No Joy in Mudville

Typical, but interesting, game last night against the big McDonough team. Even though there have been numerous JV games that upperclassmen can’t play in (including this Thursday), this was another varsity game against a senior-laden team where Crown fielded all their freshmen and sophomores, while talented upperclassmen bided their time on the bench.

McDonough’s first two batters scored before the game became a pitching duel. Crown’s only hit in the first three innings was Will’s smash lined over the rightfielder’s outstretched glove, to the wall in the gap, for a first-inning triple. McDonough added four more runs in the fourth, then Crown’s offense woke up in the fifth.

Nathan and Will walked, then advanced a base. Both scored on wild pitches. Michael’s line drive right to the third-baseman was dropped, and Ian snuck into third. The throw came into the pitcher covering the bag, who proceeded to put a hard slap tag on Ian’s knee. Despite the outcry, the umpires did nothing. Things like that have a way of coming around, and sure enough, Trey stepped up slugged a game-tying home run.

The wing was blowing hard for most of the game, the American Flag flapping hard, pointed straight to center. Playing shortstop, Will retreated into the outfield to make a difficult catch. The gale even made little Michael’s fly ball fly further than ever, all the way to the centerfielder.

In the sixth McDonough scored twice, off Crown’s tiring starter. With two out and runners in scoring position, Will was brought in to face the hot-headed, hard-tagging pitcher/cleanup hitter. I wondered if Will thought about throwing at him, but Will methodically fired two strikes before inducing a soft line drive right to the first baseman.

Crown was able to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth. Nathan walked and Will was hit. When the catcher threw to first to try and pick off Will, Nathan alertly stole third. Later Will stole second, then both scored on Ian’s single.

Will pitched a great seventh, but was the victim of inadequate defense and bad luck. A weak leadoff grounder was just out of the freshman second-baseman’s reach. The next batter chopped one high, just out of the immobile third-baseman’s reach, for a “double.”

With runners on second and third, McDonough put on the suicide squeeze. As the runner bore home from third, the batter missed bunting Will’s fastball. The runner could easily be tagged out at the plate…but the catcher didn’t catch the pitch. The runner scored on the passed ball. Coach Maiocco called to Will, telling him he would have to strike out the batters. That’s what Will did, striking out the next two.

Down a run, Crown tried to rally one more time. Big Trey led off with his second-straight extra-base hit, a double to the gap in right-center. The clock struck nine, and the chilly ballpark was quiet as young Russell was intentionally walked. The quiet was broken by the loud laughter of Russell’s mom, who couldn’t believe they didn’t want to pitch to her freshman son. I thought this laughter might intimidate the opposition. Nathan struck out, bring up Will.

Two out, bottom of the last inning. Tying run on second. Winning run on first. Will watched. Ball one. Ball two. Next pitch hit the outside corner. So did the next pitch. Will said he wasn’t expecting a two-strike fastball inside. Mr. Donovan said it was a ball. The umpire called it a strike. Game over.