Tough Loss Brings Warriors to .500

The friendly rivalry versus Life Church may have reached a new level as the Rez Life Warriors were shut out on May 3, 12-0. Life took advantage of a couple defensive miscues and played excellent defense en route to the 10-run rule drubbing.

The Warriors have never been beaten so badly and have never been shut out before. This was a tough one to handle all around.

The team mustered just five hits and one walk before the game was called via mercy rule after five innings.

Jason Merritt earned Player of the Game honors with a 2-2 performance while AJ Larson, Brendan Finn and Nick Larson knocked the other three singles. Only two runners reached second base, but both were stranded.

Life opened the scoring with two in the top of the first, using two hits and an error to plate two un-earned runs. Rez Life wasted a lead-off single from AJ in its half of the inning as the next three batters went down in order.

The defense held in the top of the second stranding two runners on base and keeping the score 2-0. However, the Warriors went down without scoring, a pop-up double play ending the inning.
Life used the miscue to its advantage, scoring five in the top of the third with four hits, two walks an error. Trailing 7-0, the Warriors got two men on with two outs, using a single from Jason and a walk from AJ. Austin Colby ended the threat flying out weakly to right-center.

Life smelled blood in the top of the fourth and quickly added five more runs making it 12-0. Life banged out three more hits and used three walks and two Rez Life errors to complete the big inning.

The Warriors knew they had to put some runs on the board soon or it would be over and Finn started the inning with a single. Chris Burr seemed to follow with a single but Life's shortstop made a great play, forcing Finn out at second. Nick then singled to make it first and second with one out. Unfortunately, the following two batters went down in order and the team let a good chance slip away.

Life went down in order in the top of the fifth and Rez Life needed three runs to keep the game alive in the bottom half. After the first two players went down, Jason knocked out his second single of the game, but AJ's sharp grounder up the middle was speared by the pitcher to end the game.

At least the team has a rematch to look forward to. In the meantime, the Warriors will get their bats back in order and try to get back on the winning track.