Hot day tight contest, start out as a pitching duel, until South's broke the game open with a 3 spot in the 4th innings. Jayden battled on manfully to keep us in the game going his pitch limit for the first time this season. The lads showed signs of life and despite picking up only the one hit for the day to Mason Clavell, was able to load the bases and walk in a few runs to get the game close, and in fact have winning runs in scoring position multiple times, but was unable to execute. South's did execute and tacked on the run that ultimately won them the game.
Despite again having some chances to win the game, we weren't able to come away with the chocolates. Pickles was great with both a home run and an RBI hit later on. Tommy also chimed in with an important RBI hit to tie the game up. But unfortunately the Dodgers were able to get the job done.
In game that wasn't exactly a showcase of Division 2 baseball, Souths got away to a better start with some smart baseball to take a 3-0 lead in the first. Not looking his sharpest, Burnsy battled through 3 innings of work on a tough day for all to keep the score at 3-0. South's starting pitcher was having a good game and although we tacked on one run in the fourth, they replied with 1 to make in 4-1 going into a heat shortened game last inning.
A change in pitcher brought a change in approach by our young guns and back to back hits by Arch, Kai followed by a fielding error, more hits to Tommy & Quals, throw in a walk from a good at bat to Henry and we've all of sudden but up a 6 spot to take a 7-4 lead into the bottom of the last needing only 3 outs.
After an efficient first innings Pat Ween has the ball, one up one out, only two outs to go, hit & walk, some runners on, he gets next bloke to pop up two out still holding a 3 run lead. Back to back fielding errors undoes all our previous good work, and we hand them back 3 runs to tie the game up. Joe Gluyas takes over on the hill, walks one, hits one and strikes one out to come away with a draw.
Feeling hot hot hot. The division 3 lads got to start the celebration - memory of Blake with the first game of the awesome Blake Horrocks cup day
To show these top of the table hawks we meant business Blake lead of the game with a walk stole second and after a two out walk by Abore both scoring on Benders double down the line. We showed are intentions early
The pres. backing up from pitching div 5 the week before was giving the pill to quell the hawks in the bottom of the first and unfortunately due to a couple of mistakes a hawk scampered home
Not to worry as we had excellent at bats by Alice, Blake, Patrick and Abroe who went deep into counts and walked allowing Bender again to come through clutching up to score 2 and after 2 the misfits up 7 to 1
As it was a heat reduced game the hawks only battered 3 more times and we got them out by three fly outs two strike outs a running gunned down at second by Abroe and ground outs to the pitcher scattered in there was a couple of hits an error that allowed another run to score and maybe a walk as it was hot and the brain is a little fuzzy.
We tacked on two more runs late with Henry hitting a double and scoring on a pass ball and squints having the at bat of the day going full count fouling 5 pitches off and then hitting a perfect sac fly to right.
When the game was called we ended up 9 to 2 up. An awesome result that should highlight to these guys that if you play smart baseball protect the ball and don’t get over powered by a hard throwing pitcher we can compete with anyone in this competition. The way we played on the weekend is the gold standard that I expect us to play the rest of the year. I know we can do it Believe
With the temperature approaching the 40 degrees mark, it stopped itself just short at 39 and we took the back field at South on a big day for both clubs. With 3:01pm rolling by and no umpire in sight, Sanga Dixon put down the scorers pen, slip slop slapped and jumped out there to start the proceedings. His zone was good and we got under way with Stato and Hayds exchanging donuts in the first.
The home town blue rolled in after an inning and the changeover was seamless, his zone was above average for a clubby. With the visitors hitting into a couple of inning ending double plays, Stats was cruising through the first few frames. With 2 out and 2 on in the 4th Hayds had a great AB, taking a very close ball, then depositing the next pitch over the fence for a 3-0 lead. The bays inning wasn’t done there, with a big 2 out rally on the back of hits to Sid Reynolds, Stevens, Milhouse, Abroe & Kloeds all knocking in runs – in the blink of an eye it was 9-0 to the Tigers.
Hayds was outstanding on the mound, and thanks to a rough spot in the line-up not allowing our pen guy to get ready, he ended up going the distance in the shortened 90 minute game.
A great win for the guys against the reigning premiers. A big few weeks ahead against some more quality opposition should pave the way to a highly anticipated finals campaign.
A big shout out to Sanga for his work on the day – scoring Div 3 and Div 5, umpiring the start of the 4s before returning to the scorers hut to round out a huge day from this GBC legend. Thanks to South Districts Baseball Club for putting on a great day to help us celebrate Squid, a fitting battle rounding out the day in the 1s for the Horrocks cup. Finally, thanks to the Horrocks clan for making the day special again and it’s always one to mark on the calendar for everyone involved on the day.
With a full program on the card at FalconNotHawk Park, the Snakes Alives took to a well turned out Coney Island Diamond two in a shortened five inning affair due to the flaming orb punting the temperature into the dirty thirtys.
With Van Wilder copping a mid-week injury and HSR unavailable due to Holey Moley duties, we were down to the bare nine as Custilla Slice took on hot corner duties while Wu-Tang Dan jumped in at rightfield. We needn’t have been too concerned about only having nine as the home team had to roll with just seven in the field for one inning due to border restrictions invoked by Stephen Marshall’s portable music machine.
The Cookie Man, playing his millionth game for the Hawks took on the Bombay Basher to start proceedings and a hit pitch ball resulted. A stolen base had him in scoring position and the Fenomenon wasted no time in knocking one through the cones for a 1-0 lead. A sac fly by the Unstoppable Pecs Machine had us up 2-0, but that was all she wrote as we disappointingly left the bases juiced to end the inning.
Two auto-outs saw us complete the first before the home team filled the whole nine, making the coach second guess his batting lineup as the Beef Borrito led off against what now was a full house of fielders. A base knock to left was the result, followed by the same from Wu-Tang Dan. A Mumbai Masher double and an Unstoppable Pecs Machine long ball later, and the good guys had reached the new maximum five runs to take a 7-0 lead.
Things got pretty weird about now as a local dude was seen pushing a full couch down the road next to our game, almost putting scorer SANGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! off from his pencil twirling duties for a split second, before he regained his usual steely resolve to press on in the face of absurdity.
The Hawks added a couple of runs in the third as the Tiger bats went cold, so this one went to the bottom the last with the score remaining at 7-2. The first two runners reached before a timely double-play was turned by the Brewing Company-Borrito-Jina combination to snuff out the threat and complete some great work by the Unstoppable Pecs Machine on the hill. Well played by Ghost faced Killah on nursing the Southern Rodney Bullpen Cart all the way to the bar and back to keep our spectators hydrated on the back diamond as Milhouse’s boys did their thing, remaining undefeated.
All that was left to do was support the rest of our boys (and Girls – I’m looking at you Alice in Tigerland) in some cracking contests while downing a few Big Sheds in a wonderful celebration of our fallen mates legacy. Congrats and thanks to the Hawks players, spectators and volunteers for a brilliant effort in running a most enjoyable day. Much love #39, hope you enjoyed what you saw.