Three Innings, Ten Putouts

Saturday Will pitched well, but had the worst day of his life at the plate. In three innings he accounted for TEN outs…fielding a bunt, catching a fly, and EIGHT strikeouts (one reached first). He pitched great, but due to the cold, mud, wind, and sloppy defense, four runs scored off him.

A swinging bunt stayed fair. A bloop fell just between the SS & centerfielder, and another between the CF and RF. The portly third-baseman couldn’t cut off a slow roller to short. Outfielders weren’t positioned properly, and high popups were misjudged. The left-handed first-baseman didn’t go after a catchable ground ball hit just to his right, on a ball too far away from the second-baseman.

One batter reached out and got the bat on a perfect curveball, on the outside corner…poking it into right, driving in two runs. Will only walked one. Another batter stuck his arm out across the plate to get hit. Only one ball was hit hard off him, a line drive that was caught. Do I sound like a typical dad?

Like I thought, they left the freshman at short. Good call. Will played second and third, making several nice plays. Once he ran into foul territory, making the catch while sliding into the fence.

In the first inning he reached on an error, then had to dive back to the base. He came up covered in mud, and had to play both games all dirty. I’d told him to bring an extra pair of pants.

It was the first time I’d ever seen Will swing and miss at three straight pitches. He didn’t get a hit in either game, and struck out at least three times…twice swinging. Yesterday I had to make him hit off the tee. He’ll get more BP today.

Lost both close games, to an average team made up mostly of beefy seniors. One had a tattoo, another a beard.

The game two pitcher threw 124 pitches, and the game one starter had 85. We responded with a platoon, so everyone could play…mixing in tiny freshmen with upperclassmen that pounded the ball, just only the half games they got to play.

Doubleheader tomorrow and Saturday, and a single game Thursday.