Coach Hastings, Coach Lakey, Coach Overstreet and Coach Walk are all smiles after both GSL teams swept their Jamboree doubleheaders. (courtesy of Becca Howell)
Monday, June 8, 2009
Coaches Celebrate Sweep
Coach Hastings, Coach Lakey, Coach Overstreet and Coach Walk are all smiles after both GSL teams swept their Jamboree doubleheaders. (courtesy of Becca Howell)
The Ringers
Since the James Gang was playing short-handed due to vacation schedules, a couple of Hubermen helped us fill out the lineup -- including J.D. and Avery, seen here with Coach Huber. (courtesy of Becca Howell)
Coach Celebrates Birthday
The Saints surprised coach with a birthday party in between Jamboree games. (courtesy of Becca Howell)
Game Ball
The Saints present the coach with a game ball signed by all the studs! (courtesy of Becca Howell)
Batting Champ
Owen is all smiles after going 5 for 5 with two home runs in the Jamboree twin bill. (courtesy of Becca Howell)
Taking a Breather
Some of the Saints take a break in between Jamboree games. (courtesy of Becca Howell)
Saturday, June 6, 2009
How Sweep It Is
The Saints wrapped up the 2009 season in grand fashion by sweeping a doubleheader Saturday afternoon with a 10-1 romp over Grace Evangelical and a 7-3 grinder against Holy Communion.
The stud among studs for the day was Owen, who went 5 for 5 with two home runs and six RBI in the split twin bill played at Holy Communion.
The noon game was no contest as Grace Evangelical struggled to put metal on the ball, striking out eight times in the three-inning game. The Dragons only managed to put five balls in play.
The Anchormen had no such trouble. Nino got things started with a bleeder to second, and the Reds jumped out to an early lead when Owen stroked his first dinger of the season to straight-away center. Whit grounded out to the shortstop on a bang-bang play, and T-Dog legged out anubber to the pitcher. After Brian popped up to the mound, Berent brought his three-at bat hit streak to the dish and smashed a RBI double to right. Eubank whiffed to end the inning.
The Dragons whiffed their way out of the first.
Khalid fanned to start the Saints' half of the second and Avery -- on loan from the Hubermen -- beat out a grounder to short for an infield knock. Nino nubbed another one to second that he beat out while the second baseman tried unsuccessfully to tag the speedy Avery. Owen hit a shot to third base that resulted in an overthrow at first, scoring Avery, moving Nino to third and allowing Owen to stroll to second. Whit scooted one by the first baseman for a RBI single. Walk whiffed and Brian stroked a single to center, scoring Owen. Berent extended his hit streak by legging out a slow roller to the pitcher. Eubank popped up to the pitcher for the final out.
The Dragons threatened to get something started when their first two lumbermen got base knocks, but the next three batters fanned.
Khalid led off the top of the third with a K and J.D. -- another loaner who replaced Avery in the lineup -- pounded a double to left. Nino scorched one to short and beat it out for his third infield hit of the day. Owen stroked another one to third, and then took second on an error by the first baseman. Whit dumped a RBI single into center and after Walk whiffed, Brian hit his second consecutive RBI single to center. Berent kept the rally going with his sixth consecutive hit, scoring Whit. Eubank whiffed to end the inning.
With the score 10-zip, the Dragons had been slain. But they took their final at-bat and bravely started a rally. They started the inning with yet another K, but the No 2 hitter swatted a double to left, stunning the Anchormen momentarily. Brian botched a grounder at second, but he hung tight and atoned for the sin on the very next batter with a strong 4-3 putout, which scored Grace Evangelical's only run. The game ended, appropriately, with a strikeout.
Saints win! Saints win! Saints win!
With the next game an hour away, the Saints surprised the coach with a birthday cake, an autographed baseball and a fungo bat. After stuffing their faces with cake and ice cream, the studs christened the fungo with a very productive practice before the back-end of the doubleheader.
The final game of the season pitted the Saints against the Holy Communion team that they had beat 8-0 in the second game of the season.
The game started ominously when Holy Communion's first batter put the ball in play and Nino booted it at second. T-Dog pounced on a roller to the mound for a 1-3 putout that moved the runner to second. Another roller to second was bobbled and the runner took home aggressively while the batter remained at first. The next batter smoked one to Whit at shortstop and he raced the runner to second, making the putout despite a textbook take-out slide by the Holy Communion speedster. After a hard shot to third put runners on first and second with two outs, Whit scooped up a grounder and fired to first for the third out.
But the Anchormen had been put on notice: Holy Communion was going to hit and run aggressively and play a hard-nosed brand of baseball.
As usual, Nino got things started with a shot to third that he legged out for his fourth infield hit of the day. Owen, who was really on top of his game, erased the 1-0 deficit with a two-run dinger to center, his second of the day. Whit followed that with a stroke to center. Walk K'd but Brian dumped another one in center. And Berent extended his at-bat streak to seven with a RBI single to center. The rally ended with Ks by Eubank and Khalid.
Holy Communion led off the top of the second with a K, but their No. 8 hitter slugged one to center that scooted by the defending Angel in the outfield for a home run, making the score a very uncomfortable 3-2. But two Ks sandwiching an infield single ended the inning.
With a 3-2 lead, the Anchormen realized they were in for a dog fight. And when Jack -- the third loaner from the Hubermen -- was robbed on a liner to second, the fun and games came to an abrupt halt on the Saints' bench. Nino went to work with a single to center and Owen tapped one to second that he legged out for a base knock. With runners on first and second and a frightening one-run lead, Whit relieved his teammates, coaches and fans with a bases-clearing three-bagger to center. Walk ended his mini-slump by legging out a roller to the mound, scoring Whit. Brian imitated Walk with another tapper to the mound.Berent ended his seven-at bat hit streak with a whiff, but Eubank picked him up with a slow roller to second that scored Walk. Khalid's struggles continued with a K.
The 7-2 lead was better than 3-2 but was not secure by any means. A six-run mercy rule inning by the hot-hitting Holy Communion batsmen could end the Anchormen's season on the sourest of notes. And when the leadoff batter smoked a double to center, followed by a infield hit to second and a line drive single to left by the third hitter of the inning, it was suddenly nail-biting time again. But a K, a 1-3 putout and another K ended the game.
Saints win! Saints win! Saints win!
Thus, the Saints finished a splendid season at 8-1. A season nobody wanted to see come to an end. It was a scrappy team that always played hard, continued improving throughout the season and displayed the best of sportsmanship in the face of some lopsided victories. The one loss of the season was arguably the best game the studs played because they showed a never-say-die attitude that fans on both sides of the diamond were forced to notice and admire.
A tip of the hat and a wink of the eye to these boys of summer. Great things will surely follow them in seasons to come.
Go Saints!
The stud among studs for the day was Owen, who went 5 for 5 with two home runs and six RBI in the split twin bill played at Holy Communion.
The noon game was no contest as Grace Evangelical struggled to put metal on the ball, striking out eight times in the three-inning game. The Dragons only managed to put five balls in play.
The Anchormen had no such trouble. Nino got things started with a bleeder to second, and the Reds jumped out to an early lead when Owen stroked his first dinger of the season to straight-away center. Whit grounded out to the shortstop on a bang-bang play, and T-Dog legged out anubber to the pitcher. After Brian popped up to the mound, Berent brought his three-at bat hit streak to the dish and smashed a RBI double to right. Eubank whiffed to end the inning.
The Dragons whiffed their way out of the first.
Khalid fanned to start the Saints' half of the second and Avery -- on loan from the Hubermen -- beat out a grounder to short for an infield knock. Nino nubbed another one to second that he beat out while the second baseman tried unsuccessfully to tag the speedy Avery. Owen hit a shot to third base that resulted in an overthrow at first, scoring Avery, moving Nino to third and allowing Owen to stroll to second. Whit scooted one by the first baseman for a RBI single. Walk whiffed and Brian stroked a single to center, scoring Owen. Berent extended his hit streak by legging out a slow roller to the pitcher. Eubank popped up to the pitcher for the final out.
The Dragons threatened to get something started when their first two lumbermen got base knocks, but the next three batters fanned.
Khalid led off the top of the third with a K and J.D. -- another loaner who replaced Avery in the lineup -- pounded a double to left. Nino scorched one to short and beat it out for his third infield hit of the day. Owen stroked another one to third, and then took second on an error by the first baseman. Whit dumped a RBI single into center and after Walk whiffed, Brian hit his second consecutive RBI single to center. Berent kept the rally going with his sixth consecutive hit, scoring Whit. Eubank whiffed to end the inning.
With the score 10-zip, the Dragons had been slain. But they took their final at-bat and bravely started a rally. They started the inning with yet another K, but the No 2 hitter swatted a double to left, stunning the Anchormen momentarily. Brian botched a grounder at second, but he hung tight and atoned for the sin on the very next batter with a strong 4-3 putout, which scored Grace Evangelical's only run. The game ended, appropriately, with a strikeout.
Saints win! Saints win! Saints win!
With the next game an hour away, the Saints surprised the coach with a birthday cake, an autographed baseball and a fungo bat. After stuffing their faces with cake and ice cream, the studs christened the fungo with a very productive practice before the back-end of the doubleheader.
The final game of the season pitted the Saints against the Holy Communion team that they had beat 8-0 in the second game of the season.
The game started ominously when Holy Communion's first batter put the ball in play and Nino booted it at second. T-Dog pounced on a roller to the mound for a 1-3 putout that moved the runner to second. Another roller to second was bobbled and the runner took home aggressively while the batter remained at first. The next batter smoked one to Whit at shortstop and he raced the runner to second, making the putout despite a textbook take-out slide by the Holy Communion speedster. After a hard shot to third put runners on first and second with two outs, Whit scooped up a grounder and fired to first for the third out.
But the Anchormen had been put on notice: Holy Communion was going to hit and run aggressively and play a hard-nosed brand of baseball.
As usual, Nino got things started with a shot to third that he legged out for his fourth infield hit of the day. Owen, who was really on top of his game, erased the 1-0 deficit with a two-run dinger to center, his second of the day. Whit followed that with a stroke to center. Walk K'd but Brian dumped another one in center. And Berent extended his at-bat streak to seven with a RBI single to center. The rally ended with Ks by Eubank and Khalid.
Holy Communion led off the top of the second with a K, but their No. 8 hitter slugged one to center that scooted by the defending Angel in the outfield for a home run, making the score a very uncomfortable 3-2. But two Ks sandwiching an infield single ended the inning.
With a 3-2 lead, the Anchormen realized they were in for a dog fight. And when Jack -- the third loaner from the Hubermen -- was robbed on a liner to second, the fun and games came to an abrupt halt on the Saints' bench. Nino went to work with a single to center and Owen tapped one to second that he legged out for a base knock. With runners on first and second and a frightening one-run lead, Whit relieved his teammates, coaches and fans with a bases-clearing three-bagger to center. Walk ended his mini-slump by legging out a roller to the mound, scoring Whit. Brian imitated Walk with another tapper to the mound.Berent ended his seven-at bat hit streak with a whiff, but Eubank picked him up with a slow roller to second that scored Walk. Khalid's struggles continued with a K.
The 7-2 lead was better than 3-2 but was not secure by any means. A six-run mercy rule inning by the hot-hitting Holy Communion batsmen could end the Anchormen's season on the sourest of notes. And when the leadoff batter smoked a double to center, followed by a infield hit to second and a line drive single to left by the third hitter of the inning, it was suddenly nail-biting time again. But a K, a 1-3 putout and another K ended the game.
Saints win! Saints win! Saints win!
Thus, the Saints finished a splendid season at 8-1. A season nobody wanted to see come to an end. It was a scrappy team that always played hard, continued improving throughout the season and displayed the best of sportsmanship in the face of some lopsided victories. The one loss of the season was arguably the best game the studs played because they showed a never-say-die attitude that fans on both sides of the diamond were forced to notice and admire.
A tip of the hat and a wink of the eye to these boys of summer. Great things will surely follow them in seasons to come.
Go Saints!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
A Crooked Number in the W Column
The Saints improved to 6-1 with an 18-12 win over Holy Communion -- the same team that dealt the Anchormen their lone defeat of the season. (courtesy of Jennifer Balink)
Uh oh. Loose Ball!
Three infielders struggling for the egg never leads to anything good -- and it didn't here in the fourth inning. (courtesy of Jennifer Balink)
Whit Digs Out Dinger
Whit rounds third on his two-run bomb in the second. (courtesy of Jennifer Balink)
Eubank Brakes!
After slamming a double to left, Eubank skids to a stop. (courtesy of Jennifer Balink)
Berent Rides Hot Streak
Berent bumps his average up to .625 with a 3 for 3 game with 2 runs, a double and a ribbie. (courtesy of Jennifer Balink)
Grand Salami
Zach jacks the Anchormen's first slammie of the season while his teammates rush to congratulate him on achieving every ballplayer's dream: a home run with the bases juiced! (courtesy of Jennifer Balink)
Grand Salami Routs Holy Communion
Hot, tired and generally lethargic, the Saints arrived at Holy Communion Tuesday afternoon only to be confronted by those early season purveyors of anguish: the Coach Cox-led Holy Communion team that inflicted the 11-10 Heartbreaker at Snowden Field back in early May.
Resolved to the avenge their lone defeat of the season -- the one blemish standing between them and a perfect regular season record -- the Anchormen did what they have done all season: wielded the lumber with malicious intent.
Nino the Firestarter did what he always does: got the rally started out of the gates with a seeing-eye grounder past the pitcher. Owen followed with an infield knock to short. With the bases getting cluttered, Whit scooted one past short for the inning's third consecutive single. With Sonny menacingly pounding the plate with his Thunderstick, clearly intent on mauling whatever pitched ball tried to sneak by him, everybody in the park was paying attention.
But Sonny just missed his pitch and legged out an RBI-single to short. As Sonny took his place at first, the Holy Communion bench sighed in relief, fully aware that that transaction could have proven far more costly than it did.
Then Zach strode to the plate, straddled the batter's box and went salami -- the Anchormen's first grand slam of the season. It was a no-doubter on contact: he slapped a hard liner down the first base line and well past the right fielder. Owen could walk home, and Whit only needed a light jog. But Sonny had to hoof it hard to stay ahead of Zach, whose long-legged strides had him rounding third before the right fielder had run down the ball.
T-Dog whiffed on some beautiful cuts, but Brian cranked a hard one to short for an infield hit. Berent drove home the mercy rule-inducing sixth run of the inning with a smoking double to left.
In a rosin bag, that is the story of the James Gang's year at the plate: the sluggers have mashed 131 hits in 199 at-bats for a .658 average while outscoring their opponents 90-39 -- a per-game run differential of 13-6. So while their lumber has been an awe-inspiring weapon, their leather has not been too shabby as they have held their opponents to 51 fewer runs than they've scored.
But when Holy Communion came to the plate in the first inning, the Saints were flashing back to May 14 when the Cox Nine whiffed a mere two times while methodically adding crooked numbers to the scoreboard on a barrage of singles and GSL fielding errors. The Anchormen were determined not to let that happen again.
Nino fielded a hot shot at second but had to put it in his pocket. After an untimely K by the No. 2 hitter, the No. 3 hitter stroked a ball that scooted by T-Dog in center for an RBI-double. After a shot to right skipped past Khalid for an RBI-single, the Saints recorded another Whit-to-Owen, pitcher-to-first putout. Then Owen scooped up a slow roller for the third out of the inning.
While pleased with only allowing two runs, the Saints' halos were chapped by two errors that led to two runs. It is a law of baseball physics: errors lead to runs.
With the bottom of the lineup at the dish in the top of the second, Eubank got another rally started with a shot to left that put him on the keystone thanks to some good hustle. Nino got a rare RBI from the one-hole with a double to right that scored Eubank. Owen hit another shot to left, scoring Nino on a single. And then Whit stepped up and launched a beautifully-arched, two-run rainmaker, his second dinger of the year.
After scorching one just foul of third base, Sonny poked one to right for a single -- a beautiful job of hitting. With two strikes, he shortened his swing and took it the other way. Zach experienced the humbling nature of this game when he whiffed unceremoniously just an inning after hitting the jackpot amid hoots and hollers. And don't talk to T-Dog about humbling -- despite some textbook cuts at the ball, he whiffed for the second consecutive time for the third out of the inning.
At 10-2 heading into the home half of the second, it was perfectly clear what the Saints had to do: catch the ball, throw the ball. But they weren't given the opportunity as the Holy Communion team that only whiffed twice during the entire four innings on May 14, whiffed three times in the first eight batters. Whit snagged a soft grounder for the third out, and the Saints notched a shut-out inning -- every bit as important as its polar opposite, the six-run mercy rule inning.
Finally being able to breathe easy with a 10-2 third inning lead, the Saints immediately began staging another offensive rally with singles by Brian, Berent and Khalid sandwiching a whiff by Eubank. Nino recorded a productive ground-out to first by driving in Eubank -- for another rare RBI from the No. 1 slot. Owen tapped one past the pitcher that scored a hustling Berent. But Whit suffered a painful 7-pitch whiff.
A 12-2 lead in the bottom of the third spawned a false sense of security among the sunflower seed-obsessed Anchormen. When the baseball gods peer down on one of their magnificent diamonds (or even one of their not-so-magnificent diamonds), they are quick to notice any disrespect of the game. And hell hath no fury like a baseball god disrespected.
The Saints took the field in the third frame under an ominous sign -- the coach inadvertently fielded the fourth-inning defensive unit instead of the third-inning squad, on oversight that disrupted the team's karma. Five fielding errors and six runs later, the stunned Saints were huddled dazed and confused on the first base line as the coach pleaded for the Anchormen to focus on catching the ball and throwing the ball.
12-8 was clearly unacceptably close, and the baseball gods -- apparently satisfied with the mercy-rule spanking handed to the chastised Saints -- blessed the Good Guys with Sonny Thunderstick leading off the inning. When Sonny steps to the plate and pounds the dish with that threatening grimace , mothers in the stands twitch with a protective urge to fetch their sons from any potential path No. 52 may choose to send his rocket launches.
Having sprayed the ball all over the field thus far, Sonny locked in left field for his fourth-inning scorcher. When the smoke cleared and Holy Communion still had 10 relatively unharmed boys in the field, mothers exhaled in relief.
While Sonny carries a big stick, he also tends to clog the bases -- but Zach had an answer for that in the first with his slammie. Now, in the fourth, he looked to ease Sonny's path home again, this time by belting a triple to right field.
T-Dog took the dreaded hat trick with his third whiff of the game, and his evident disgust was in danger of spreading along the bench. But Brian picked up his teammate with a timely, beautiful stroke to center to score Zach. At 14-8 the Saints were butter -- they were on a roll. Both Berent and Eubank legged out bleeders to second with Eubank scoring Brian. Khalid whiffed and Nino continued making the case that RBI from the one hole are not that rare after all with a two-run triple to left. Owen triggered the mercy rule with an RBI-single to center.
At 18-8 in the home half of the final inning, Holy Communion was batting for pride because there would be no winner, winner, chicken dinner for them on this night. And with no way to lose the game, the Saints lollygagged the final frame by giving up four runs on five hits and an error. It appeared that the only thing that would stop the Holy Communion bats was the mercy rule, but they stopped themselves with two more Ks to end the game.
It started with a bang, was full of moments of brilliance and was marred by its share of blemishes, but it was a game in which each of the 10 Saints battled heat and exhaustion, man upped for four innings against a scrappy baseball team and reached deep for that little extra something to finish the regular season on a high note en route to a 6-1 record.
Saints win! Saints win! Saints win!
Game Leaders:
Owen: 4/4, 4 runs, 3 RBI, 2 putouts, assist
Sonny: 3/3, 2 runs, RBI
Brian: 3/3, 3 runs, RBI
Berent: 3/3, 2 runs, double, RBI
Nino: 3/4, 3 runs, double, triple, 4 RBI, assist
Zach: 2/3, grand slam, triple, 5 RBI, 2 runs, putout
Whit: 2/3, 2 runs, 2-run homer run, 2 RBI, 2 putouts, assist
Resolved to the avenge their lone defeat of the season -- the one blemish standing between them and a perfect regular season record -- the Anchormen did what they have done all season: wielded the lumber with malicious intent.
Nino the Firestarter did what he always does: got the rally started out of the gates with a seeing-eye grounder past the pitcher. Owen followed with an infield knock to short. With the bases getting cluttered, Whit scooted one past short for the inning's third consecutive single. With Sonny menacingly pounding the plate with his Thunderstick, clearly intent on mauling whatever pitched ball tried to sneak by him, everybody in the park was paying attention.
But Sonny just missed his pitch and legged out an RBI-single to short. As Sonny took his place at first, the Holy Communion bench sighed in relief, fully aware that that transaction could have proven far more costly than it did.
Then Zach strode to the plate, straddled the batter's box and went salami -- the Anchormen's first grand slam of the season. It was a no-doubter on contact: he slapped a hard liner down the first base line and well past the right fielder. Owen could walk home, and Whit only needed a light jog. But Sonny had to hoof it hard to stay ahead of Zach, whose long-legged strides had him rounding third before the right fielder had run down the ball.
T-Dog whiffed on some beautiful cuts, but Brian cranked a hard one to short for an infield hit. Berent drove home the mercy rule-inducing sixth run of the inning with a smoking double to left.
In a rosin bag, that is the story of the James Gang's year at the plate: the sluggers have mashed 131 hits in 199 at-bats for a .658 average while outscoring their opponents 90-39 -- a per-game run differential of 13-6. So while their lumber has been an awe-inspiring weapon, their leather has not been too shabby as they have held their opponents to 51 fewer runs than they've scored.
But when Holy Communion came to the plate in the first inning, the Saints were flashing back to May 14 when the Cox Nine whiffed a mere two times while methodically adding crooked numbers to the scoreboard on a barrage of singles and GSL fielding errors. The Anchormen were determined not to let that happen again.
Nino fielded a hot shot at second but had to put it in his pocket. After an untimely K by the No. 2 hitter, the No. 3 hitter stroked a ball that scooted by T-Dog in center for an RBI-double. After a shot to right skipped past Khalid for an RBI-single, the Saints recorded another Whit-to-Owen, pitcher-to-first putout. Then Owen scooped up a slow roller for the third out of the inning.
While pleased with only allowing two runs, the Saints' halos were chapped by two errors that led to two runs. It is a law of baseball physics: errors lead to runs.
With the bottom of the lineup at the dish in the top of the second, Eubank got another rally started with a shot to left that put him on the keystone thanks to some good hustle. Nino got a rare RBI from the one-hole with a double to right that scored Eubank. Owen hit another shot to left, scoring Nino on a single. And then Whit stepped up and launched a beautifully-arched, two-run rainmaker, his second dinger of the year.
After scorching one just foul of third base, Sonny poked one to right for a single -- a beautiful job of hitting. With two strikes, he shortened his swing and took it the other way. Zach experienced the humbling nature of this game when he whiffed unceremoniously just an inning after hitting the jackpot amid hoots and hollers. And don't talk to T-Dog about humbling -- despite some textbook cuts at the ball, he whiffed for the second consecutive time for the third out of the inning.
At 10-2 heading into the home half of the second, it was perfectly clear what the Saints had to do: catch the ball, throw the ball. But they weren't given the opportunity as the Holy Communion team that only whiffed twice during the entire four innings on May 14, whiffed three times in the first eight batters. Whit snagged a soft grounder for the third out, and the Saints notched a shut-out inning -- every bit as important as its polar opposite, the six-run mercy rule inning.
Finally being able to breathe easy with a 10-2 third inning lead, the Saints immediately began staging another offensive rally with singles by Brian, Berent and Khalid sandwiching a whiff by Eubank. Nino recorded a productive ground-out to first by driving in Eubank -- for another rare RBI from the No. 1 slot. Owen tapped one past the pitcher that scored a hustling Berent. But Whit suffered a painful 7-pitch whiff.
A 12-2 lead in the bottom of the third spawned a false sense of security among the sunflower seed-obsessed Anchormen. When the baseball gods peer down on one of their magnificent diamonds (or even one of their not-so-magnificent diamonds), they are quick to notice any disrespect of the game. And hell hath no fury like a baseball god disrespected.
The Saints took the field in the third frame under an ominous sign -- the coach inadvertently fielded the fourth-inning defensive unit instead of the third-inning squad, on oversight that disrupted the team's karma. Five fielding errors and six runs later, the stunned Saints were huddled dazed and confused on the first base line as the coach pleaded for the Anchormen to focus on catching the ball and throwing the ball.
12-8 was clearly unacceptably close, and the baseball gods -- apparently satisfied with the mercy-rule spanking handed to the chastised Saints -- blessed the Good Guys with Sonny Thunderstick leading off the inning. When Sonny steps to the plate and pounds the dish with that threatening grimace , mothers in the stands twitch with a protective urge to fetch their sons from any potential path No. 52 may choose to send his rocket launches.
Having sprayed the ball all over the field thus far, Sonny locked in left field for his fourth-inning scorcher. When the smoke cleared and Holy Communion still had 10 relatively unharmed boys in the field, mothers exhaled in relief.
While Sonny carries a big stick, he also tends to clog the bases -- but Zach had an answer for that in the first with his slammie. Now, in the fourth, he looked to ease Sonny's path home again, this time by belting a triple to right field.
T-Dog took the dreaded hat trick with his third whiff of the game, and his evident disgust was in danger of spreading along the bench. But Brian picked up his teammate with a timely, beautiful stroke to center to score Zach. At 14-8 the Saints were butter -- they were on a roll. Both Berent and Eubank legged out bleeders to second with Eubank scoring Brian. Khalid whiffed and Nino continued making the case that RBI from the one hole are not that rare after all with a two-run triple to left. Owen triggered the mercy rule with an RBI-single to center.
At 18-8 in the home half of the final inning, Holy Communion was batting for pride because there would be no winner, winner, chicken dinner for them on this night. And with no way to lose the game, the Saints lollygagged the final frame by giving up four runs on five hits and an error. It appeared that the only thing that would stop the Holy Communion bats was the mercy rule, but they stopped themselves with two more Ks to end the game.
It started with a bang, was full of moments of brilliance and was marred by its share of blemishes, but it was a game in which each of the 10 Saints battled heat and exhaustion, man upped for four innings against a scrappy baseball team and reached deep for that little extra something to finish the regular season on a high note en route to a 6-1 record.
Saints win! Saints win! Saints win!
Game Leaders:
Owen: 4/4, 4 runs, 3 RBI, 2 putouts, assist
Sonny: 3/3, 2 runs, RBI
Brian: 3/3, 3 runs, RBI
Berent: 3/3, 2 runs, double, RBI
Nino: 3/4, 3 runs, double, triple, 4 RBI, assist
Zach: 2/3, grand slam, triple, 5 RBI, 2 runs, putout
Whit: 2/3, 2 runs, 2-run homer run, 2 RBI, 2 putouts, assist
Friday, May 29, 2009
Man of the Hour
A very happy Khalid relaxes with a snack after his big game Thursday. He went 2 for 3 with a run and a ribbie. (courtesy Becca and Lang Howell)
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Another W for the Saints!
The Saints take their record to 5-1 with a 16-10 romp at First Evangelical. (courtesy of Jennifer Balink)
Textbook Relay
Leftfielder Sonny fields a grounder and throws a strike to second sacker Brian, who was alertly covering the bag for a perfect relay. Awesome play, fellas!
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