When is a tie like a loss? When a walk then loads the bases and the winning run is on third, but a groundout ends the game. This is no reflection on Helen, and we were all deeply rooting for her to get that game winning hit, but alas, it was not to be.
At least we still have that first win to look forward to.
There were planty of heroes who had monster games. Dan and Brian were both 6-6. Dan drove in a team high (shared with Darren) six RBIs on three doubles and three singles. His shot down the right field line over the first base bag was a thing of beauty as it gave us our first five run inning in the first. He repeated the two run hit for the last runs in the five run sixth. Both came after Team Blue had scored five in the top half.
Brian did not drive in a run on his perfect day at the plate - because he is the leadoff hitter. His leadoff triple in the bottom of the first was a statement to Blue that we were not lying down after they started the game with a five run top half.
Then there were the five hit boys batting four, five and six - Newbie Devin, Darren, and Johnny G. Devin started with a loud out (the only one in the first), and hit it harder and farther every time up with two singles, followed by a double, homer and another double. He scored five times and drove in five in his Team BS debut. Darren knocked in six on his five hits, and Johnny played set up for Dan after they pretty much cleared things on the base paths.
Art had four hits and drove in five, and in between took an oopsie called third strike leading off the eighth. Heffe and Leo contributed three hits apiece.
The game was close throughout and no one led by more than four runs at the and of an inning. When Blue opened up the ninth with six for the eight run lead, it looked unlikely that we would come back. But we showed our character in the bottom half.
It tells you everything you need to know that the powerful Brian Alexander wants to play with us next on his bye week off.
We kept in the game with some excellent defense mostly involving Devin early on. Tim made a nice running catch in the first. Devin made two highlight snags in the second - one a low liner headed to center field and the other ranging far into left field for a pop up. He also started a double play in the fourth. In between we threw out a runner from the deep reaches of left center who dared to tag up from first base. Devin's relay nailed him.
So we still have that first sweet win to look forward to, but our grit paid off in a great comeback...tie.
