Beavers Pelted 6-0
Grantsburg has been looking forward to a test. Cumberland gave them one tonight. On a beautiful Friday evening, we traveled to a beautiful facility in Cumberland. With the exception of it not being a fastpitch park, everything was very well done. We had a couple of objectives for the night. First, Scott Hoffman works in Cumberland and it was important that he won his free meal. Second, we wanted to see if the girls could pick it up a notch as the competition improved... Both happened. Now Scott needs to big brownies to practice and the world will be square. Cumberland did many things very well and made some nice plays. To people that see Grantsburg play for the first time....they say...WOW... good skills and Superior athletes..with some being from Duluth. Our athletes look veryyyyy athletic.
Editorial: I had heard rumors of the Cumberland baseball facility. I did not hear much about the softball portion. Now that I was there, it is easy for me to see that the money went into the boy’s baseball portion and not into the girl’s section. It should have included a regulation fast pitch fence and identical scoreboard. It does not. The field was probably designed for slow pitch or multi purpose. I am sure they tried to justify it in many ways but the bottom line is that the girls were short changed. The girl’s fastpitch team deserved a fastpitch field… and they don’t quite have one. Yet, it remains a very attractive setting.
The Cumberland-Grantsburg match up was much anticipated by many people. It would provide a test for the Pirates and a game for Cumberland to continue and prove it’s capabilities. Katie started the game with a line shot to left and with some exceptional speed turned it into a double. When Mollie placed a perfect bunt for a single, two runners were in scoring position. Whitney’s long fly cleared the left fielder’s head as both Katie and Mollie scored. The Pirates had made an early statement.
Mollie quickly struck out the first two batters and Lindsey fielded a grounder to end the Cumberland half of the inning. Grantsburg would add more runs in the third. Whitney started the inning with a bunt single and scored on Miranda’s monster triple to center. Shelby stayed hot and picked up her second single of the night. Jamie reached on a fielder’s choice and moved to third after walks to Lindsey and Alyssa. She scored on a passed ball to make it 5-0.
Cumberland never could put together a serious threat. Mollie controlled them for the first five innings allowing only a double to right and two walks. Jamie came in and nailed the door shut as she struck out 4 of the 6 batters. Mollie had picked up eight strike outs in the first five innings for a pitching total of 12 K’s. Grantsburg did not have an error tonight. Of course, 12 strike outs help. They did leave 10 runners on base.
Cumberland introduced us to their new young pitcher in the 6th inning that shows lots of potential. In the 6th, she closed out the Pirates in order getting Whitney, Miranda and Sarah. In the 7th Shelby reached on an error followed by Jamie who bounced one off the bag at second. It looked like a potential double play until the Cumberland infielder chose to field the ball behind the bag. It hit the bag and bounced past her for a single. Alyssa walked….got into the hotbox as Jamie scored, but was erased on a base running mistake following Katie’s third hit of the night.
It was a good game. We will play Cumberland again next Saturday at 10:00. And if things go according to plans, we may play them again in the WIAA tourney.. I don’t think SCF can beat them. Their coaches gave us hot dogs after the game. It was a very nice gesture. Perhaps we will pitch Katie on Saturday. This Cumberland team is a good team and is made up of very good players and coaches... We wish them best of luck in their conference.
TWIS: Another slow pitch field with outfielders playing over 200 feet away. We all liked the hot dog guy that wandered around. Melissa was sick..which made the rest of us sick… Amanda did a good job of pitching with very short notice. Holly understood the soccer joke….perhaps she has played the game. Jamie had an unavoidable collision at second… fortunately, both players were ok. All teams work hard on avoiding collisions in the baseline… It is important for the fielder to get out of the running lane. Infield fly tonight…..ump calls batter out if fair…it was fair….runners advance at their own risk… Sandra threw a ball over the dugout to the field… Good to have Mrs. Davidsavor back in the stands… One foul ball landed pretty close to her… Mitch would have caught it. The umps liked us… They asked if we lifted weights.. I said no..we are just naturally dum bells. Only six on the bus… and Ashley…..I am soooooooooooo sorry…I am just really glad it missed you. We had a couple of good practices this week. This next week is a five game week…Let’s wrap up the conference quickly. Let’s practice hard on Wednesday. Let’s make a good showing Saturday….Each one of you should be able to tell me what part of Wednesday’s practice will make you better… Know what you need to work on…then work on it…. Eventually, it will be a single play that makes or breaks the game…. Be prepared. Be ready. The ball will bounce our way. So this week we have five games. There will be times where you will be in the spot light... Play each pitch as if this is the pitch that may win the game... If you play each pitch to the best of your ability...the score will take care of itself.
..Listen to this now.... We are going to start some THEME nights....Monday is Camo night... Wear camo...bring camo things...If you do...you can get in free and buy stuff at the concession stand...
So..hope to see you there....oh wait... if you are wearing camo...I may not.gggggggggg
Spread the word... Some people don't read this junk.
IAHASM. BOFY!