April 24: Scrappers at Mudcats

It's Saturday morning and time for baseball. The Mudcats are playing the number one team in the league and are ready for the challenge. The last time these two teams met it was the Scrappers who came out on top of a one run game 11 - 10.

The Mudcats came out changing the infield up. Charley Hustle made his debut at pitcher. The Mudcats gave up three runs to start off in the top of the first inning and were ready for some runs of there own in the bottom. Tyler got things going with a double that turned into a triple with some heads up base running. Sticks came through with an RBI single for the first Mudcat run of the game. Adam also had a single but was stranded and after one the score was 3-1.

In the second Smiley and Tyler turned ground balls into outs with the help of a leaping catch at first by Adam. The Scrappers did manage to plate one run on a couple of hits. The Mudcats went three up and three down. After 2 the score was 4-1.

Three more runs were scored in the top of the third. Luke caught an infield pop up at pitcher and Sticks and Anthony connected for a force out at second. Gabe started the action with a single. Leyton and Tyler both followed with singles of there own. Bases loaded for Sticks who came threw in the clutch with a 2 RBI single of his own. After 3 the score was 6-3.

The Mudcats were flashing some leather in the top half of the fourth inning. Sticks handled a sharply hit ball at short and tossed it to second for the force. Anthony caught a high pop up at second base. The play of the inning went to Adam, on a weak hit pop up halfway between home and first Adam came charging in to make a sliding catch of the ball. No runs scored by either team with the Mudcats managing only a single by Luke in the bottom of the inning. After 4 the score was 6-3.

A couple of routine ground balls in the infield did the Scrappers in the top of the fifth and it looked like the Mudcats might capitalize on the opportunity. But only a single by Smiley and another scoreless inning by both teams. After 5 the score was 6-3.

The Scrappers opened things up in the sixth with hit after hit leading to four runs scored. Tyler tried to get things going with a sharply hit single. The Mudcats were not able to score any runs though and were not able to mount a comeback. Final score was 10-3.

After the game coach Andrew reminded the players to concentrate on "form and focus". He congratulated the team on hitting the ball hard all day and the great defensive effort. It was a well played game and sometimes you just hit the ball right at the other team all day, a couple of feet to one side or the other and a lot of those outs were hits and things might of wound up differently. You can see the determination and fire in the players eyes and they can't wait until Monday nights game.

On three MUDCATS!

Write-up by Frank
Pictures by Tonya