Notes for Game 04
By Andrew Wolan / WRCS
Game date: July 15, 2013
Score Box
Verdasys |
4 |
0 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
2 |
2 |
|
22 |
33 |
4 |
Mass Medical |
2 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
5 |
0 |
|
15 |
X |
0 |
|
| |
Links
|
Coach’s Game Analysis:
Weather and Field Conditions:
Sunny, Hot, Humid, high 90. Was hot but not intolerable. Infield was dusty, but firm.
Opponent:
MMS had a pretty good SS with a good bat to boot.
Offense:
Bats were productive, as was our base running. Team capitalized on MMS’ fielding mistakes when possible. Only real blunder was in the 2nd: with the bases loaded, one out, and on the fourth pitch, Tim Nolte failed to run to home plate on a pop-up that hit the ground. (He thought it was foul.)
Defense:
Infield was good. Outfield limited MMS to singles and doubles. Placement could have been better to quickly snatch-up outs.
Game Highlights:
Memorable Events:
| - | Team wore their new game jerseys for the first time this season. A-WOL sported the new "my shirt looks muddy out of the wash" look. |
| - | Jay Raschi hit two HRs over the fence in center field. These were the first over-the-fence HRs in Verdasys Softball history.
| | - | 17 players from Verdasys attended the game, tied for 2nd most in club history. (Most is 19, which occurred during 2009-G4 against RPG.) |
| - | Game was the 7th match-up between the teams. With the win, Verdasys takes 3-2-1-1 series lead. |
| - | Was the first game in club history in which the media team used a remote control quad-copter, (owned by Gowtham,) to capture video footage. |
The Slide:
In the 6th inning, a grounder is fielded just outside the infield and then thrown to the SS at 2B for the force-out. Jon, the base runner, slides into 2B and collides with the fielder’s left leg, knocking him off-balance. League rules state that players are to avoid making contact. There is no question that Jon made contact with the fielder. The question is whether or not the contact was avoidable.
The fielder’s body was positioned on top of the bag, with his left foot planted directly on the center of the bag, and his right leg extended towards the pitching mound. Jon slid into the bag leading with this right leg and targeted the center of the bag. The bulk of his body was towards the infield side of the bag, and went under the fielder’s spread legs.
The fielder was clearly eying a possible double-play to 1B after catching the ball. As for the runner, he was trying to outrun a force-out with the added intention of breaking-up said double play.
Either player could have let-up on the play to avoid the collision. The fielder could have scooted off the bag after making the force-out instead of positioning himself for a double-play. Likewise, the base runner could have conceded the out and not charged 2B. But in a close game, this is unlikely to happen.
What is clear is that the collision could have been MUCH worse if the runner did not slide. Had he not, the two could have had a head-on collision. In the end, neither player seemed upset with what happened, so the play was not challenged.
Offense:
| Jay Raschi: | 4 for 4 (2-2B, 2-run OTF HR, 3-run OTF HR) with 4 runs and 7 RBIs. |
| McCauley: | 4 for 4 (2-2B, 2-run ITP-HR) with 4 runs and 6 RBIs. |
| Mulligan: | 4 for 4 with 4 runs scored. |
| Jon A.: | 3 for 3 (2-run ITP-HR) with 1 run and 2 RBIs. |
| Lucy: | 2 for 3 with 2 runs and a RBI. |
| Heather: | 2 for 3 with an RBI. |
Defense:
| Verdasys: | 6-3 double play - Raschi tagged 2B followed by force-out to Spears at 1B. (1st) |
| MMS LF: | Running shoe-string catch of a Bill K. flair into shallow LF. (1st) |
| MMS: | Tag-out of Tim Nolte at home plate. (2nd) |
| Verdasys: | 6-5 double play - Raschi tagged runner heading to 3B followed by force-out to Lucy at 2B. (4th) |
| MMS LF: | Running catch of a Spear’s flair into foul territory to end the inning. (5th) |
| Verdasys: | Pickle play between 3B and home to end the inning. (Spears at home and McCauley at 3B.) |
| MMS: | 10-4 force out at 2B to deny Tim N. a nice line-drive hit into shallow CF. (6th) |
| Verdasys: | With the bases loaded, Yulianna fields a short pop-up and tossed the ball to Spears, who applies a tag-out at the plate. (6th) |
| MMS Catcher: | Catch of a short Cooles pop-up behind home. (7th) |
| Verdasys: | Over 5 innings, defense yielding 2 runs or less, including two 1-run innings and a shut-out inning. Team did not give up any HRs. |
Milestones:
| - | Jay Baschi becomes the first player in Verdasys Softball history to hit an over-the-fence HR. He is also the first Verdasys Softball player to hit two HRs of any type in a single game. (Both were of the same variety.) Finally, he is the first player to hit 7 RBIs in a single game. (Previous record was 6, reached by Grimard in 2008-P1, Theo Emmett in 2009-5s, Vallieres in 2010-G3, and McCauley in 2012-G2.) |
| - | Team hit 4 HRs in the game, which is a club record. |
| - | McCauley ties career highs for both runs scored in a game (4) and RBIs in a game (6). |
| - | Team scored 22 runs, which is the second highest total to date. (Record is 25 against MMS in 2008-G6.) |
| - | The number 2, 3, and 4 hitters went 11-for-12 with 12 runs scored, 13 RBIs and a whopping 24 total bases. |
| - | Verdasys has its first season with at least 2 “non-forfeit” wins in club history. |
Injuries:
An M&M outfielder was struck in the ankle fielding a ball in the first inning. Heather gave him some ice to ease the swelling. He would play the remainder of the game.
A-WOL Watch:
Took Vitamin B before game for extra “pep”.
Offense:
2 for 3 with 1 run and 1 RBI.
| - | Tried hitting ball into RCF, but popped it up instead. Swing had too much of an upper-cut to it, causing it to pop-up. |
| - | Solid line-drive hit into CF. Hustled my way to 2B for a 2B. Later scored on Spears’ hit. |
| - | Grounder towards 3B, which then deflected off the bag. Fielder had no chance of making a play. |
Defense:
Played LCF for 3 innings and RF for 1 inning. Two touches, no outs.
| - | Made strong throw to 2B after fielding a ball in the RCF gap to limit hitter to a 2B. (6th) |
Andy Wolan is a reporter and photographer for Verdasys Softball. This story was not subject to the approval of the league or its clubs.
|
