But in the fourth inning, the second game began. The Mudcat defense quickly burned through the Bulls in order, and Charley ignited a six-run bottom of the fourth that gave the All Blacks a lead they would not relinquish. The difference in the first three innings and the final three was glaring:
First three innings: six runs allowed, five errors, four hits, three runs scored
Final three innings: zero runs allowed, zero errors, 13 hits, 10 runs scored
It should be noted (and Drew did note it, quite loudly) that both GM Jenn and Neal (or, as Gabe would say, "Hayes's dad") were present for the first part of the game but absent for the second part of the game. A trusted collection of judges will determine whether they are allowed back onto the West Raleigh Baseball grounds. As you will recall, GM Jenn was also absent for most of Saturday's big win. I'm just saying...
Helmet stickers were awarded to everyone for the tremendous comeback. After making a slick play at catcher and also showing admirable toughness at pitcher, Gabe earned defensive player of the game. JJ, who somehow managed to be excited about Oreos despite already being on a sugar high (see below), earned offensive player of the game by going 3-for-3 with four RBI.
Stay tuned for potential practice news. The next currently scheduled Mudcat event is a 5:30 Friday game.
Monday's Mudcat scoring plays
Second inning
Charley led off with a single to center and moved to second on a fielder's choice. With two outs, he was still on second, but Gavin moved him to third with an infield single. That set up JJ for an important--and, as it turned out, costly--at-bat. Before his at-bat, a stranger known only as "JJ's Dad" by Gabe had promised JJ "Skittles and gum" if he hit a double. Suitably encouraged, mighty JJ strode to the plate...and hit a two-run triple. In a related story, soon thereafter the concession stand mysteriously ran out of candy. In case you need to know, the going rate for a triple is gum, Skittles and Big League Chew, and that same mysterious stranger was spotted handing the ransom to JJ through the outfield fence in the next inning.
Score after two innings: Bulls 5, Mudcats 2
Third inning
Again, the Mudcats did it with two outs. Hayes stretched a single into a double, which put him in perfect scoring position when Smiley smacked a single to right-center.
Score after three innings: Bulls 6, Mudcats 3
Fourth inning
This time, the Mudcats decided not to wait until two outs to start the rally. Charley sparked the offense with a leadoff double and moved to third on Brenner's single. Christopher's fielder's choice scored Charley. With one on, Gavin ripped the ball to third and everybody was safe, putting men on first and second for--yep, it's him again--JJ (brought to you by Oreos). Without any audible candy bribery from John (although he may have decided to keep it quiet due to NCAA regulations), the lefty laced the ball back up the middle, scoring Christopher. A fielder's choice loaded the bases for Gabe, who drove in the tying run with a hard-hit fielder's choice up the middle.
That left the game tied and bases loaded for Asher, at which point the defibrillator paddles had to be brought into the dugout for the scorekeeper. I therefore have no record of what happened next, so let's just say that in the car on the way home Asher alternatively described what happened next as, "A grass shot," "I can't believe I hit it over Garrett's head, who is really tall and really good," and, "I think that might have been good enough for a Cookout shake." Officially, it went down as a single, scoring JJ, giving the Mudcats a 7-6 lead, and justifying Asher's mom's decision to blow off the PTA meeting for the baseball game. But the scoring wasn't done. Hayes picked up his second single of the night, putting two runners on for Smiley, who blasted a double to the fence in right-center, scoring the golden wheels of Gabe and Asher (who punctuated the inning with a textbook slide into home, although the ball was nowhere close to home plate).
Score after four innings: Mudcats 9, Bulls 6, Scorekeeper Blood Pressure 185/130
Fifth inning
With the offense now rolling, Anthony led off with a hard-hit single up the middle. With one out, Brenner followed with a no-doubt grass shot to left. Christopher drove the ball up the middle for an RBI single, and Gavin lined a ball into left for another RBI single. JJ, who by this time had to be smelling the Oreos, picked up another RBI single. A single from Gabe loaded the bases for the red-hot Asher, who hit a tape-measure shot up the middle for an "RBI single."
Score after five innings: Mudcats 13, Bulls 6
Monday's Web Gems
- Charley made a heads-up play at pitcher in the first inning, grabbing a grounder up the middle and going to Anthony at second to force the lead runner.
- On the very next play, Christopher fielded a ground ball at first and then dove to the bag--the only way he could have beaten the runner--and slapped it just in time to get the out at first.
- Smiley showed lightning-fast reflexes by grabbing a line drive up the middle when he was playing pitcher in the third.
- Gabe came out from behind the plate and made a tough play on a dribbler up the first-base line during a 1-2-3 defensive fourth inning.
- In the fifth, back at pitcher, Gabe showed incredible toughness by knocking down a blistering line drive and staying in the game.
- Anthony made back-to-back highlight-reel plays in the sixth, snuffing any thought of a Bulls rally by first making a leaping catch of a fly ball in the middle of the diamond, then going back on a pop fly over his head and hauling it in for the second out.
| Monday's line score | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | R | H |
| Bulls | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 13 |
| Mudcats | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 4 | X | 13 | 17 |
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