The Resurrection Life Warriors took the field after two weeks off, thanks to some more inclement weather. Apparently the extra rest was just what the doctors ordered as the team matched its season high with 24 runs in a 24-9 drilling of Eden Prairie Assembly of God.
The team banged out 25 hits in six innings, but also managed to reach base another seven times, drawing three walks and taking advantage of four miscues in the field. Rez Life also ripped 12 extra-base hits to match a Rez Life Eden Prairie League team-high set in June of 2006. The team record for extra base hits is 15 which dates back to a game in July of 2003 in which the Warriors mashed 10 homeruns, back in the days of no homerun limits and the ever-forgiving Miken Ultra II.
Austin Colby earned his second Player of the Game honors, doing his part in helping to break in the new Freak Plus. He finished the game 5-5 with a walk, including one double, two triples and two homeruns, one a towering three-run shot into the trees to cap the night's scoring.
Another new-look lineup took to bat to start the game and after a lineout to start things Austin hit a hard, sinking liner to left-center that got all the way to fence which allowed him to hustle home for a quick 1-0 lead. After another out, Eric Johnson laced his first of five hits, a double off the wall in left and jogged home easily as Jason Merritt launched a double to right-center.
The Warrior defense was perfect in the bottom of the first facing the minimum of three batters. After a lead-off walk, Andy Briggs and Eric turned a smooth doubleplay up the middle, 4-6-3 style. A nice snag on a liner to Jason in left ended the inning.
Rez increased its lead to 8-0 after the top of the second inning with seven hits and one EPAG error. With two outs and just Andy on first after a single, the bats came to life. Jordan Schumack singled to put runners at first and second for Austin who smoked his first triple to right-field to plate both runners. Lee Valle then singled to score Austin and Eric singled to put two on for Jason. Jason hit a hard grounder to the shortstop who watched it roll between his legs, allowing Lee to score to make it 6-0. Still with two outs, John Wooten lined a single to plate Eric and Jamy Antoine followed with another single to socre Jason and make it 8-0 after one and half innings.
The Rez Life defense faltered early in the second inning as the first man reached on an error at short and Austin misplayed a deep fly into a double to put a runner at second with one run in and no outs. The Warriors caught a break with the next batter who lined a single to left-field but Jason came up firing and nailed the runner from second base who froze as the liner left the bat. With one out, EPAG poked three straight singles to plate one more run and load the bases. Big John made a nice play on a roller in front of home plate, hustling out to grab it and then stepping on home for the second out. The final batter hit a hard one-hopper to Eric who made a nice hip-pocket play and tossed to Andy at second for the final out, leaving the bases loaded.
Up 8-2, Rez put another six-spot on the board to go up 14-2 in the third. With one out, Jordan singled and sprinted home on Austin's second triple. Lee lifted a fly ball to right-center for a would-be sacrifice fly, but the fielder dropped it allowing Lee to reach as Austin scored. Eric singled again to put two on for Jason. Jason lifted another fly ball to the right-center fielder who again dropped it loading the bases with one out. After a foul-out for out number two, Jamy roped a ball to dead center which plated all three runs, after good base-running from Jason. Andy kept his new-found hot bat going with a nice double to right field which scored Jamy, but Andy got caught rounding second and was picked off at the base for the third out.
EPAG wouldn't go away, clawing back with four runs of its own in the bottom of the third to make it 14-6. EPAG went single, single, three-run homer off the top of the fence - the second time this season that has happened to Rez Life - to start the inning. After an out, two more singles and two walks allowed the final run of the inning to score before Jamy made a nice running catch to end the inning in right field.
The fourth inning was the quietest as Rez won the inning 1-0. With two outs in the top half, Austin walked and scored on Lee Valle's double. Eric singled to put runners on the corners with two outs, but a lineout to right ended the threat.
The defense flexed its 'bend-don't-break' philosophy once more in the bottom of the fourth, allowing two runners to reach before a fly ball ended the frame.
Now up 15-6 and facing a time-limit situation, the Warriors rushed their at bats in the top of the fifth and were shutout for the only time all game. After Big John reached on an error to start things, Andy singled with one out to make it first and second. Jon Engbrecht and Jordan both hit sharp grounders right at people for forceouts which ended the inning.
EPAG made it a close game with three runs in the bottom half by loading the bases with two walks and a single and then clearing them with a low liner to left which just got under Jason's outstretched glove for a double.
Knowing the sixth was the last inning, the Warrior bats were fired up and ready to pad their lead. Austin started things with a rope to left-center which he turned into a hustle-double by not stopping for a second coming out of the box. Lee singled to put two on for Eric who quickly launched his second double to score Austin and put guys at second and third with no outs for Jason. Jason lifted a sac fly to right-center to score Lee and Big John followed with a walk. Jamy singled for his third hit of the night to plate Eric and Andy exploded a ball off the wall in center to score Big John and Jamy, making it 20-9 with one out. Jon E. lined a single to score Andy and moved to second on Jordan's walk. Austin then officially got the Freak bat into action by lofting a deep-fly into the evergreens in left-field to make it 24-9. The final two batters both hit the ball hard, but right at the left-fielder. Eric missed his chance for his first career six-hit game by lining out to end the game.
EPAG was able to put two runners on in the bottom of the sixth, but not do anything with them so the game ended 24-9 Rez Life. The Rez Life defense stranded 12 EPAG runners in six innings. Impressive.
The victory gets Rez Life back on the right side of .500 at 4-3. EPAG suffered two losses on the day pushing its record to 4-3 also. The teams get to play each other one more time which could be a battle for third place.
Next week is a doubleheader for the Warriors with games at 5:50 and 6:50 versus St. Andrew Red and league-leader Living Word. Two wins would put the Warriors in position to capture second place and leave open the possibility of a league championship.
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