Game #7: Mudcats 5, Bees 4

Perhaps the best way to sum up the recent Mudcat hot streak is this way: in the fourth inning of Wednesday night's game (you should make sure to check the pictures, while keeping in mind that almost every time Tonya wanted to take a picture, she had to tell Coach Mike to get out of the way, which was met with him saying, "Yes, honey, I would be happy to do that"), Hayes and Zach were standing side-by-side in the always-rowdy Mudcat dugout. As a side note, the Mudcat dugout has a rotating buffet during games that would make Golden Corral jealous. Keeping the scorebook is actually just an excuse to be close to the food.

Anyway, this was during one of the rare moments when the players were not eating anything. As the All Black leadoff hitter approached the plate, Leanne Coffin, the wife of Coach Jake (of the Bees), walked by the dugout. "Hey Zach, I've got to go to a PTA meeting," she said. "Don't hit a home run while I'm gone."

Of course, Zach had already hit a home run. The Mudcats were winning. The food was plentiful. Anything seemed possible.

I assume that is why Hayes watched Leanne walk away, then turned to Zach and with an absolutely serious face, said, "Is that your girlfriend?"

Yep, it's good to be a Mudcat these days. Wednesday's victory marked the first walk-off victory since the move to the all-black uniforms, with the 'Cats plating a two-out run on Noah's single in the bottom of the sixth to clinch the win. The Mudcats then celebrated by watching the grounds crew of Gabe, Smiley, JJ and Asher work on the field.

"It was an unbelievable team effort," Coach Andrew told the squad, which played hard despite the much-lamented absence of Charley and Gavin and the much-less-lamented absence of Coach Sean and Coach Tom. "You didn't just put mustard on the ball when you hit it. You put ketchup, mustard and Coach Rob's jalapenos."

The game marked the return of Drew to the lineup, as he played with a cast but still swung the bat one-handed and also played the newly invented "deep outfield" position, including one play on which he fired the ball in and prevented the Bees from getting an extra base. For his grass shot with one hand, he was awarded the offensive player of the game award. Smiley earned defensive player of the game after making a slick play at third base.

Coach Andrew was four games behind on stickers, which meant a veritable sticker festival at the postgame meeting. Everyone earned a giant team sticker for the front of their helmets, plus individual stickers for each of the past four victories.

Unless West Raleigh decides to schedule a makeup game for Easter morning at 9 a.m., the next Mudcat event is a practice at Kentwood on Monday at 5. Stay tuned for the Medical Minute tomorrow morning, as Drew's cast is scheduled to be removed and then sent to Cooperstown as the only 1.000-batting cast in history.

Wednesday's Mudcat scoring plays

First inning
Zach blasted a solo homer to left-center to plate the game's first run.
Score after one inning: Mudcats 1, Bees 0

Second inning
Christopher led off with a single to left. Brenner legged out a ground ball in the infield, and some Bee adventures in the infield scored Christopher.
Score after two innings: Mudcats 2, Bees 0

Third inning
Smiley (who as we all know is Norah's brother, and that is Norah with an H) reached on a fielder's choice. He moved to second when Zach roped a single, then scored on Anthony's single.
Score after three innings: Mudcats 3, Bees 0

Fifth inning
After going scoreless in the jellybean inning (the fourth) for the first time, the Mudcats got the run back in the fifth. Drew led off with a one-armed single, then advanced to third on a pair of fielder's choices, technically obeying doctor's orders by not sliding at either bag. Zach came through again with a two-out double that scored Drew.
Score after five innings: Mudcats 4, Bees 1

Sixth inning
After the Bees had mounted a furious comeback in the top of the sixth, the Mudcats had major incentive in the bottom of the inning. "If we win, we can dogpile!" Asher noted. JJ started the inning with a single, then was replaced at first by Christopher after the Bee outfield made a solid play getting a force at second. Brenner again hustled out an infield hit, moving Christopher to second. With two outs, Noah dropped a single into center and Christopher raced home with the winning run. In his postgame interview on ESPN, Chris gave credit to Rebecca (as Gabe would say, "Hayes's mom,") for her inspirational cheerleading on his dash to the plate and hoped the rest of the parents would work on a routine for the next game. The victory touched off a wild celebration that spilled onto the street, including some unexpected antics from the coaches (Coach Mike is in the blue shirt).
Score after six innings: Mudcats 5, Bees 4


Wednesday's Web Gems

• Hayes made a sliding catch of an infield pop fly in the first that helped preserve a scoreless first.
• Also in the first, Zach made an absolutely ludicrous diving, over-the-shoulder catch of a would-be double in the gap in left-center.
• In the fourth, Smiley (brought to you by Doritos and the brother of Norah) ranged across the middle of the diamond from his spot at third base, grabbed a hard ground ball, and made the throw to first look easy.

Wednesday's line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Bees	0	0	0	1	0	3	4	9
Mudcats	1	1	1	0	1	1	5	12