Elimination Game Victory – Mudcats Advance to Championship

May 30, 2009 – First Pitch at 9:01 AM – A Beautiful Morning for Baseball

Down 3 to 2 though 3 innings in an elimination game, the Mudcats stayed cool on a beautiful morning at West Raleigh, winning 5 runs to 9 and advancing to the Championship.

The Mudcats opened up the game in style, sitting down the Bulls in order. Top of 1 outs included a 4-3 from Cade (off of a deflected ball from the pitcher) to Joseph; a pop fly to right-center caught comfortably by Adam; and a P6 hauled in by Ryan.

Bottom of 1, the boys scored 2 runs as Ryan advanced on an error, and then Dane roped one to left center for 2 bases. Joseph hit one to short and ran out the base hit, scoring Dane and moving Ryan to 3rd. Matt knocked an RBI single into left clearing Ryan and advancing Joseph to 2nd. The inning ended on a pair of FCs to 3rd, and a pop fly, Mudcats winning no runs to 2.

Top of 2, Bulls tie the game up. After an F6 by Ryan, the next batter blasted one to 3rd knocking Matt down, but not out. Then a 2-run HR knocked the Mudcats down, but not out. The Bulls got two more singles in the inning, but a P4 to Cade and a K ended the run.

Bottom of 2, the Mudcats made a run, but did not score. Adam led off with a shot to center, a 1-hop to the Moe’s sign well played for a long single. Jacob then advanced on an FC, and then got to 2nd on an infield hit by Tyler. Leyton got a base hit to left center, moving Tyler to second, but Jacob would get tagged out at 3rd as he was rounding and coming back in. Andrew hit into a 6-4 and the Mudcats and Bulls were knotted at 2 after 2.

Top of the 3rd started with a line out to Jacob at pitcher. Then an error and base hit gave the Bulls runners of 1st and 2nd with 1 out, and the top of the order coming up to bat. The Bulls’ leadoff batter popped to 1. Then a 2-out single scored 1 run, runners advancing on the throw for a 2nd and 3rd 2-out situation for the #3 batter. No more damage as a ground ball to short was charged hard by Ryan for the 6-3 to Joseph.

Bottom of 3, only Ryan would get a hit, a double that nearly went out, pelting the Michael Jordan sign in left-center. With no runs scored, after 3 the Mudcats were down to the Bulls, 3 runs to 2.

In the top of the 4th, the Mudcats played stellar defense. Out 1 came on a Cade/Joseph 4-3, a base hit, then a P3 to Joseph, and a 6-4 from Ryan to Cade for the 3rd out. Mudcats came back to take the lead in the bottom half, with Cade getting on base with 1 out. Bags singled moving Cade to 2nd, and then Luke two-hopped it to the Moe’s sign for 2 bases, clearing Cade and Bags. An Adam base hit, then line-out, and then 6-3; and the score was 3 to 4 Mudcats after 4.

The boys held on in the 5th with the Bulls leading off the inning with two base hits. With 2 on and none out, a P4 to Cade and then 6-5 from Ryan to Matt helped the situation. A 3rd base hit then loaded the bases with 2 out. The 3rd out came on a fly ball to Joseph at 1st, where he made an excellent catch while simultaneously avoiding the crossing base runner.

Up just 1, the bottom of the order started a run for the Mudcats that ultimately secured the win. With 1 out, Andrew hit one to short and ran out the base hit. Jacob Mitchell then pulled one down to third as Andrew came in sliding to beat out the attempted 5-4. Then with Andrew and Smiley on base, the Mudcats leadoff batter Dane went Yard on a line shot over the left-centerfield fence. The 3-run homer would ultimately include the winning runs of the game. Singles by Ryan and Joseph, and a triple by Cade to score them both padded the lead further. The 5th inning ended with the Mudcats leading 3 runs to 9.

The Bulls went down fighting in the 6th, leading off with a double. A Ryan to Joseph 6-3 earned the 1st out, and also the Bulls a run as the runner hustled from 2nd to score. The next batter hit a solo HR to inch 1 run closer. Then a 3U to Joseph, a base hit, and a K ended the game at 10:31 AM, Mudcats winning 5 runs to 9. The win advanced the Mudcats to the Championship game vs. the Scrappers, starting a half hour later.