Rez started the game versus Life at the plate and scored three quick runs as the first four batters ripped base hits. AJ Larson started with a single and scooted home on Austin Colby's double off the wall. Brendan Finn followed with a line-drive single to score Austin and Chris Burr singled to push Finn to second. After a fielder's choice cut Finn down at third, Eric Johnson drove home Chris with an RBI-base hit. Unfortunately, the team stranded two runners on as the following two batters went down in order.
Life answered those three runs with three of its own, using a three-run shot with two outs after two walks put runners on base. Tied at three in the top of the second, the Warriors stranded two more runners. Jon Engbrecht walked with one out and went to second on Matt Shuster's first of three hits. Consecutive outs from the top of the order ended the inning, with Austin's line-out to left the final out.
An unearned run gave Life its first lead of the game, 4-3, after two innings. Again, Rez went down without scoring opening another window of opportunity for Life to pounce. This time Life responded with another three-run homer making it 7-3 after three innings.
Rez scored a run in the fourth on great base-running from Jordan Schumack. Jordan doubled to start the inning and went to third on a foul-out to the catcher, catching the defense sleeping. The next batter hit a grounder to short which allowed Jordan to score.
Leading 7-4, Life went down without scoring in the fourth after starting the inning with two singles. Good defense kept them off the scoreboard though and the Warriors used the momentum to charge back and tie the game in the top of the fifth.
Matt singled to start the frame, but was erased on a fielder's choice. Austin destroyed a ball to left to score two and make it a 7-6 game with one out. After the second out, Chris launched a solo shot to left-center which tied the game at 7.
Life came right back and opened an even bigger lead with four runs in the bottom of the fifth. Life scored all four runs with two outs and strung together four consecutive singles to do so. Now down 11-7, the Warriors knew that they had to get on the board quickly with just two innings left.
A lead-off error sparked the offense and led to three unearned runs. After Eric reached on the error, Jordan singled and Nick Larson singled to load the bases. Jeff Johnson then hit into a fielder's choice to score Eric. After the second out, Matt delivered a huge two-out two-RBI single to left plating Nick and Jeff.
Life used four hits and two walks in the bottom of the sixth to expand its lead to the biggest margin of the game, 15-10. With the score 14-10, the bases were loaded with one out. A batter lifted a fly to Finn who caught and fired to home, laying a perfect strike to Jon who made the catch and tag in one motion on a bang-bang play at the plate. After the dust settled, the umpire ruled the runner safe and that was the final run of the game. Upon reviewing the tape of the game later, the runner was actually out, but it was a tough call.
Needing five runs to tie in the seventh, the first three batters ripped singles. Austin, Finn, and Chris started the show and Austin scored on Lee Valle's fielder's choice groundout. Eric Johnson stepped up and drove one to deep left-center which scored Finn and moved pinch-runner Chris to third with one out. A sacrifice fly scored Chris and made it 15-13 with two outs. Nick stroked a big single that scored Eric from second and cut the deficit to just one, 15-14. However, a flyball to left ended the game, 15-14 Life.
Austin earned Player of the Game honors with his 3-4 game including three runs, three RBI, a double and a homerun. He also went 2-2 with a dinger and two RBI in the 5th inning and on. Chris, Finn and Matt all added three hits.
Still reeling from the game one loss, the Warriors didn't come out firing against Wooddale. After AJ led-off with a single and came home on Austin's two-run shot, the offense didn't manage another run for three innings.
Wooddale scored one run on two hits in the bottom of the first to make it 2-1 after one inning, and came back and scored two more runs in the bottom of the second to take a 3-2 lead. In that second inning, Wooddale had two on with two outs and lifted a low liner to center which Chris attempted to dive and snag. Unfortunately, he couldn't quite reach it and to his further dismay, teammate Eric Johnson had gathered up the ball and hurriedly fired the ball towards the infield to try and keep another run from scoring. In his great haste, Eric didn't quite get a good grip on the ball and nearly decapitated Chris who was still laying on the ground in shallow center. A great moment of softball film was made.
The defense continued to play well and kept Wooddale off the board while the offense struggled to find its stroke. Finally, in the top of the fourth the bats came alive. Austin started the inning with a triple to right-center and came home on Finn's single. Chris doubled to score Finn and an error on the shortstop allowed Chris to come home on the next play.
Eric started things again with a double and he jogged home on Jordan's triple to left-center. Nick lofted a shallow fly to right-center which was mis-handled allowing both Jordan to score and Nick to reach base. With one out, Jeff lined a double to deep center to score Nick, and Jon followed with a walk. After the second out, AJ was walked to load the bases for hot-man Austin. With the score 8-3, Wooddale intentionally walked Austin to force in a run. Finn and Chris made them pay as Finn ripped a two-run single and Chris popped a big fly to left-center to make it a 12-run inning and give the Warriors a 14-3 lead.
After another scoreless inning from the defense, the offense added three more runs in the top of the fifth. With one out, Jordan walked and went to third on Nick's double. A Jeff walk loaded up the bases for Jon who singled to score two. After the second out, AJ walked again to load the bases for Austin. This time, in a showing of poor sportsmanship, Wooddale chose to intentionally walk Austin again to force in a run even though it was a 16-3 game at that point and totally out of hand. That final run made it 17-3 and after a quick bottom of the fifth, that was the final score.
Austin again earned Player of the Game with a 2-2 game, three runs, four RBI, triple, homer and those two walks to score runs. He also made a fine diving play at third in the fourth inning. Finn and Chris had solid games with two hits apiece.
The team struggled to hit again, scoring its 31 runs in bunches. For the two games, the squad was still under .500 but did manage to smack out 14 extra base hits which is well above the season average.
This week's games will help determine the Warriors final place in the standings as the team matches up against Living Word at 6:50 and Pax Christi at 7:50. It may take 30 runs to knock off Living Word but I think the Warriors have it in them.
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