Mental Errors

Rough weekend for Will. Friday he struck out all three times, as did Tyler. Entire team struck out 12 times, out of 21 batters.

Pitched well on Saturday, coming in with bases-loaded and no out. Infield was in, or he would’ve had a double-play ground ball and 4-3 putout. He hit two hard line drives, but right at the 3B and CF.

Sunday he started in centerfield. First batter walked and stole 2nd & 3rd. Next batter hit a fly to Will…who dropped the easy catch.

Down two runs, Will bats leadoff and walks. Jake singles to center. Will rounds second at full speed and inexplicably continues 1/3 of the way to third…and watches as the shortstop takes the throw from CF, and relay to second. Will was so dead he didn’t slide. Bradley walks, and Tyler homers. Next SIX also reached base (both teams batted eleven).

Instead of being ahead 7-1, the lead is 6-2. Jacksonville comes back to tie game 6-6 in the fourth. With runners on 2^nd and 3^rd and no out, Will is brought in to pitch the fifth. Strikes out the first two, and gets the next batter to check swing a dribbler back to him…pitching out of the jam.

But in the next inning the substitute second-baseman bats for the first time. He drives Will’s first pitch over the leftfield fence, with a wood bat. Next batter walks, then Will starts a 1-6-3 double play, and gets another 1-3 dribbler. Rays lose 7-6. Fittingly, Will is the losing pitcher.

Searching where the Saturday opponent was from, today I discovered notes from many of the tourney games. Jake’s 4-4 game Thursday was the only Rays mention, along with his time running to first. Not a good week for Will to struggle at the plate.