First time in 2 years that I got play inside, and it is a whole new thing. Since our Snyder brothers and Sonny are now coaching the team, we have the inside track on entries, and extra time, and getting out in a reasonable fashion.
The day was expectedly brisk for 7:45am, in the parking lot, and we were on time for our gate check. I was even allowed to bring in the Tree Trunk, after appealing to the team that I needed it for my gentle giant hands. Fat lot of good it did me, but it was an entertaining anomaly for the other team, so not all bad.
Greg sidestepped playing time, so we had 10 players in the lineup, which was nice. I was assigned 1st base for the bulk of the game, as it was concluded that I could do the least amount of defensive damage from there. Liam started on the bump and was in good form, throwing 6 strong innings, 4 runs scored, of which only 2 were earned. He was busting the hitters inside and kept them from getting anything extended.
Our starting defensive set up was:
Liam-1
Gabe-2
Satch-3
Mike N-4
Lynch-5
Sean-6
Shark-7
Carter-8
HR-9
Conor-Reserve
So not a bad team, all things considered, and we kept it close for several innings. We got out to a lead early on and held it for the first half of the game. The highlight of the game for us was definitely the round-tripper that Gabe hit out to right center and into the First Nation sweat lodge space.
The SQ players are a fast and aggressive bunch though, and there is only so much you can do when guys can take bases with impunity and are always challenging the arms. A better 1st baseman may have had some of them, but I was peppered with one wild pickoff throw after another from Liam and Gabe, and SQ made the most of it. We were still ahead 5-2 when a player ripped a ground ball to center that megged Carter (as the kids say) and by the time he got to it, the batter had an in-the-park HR. Damn.
We also held the distinction of having only lefty SS's for the game, Sean and Shark splitting duty. Liam left with the game still intact 5-4 and handed the ball off to Satch for an inning. I coughed up the lead but managed to lean on my defense enough to escape with the score knotted at 5-5. This was mostly due to a great catch in left by Shark who had the gamesmanship to fire the ball to Nadolny covering 2nd and double up the runner. If we have one thing in common with the SQ team, we both could improve our baserunning skills. I struck out a player for the final out with the Eephus changeup, freezing him. yay!
Shark came in for the final innings of the game and threw well. The SQ players started to get used to our pitching, and their hitting became more confident. They scored a few more runs, as our offensive output dried up and though we played an extra inning since we had the time, it was to no avail and the final score was a loss for the MBC
9-5, SQ Giants.
Highlights
* As they tear down the old wall behind the backstop, there is less of a problem with the ball blending into the background
* Gabe's HR was a real beauty!
* Liam's pitching was on point
* Both Liam and Shark had the runners befuddled from the stretch and we picked off several runners
* The defensive play of the game was a hit to the gap in left center, easily a double. Liam got to it and made an amazing throw to on a line to 3rd base, and Lynch then fired it home to Gabe to tag out the sliding runner at the plate. It was awesome.
* We staffed 3 lefties in the lineup and still couldn't get that short porch
* Add another victim to the hit...wait...9-3 SQ putout
* Greg caught the 10th, which was nice
* Shark made some great plays at SS, and had a lot more hustle, word is he is a lot younger than the beard tells us
* The bane of the outfielders is the fly ball that tracks into the gravel and about 15 inmates doing laps
* We were welcomed with the addition of Jenny and friends, who came in to cheer the teams on. Greg has been playing baseball for 30 years in the MBC, and finally got the compliment from his wife that this "baseball thing is kind of entertaining."
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