Crown Sweeps Another Doubleheader

Will was the most productive offensive player in Crown’s Thursday doubleheader sweep of New Creation. He walked five times, lined a single to left, scored two runs, drove in a run, and stole two bases. He was the winning pitcher in Game One, striking out three in two shutout innings. Will played third base the rest of Game One, and shortstop in Game Two.

While pitching, Will snared a grounder up the middle, and threw the batter out at first. He almost grabbed a line drive hit back up the middle, not far from his head. While playing third he made a good backhanded catch of a hard grounder, and threw the batter out at first. Another ball was chopped straight down, then bounded high into the air toward Will at third…right into the afternoon sun. By the time Will caught sight of the ball, it was too late to throw out the batter at first.

In the third inning of Game Two Will walked on a full count. With the speedy Patrick on third, Nathan launched a high fly ball to deep left-center. Patrick prepared to tag up at third, but Will took off from first, rounded second, and was baring down on Patrick on third when the ball hit off the top of the wall, on its way down. Will had to slow down, then followed right after Patrick as the two runners scored easily.   

Late in Game Two, after we had all been at the park for well over four hours, a new Creation batter popped a pitch foul. Third-baseman Andrew gave chase to the fence, jumped and reached far over with his outstretched glove…and just missed making a great play. Playing shortstop, Will had also chased after the ball. The quiet crowd clearly heard Will’s admonishment to Andrew: “You DREAM of that at night!”

11. Will…1-3, 2 runs, RBI, 5 BB, 2 SB…OB 6-8

9. Eric…2-3, BB, 3B, 3 runs, 2 RBI

7. Andrew…2-3, 3B, run, 2 RBI

7. Patrick…1-5, SB, 2 runs, 2 RBI, BB

6. Nathan…1-4, 3B, run, 2 RBI

6. Sam…1-3, RBI, SB, BB, 2 runs

6. Adam…3-5, 2B, RBI, run

5. Braeden…1-7, RBI, 2B, run, BB

4. Casey…0-1, run, sac fly, RBI, BB

3. Ray…0-1, run, 2 BB

3. Perry…0-4, 2 runs, BB

2. Nate…0-1, BB, SB

2. Charlie…1-2, RBI

2. Ryan…0-3, sac fly, RBI

1. Franklin…0-2, sac

0. Caleb…0-1

Other interesting plays:

…Nathan laid down a perfect suicide squeeze bunt with the bases loaded, and beat the throw to first for a hit. In the confusion, two runs scored.

…Game Two pitcher Ray looked great in his mid-length stirrups. Casey went with the high socks, but looked awkward in his red spikes.

…Braeden only went 1-7, but hit the top of the centerfield fence with a deep fly ball. In the third inning he was the recipient of the umpire’s blown call, when the first baseman’s foot came down on the bag just before Braeden’s. The struggling first baseman struck out four times.

…In Game One Crown twice loaded the bases, and scored three runs each time.

…After Will scored from first base in Game Two’s third inning, Crown went on to bat around, sending ten batters to the plate.

…The umpire was no Brad Pitt. He kept coming over to check on the score and inning. Someone quipped “He must have a date,” I added “He knows this is a doubleheader, doesn’t he?”