Rez Wins Soaking Slugfest: 26-22

The Resurrection Life Warriors have opened the season with a couple of exciting victories after defeating a much improved St. Andrew Blue team 26-22 in the rain Thursday night.

Both teams swung the bats very well combining for 56 hits and 48 runs. A nine-man defense limited the Warriors in the field and five errors didn't help either. The Blue defense was solid though not spectacular.

Down a man, the Warriors won the toss but chose to hit first to delay playing short-handed defense as long as possible. The strategy paid off as the team rallied with two outs to push 10 runs on the board. Leadoff hitter Austin Colby started the game in embarrassing fashion hitting a lazy pop-out to third base...in foul territory. Adam Hey picked him up with a crisp single but Eric Johnson followed with a weak fly-out to left for the second out. With two outs, one on and none in the Warrior bats finally picked it up. Logan Brincefield roped a single to push Adam to second and Jeff Johnson followed with an impressive three-run homer to dead center, his first of the season. With the bases clear, Aaron Beintema started up again with a single and moved to second on Bryan Christensen's walk. Tim Jandro - making his Rez Life debut - followed with a deep bomb to center to clear the bases and give the Warriors a 6-0 lead.

Substitute Marty Wold lined a single to left and scampered home on Austin's triple to right-center. Adam laced his second single of the inning plating Austin to make it 8-0. Eric, like Austin, avoided two outs in one inning with a single and moved to second on the throw to third base. Logan capped a nice first inning with his second knock, bringing home Austin and Eric and staking Rez to a 10-0 lead after one at bat.

St. Andrew Blue responded in its half of the first with five runs. Blue displayed a very impressive offense, 100% improved from 2009. Blue swatted five hits and used two errors to plate the five runs.

Leading 10-5, Rez kept its foot on the gas and plated four more in the top of the second. Another two out rally made things happen for the Warriors in the second. With two outs and no one on base, Tim tripled to the gap in right-center. Marty followed with his second hit of the game to score Tim. Austin followed with an rbi double and scored on Adam's rbi triple. Eric doubled to end the rally with Rez up 14-5.

Blue's bats faltered in the bottom half of the second. The team rolled in into three outs sandwiched around one single.

Rez put one more run on the board in the top of the third inning to increase the lead to ten runs. Jeff launched his second homer of the game to start the inning. Aaron and Tim both singled but a pop-out and line-drive double-play ended the inning.

The Warrior defense again held steady in the third inning keeping Blue off the scoreboard. Blue hit two more grounders for outs and a fly-ball to center field.

In the top of the fourth inning Rez kept up the pressure with five more runs. Austin singled and Adam doubled to put runners on second and third with no outs. Eric roped one to bring home Austin. Logan followed with a single to plate Adam and make it 17-5. Jeff flew out for the first out and Aaron lofted a deep drive to the fence in right-center for a triple that plated Eric and Logan. Bryan hit a sharp grounder that scored Aaron increase the Warrior lead to 15 runs, 20-5 after three and half innings.

Blue got back on the board in the bottom of the fourth with two runs, starting the inning with a triple and a homerun to cut the lead to 13, 20-7. However, the team stranded two other runners on and Rez came to the plate with another chance to push the lead into mercy-rule territory.

In the top of the fifth, Rez scored two more runs to again go up by 15 runs, 22-7. Austin lined his second triple of the game to open the inning and scored on Adam's rbi groundout. Eric singled and moved to second on Logan's fourth single. Jeff drew a walk to load the bases for Aaron who into a force-out to plate Eric. Another sharp grounder ended the inning.

Blue now needed to score six runs to keep the game going. The bats answered that call and scored seven runs to make it 22-14. Blue had six hits and reached on one error to plate the seven runs. A two run-homer capped the scoring with just one out. Back-to-back strikeouts ended the inning.

After a short conference, the umpire allowed the game to keep going so the Warriors were able to bat one more time. The team took advantage scoring four more insurance runs for a game total of 26. Tim doubled to lead off the final inning, completing the cycle for him. after one out, Austin scored lined one to left for a double, but Tim had to hold up to make sure the ball dropped so he stopped at third. Adam quickly cleared the bases with a two-run single. Eric completed his impressive day swatting a two-run no-doubter to center to end the scoring. Two more singles were stranded but Rez felt comfortable with the twelve-run lead.

Blue, however, quickly erased that comfort in the bottom half of the inning. Blue didn't hit the ball as hard in the sixth inning, but the field was sufficiently sloppy and the defense couldn't catch a break. The first four batters reached base with three runs scoring before the first out of the inning. Three more singles and three more runs scored before a fine play in left by Adam secured the second out. After a single and a double plated two more runs to make it 26-22, Austin struck out the final batter to finally end the marathon slugfest.

Tim Jandro captured Player of the Game honors in his Warrior debut. Tim had a perfect 5-5 night with a cycle: one double, one triple and a three-run homer to go with a pair of singles.

As a team the Warriors had a great early-season showing. The bats swatted 33 hits including five doubles, five triples, and four homeruns.

The team faces another solid opponent next week in Wooddale Mercy Rules at 5:50 on field #2.