The Walnut Creaker Blue MDSSL team played a marathon game against the powerhouse East County entry yesterday. We battled them, had the lead, but ultimately fell short 32-28.
The game marked the resurfacing of our own Randy Kramasz, left fielder extraordinaire. Randy misses the first couple of months every year because he actually has a day job coaching track at a local high school. Now that school is out, he shows up and what does he do? Oh let's see, two home runs (two and three runs, respectively), double, single, walk, and several great running catches to cut off gappers. His only out was in deference to Rusty Druba, who had popped out to the catcher in the first inning. We all say "Be like Rusty", and Randy took it a little too literally and popped out to third once. Now that is respect.
And it's a good thing we have Randy back. We have been decimated by injuries, especially in the outfield. We had only four going in and on a hot day, old farts kind of melt away after a while. Speaking for myself only, of course. I was snakebit one inning - Pete Zakar hits a rare shallow foul popup, and I almost made the catch of my life. The ball was in my glove but wouldn't stay there. Of course he gets a hit instead, and the gates were open for a five run inning. Another inning, Brian Black goes deep on two balls just out of reach. Inches are the difference in a game you lose by this kind of score.
We started out by pretty much shutting down the powerful EC lineup the first time around the order. After two innings we led 6-2, through four 12-7, and through five 16-10. Mike 'Babe' Carlo had a large hand in this. He ended the fourth inning with a blast to left center which would have probably gone for a circuit had it not brought in the fifth run. Mike counted five hits in six at bats in his day.
Tom Occhiogrosso also had a banner day, He made several diving catches in the outfield, and had a homer and two doubles among his four hits plus two walks. It seemed likely that opposing pitcher Nick didn't really want to pitch to him. The slow leadoff hitter also got his job done, with five hits and a walk, scoring five runs.
But the game turned on just too much EC with their relentless onslaught. After we had our last lead, we made the fatal flaw of not scoring for two straight innings. Can't do that against EC; they will keep bringing it. And bring it they did, with 22 runs in the last four innings. Even though we kept it close with a nine run inning in the eighth, we couldn't duplicate that in the ninth when it ultimately mattered.
Overall though it was a great game, great times, great weather. Even great company. We will get them again, someday, although we may have to take out contracts on Zakar and Namanny to do it.
The game marked the resurfacing of our own Randy Kramasz, left fielder extraordinaire. Randy misses the first couple of months every year because he actually has a day job coaching track at a local high school. Now that school is out, he shows up and what does he do? Oh let's see, two home runs (two and three runs, respectively), double, single, walk, and several great running catches to cut off gappers. His only out was in deference to Rusty Druba, who had popped out to the catcher in the first inning. We all say "Be like Rusty", and Randy took it a little too literally and popped out to third once. Now that is respect.
And it's a good thing we have Randy back. We have been decimated by injuries, especially in the outfield. We had only four going in and on a hot day, old farts kind of melt away after a while. Speaking for myself only, of course. I was snakebit one inning - Pete Zakar hits a rare shallow foul popup, and I almost made the catch of my life. The ball was in my glove but wouldn't stay there. Of course he gets a hit instead, and the gates were open for a five run inning. Another inning, Brian Black goes deep on two balls just out of reach. Inches are the difference in a game you lose by this kind of score.
We started out by pretty much shutting down the powerful EC lineup the first time around the order. After two innings we led 6-2, through four 12-7, and through five 16-10. Mike 'Babe' Carlo had a large hand in this. He ended the fourth inning with a blast to left center which would have probably gone for a circuit had it not brought in the fifth run. Mike counted five hits in six at bats in his day.
Tom Occhiogrosso also had a banner day, He made several diving catches in the outfield, and had a homer and two doubles among his four hits plus two walks. It seemed likely that opposing pitcher Nick didn't really want to pitch to him. The slow leadoff hitter also got his job done, with five hits and a walk, scoring five runs.
But the game turned on just too much EC with their relentless onslaught. After we had our last lead, we made the fatal flaw of not scoring for two straight innings. Can't do that against EC; they will keep bringing it. And bring it they did, with 22 runs in the last four innings. Even though we kept it close with a nine run inning in the eighth, we couldn't duplicate that in the ninth when it ultimately mattered.
Overall though it was a great game, great times, great weather. Even great company. We will get them again, someday, although we may have to take out contracts on Zakar and Namanny to do it.
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