The Resurrection Life Warriors put their bats to sleep about a month ago and they have only awakened for a few innings since then. Last Thursday night was no exception. The Warriors scored six runs in the first two innings en route to a 7-4 victory over EPAG in game one and then stormed back in the second game with seven runs in the fifth to tie Immanuel 9-9.
In game one, the Warriors had eight hits in the first two innings, including the first four batters of the game, and only four hits the rest of the way. Austin Colby tripled to open the game and Tim Jandro singled to start the scoring. Eric Johnson singled and both runners casually strode home as Jeff Tenney walloped his 10th homerun of the year to give the team a 4-0 lead. Two-out singles from Lee Valle and Aaron Beintema went for naught and the first ended.
EPAG scored one in the bottom half to make it 4-1. In the second inning, Bryan Christensen singled and Austin homered to deep right-center for a quick two runs and a 6-1 lead. However, for the balance of the game, the Warriors went 4-21 at the plate, managing just one run in the fifth on an Eric single, a Tenney double and an Adam Hey sac fly.
EPAG scored two runs in the third which could have been more but the Warrior defense played great and Aaron hosed a guy at third base for the final out. In the seventh, EPAG mounted a quiet threat with a couple singles and a run, but the gloves held and the Warriors came away with the 7-4 win. The first meeting between these two teams was 18-17, a complete opposite performance from this game.
Jeff Tenney earned Player of the Game honors with two hits, three rbi and a three-run homer. He also handled all three chances at shortstop flawlessly.
Game two was more of the same offensively. The team picked up where it left off scoring just two runs in the first four innings and falling behind 9-2 going into the fifth. The team did have some bad breaks early in the game with two runners thrown out on the bases which cost the team at bats and a few runs guaranteed. Austin doubled to start the game and eventually came around on Aaron's single. In the second inning, Jeff singled and with one out tried to go to third on Adam's double was gunned down on a questionable call. After a Bryan walk, sub Jason Merritt singled to load the bases but Austin grounded out to end the threat.
Immanuel scored three runs in the first two innings using dink-and-dunk singles to take a 3-1 lead going into the fifth.
Rez didn't score in the third, even though the team started the inning with three straight singles. Another tough call on the bases hurt the team's chances. Immanuel didn't score in the third either.
Rez added one run in the fourth as Bryan, Jason and Austin all had singles with two outs. Down 3-2 going into the bottom of the fourth, things still seemed in reach until Immanuel found the groove and scored six times to take a commanding 9-2 lead. Rez came to the plate down seven runs and desperately in need of some consistent offense. Eric doubled to get things started but after an Aaron walk back-to-back flyouts made things look bleak quickly. However, the team's resilience showed as Lee roped an rbi-single and was followed by another rbi-single from Adam. Bryan lined his second single of the game to center to load the bases for Jason who carved one to right to plate another run to make it 9-5 with two outs and the bases still loaded for Austin. Austin was due with a capital D. He delivered but only after a gift from God. He hit his first pitch lazily down the right-field line in foul territory but the right fielder dropped it giving Austin another chance. He seized it by knocking one off the wall, clearing the bases. There was a throw to third on the play to try and nail Austin on the triple, but the ball was over-thrown and went out of play, allowing Austin to jog home to tie the game. All that action, seven runs and five straight hits, with two outs.
Immanuel didn't score in the bottom half so Rez had its first chance to grab the lead in the sixth but went down in order. Immanuel stranded a single in the bottom of the sixth to keep the scored knotted at nine after six innings. The umpire used poor judgment and called time limit after six innings even with a delayed start and time left on the clock. Both teams had one more chance to score with a runner on second and one out to start each inning. Lee drew a walk in Rez's extra frame to put two on with one out, but back-to-back outs ended the inning with hot bats Jason and Austin looming on deck.
Immanuel now needed just one run to win the game in the bottom of the seventh. Rez decided to walk to first batter to create a forceout and the strategy worked as a hot shot to Tim at short was picked clean and tossed to Eric at second for the second out and Eric turned and fired to first to complete the doubleplay and end the game, 9-9.
Not the victory the team needed but much better than the loss that was staring the squad in the face just minutes earlier.
Austin Colby captured Player of the Game laurels with the big hit in the fifth inning. He finished 3-4 with a double and triple and scored twice while driving home four.
This coming week is another big game for Rez as the team faces off against second place Wooddale Mercy Rules. The two games these teams have played so far have been very competitive with Mercy Rules taking the first contest 31-20 and Rez grabbing the second one 24-19. The game is at 5:50 on field #5.
