The end of the game came just in time. Within moments of Raven Williams snaring a smacked line drive for the last out of the game, the rain started coming down in buckets (not literally, because that would, you know, hurt).
The most stunning aspect of the evening was that it was not freezing, a sentence I won't be able to write about Saturday's doubleheader. Dads showed off their pasty legs by wearing shorts for the first time since the fall (I'm talking about the season, not Adam and Eve, although the winter has been so long it seems about the same length of time since either event). Daughters in the dugout weren't shivering for the first time this season, and moms remained unflappable regardless of the weather.
The game was pretty one-sided -- the Wolverines had ten hits and fourteen walks. The Atoms only had eight baserunners, with five hits, two walks, and one hit batter. It's kind of hard to come up with a humorous theme for a game that featured Wolverines getting four more free passes than hits. The score could have been even worse had Coach Craig "The Big Manig" Maniglia not called off the
A group of wolverines is called "a pack." A group of
wolverines inside a pitcher's circle is called "a pack
inside a pitcher's circle." We learn so much from this blog.
(By the way, it's not a complaint about the number of walks -- our hitters need to keep their batting eye, not get frustrated and swing at pitches outside the strike zone. They were successful at staying patient. It's just not the most compelling action to write about, as you will see below.)
Science humor alert:
Q: Why can you never trust atoms? A: They make up everything! (So, I'm pretty desperate right now, as you can tell.)
Harley is still getting used to the
switch from catcher to second.
(Psst: The glove goes on your HAND!)
The Wolverines have scored at least one run in their first at bat in all five regular season games. Last night's first inning run was probably the most unusual of the bunch. With one out, Grace walked. She went to 2nd on a passed ball, and scooted to 3rd on a wild pitch. After Raven Williams walked, with Grace on third, Raven ran to steal second.
As Raven was taking second, Annandale tried a deception, that, in the annals of trick plays, won't go down in history. The catcher threw to the charging shortstop in an effort to lure Grace to her doom off third. Except the throw ended up in left field, allowing Grace to charge home and Raven to move to third. So, the Wolverines scored to lead 1-0 by earning two walks, taking advantage of a passed ball, a wild pitch, and an error.
Grace scores the first run of the game.
She only scored three more times in the
game, as the Annandale strategy of
keeping her from scoring five times
was highly successful.
Jayne celebrated her 18th birthday with a 1-2-3 inning, including two strikeouts and a nice grab of a grounder by Raven.
Annabelle makes an acrobatic play. . . Of a foul ball.
Science humor alert:
Two atoms are walking down the street.
Says one atom to the other, "Hey! I think I lost an electron!"
The other says, "Are you sure??"
"Yes, I'm positive!
(Reporter: That one wasn't bad! Editor: Maybe by your standards.)
Then things got interesting. Well, no. Not right away. First there was the always exciting walk to Torie Bolger, followed by tension-heightening walks to Harley Devine and Jayne. With one out, Nikki hit a sac fly to make it 2-0 without the actual logging of a hit. So with two outs, the game was in danger of going into a bit of a torpor.
Elizabeth scores the second run.
Harley scores the third run.
Natalie scores the fourth run. (Are you nervous I
have pictures of all 17 runs and I might include them all?)
But then Grace smacked a three-bagger to drive in two runs, Raven lined a run-scoring double that went to the fence, and Annabelle Miller eventually singled her in. Finally some action that involved bat striking the ball and then hitting grass.
Grace fully sliding into third with a triple.
(Quick, say the sentence really fast. Get it?
Man, I crack myself up sometimes.)
Science humor alert:
A neutron walks into a restaurant and orders a couple of cokes. As she is about to leave, she asks the waiter how much she owes. The waiter replies, "For you, No Charge!!!"
(See, a neutron. . .oh never mind.)
Annandale got a run back in the top of the second, but any threat of a rally was ended by a 6-5-3 double play. With runners on first and second and just one out, Nikki fielded a grounder, went to Annabelle, who threw across to Raven to complete the twin killing.
"Go ahead, make my day!"
(For those worried it is an unsportsmanlike
caption on my part, it's a Clint Eastwood
homage. Everyone over age 50 knows that!)
(By the way, two things jump out when you watch this clip. First, the overt racial division in the scene -- it was the 70s, and that would never be used in a movie today. Second, Clint only paid a dollar for a cup of coffee. Starbucks would never allow THAT to be used in a movie today either.)
The third inning passed without either team making news.
The Wolverines padded their lead in the fourth. The team's table-setters both got on to lead off the inning; Nikkie with a single to left center and Grace with a walk. Olivia walked to load the bases. Annabelle drove in a run with a fielder's choice for the second out. Torie followed the Wee Wee Keeler advice of "hit 'em where they ain't" and dropped a single over first base to drive in two more runs. Suddenly it was 9-1, as the clouds were continuing to gather.
Science humor alert:
What did one charged atom say to the other? I've got my ion you.
(With prom season coming, I HAD to run that one!)
Christina Dillard came in to pitch the fourth. After two quick outs, two Annandalians (Annandalites? Annandalistas? Annandalers? Annandaleish?. . .I'm not going to sleep tonight unless I figure this out!) reached first and second, but Nikki made a nice running catch of a liner headed toward center field to end the modest threat.
The Atoms imploded in the top of the fifth. The first eleven Wolverines reached base, and the inning only ended when Coach Craig went to bunts and gave up intentional baserunning outs.
Micaela Neulight reached on an error by the third baseman. Nikki singled to left. Grace earned another free pass (her third of the night, to go with a triple) to load the bases. Raven doubled deep to drive in two more. Olivia walked, Annabelle singled to right to score a run. Natalie Lerner walked, Elizabeth Drotos walked, Christina walked, Micaela had an infield single to score a run, and Nikki bunted in a runner to make it 17-1.
Nikki scores the 11th
run of the game.
Annabelle scores the 15th run of the game.
(Sorry, I only have pix of six of the 17 runs
being scored.)
Science humor alert:
Actually, none of the other atom jokes I could find are funny!
(Editor's Note: Like the ones you included are funny? Man, this was a weak effort. Reporter's Reply: Look, in my defense. . .well, actually I haven't got a defense. These are terrible.).
Annandale scored a run, but the only thing that mattered at this point was to hope the rainstorm held off until the last out. And it did -- and no longer than just after the last out.
Annabelle is excited about Saturday's
triple header. The concession stand
will be open all day! Her teammate is
trying to be sweet. (Sweet Caroline --
now that's catchy! I can make money off that!)
As an added bonus, the bounce from 70 degrees plus yesterday to mid-40s tomorrow and 60s/rain on Monday significantly lengthens the cold and flu season. As a result, I've bought stock in drug stores, so don't feel bad if you get sick, you are helping me pay for our daughters' colleges. (Thanks!)
The glove highlights last night were turned in by Nikki, Annabelle, and Raven. Nikki made a running catch of a liner to split a modest rally by the Atoms, and she started a double play to stop another one as well. Annabelle was in the middle of the DP, while Raven caught a tricky liner to end the game.
RBIs were recorded by eight different Wolverines: Nikki (two), Grace (two), Raven (three), Annabelle (two), Torie (two), Natalie, Elizabeth, and Christina (actually, my notetaking during the 5th inning was not up to snuff, so one or two of these may be wrong, but they are correctable.)
Multiple hits were recorded by Nikki (three), Raven, and Annabelle (two each).
Jayne pitched three innings with three Ks, three hits, and a hit batter. Christina went two innings with three strikeouts, two hits and two walks.
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