Warriors Split Twinbill

The Resurrection Life Warriors split a double header last night, dropping the first game to EPAG, 18-17, before bouncing back against Immanuel, 23-6, in the finale. The split puts Rez Life at 5-2 on the season.

EPAG proved that its early season record was no fluke as the entire lineup could bang the softball. Three different players hit homeruns and the team swatted 27 hits including six for extra bases. Rez Life just couldn't keep pace, trailing from the get-go and never able to get over the hump. Rez swung the bats okay with 20 hits with one triple and four homeruns.

The game ended in dramatic fashion as the Warriors had runners on first and third with one out and the meat of the order coming up trailing by two. However, the 3, 4, 5 hitters managed to produce just one run and the game ended 18-17 EPAG.

Rez started with a quick two in the first inning as Tim Jandro walked and came home on Austin Colby's sixth homerun of the season. After a single from Ryan Norman, back-to-back pop-outs ended the inning.

EPAG took the lead in the bottom of the first and didn't look back. EPAG scored five times on seven hits and hit one homerun.

In the top of the second, Rez added one more on walks from Jeff Johnson and Bryan Christensen and an rbi double from Logan Brincefield. EPAG stranded one runner in the bottom half to keep it at 5-3 after two innings.

Rez scored another one in top of the third as Austin singled and moved to third on Ryan's single. Ryan got caught between first and second on the throw back to the infield so Austin kept on running and scored as Ryan was tagged out on the bases. Another single from Jeff Tenney was stranded in the inning.

EPAG opened it up in the bottom of the third with five runs to make it 10-4. EPAG had six hits and smashed two homeruns in the inning to extend its lead.

Rez stormed back in the top of the fourth with six runs to tie the game. Jeff reached on an error to start the inning and moved to second on Aaron Beintema's single. After an out, Logan lined another double to bring home Jeff. With two on, Tim lofted a three-run homer to right-center to make it 10-8. After the second out, Ryan singled and jogged home on Tenney's two-run bomb center. Back-to-back singles from Eric Johnson and Adam Hey were stranded on the bases to end the inning.

EPAG didn't waste any time coming right back to snuff the rally scoring seven times in the bottom half to reclaim its lead, 17-10 through four innings. EPAG hit its final homerun in the inning and took advantage of Rez Life's only error of the game to plate three unearned runs.

However, the Warriors' bats weren't done and came out on fire again with another six-spot to make it 17-16 after four and half frames. Aaron tripled to start the inning and after walks from Bryan and Tim with one out loaded the bases for Austin, Austin deposited a grand slam over the right-field fence to cut the deficit to three, 17-14. Ryan singled and Tenney walked to keep things going and after a lineout for the second out, Adam singled to plate Ryan and Jeff singled to plate Tenney. With runners on the corners, Aaron lined out sharply to end the threat.

With the time limit looming, Rez needed to get out of the bottom half quickly. A lead-off triple didn't help, but after an infield single, good defense kept the inning short. A sacrifice flyout to Adam in right was the first out and after another single, a grounder to Tim forced out runner number two. a single loaded the bases but a liner snagged by Tenney at third ended the frame.

The Warriors needed two runs to keep playing and three to take the lead. With one out, Logan reached on an error and Tim singled to bring up Austin, Ryan and Tenney. Austin lined a single to plate Logan but Ryan and Tenney both missed and popped out back-to-back to end the game.

It was a barn-burner but Rez just missed. Austin earned his second Player of the Game of the season with four hits, three runs, seven rbi and two homeruns.

Game two saw the Rez Life bats come to life and stay alive the entire game. The team whacked out 27 hits including four doubles and four homeruns in just four innings. Aaron Beintema led the charge from the two-hole in the lineup with a perfect 4-4 game with four runs, an rbi and two doubles en route to Player of the Game honors.

In the top of the first, Adam singled and Aaron doubled to put runners at second and third. Ryan lined a single to score Adam for the game's first run. Jeff ripped a single to score Aaron and after an out, Tim hit a three-run homer to make it 5-0. Eric launched a double off the left-field wall but was thrown out at home after Austin's single to right-center. A hard-hit flyball ended the inning.

Immanuel scored three runs in the bottom half to keep it close initially, using four hits, a walk and a sac fly. However, that lead would expand quickly.

In the second frame, Adam and Aaron again set the table for the middle of the order with singles. Ryan delivered an rbi single and Jeff hit into a forceout that scored Aaron to make it 7-3. With two outs, Tenney crushed a homerun to center to cap the inning's scoring.

After a quick one, two, three bottom half, the Warriors came out smoking in the third with ten runs to put the game away. Austin, Logan and Bryan singled to load the bases for the top of the order and Adam plated one run on a forceout and Aaron plated another on a single. Ryan reached on an error which allowed another run to score to make it 12-3 Rez Life. Jeff singled to load them up for Tenney who hit one into the night nearly landing on the road for a monstrous grand slam. Now 16-3, the Warriors weren't done yet. Tim and Eric singled and Austin took a shot to left-center over the fence for a three-run homerun and a 19-3 Rez Life lead. Logan singled after him, but the next two guys got out to end the inning.

Immanuel saved a little grace by scoring three runs in the bottom half on five hits and the lone Rez Life error. Heading into the final frame, Rez was up 19-6 and added a few more to end the game via 15-run mercy rule.

Aaron doubled for his fourth hit of the game and scored on Ryan's third hit. After a lineout, Tenney reached on an error after nearly decapitating Ryan on first base with a line-drive foul ball. Tim doubled to score Ryan and Eric lofted a sac fly to score Tenney. Austin switched to lefty and lined a single up the middle and Logan roped a single to plate Tim and end the scoring at 23.

Immanuel had two hits in the bottom half, but three fly outs ended the game, 23-6 Warriors.

The Warriors will still be in third place with losses to the two teams in front of them. That means that although they trail by just one game in the loss column, they actually trail by two because they would lose the tie-breaker. Next week will a bitter-sweet game as the Warriors play Redeemer Bible at 8:50 on field 4, facing some good friends and former teammates for the first time.