"Give me one hundred men who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not whether they be clergyman or laymen, they alone will shake the gates of Hell and set up the kingdom of Heaven upon the earth.”-John Wesley
"My ground is the Bible. Yea, I am a Bible-bigot. I follow it in all things, both great and small." John Wesley
"God frequently conceals the part which his children have in the conversion of other souls. Yet one may boldly say, that person who long groans before him for the conversion of another, whenever that soul is converted to God, is one of the chief causes of it.”-John Wesley
"To continual watchfulness and prayer ought to be added continual employment. For grace flies a vacuum as well as nature; and the devil fills whatever God does not fill.”-John Wesley
"When you set yourself on fire, people love to come and see you burn."-John Wesley
"Anything that cools my love for Christ is the world.”-John Wesley
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Monday, August 6, 2007
6th Place Finish at Bloomington Tournament
The Resurrection Life Warriors improved on last year's finish at the Bloomington Assembly of God tournament with a sixth place finish. This year's team won its first two contests to play in the AA bracket with a chance at winning the whole tournament. However, a tough loss in game three pushed the Warriors into the tougher part of the bracket and a trouncing against Heartland ended the day for the team.
As the rain came down harder, the bats got a little slower and the legs a little heavier. The team put together a great effort and kept going until the day was over.
Game one was a 13-4 victory which was a lot closer than it sounds. Rez opened against St. Cloud's 1st Assembly of God and was leading just 4-3 heading into the final frame. However, in the top of the seventh, the bats got going. Jordan Schumack singled and moved to second on an error from the shortstop on substitute Neal's grounder. Jon Engbrecht then singled to load the bases. Jeff Johnson smacked a two-RBI single to make it 6-3 Warriors. Matt Shuster ripped his first hit of the day to load the bases for the top of the order. Jason Merritt grounded into a fielder's choice which erased Matt, but plated Jon. AJ then lifted what would have been a sacrifice fly to right field, but the fielder dropped the ball allowing Jeff to score, Jason to advance and AJ to reach. Austin Colby then lined a shot down the right-field line which easily plated Jason and AJ as Austin sprinted around third for his fourth inside-the-park homerun of the year and a 11-3 Rez Life lead.
With a nice lead, the bats kept it going as Chris Burr sent the next pitch to deep left-center for a solo shot. After a Lee Valle pop-out, Eric Johnson took a high pitch and sent it into the parking lot in left field to cap the scoring at 13 and secure the game.
1st Assembly pushed one across in the bottom half but the defense held and the Warriors advanced to round two.
Austin Colby earned Player of the Game honors with his 3-4 day at the plate including three runs scored, four RBI and a homerun.
Game two was against River Valley. River Valley had some good hitters and displayed quite a bit of pop at the top of its order. However, its bottom half struggled mightily and the Warrior bats were hot from the get-go and Rez Life coasted to an easy 25-11 victory.
The 25 runs were the most the team has scored all year. The team banged out 27 hits including 8 for extra bases. In the first three innings the team scored 5, 6, and 7 runs respectively taking an 18-4 lead. The teams traded runs the rest of the way and the game ended after six innings due to time constraints.
Both Austin and Chris had a team-high seven RBI in the game with Chris snagging Player of the Game honors going 4-4 with two runs, seven RBI and two triples. Austin and AJ each had four hits and AJ and Jason scored five runs from the top two spots in the order. Lee, Eric, and Neal all added three hits apiece as the entire lineup had at least one hit. Jeff Johnson ripped a solo homer.
Game three saw the rain begin to come down harder and colder. The team still played good defense, but the offense hit a snag early in the game and a last-inning rally fell just short with a bit of bad luck and the Warriors fell to Abundant Life 21-17. With a victory, the team would've been guaranteed a top 4 finish.
Abundant Life used all four of its homeruns and came out swinging. Rez Life trailed every inning and never could quite make up the early deficit. Trailing 21-10 heading into the bottom of the seventh with a strong rain falling, the team got things going. The team strung together nine straight runners reaching base and plated seven runs in the process. With no outs and the top of the order up, things looked promising. However, after Jason reached, AJ lined into a double-play and Austin roped one to third base for the final out.
Austin earned his second Player of the Game for the tournament with another seven RBI performance. He finished 3-5 with a triple and a three-run homer. Jason and AJ both had four hits and scored five runs between them. Neal again had three hits. Jeff launched his second homer of the tournament with a three-run shot. Matt and Jordan both had triples in the game.
The Warriors still had a chance to advance but ran into a buzz-saw called Heartland in game four. Heartland had a bye in the first round so they had a bit fresher legs. The Warriors were pretty much out of gas and as Heartland ripped off first and second innings of seven and eight runs respectively, the game was all but over. The final score was 29-7 with just Neal and Jon collecting multiple hits, with two each. Everyone else in the lineup had one and Jeff captured Player of the Game honors with a three-run homer, his third in three games.
In the four games, the team smoked 23 extra base hits with 9 doubles, 7 triples and 7 homeruns. Jeff hit three of the homers, Austin added two and Chris and Eric had one each.
Austin, AJ, and Chris all earned All-Tournament Team honors as each hit .600 or better on the day. AJ led the team by going 11-16 from the plate for a .688 average. He also reached base nearly every time finishing with an .824 on base percentage and scoring 10 runs in the process. Chris hit an even .600 but slugged a double, two triples and a homer to drive in 10 runs and score 5. Austin earned Tournament MVP for Rez Life with his .647 showing that including a slugging percentage of 1.353, two doubles, two triples, and two homeruns. He mashed a tournament-high 18 RBI and scored 9 runs in the four games.
That officially closes the book on the season and the team looks to re-tool for next year. Look for periodic updates throughout the offseason.
Great Tournament and Season Warriors!!
As the rain came down harder, the bats got a little slower and the legs a little heavier. The team put together a great effort and kept going until the day was over.
Game one was a 13-4 victory which was a lot closer than it sounds. Rez opened against St. Cloud's 1st Assembly of God and was leading just 4-3 heading into the final frame. However, in the top of the seventh, the bats got going. Jordan Schumack singled and moved to second on an error from the shortstop on substitute Neal's grounder. Jon Engbrecht then singled to load the bases. Jeff Johnson smacked a two-RBI single to make it 6-3 Warriors. Matt Shuster ripped his first hit of the day to load the bases for the top of the order. Jason Merritt grounded into a fielder's choice which erased Matt, but plated Jon. AJ then lifted what would have been a sacrifice fly to right field, but the fielder dropped the ball allowing Jeff to score, Jason to advance and AJ to reach. Austin Colby then lined a shot down the right-field line which easily plated Jason and AJ as Austin sprinted around third for his fourth inside-the-park homerun of the year and a 11-3 Rez Life lead.
With a nice lead, the bats kept it going as Chris Burr sent the next pitch to deep left-center for a solo shot. After a Lee Valle pop-out, Eric Johnson took a high pitch and sent it into the parking lot in left field to cap the scoring at 13 and secure the game.
1st Assembly pushed one across in the bottom half but the defense held and the Warriors advanced to round two.
Austin Colby earned Player of the Game honors with his 3-4 day at the plate including three runs scored, four RBI and a homerun.
Game two was against River Valley. River Valley had some good hitters and displayed quite a bit of pop at the top of its order. However, its bottom half struggled mightily and the Warrior bats were hot from the get-go and Rez Life coasted to an easy 25-11 victory.
The 25 runs were the most the team has scored all year. The team banged out 27 hits including 8 for extra bases. In the first three innings the team scored 5, 6, and 7 runs respectively taking an 18-4 lead. The teams traded runs the rest of the way and the game ended after six innings due to time constraints.
Both Austin and Chris had a team-high seven RBI in the game with Chris snagging Player of the Game honors going 4-4 with two runs, seven RBI and two triples. Austin and AJ each had four hits and AJ and Jason scored five runs from the top two spots in the order. Lee, Eric, and Neal all added three hits apiece as the entire lineup had at least one hit. Jeff Johnson ripped a solo homer.
Game three saw the rain begin to come down harder and colder. The team still played good defense, but the offense hit a snag early in the game and a last-inning rally fell just short with a bit of bad luck and the Warriors fell to Abundant Life 21-17. With a victory, the team would've been guaranteed a top 4 finish.
Abundant Life used all four of its homeruns and came out swinging. Rez Life trailed every inning and never could quite make up the early deficit. Trailing 21-10 heading into the bottom of the seventh with a strong rain falling, the team got things going. The team strung together nine straight runners reaching base and plated seven runs in the process. With no outs and the top of the order up, things looked promising. However, after Jason reached, AJ lined into a double-play and Austin roped one to third base for the final out.
Austin earned his second Player of the Game for the tournament with another seven RBI performance. He finished 3-5 with a triple and a three-run homer. Jason and AJ both had four hits and scored five runs between them. Neal again had three hits. Jeff launched his second homer of the tournament with a three-run shot. Matt and Jordan both had triples in the game.
The Warriors still had a chance to advance but ran into a buzz-saw called Heartland in game four. Heartland had a bye in the first round so they had a bit fresher legs. The Warriors were pretty much out of gas and as Heartland ripped off first and second innings of seven and eight runs respectively, the game was all but over. The final score was 29-7 with just Neal and Jon collecting multiple hits, with two each. Everyone else in the lineup had one and Jeff captured Player of the Game honors with a three-run homer, his third in three games.
In the four games, the team smoked 23 extra base hits with 9 doubles, 7 triples and 7 homeruns. Jeff hit three of the homers, Austin added two and Chris and Eric had one each.
Austin, AJ, and Chris all earned All-Tournament Team honors as each hit .600 or better on the day. AJ led the team by going 11-16 from the plate for a .688 average. He also reached base nearly every time finishing with an .824 on base percentage and scoring 10 runs in the process. Chris hit an even .600 but slugged a double, two triples and a homer to drive in 10 runs and score 5. Austin earned Tournament MVP for Rez Life with his .647 showing that including a slugging percentage of 1.353, two doubles, two triples, and two homeruns. He mashed a tournament-high 18 RBI and scored 9 runs in the four games.
That officially closes the book on the season and the team looks to re-tool for next year. Look for periodic updates throughout the offseason.
Great Tournament and Season Warriors!!
Friday, August 3, 2007
Man Verse The Second
In this summer of popular sequels,
The Rez Life softball team did its best at a repeat.
As the final 12-6 record indicates,
This team was indeed tough to beat.
Two five-game winning streaks
Sandwiched around one small, little skid
Made for a fun and eventful summer
As the Warriors played like kids.
We had lots of laughs and smiles
And we welcomed a couple new faces.
And of course we cheered and screamed
As our teammates rounded those bases.
Newcomer number one is our good friend Matt,
He heard, “Swing hard! Keep your weight back!”
Along with “Alright now Mr. Handsome!”
And did a fine job as part one of our very own Matt-Attack.
Part two of that combo is our dear pal Mr. Shuster,
Every year a joy to have on the team.
Both as a player and as our favorite bench coach,
This year he started sizzling, lining the ball as his bat screamed.
Next we have Jonathan E.
Again, our do-everything guy.
He plays infield, outfield and hits
All while designing planes, fit to spy.
Brendan Finn was a full-time slugger
As we coaxed him out to play.
He didn’t say much but he didn’t need to,
As his bat and glove certainly showed his way.
Jordan took the bump again
And did his best to fire those strikes.
He had an up and down year pitching,
But so did his pants as they sagged to his spikes.
Our final new player was Dr. Jamy.
He showed his talent and hit some bombs,
All while teaching us about subluxations
And why we shouldn’t be eating hot dogs.
Age is but a number.
That rings especially true for this guy.
Lee had a resurgent, youthful year,
He bombed three triples and around those bases he did fly!
Chris Burr is good.
There are no two ways about it.
He can play the field, hit and throw,
Even if his birthday candles now take a long time to get lit.
Jeff Johnson was back for another year,
He had a position change and switched to one-bag.
Although his stick wasn’t quite as loud as it has been,
His presence was felt and a few balls did he tag.
Nick is still slick as we told you last year,
And this season he continued down his smooth path.
He made a few dives, and stretched a few doubles,
But never broke a sweat and always waved to his fans.
Little brother AJ scurried through the year,
He’s still not tall but does swing a mighty bat.
His play in the middle was great, and he was solid at the plate,
He dove and snagged, and ran from home to first in 2.2 flat.
Eric stayed healthy but his power was not so,
His marriage may have kept him from finding his power stroke.
Or it could have been the random “drug testing,”
You’ve seen his rookie card, this may not be a joke.
Of course there is Austin, or me
I obviously love softball and all things with it.
I spent my days reviewing stats and video tape
And wrote the Man Verse and admit I actually enjoy it.
Well, there you have the team
Each one unique and important.
Next year will be just as fun
And I really can’t wait for it.
God Bless and Thanks for the Great Summer!!
The Rez Life softball team did its best at a repeat.
As the final 12-6 record indicates,
This team was indeed tough to beat.
Two five-game winning streaks
Sandwiched around one small, little skid
Made for a fun and eventful summer
As the Warriors played like kids.
We had lots of laughs and smiles
And we welcomed a couple new faces.
And of course we cheered and screamed
As our teammates rounded those bases.
Newcomer number one is our good friend Matt,
He heard, “Swing hard! Keep your weight back!”
Along with “Alright now Mr. Handsome!”
And did a fine job as part one of our very own Matt-Attack.
Part two of that combo is our dear pal Mr. Shuster,
Every year a joy to have on the team.
Both as a player and as our favorite bench coach,
This year he started sizzling, lining the ball as his bat screamed.
Next we have Jonathan E.
Again, our do-everything guy.
He plays infield, outfield and hits
All while designing planes, fit to spy.
Brendan Finn was a full-time slugger
As we coaxed him out to play.
He didn’t say much but he didn’t need to,
As his bat and glove certainly showed his way.
Jordan took the bump again
And did his best to fire those strikes.
He had an up and down year pitching,
But so did his pants as they sagged to his spikes.
Our final new player was Dr. Jamy.
He showed his talent and hit some bombs,
All while teaching us about subluxations
And why we shouldn’t be eating hot dogs.
Age is but a number.
That rings especially true for this guy.
Lee had a resurgent, youthful year,
He bombed three triples and around those bases he did fly!
Chris Burr is good.
There are no two ways about it.
He can play the field, hit and throw,
Even if his birthday candles now take a long time to get lit.
Jeff Johnson was back for another year,
He had a position change and switched to one-bag.
Although his stick wasn’t quite as loud as it has been,
His presence was felt and a few balls did he tag.
Nick is still slick as we told you last year,
And this season he continued down his smooth path.
He made a few dives, and stretched a few doubles,
But never broke a sweat and always waved to his fans.
Little brother AJ scurried through the year,
He’s still not tall but does swing a mighty bat.
His play in the middle was great, and he was solid at the plate,
He dove and snagged, and ran from home to first in 2.2 flat.
Eric stayed healthy but his power was not so,
His marriage may have kept him from finding his power stroke.
Or it could have been the random “drug testing,”
You’ve seen his rookie card, this may not be a joke.
Of course there is Austin, or me
I obviously love softball and all things with it.
I spent my days reviewing stats and video tape
And wrote the Man Verse and admit I actually enjoy it.
Well, there you have the team
Each one unique and important.
Next year will be just as fun
And I really can’t wait for it.
God Bless and Thanks for the Great Summer!!
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Awards and Honors
League Honors:
1st Team All-League OF: Chris Burr
1st Team All-League Utility: Brendan Finn
1st Team All-League IF: Austin Colby
2nd Team All-League OF: Nick Larson
2nd Team All-League IF: AJ Larson
2nd Team All-League Utility: Eric Johnson
Gold Glove: Chris Burr
Gold Glove: AJ Larson
Gold Glove: Brendan Finn
Team Honors:
MVP: Chris Burr - Chris had a great year of consistency and production. He anchored the lineup from the three and four holes all season and hit .631 (third on team) with 33 runs (2nd) and 32 RBI (tied for 1st). He smacked out 6 doubles, 1 triple and 7 homeruns. While his average slowing dipped below .700 in the final weeks of the year, his production numbers went way up as he jacked 6 of his 7 homeruns in the final 9 contests. He also handled 44 chances between the outfield and first base without an error.
Utility Man: Jon Engbrecht - For the second year in a row, Jon played nearly every position on the field. The best part is that he did it with class and ability. He was very good in the infield at both second and third by the end of the season and was reliable in the outfield to boot. You could always count on Jon to play hard and smile no matter where he’s at.
Solid as a Rock: Austin Colby and Lee Valle – These two players were very consistent throughout the entire season. They handled the majority of the duties on the left-side of the infield and did it well. Offensively, they were on base a ton for the hitters behind them and could be counted on for consistent contact.
Justin Morneau: Eric Johnson and Nick Larson – As predicted, Eric had a monster surge at the end of the season. He started it just a bit late to put up great overall numbers, but in his last 5 games he hit .762 with 10 runs, 10 RBI, 3 doubles and 2 homeruns. Nick hit .640 with a .670 oba and a 1.000 slg in his final 8 games. That included 3 doubles and 3 triples.
Most Pleasant Surprise: Jamy Antoine – Jamy showed he has a lot of talent on the field and with another year of consistent play he could be a force. In his first year with the team and his first year of playing in a long time, he swatted 3 triples and 3 homeruns while leading the team with 8 walks.
Best Substitute: Jason Merritt – No offense to Jason, but he kind of wins by default. Where in 2006 the team struggled to get 10 guys to a game, this year Jason was needed for just three games. He played flawless in the outfield and infield in those games and also went 4-6 and captured one Player of the Game award.
Streaky Pete: Matt Hanson and Matt Shuster – The Matt-Attack just couldn’t get enough of each other all year. Shuster started the year on fire getting 13 hits in his first 20 at bats for a .650 average. However, he then cooled off quickly ending the season in a 4-23 slump. Hanson’s streaks were much smaller in time but just as quirky. He started his first-ever softball campaign without a hit in seven at bats. Then he ripped out four hits in the next five at bats. He followed that with nine more hitless at bats. He came back with three straight hits again and finished it off with five straight at bats without finding a hole. Once these two boys figure out what they’re doing during the hot times, watch out.
Most Quotable: Matt Hanson – Matt is very self-aware and knows what his limitations are on a softball field. However, his quick wit and off-the-cuff remarks can still catch you off guard if you’re not used to it. Matt, what do you do for a living? “I drive trains.” After watching Austin hit 6 or 7 straight homers in batting practice Matt states, “So, you can hit those pretty much when you want to right?” Austin replies, “Most of the time, yes.” Matt ponders it and replies, “How do I do that?” Austin is speechless. When batting second for the first time Matt drives one to the warning track for his then-longest hit. Team slaps him on the back and says nice rip, just missed one. Matt calmly whispers to Austin, “I thought I’d give it a ride since I was batting near the top.” Looking forward to more quips from this guy in the future.
Captain Clutch: Nick Larson and Eric Johnson – Nick displayed the uncanny ability to get on base nearly all the time from the 5th inning and on. That was huge for the team as Nick hit .833 with 5 RBI in those late inning situations. Eric had a team high 18 hits with runners in scoring position and a .667 average (60 points above his season average). He also mashed in late-inning situations, hitting .813 with two homeruns and 11 RBI.
Make It Count: Jeff Johnson, Jamy Antoine, and Jordan Schumack – These three boys may not have had the highest batting averages but when they hit the ball they produced runs. Each one averaged more than one RBI per base hit, the only players on the team to do so. Jeff led the team with 1.44 RBI per hit as he drove in 23 on the year. Jamy had 25 RBI on his 21 hits, including 3 three-run homers, which amounts to 1.19 RBI/hit. And Jordan knocked in 20 runs on his 19 hits for a 1.05 RBI/hit.
Start ‘Em Up: Jon Engbrecht and Lee Valle – These two boys knew how to start rallies as they reached base consistently and a lot. Jon had an on base percentage more than 30% higher than his batting average and was on base every game except one. Lee had an on base percentage 20% higher than his batting average and was on base twice or more in every game except two. Nice work getting things going.
Best Battery Combo: Jordan Schumack and Matt Shuster – While the team tried several different combinations at pitcher and catcher this year, the most favorite one is still Jordan tossing to Shuster. Watching Jordan’s fist pumps or head shakes depending on which way the pitch goes is still priceless. Matt managed 9 putouts as a catcher this year which is a lot and he always is bouncing around back there and having a good time. These two play well together.
Most Overdue Homerun: Eric Johnson and Jon Engbrecht – How does Jon not hit more homers? He’s big and strong and has the capabilities to assemble a bat that would most likely have more pop than all of $300+ bats combined. Well, he went all of 2006 without one and knocked one out of the park in his second to last game this year. We’ll be looking for a couple more next year. Eric is a whole different story. In 2003, Eric hit 12 homers, good for second on the team. The following year he was even better with 14 homers also good for second. In 2005 the team shifted to a non-homer park and Eric still managed 4 homeruns which led the team. Last year, in limited playing time because of injury, Eric mashed out 7 homers which was second on the squad. What does he do in 2007? He waits 44 at bats before hitting his first homer. There were some whispers around the clubhouse as to what caused this power outage, but it could very well have something to do with the newly enforced 10-game suspension rules for performance-enhancing drugs. I’m not making any accusations, I’m just pointing out the “coincidence.”
Most Helpful Fan: Kelli Johnson – Kelli was very willing to help videotape this year. This was a new experiment for the team and she captured around 10 games on film which was fun for Austin as he was able to put a few highlight clips on the blog. Next year, we’ll try to improve our format and get multiple angles. Thanks a lot to Kelli!!
1st Team All-League OF: Chris Burr
1st Team All-League Utility: Brendan Finn
1st Team All-League IF: Austin Colby
2nd Team All-League OF: Nick Larson
2nd Team All-League IF: AJ Larson
2nd Team All-League Utility: Eric Johnson
Gold Glove: Chris Burr
Gold Glove: AJ Larson
Gold Glove: Brendan Finn
Team Honors:
MVP: Chris Burr - Chris had a great year of consistency and production. He anchored the lineup from the three and four holes all season and hit .631 (third on team) with 33 runs (2nd) and 32 RBI (tied for 1st). He smacked out 6 doubles, 1 triple and 7 homeruns. While his average slowing dipped below .700 in the final weeks of the year, his production numbers went way up as he jacked 6 of his 7 homeruns in the final 9 contests. He also handled 44 chances between the outfield and first base without an error.
Utility Man: Jon Engbrecht - For the second year in a row, Jon played nearly every position on the field. The best part is that he did it with class and ability. He was very good in the infield at both second and third by the end of the season and was reliable in the outfield to boot. You could always count on Jon to play hard and smile no matter where he’s at.
Solid as a Rock: Austin Colby and Lee Valle – These two players were very consistent throughout the entire season. They handled the majority of the duties on the left-side of the infield and did it well. Offensively, they were on base a ton for the hitters behind them and could be counted on for consistent contact.
Justin Morneau: Eric Johnson and Nick Larson – As predicted, Eric had a monster surge at the end of the season. He started it just a bit late to put up great overall numbers, but in his last 5 games he hit .762 with 10 runs, 10 RBI, 3 doubles and 2 homeruns. Nick hit .640 with a .670 oba and a 1.000 slg in his final 8 games. That included 3 doubles and 3 triples.
Most Pleasant Surprise: Jamy Antoine – Jamy showed he has a lot of talent on the field and with another year of consistent play he could be a force. In his first year with the team and his first year of playing in a long time, he swatted 3 triples and 3 homeruns while leading the team with 8 walks.
Best Substitute: Jason Merritt – No offense to Jason, but he kind of wins by default. Where in 2006 the team struggled to get 10 guys to a game, this year Jason was needed for just three games. He played flawless in the outfield and infield in those games and also went 4-6 and captured one Player of the Game award.
Streaky Pete: Matt Hanson and Matt Shuster – The Matt-Attack just couldn’t get enough of each other all year. Shuster started the year on fire getting 13 hits in his first 20 at bats for a .650 average. However, he then cooled off quickly ending the season in a 4-23 slump. Hanson’s streaks were much smaller in time but just as quirky. He started his first-ever softball campaign without a hit in seven at bats. Then he ripped out four hits in the next five at bats. He followed that with nine more hitless at bats. He came back with three straight hits again and finished it off with five straight at bats without finding a hole. Once these two boys figure out what they’re doing during the hot times, watch out.
Most Quotable: Matt Hanson – Matt is very self-aware and knows what his limitations are on a softball field. However, his quick wit and off-the-cuff remarks can still catch you off guard if you’re not used to it. Matt, what do you do for a living? “I drive trains.” After watching Austin hit 6 or 7 straight homers in batting practice Matt states, “So, you can hit those pretty much when you want to right?” Austin replies, “Most of the time, yes.” Matt ponders it and replies, “How do I do that?” Austin is speechless. When batting second for the first time Matt drives one to the warning track for his then-longest hit. Team slaps him on the back and says nice rip, just missed one. Matt calmly whispers to Austin, “I thought I’d give it a ride since I was batting near the top.” Looking forward to more quips from this guy in the future.
Captain Clutch: Nick Larson and Eric Johnson – Nick displayed the uncanny ability to get on base nearly all the time from the 5th inning and on. That was huge for the team as Nick hit .833 with 5 RBI in those late inning situations. Eric had a team high 18 hits with runners in scoring position and a .667 average (60 points above his season average). He also mashed in late-inning situations, hitting .813 with two homeruns and 11 RBI.
Make It Count: Jeff Johnson, Jamy Antoine, and Jordan Schumack – These three boys may not have had the highest batting averages but when they hit the ball they produced runs. Each one averaged more than one RBI per base hit, the only players on the team to do so. Jeff led the team with 1.44 RBI per hit as he drove in 23 on the year. Jamy had 25 RBI on his 21 hits, including 3 three-run homers, which amounts to 1.19 RBI/hit. And Jordan knocked in 20 runs on his 19 hits for a 1.05 RBI/hit.
Start ‘Em Up: Jon Engbrecht and Lee Valle – These two boys knew how to start rallies as they reached base consistently and a lot. Jon had an on base percentage more than 30% higher than his batting average and was on base every game except one. Lee had an on base percentage 20% higher than his batting average and was on base twice or more in every game except two. Nice work getting things going.
Best Battery Combo: Jordan Schumack and Matt Shuster – While the team tried several different combinations at pitcher and catcher this year, the most favorite one is still Jordan tossing to Shuster. Watching Jordan’s fist pumps or head shakes depending on which way the pitch goes is still priceless. Matt managed 9 putouts as a catcher this year which is a lot and he always is bouncing around back there and having a good time. These two play well together.
Most Overdue Homerun: Eric Johnson and Jon Engbrecht – How does Jon not hit more homers? He’s big and strong and has the capabilities to assemble a bat that would most likely have more pop than all of $300+ bats combined. Well, he went all of 2006 without one and knocked one out of the park in his second to last game this year. We’ll be looking for a couple more next year. Eric is a whole different story. In 2003, Eric hit 12 homers, good for second on the team. The following year he was even better with 14 homers also good for second. In 2005 the team shifted to a non-homer park and Eric still managed 4 homeruns which led the team. Last year, in limited playing time because of injury, Eric mashed out 7 homers which was second on the squad. What does he do in 2007? He waits 44 at bats before hitting his first homer. There were some whispers around the clubhouse as to what caused this power outage, but it could very well have something to do with the newly enforced 10-game suspension rules for performance-enhancing drugs. I’m not making any accusations, I’m just pointing out the “coincidence.”
Most Helpful Fan: Kelli Johnson – Kelli was very willing to help videotape this year. This was a new experiment for the team and she captured around 10 games on film which was fun for Austin as he was able to put a few highlight clips on the blog. Next year, we’ll try to improve our format and get multiple angles. Thanks a lot to Kelli!!
End of Season Report
The end of the 2007 summer softball season is upon us and the Resurrection Life Warriors finished another successful season with a record of 12-6. The Warriors improved greatly as the year went on and had two separate five game winning streaks.
The team opened the season with a drubbing of Immanuel, 24-5 before having its worst offensive performance in years in game two, a 12-0 loss to eventual league-champion Life. Game three saw the start of the team’s first five-game winning streak with a comfortable 9-1 win over Wooddale. In game four the bats really started to click as the team whooped Pax Christi 13-2 to move its record to 3-1. Game five and six were a little closer as the team came from behind in the last inning to defeat St. Andrew Red 19-16 and the following week the offense exploded for 21 runs in the first two innings and then fell asleep but held on for a 21-12 win over St. Andrew Blue.
The final victory in the winning streak was a close, 18-14 contest versus Eden Prairie Assembly of God. After the big winning streak, the team suffered a bit of a let down, losing to nemesis Living Word 26-18 before laying a big egg against over-matched Immanuel in a 7-3 loss. With a chance to avenge its week two loss to Life, the Warriors narrowly missed the opportunity, falling 15-14 in a great game.
After the three-game skid, the Warriors split their next two games, beating Wooddale 17-3 in a laugher before dropping the next game to Living Word 17-12, bringing their season record to 7-5. Living Word was just too much to handle in that game.
The next five games were all victories pushing Rez Life’s record to 12-5 and setting up a final-game showdown with 13-4 Living Word. The first game of the streak was a boring 10-4 over Pax and the second win was a controlled 18-12 victory over St. Andrew Red. In game 15 of the season, St. Andrew Blue again had to deal with early hot bats versus the Warriors and again the Warriors put 21 on the board to coast to a 21-2 win. EPAG provided another tough game the following week as Rez squeaked out an 8-4 win. The final game of the streak came against Wooddale and the team handled them easily again, winning 14-1 and completing the season three-game sweep by a margin of 40-5.
The final game of the year pitted the Warriors against their rivals from 06 who are clearly the most talented team in the league. It was a great game as the Warriors clung to a lead for most of the game only to lose in the 8th inning and end their season in defeat, at 12-6.
Next year Rez Life will have two teams to make amends with as Living Word swept the season-series 3-0 and Life beat the Warriors both times including the 12-0 shutout.
The team didn’t mash the ball as well this year as it has in years passed, but the bats were still very competitive. Four Rez Life hitters managed to post averages over .600 with another two players reaching the .600 plateau in on base percentage. The team slugging percentage was down quite a bit this year, but still sat right at .800 for the season.
The big boppers this year were Austin Colby, Brendan Finn and Chris Burr. Austin had 11 homers to go along with his team-high 13 doubles while Finn finished with 9 doubles and 6 homeruns. Chris added 6 doubles and finished second on the team with his 7 homers. Both Jeff Johnson and newcomer Jamy Antoine added three homeruns each.
What this year’s team lacked in offensive prowess, it more than made up for it with its defensive intensity. 2007 marked the finest defensive year that Rez Life has had during my tenure on the team. Hands down. The infield was outstanding, led by the trio of AJ Larson, Austin, and Lee Valle. Jeff was very good in his first season at first base and with another year under his belt he’ll be that much better next season. AJ finished the year with a fielding percentage over 92% which is top-notch for infielders. He handled a lot of the shortstop duties as well when Austin was paroling the outfield. Lee had a very solid year at the hot corner, having a hand in five double plays with a fielding percentage over 85%.
Jordan Schumack and Matt Shuster handled the majority of the battery duties and really got into a groove down the stretch.
The outfield was extremely solid as usual with Chris, Nick Larson and Finn being the three standards out there. Jon Engbrecht, Jamy, Eric and Austin all got some quality innings out there and contributed. By the end of the season Matt Hanson was chasing flyballs around and getting lots of innings in the grass as well.
The team finished in third place, down a notch from last year’s 2nd place finish and 12-5-1 record. In two years the Warriors have compiled a record of 24-11-1 with a 2nd and 3rd place finish to their credit. Next year, the team will take aim at the crown and look to knock off the previous years’ defending champions.
Congratulations to the team on another fun and successful season!
The team opened the season with a drubbing of Immanuel, 24-5 before having its worst offensive performance in years in game two, a 12-0 loss to eventual league-champion Life. Game three saw the start of the team’s first five-game winning streak with a comfortable 9-1 win over Wooddale. In game four the bats really started to click as the team whooped Pax Christi 13-2 to move its record to 3-1. Game five and six were a little closer as the team came from behind in the last inning to defeat St. Andrew Red 19-16 and the following week the offense exploded for 21 runs in the first two innings and then fell asleep but held on for a 21-12 win over St. Andrew Blue.
The final victory in the winning streak was a close, 18-14 contest versus Eden Prairie Assembly of God. After the big winning streak, the team suffered a bit of a let down, losing to nemesis Living Word 26-18 before laying a big egg against over-matched Immanuel in a 7-3 loss. With a chance to avenge its week two loss to Life, the Warriors narrowly missed the opportunity, falling 15-14 in a great game.
After the three-game skid, the Warriors split their next two games, beating Wooddale 17-3 in a laugher before dropping the next game to Living Word 17-12, bringing their season record to 7-5. Living Word was just too much to handle in that game.
The next five games were all victories pushing Rez Life’s record to 12-5 and setting up a final-game showdown with 13-4 Living Word. The first game of the streak was a boring 10-4 over Pax and the second win was a controlled 18-12 victory over St. Andrew Red. In game 15 of the season, St. Andrew Blue again had to deal with early hot bats versus the Warriors and again the Warriors put 21 on the board to coast to a 21-2 win. EPAG provided another tough game the following week as Rez squeaked out an 8-4 win. The final game of the streak came against Wooddale and the team handled them easily again, winning 14-1 and completing the season three-game sweep by a margin of 40-5.
The final game of the year pitted the Warriors against their rivals from 06 who are clearly the most talented team in the league. It was a great game as the Warriors clung to a lead for most of the game only to lose in the 8th inning and end their season in defeat, at 12-6.
Next year Rez Life will have two teams to make amends with as Living Word swept the season-series 3-0 and Life beat the Warriors both times including the 12-0 shutout.
The team didn’t mash the ball as well this year as it has in years passed, but the bats were still very competitive. Four Rez Life hitters managed to post averages over .600 with another two players reaching the .600 plateau in on base percentage. The team slugging percentage was down quite a bit this year, but still sat right at .800 for the season.
The big boppers this year were Austin Colby, Brendan Finn and Chris Burr. Austin had 11 homers to go along with his team-high 13 doubles while Finn finished with 9 doubles and 6 homeruns. Chris added 6 doubles and finished second on the team with his 7 homers. Both Jeff Johnson and newcomer Jamy Antoine added three homeruns each.
What this year’s team lacked in offensive prowess, it more than made up for it with its defensive intensity. 2007 marked the finest defensive year that Rez Life has had during my tenure on the team. Hands down. The infield was outstanding, led by the trio of AJ Larson, Austin, and Lee Valle. Jeff was very good in his first season at first base and with another year under his belt he’ll be that much better next season. AJ finished the year with a fielding percentage over 92% which is top-notch for infielders. He handled a lot of the shortstop duties as well when Austin was paroling the outfield. Lee had a very solid year at the hot corner, having a hand in five double plays with a fielding percentage over 85%.
Jordan Schumack and Matt Shuster handled the majority of the battery duties and really got into a groove down the stretch.
The outfield was extremely solid as usual with Chris, Nick Larson and Finn being the three standards out there. Jon Engbrecht, Jamy, Eric and Austin all got some quality innings out there and contributed. By the end of the season Matt Hanson was chasing flyballs around and getting lots of innings in the grass as well.
The team finished in third place, down a notch from last year’s 2nd place finish and 12-5-1 record. In two years the Warriors have compiled a record of 24-11-1 with a 2nd and 3rd place finish to their credit. Next year, the team will take aim at the crown and look to knock off the previous years’ defending champions.
Congratulations to the team on another fun and successful season!
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Season Ends With a Split
The Rez Life Warriors finished up the regular season with a hard-fought split, winning the opener 14-1 over Wooddale and losing a heartbreaker 18-15 in 8 innings against Living Word. The victory against Wooddale marked the fifth in a row for Rez Life and put them in position to tie for second place with a win in the nightcap. However, Living Word came from behind and took its first lead in the top of the 8th and held on for the victory, pushing the Warriors into 3rd place with a final record of 12-6.
Game one wasn't close, as expected, and the Warriors rolled to the 13-run victory via 10-run rule after six innings. The team used two 5-run innings , the second and sixth, to open the game up and finish it off. Eight players had multiple hits with Eric Johnson and Austin Colby ripping out four apiece. Eric earned his first Player of the Game of the season with three runs scored, three RBI, a double and his second homerun of the year.
Things got going with one out in the top of the second inning as Eric singled and moved to second on AJ Larson's single. Chris Burr then deposited his first of two three-run homers on the day deep into the left-field trees to make it 3-0. Matt Hanson followed wtih a single and scooted home after Austin lined his 11th homerun of the season down the right-field line, making it 5-0.
Wooddale scored its only run of the game in the bottom half using two singles and taking advantage of a defensive miscue. The bats were silent again until the fourth when the Warriors added two more on three hits. Matt Hanson singled and went to third on Austin's double. After an out, Jordan Schumack ripped a two-RBI single to push the lead to six, 7-1 Rez.
Jordan worked himself out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the fourth by striking out consecutive batters to end the inning. The offense responded with two more runs. This time, Lee Valle started things with a triple and jogged home on Eric's two-run shot.
In the top of the sixth, the Warriors put an exclamation point on their victory with five more runs. Jordan and Jamy Antoine singled to start the inning and both runners scored on a wild throw from the shortstop on Jeff Johnson's grounder. With Jeff at second, Lee singled and Eric followed with an RBI-single to score Jeff. A forceout cut down Lee at third for the first out and then Chris singled to plate Eric, making it 13-1 Rez. Another grounder provided the second out and Austin capped the scoring with a run-scoring double off the wall.
The defense was very good in the game, with Lee recording five putouts at third base to go along with his one assist.
Game two promised to be a barn-burner as the two most talented teams faced off for second place. Living Word, sporting its full lineup, was the most formidable team in the league all year. Living Word beat Rez 26-18 in a slugfest in the first meeting and handled the Warriors 17-12 in a game that saw the Warriors twice come back from 10+ run deficits. This game went the other way as Rez had leads of 7-0, 11-4 and 14-12 before falling in the extra frame.
The end of the seventh inning was controversial but the Warriors had the perfect opportunity to end the game and failed to do so.
Things started well as the offense exploded for seven runs in the top of the first inning. Lee led off with a single and Austin followed with a single out of the two-hole. Chris popped up for the first out but the shortstop fired the ball to the pitcher who couldn't handle the throw and the ball went out of play, allowing the runners to advance one base. AJ singled which plated Lee and moved Austin to third. Eric then popped foul but the shortstop's momentum carried him out of play, allowing Austin to score and move AJ to second. Jamy then singled to score AJ and make it 3-0 with two outs. Jordan followed with a double that scored Jamy and Matt Shuster singled to push Jordan to third. Jeff delivered the big blow launching a three-run homer to make it 7-0.
Living Word answered with four runs in the bottom half using two singles and a three-run homer to start its scoring. With two outs, two singles sandwiched a walk to plate the fourth run.
In the second, the top of the order produced again. Lee and Austin singled back-to-back and Chris drilled a three-run homer to center giving the Warriors a 10-4 advantage. AJ singled and Eric doubled to plate him making it 11-4. Still with no outs, Jamy walked to make it first and second. However, three straight pop-ups ended the inning.
The defense held strong versus Living Word's bottom half of the order, keeping them off the scoreboard. The first two batters singled, but Lee made a very nice unassisted double-play at third for the first two outs and Chris snagged a flyball to end the inning.
A two-out double from Austin in the third inning was wasted and Living Word bounced back with three runs in the bottom half making it a four-run game, 11-7. Living Word used four hits and a sacrifice fly to score the three runs.
Leading 11-7, the Warriors managed one more run in the fourth after AJ led off with a triple to right. Eric singled to score AJ but a popout and back-to-back grounders capped the frame, 12-7.
Living Word had its biggest inning tying the game with five runs in the bottom half. An error started the inning and after a pop-up Living Word drilled a two-run homer to make 12-9 with one out. A single, walk and a two-out three-run homer tied the game.
In the fifth, the Warriors were shutout again wasting a lead-off walk from Jeff. Thankfully, the defense held ground in the bottom half, keeping Living Word off the books also.
Chris started the sixth with a single and moved to second on AJ's walk. Eric Johnson lined his third hit of the game to score Chris and after a flyball advanced AJ to third, Jordan lined one to left that allowed AJ to score making it 14-12.
With just two minutes left on the game clock, Living Word came to bat in the bottom of the sixth. For the first time all season, the Warriors actually wanted the game to end via time limit but because of three straight slick catches from Austin and Chris in the outfield, the inning lasted just 100 seconds leaving enough time for the umpire to call the "flip/flop" rule letting Living Word bat to start the seventh inning. With its stud hitter due on deck and most likely going to hit the team's fourth and final homer, Living Word's three-hitter came through with a huge lead-off single. As estimated, the Living Word four-hitter hit a ball over the grass and the first parking lot to tie the game at 14. However, the good thing was that any additional homers would result in an out. After another single, the next three batters went down quietly, leaving the score tied at 14 with the Warriors coming to bat in the bottom of the seventh.
With the 9 and 10 hitters coming up, things couldn't have started better for Rez Life. Jeff walked on three pitches to open the inning and Matt Hanson lined a single to center on the next pitch. Unfortunately, the liner looked a little deceiving off the bat so Jeff had to hold up for just a split second and the left-center fielder was able to field the ball and gun to second to nail Jeff by a step for a forceout. However, Lee came through out of the lead-off spot with a single to put two on for Austin and Chris. The Warriors were feeling pretty good about their chances. After a short infield conference, Living Word chose to pitch to Austin, mainly because Chris was waiting on deck. With a deepened outfield, Austin drilled one to deep left-center only to have it caught by the left-center fielder. Living Word then pitched very carefully to Chris and threw the final ball over his head to ensure that he didn't swing, loading the bases for AJ with two outs. AJ was perfect on the night thus far, 3-3 with a walk and he laced the 1-1 pitch back up the middle. The pitcher stabbed it as he fell towards first base. The first baseman thought the ball would get by so he hadn't covered first and a footrace was on. The pitcher had just 30 feet to run and AJ had 60 but the pitcher knew he'd have to hurry. He ran so hard that as he reached AJ just 5 feet in front of first, he was unable to slow down enough to tag AJ as AJ slammed on the brakes. AJ avoided the tag and touched first, seemingly ending the game, 15-14 Warriors. That wasn't the case according to the umpire. The umpire called AJ out, not having a good view of the play as AJ was running away from him at the time. Living Word was very grateful for the opportunity to play the one extra inning as evidenced by the smiling and laughing caught on film by the pitcher and shortstop.
In the extra frame, a runner starts on second with one out. The first batter singled to make it first and third with one out. The next batter hit a chopper down the line at third that Lee knocked down, holding the runner at third from scoring but loading the bases with still one out. The next hitter singled to score one run and give Living Word its first lead of the game, 15-14. The next batter grounded to AJ who forced a runner at second for the second out, but a second run scored making it 16-14 with runners on first and third and two outs. The next hitter delivered the back-breaker, lining a ball to the wall in right-center scoring the two runners making it 18-14. Thankfully, Jamy made a nice relay throw to Eric who gunned the batter at home saving another run.
The bottom of the eighth went quickly for Rez Life. AJ started on second with one out and Eric singled to score him and make it 18-15 with one out. The next two batters got out to end the game and the season for the Warriors.
AJ earned Player of the Game with his 3-4 performance with one walk and a triple. He scored a season-high five runs and narrowly missed ending the game in the bottom of the seventh.
Life captured the league crown with a final record of 15-3. Living Word finished second at 14-4 with the Warriors coming in third at 12-6. The team now regroups and plays the Bloomington Assembly of God tournament this Saturday before calling it a season and re-tooling for next year.
Game one wasn't close, as expected, and the Warriors rolled to the 13-run victory via 10-run rule after six innings. The team used two 5-run innings , the second and sixth, to open the game up and finish it off. Eight players had multiple hits with Eric Johnson and Austin Colby ripping out four apiece. Eric earned his first Player of the Game of the season with three runs scored, three RBI, a double and his second homerun of the year.
Things got going with one out in the top of the second inning as Eric singled and moved to second on AJ Larson's single. Chris Burr then deposited his first of two three-run homers on the day deep into the left-field trees to make it 3-0. Matt Hanson followed wtih a single and scooted home after Austin lined his 11th homerun of the season down the right-field line, making it 5-0.
Wooddale scored its only run of the game in the bottom half using two singles and taking advantage of a defensive miscue. The bats were silent again until the fourth when the Warriors added two more on three hits. Matt Hanson singled and went to third on Austin's double. After an out, Jordan Schumack ripped a two-RBI single to push the lead to six, 7-1 Rez.
Jordan worked himself out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the fourth by striking out consecutive batters to end the inning. The offense responded with two more runs. This time, Lee Valle started things with a triple and jogged home on Eric's two-run shot.
In the top of the sixth, the Warriors put an exclamation point on their victory with five more runs. Jordan and Jamy Antoine singled to start the inning and both runners scored on a wild throw from the shortstop on Jeff Johnson's grounder. With Jeff at second, Lee singled and Eric followed with an RBI-single to score Jeff. A forceout cut down Lee at third for the first out and then Chris singled to plate Eric, making it 13-1 Rez. Another grounder provided the second out and Austin capped the scoring with a run-scoring double off the wall.
The defense was very good in the game, with Lee recording five putouts at third base to go along with his one assist.
Game two promised to be a barn-burner as the two most talented teams faced off for second place. Living Word, sporting its full lineup, was the most formidable team in the league all year. Living Word beat Rez 26-18 in a slugfest in the first meeting and handled the Warriors 17-12 in a game that saw the Warriors twice come back from 10+ run deficits. This game went the other way as Rez had leads of 7-0, 11-4 and 14-12 before falling in the extra frame.
The end of the seventh inning was controversial but the Warriors had the perfect opportunity to end the game and failed to do so.
Things started well as the offense exploded for seven runs in the top of the first inning. Lee led off with a single and Austin followed with a single out of the two-hole. Chris popped up for the first out but the shortstop fired the ball to the pitcher who couldn't handle the throw and the ball went out of play, allowing the runners to advance one base. AJ singled which plated Lee and moved Austin to third. Eric then popped foul but the shortstop's momentum carried him out of play, allowing Austin to score and move AJ to second. Jamy then singled to score AJ and make it 3-0 with two outs. Jordan followed with a double that scored Jamy and Matt Shuster singled to push Jordan to third. Jeff delivered the big blow launching a three-run homer to make it 7-0.
Living Word answered with four runs in the bottom half using two singles and a three-run homer to start its scoring. With two outs, two singles sandwiched a walk to plate the fourth run.
In the second, the top of the order produced again. Lee and Austin singled back-to-back and Chris drilled a three-run homer to center giving the Warriors a 10-4 advantage. AJ singled and Eric doubled to plate him making it 11-4. Still with no outs, Jamy walked to make it first and second. However, three straight pop-ups ended the inning.
The defense held strong versus Living Word's bottom half of the order, keeping them off the scoreboard. The first two batters singled, but Lee made a very nice unassisted double-play at third for the first two outs and Chris snagged a flyball to end the inning.
A two-out double from Austin in the third inning was wasted and Living Word bounced back with three runs in the bottom half making it a four-run game, 11-7. Living Word used four hits and a sacrifice fly to score the three runs.
Leading 11-7, the Warriors managed one more run in the fourth after AJ led off with a triple to right. Eric singled to score AJ but a popout and back-to-back grounders capped the frame, 12-7.
Living Word had its biggest inning tying the game with five runs in the bottom half. An error started the inning and after a pop-up Living Word drilled a two-run homer to make 12-9 with one out. A single, walk and a two-out three-run homer tied the game.
In the fifth, the Warriors were shutout again wasting a lead-off walk from Jeff. Thankfully, the defense held ground in the bottom half, keeping Living Word off the books also.
Chris started the sixth with a single and moved to second on AJ's walk. Eric Johnson lined his third hit of the game to score Chris and after a flyball advanced AJ to third, Jordan lined one to left that allowed AJ to score making it 14-12.
With just two minutes left on the game clock, Living Word came to bat in the bottom of the sixth. For the first time all season, the Warriors actually wanted the game to end via time limit but because of three straight slick catches from Austin and Chris in the outfield, the inning lasted just 100 seconds leaving enough time for the umpire to call the "flip/flop" rule letting Living Word bat to start the seventh inning. With its stud hitter due on deck and most likely going to hit the team's fourth and final homer, Living Word's three-hitter came through with a huge lead-off single. As estimated, the Living Word four-hitter hit a ball over the grass and the first parking lot to tie the game at 14. However, the good thing was that any additional homers would result in an out. After another single, the next three batters went down quietly, leaving the score tied at 14 with the Warriors coming to bat in the bottom of the seventh.
With the 9 and 10 hitters coming up, things couldn't have started better for Rez Life. Jeff walked on three pitches to open the inning and Matt Hanson lined a single to center on the next pitch. Unfortunately, the liner looked a little deceiving off the bat so Jeff had to hold up for just a split second and the left-center fielder was able to field the ball and gun to second to nail Jeff by a step for a forceout. However, Lee came through out of the lead-off spot with a single to put two on for Austin and Chris. The Warriors were feeling pretty good about their chances. After a short infield conference, Living Word chose to pitch to Austin, mainly because Chris was waiting on deck. With a deepened outfield, Austin drilled one to deep left-center only to have it caught by the left-center fielder. Living Word then pitched very carefully to Chris and threw the final ball over his head to ensure that he didn't swing, loading the bases for AJ with two outs. AJ was perfect on the night thus far, 3-3 with a walk and he laced the 1-1 pitch back up the middle. The pitcher stabbed it as he fell towards first base. The first baseman thought the ball would get by so he hadn't covered first and a footrace was on. The pitcher had just 30 feet to run and AJ had 60 but the pitcher knew he'd have to hurry. He ran so hard that as he reached AJ just 5 feet in front of first, he was unable to slow down enough to tag AJ as AJ slammed on the brakes. AJ avoided the tag and touched first, seemingly ending the game, 15-14 Warriors. That wasn't the case according to the umpire. The umpire called AJ out, not having a good view of the play as AJ was running away from him at the time. Living Word was very grateful for the opportunity to play the one extra inning as evidenced by the smiling and laughing caught on film by the pitcher and shortstop.
In the extra frame, a runner starts on second with one out. The first batter singled to make it first and third with one out. The next batter hit a chopper down the line at third that Lee knocked down, holding the runner at third from scoring but loading the bases with still one out. The next hitter singled to score one run and give Living Word its first lead of the game, 15-14. The next batter grounded to AJ who forced a runner at second for the second out, but a second run scored making it 16-14 with runners on first and third and two outs. The next hitter delivered the back-breaker, lining a ball to the wall in right-center scoring the two runners making it 18-14. Thankfully, Jamy made a nice relay throw to Eric who gunned the batter at home saving another run.
The bottom of the eighth went quickly for Rez Life. AJ started on second with one out and Eric singled to score him and make it 18-15 with one out. The next two batters got out to end the game and the season for the Warriors.
AJ earned Player of the Game with his 3-4 performance with one walk and a triple. He scored a season-high five runs and narrowly missed ending the game in the bottom of the seventh.
Life captured the league crown with a final record of 15-3. Living Word finished second at 14-4 with the Warriors coming in third at 12-6. The team now regroups and plays the Bloomington Assembly of God tournament this Saturday before calling it a season and re-tooling for next year.
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