3rd out turned into another opportunity. It had a been a real journey that inning to get 3 outs, and when the ball skipped at first, the last remnants of hope left Sean's body and he collapsed on the infield like a punch drunk fighter who had finally lost his legs.
Sean came out after 6 and I came in to throw 2 innings. I never felt comfortable, but didn't serve too many up, other than the ones I tried to serve up, I really wanted to see someone put one over the fence. Sonny bowed out to Mike N and John Mcg mopped up the 9th. The homer's comeback was short lived, and we sparked a big rally on Mike N., putting up 6 runs in one inning.
Unfortunately, in the midst of our hitting, Tony took a pitch to the thumb and it got squashed between ball and bat handle. It was an impact wound, and bleeding pretty good, but no joint damage. Dr. Greg got out his first aid kit and patched him up quickly, but Tony was done for the game. We were down to 7 players, and borrowing two outfielders, which conveniently seemed to be Chris P and Mitch a lot of the time.
We started to pile on the runs, and by the 9th inning, the score was 13-6. Greg felt he had a decent chance of blowing this lead, and true to his word, the rally of the 9th was a great one, though the deficit proved to be a little too big and the final score was a impressive 13-11 win for the visitors.
Highlights:
* No one hit a homerun at the field, but Chris P. came close twice, one hopping the fence, he ended the day with 2 triples!
* We had a number of beautiful defensive plays that resulted in no outs. Great throws to first that the runner just beat out, and including a double play attempt, where both runners were safe. It was clean, just not in time.
* Gaspar with the aluminum is beating the Gaspar shift, and pulling the ball now.
* Lattig made a awesome stretch at first to get a third out and also great play on a ground ball to the hole, and got off a perfect throw to Sean, who remembered to cover....
* I had to catch a ball in left field for the first time, and I literally didn't have to move which was the worst part. I almost started moving just because it didn't seem real that I would just wait to catch it.
* There were numerous pop flies lost at the last second in the sun
* Anna had two hits and RBIs to to left field after a long drought
* We almost had a nice play at home
* Baserunning continues to be our weakness, I think there were two innings ended due to people not knowing how many outs there were
* For the first time in a long while, I was 5-5, with 3 singles, and two doubles (though the 2nd double I never made it to 2nd base, due to my broken down running, does that count?). My hits spanned the spectrum of what can be a hit: the all-arms looping line drive over third, the hot ground ball between SS and 3rd, the "hit it high" in the wind and sun, and it falls untouched, the opposite field power alley (probably due to being behind the pitch and swinging a 50oz bat). It felt great, not sure what has changed, but I will take it.
* One thing I will not miss at the field is that travesty of a mound. The landing hole is bad enough, but the steepness of the mound makes the follow through a balancing act. Give me St Mary's any day of the week.
* The sun was brutal, but this time for left and center field
* Mitch, Powell, Sean, Nate, just some of the people who made great defensive plays on a tough day. Special thanks to Mitch and Powell who made them while covering defense for us, crushing the dreams of their won teammates.
* There were plenty of hits to go around: Sean, Powell and Elan all had triples, Mitch, Anna, Gaspar, Greg, Dan, all were racking
* Thanks to Greg, John McG, Mike N, Nick W. for catching
* Remember to call those pop ups.
S. Paige
