MCSN: July 11, 2015

Win big, win tight, repeat

Week 5 Recap

By Rob Tong

Mon, Jul 20, 2015

Reapers needed a little Starbucks pick-me-up for the early game There's a recurring theme so far this season: every week, several teams win easily and one or two teams squeak by. This week followed the same script.

8am game

The Harvest Reapers were so rarin' to go from their off week that they opened the day's slate of games. Never mind that the schedule required them to play the early game; just keep pretending they were jacked up and ready to resume their season.

Actually, after the Reapers cruised to a 22-6 win over Caravan, no one would blame you for thinking the Reapers were chompin' at the bit to resume playing.

The shorthanded Reapers (2-2) held Caravan to their lowest hit total of the season just one week after Caravan pounded out 23 hits while scoring 20 runs. This time, the Reapers were the ones putting up an offensive attack, with every Reaper getting at least one hit. After the Red Harvest team put up a five spot in the first inning, Caravan responded with four runs in their half of the inning to keep the game close. But then the Reapers outscored Caravan 17-2 the rest of the way to win easily.

9am game

FROG battled Team America in the 9am game in a defensive-minded showcase.

"Coming in, we were anticipating a lot of heavy hits from Juan Cruz's team of sluggers, and we brought our defense. Unfortunately, they did too," said Team America's Rachel Campbell of the 9-3 win by FROG.

Both teams flashed leather, with the first inning ending in a 2-2 tie.

"[Team America] started off strong in the first inning with each of us making contact, and Liz Eidom bringing in two RBIs in her first at-bat of the day," Campbell said. "After that, we were robbed numerous times of solid hits, a couple of them possibly by the newly installed trampoline by shortstop. I swear, the guy jumped four feet at least to catch one of them. Second base also had some running catches to get us out on line drives."

Not to be outdone, Team America displayed some stout defense also.

"Dan Untch led the team from the pitchers mound, and was all over the place to help cover unattended bases due to the play at hand," Campbell said. "Untch [and I] were able to make an easy out at first even though the ball slipped initially upon pick up. George Birkenstock also pulled out his laser arm with a throw from the outfield to Untch who was covering home. The call was close from the field, but to the ump it was a sure-fire out.

"The rest of our team followed suit. Josh Patterson had some remarkable throws from right center to third base to hold he runners at bay. Ben Piatt shut down FROG's typical left field hitting streaks, and had them asking 'who is this guy?' after an impressive leaping catch. Campbell covered first and had a sweet unassisted play off of a difficult bouncing grounder. And after what may have seemed like an error of communication on a grounder, it was obvious that we let one runner on intentionally so we could get a double-play on the very next at-bat."

FROG slowly chipped away, tacking on two runs in the second inning and one more in the third. Team America knocked in a run in the top of the fourth inning to cut the deficit to 5-3.

"Our offense was doing what they should have been doing, but so was FROG's defense," Campbell said. "We finally we able to get another run again in the fourth due to a triple by Untch and an RBI double by Piatt."

However, FROG scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth to give themselves a little breathing room. "It was a great game," Campbell said."

10am game

The Holy Walkamolies hoped to take advantage of the shorthanded Fellowship Of The Ring but it was not to be.

The Fellowship shut out the Walkamolies in the first inning and proceeded to score 10 runs in the first two innings to put the game away before anyone could mutter "Holy Walkamolie."

Every Ringbearer notched a hit and Robert Martinez tied Covenant's Les Carter for most RBI in a game this season with seven.

“Our offense was doing what they should have been doing, but so was FROG's defense.”

- Team America's Rachel Campbell on the conundrum between an unstoppable offense and an immovable defense

On the plus side for the league's Holy team, the Walkamolies finally got their first walk of the season. Holy Walkamolie, Batman!

11am game

The Crossroads/Veritas team was looking to bring down the In Focus Ospreys but their Flames got doused as the Ospreys won handily 18-3.

All 13 Ospreys got a hit, the longest batting order to accomplish such a feat in league history.

12pm game

If you've heard the expression, "Save the best for last", you'll agree that held true in the final game of the day. The Dugout Donuts from Edgewater Baptist may look sweet but they were anything but in their battle royale against mighty Covenant, upsetting previously undefeated Team Brown 15-14 in a thriller.

The Donuts scored four runs in the first and shut out shorthanded Covenant in their half of the inning, the first team to do that to Covenant all year.

If that weren't enough to make you lick your lips, the Donuts raced out to a shocking 11-0 lead in the middle of the third inning.

Of course, this is Covenant we're talking about. Even without Ovi Tisler and David Zuperku, they still have an All-Star roster to get hits in their sleep. They finally woke up in the bottom of the third (it is the noon game, after all) and proceeded to belt out 10 unanswered runs of their own to pull within 11-10 going into the top of the sixth inning.

The Donuts squeezed out a run in that sixth inning while holding Covenant scoreless. And in the seventh inning, the Donuts scored three more to take a five-run lead into the bottom of the final inning. Would five runs be enough against the vaunted Covenant lineup?

Barely. Covenant scored four runs, just one run shy of tying the game. Covenant's stunning loss leaves the Fellowship Of The Ring as the league's lone undefeated team.

Looking ahead

Both Covenant and Caravan look to rebound from their losses today as they square off against each other in the 8am game.

At 9am, Team America takes on the Holy Walkamolies in a battle of the navy blue shirts.

In the 10am game, the Dugout Donuts will try to flex their muscle against the young Flames.

At 11am, the Fellowship Of The Ring battle the In Focus Ospreys.

And in the noon game, the Reapers face the Mustard Seeds.

Which game will be close next week and which games will go big? Only time will tell.