The Warriors from Resurrection Life needed a big finish to keep their winning streak alive in league play, and the bats came through, scoring eight runs in the final two frames to come from behind against second-place Wooddale last week.
Wooddale played a solid game defensively and just fell short after taking a one-run lead into the fifth inning. Rez mustered just ten hits and four runs in the first four innings against the tough Wooddale defense before breaking out with two hits and two runs in the fifth and six straight hits and runs to start the final inning.
Jeff Tenney earns Player of the Game laurels with two-run homers in the decisive fifth and sixth innings. Tenny finished with two hits, two runs and four rbi.
Jason Merritt stayed hot with four more hits in four at bats. He now has 12 hits in his last 13 at bats and has seen his average go from .611 to .672 over that span. Adam Hey kept his hopes ofa .500 season alive with a 3-3 day at the plate, including a double. Austin Colby, Eric Johnson and Chris Burr all added two hits. Jamy Antoine, Andy Briggs, Jeff Johnson, and Jonathan Engbrecht had one hit apiece.
The Warriors looked to start things off well with singles from Jason and Austin to start the game. However, three straight flyouts ended the first inning with no runs crossing the plate.
Adam struggled to find his command in the first inning, walking four straight hitters, before settling down and only allowing one more run on a fielder's choice groundout.
Down 2-0 after one, Rez tied things up in the second frame. Jonathan ripped a two-run homer to plate Andy who had reached on a fielder's choice after Burr's lead-off single. Rez managed a double and single to put runners at second and third with two outs for Austin, but Austin weakly popped out to right to end the threat.
Adam found the groove in the second and Wooddale left two runners on without scoring. Rez took the lead with two more runs in the top of the third, taking advantage of a Wooddale error. With two outs and Eric having reached first on an error, Burr kep the inning alive with a single and Andy delivered the big blow, roping a double off the center-field wall scoring both runners.
Wooddale cut the lead to one using two hits in the bottom of the third. Up 4-3 going into the fourth, Rez failed to score, stranding Adam and Jason on the bases. Wooddale jumped at the chance and scored two of its own to grab a 5-4 lead after four innings. Wooddale singled twice and walked twice to push the runners across.
Trailing going into the fifth inning, Rez needed some runs to calm the nerves. Eric singled and with one swing Tenney put some wind back in the Warrior sails. He mashed a two-run job to deep left-center, giving Rez a 6-5 edge. Unfortunately, that was all the team could do, but the Warriors had the lead again going into the bottom of the fifth.
Rez went to its closer, Austin, on the mound and he delivered. With his much quicker pace and style, the Wooddale hitters were off balance a little went down without scoring, plus Rez got through Wooddale's top four hitters so they would not be coming back up in the sixth.
Heading into the final inning because of time constraints, Rez knew it needed some more breathing room. The bats heard the cry for help and complied vigilantly. Adam singled up the middle to start things and moved to third on Jason's double off the wall. Austin roped one to right to score both and moved to second on Jamy's single. Eric doubled to plate Austin and an error on the left-fielder allowed Jamy to score too. Tenney capped the rapid-style rally with another two-run blast, this one making it 12-5 with still no outs in the sixth. That was all Rez did in the sixth, but it was plenty as the Warrior defense made sure Wooddale couldn't do anything in the bottom half.
Wooddale doubled to start the sixth and Austin intentially walked the following hitter to set up a force out at any base. It was un-needed though as Jamy Antoine made a great diving catch on a sinking liner for the first out and then hopped up to make a throw to second base, where Andy made a great diving catch to double-up the runner for out number two. Just like that, and Wooddale's hopes were crushed. For good measure, Jamy followed that play up with another diving catch to end the game, this one going back and to his right in deep center-field. Great inning from Jamy.
The victory makes Rez just one game short of perfection, at 17-0. The final game will be against Immanuel at 8:50 on field #5 on Thursday. Immanuel has had one close game with Rez this year and comes into the game in third place. This game will also be the final tuneup for the Warriors before their all-day tournament on Saturday, August 1st at Lac Lavon fields in Burnsville.
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