In the first, we took on a team that was very comparable to us. Could hit some, could field some, but wouldn’t necessarily make every play. A good solid opponent.
We were the visitors and had a comfortable lead going into the bottom of what turned out to be the next-to-last inning. The opposition put a couple of runners on and scored a run or two, but then there was a chopper hit down the first base line. Due to staffing requirements, I was playing first that night, so I dropped to my knees, gathered up the ball, and beat the runner to the bag.
That left us with one out to get and the time was ticking away. If the opponent could just take a minute to make the last out, the game would be over. However, the last batter struck out and there were still 20 seconds on the clock. We had to play another inning.
Of course, we weren’t able to add to our 10-5 lead in the top of that frame, but we were hoping to have a quick time in the field and go home with our second straight win. There wasn’t much quick about it, however.
For the fact that there wasn’t any action at first until that aforementioned grounder, there came a little bit in that last inning. First, there was a grounder to third, and the third baseman threw it across the diamond. Unfortunately, it wound up just in line with the lights, so I stuck my glove up and just hoped I could catch it. It didn’t happen that way, though the runner wasn’t able to advance.
Later in the inning, another grounder was hit to third. This time, Joe threw it at a lower elevation. I stretched out to grab it and kept waiting and waiting for the ball to get there. It finally did and it beat the runner, so we had two outs.
That third out, however, proved elusive. The other team pulled to 10-9 with two runners on. The batter then hit a popup that drifted behind shortstop. Thankfully Kevin was able to go back and pull it in, preserving the victory.
Offensively, it was a good night for me as I went 4 for 4. I moved on to second once when the throw went to the runner going to third, but as I went it looked like they had cut off the throw. I flopped—it wasn’t structured enough for a slide—and was safe at second, but my leg is still pretty scraped up from that maneuver.
With two wins under our belts and the likelihood of a fairly complete roster being at Monday’s game, we looked forward to seeing just how good we really were. Monday’s game was a rematch against the team that had beaten us 31-4 or so the first game of the season, when we were playing shorthanded. We didn’t have all our weapons at this one, either, but had enough to make for a competitive game.
In fact, this team that had run roughshod over us before didn’t score in the top of the first, while we piled on five in the bottom of the inning. It was kind of the story of the game. We were consistently putting up runs, while they were feast or famine. When they feasted, though, they feasted.
In the second, they put up 11. Later on they got one to make it 12-5. We chipped away and chipped away, however, and got to the bottom of the next to last inning down 12-11 with bases loaded and two outs. We weren’t able to come through then, though, and it cost us.
The last inning was another feast for the opposition. They scored 4 runs, then we were able to get an unorthodox double play when Kevin caught the ball, overthrew first as the runner scrambled back, then Bobby at first gathered up the ball and fired it to second, where Gary tagged out the runner. Of course, we were aided somewhat in that it was a very muddy field and the runner lost a shoe between the two bases, but you take what you can get.
So two outs and down by five. It wasn’t the best situation, but doable. That is, if we could get the third out.
We couldn’t. Their hits kept falling and runs kept scoring. Before we got the final out (and, honestly, the ump called him out at first but I think he was safe), the score was 24-11 and out of reach. We put up two in the bottom of the inning, but that was it.
Still, to be that close shows the progress we’ve made as a team. We had to forfeit tonight's game, since we didn't have enough people that could play, but I look forward to seeing what we do next week!
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