Fond Memories of Kirkland and our First Seven Error Game

What a game. To quote Dickens "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." I seem to remember last year's efforts in Kirkland, and maybe it is something in the dirt, or air, or general surroundings, but we seem to hit the ball like crazy there, but play some sub-standard defense; remember last year's "snow-man in July" eight run inning debacle? But a win is a win, ain't it?

MBC won a barn burner 16-14. We had 18 hits, received 7 walks and gave up 7 hits, 6 walks and made 7 errors. But some of those errors were pretty tough chances, you know hanging onto a can of corn fly ball, and the other team made us both make a catch AND a throw, all on the same play! And if we were not having a difficult enough time with these challenges, some of us decided to run in front of our fellow team mates to add just a bit more of a degree of difficulty to the play. You would have thought John Peterson* was pitching for us, it was a circus out there!

The good news, our pitchers gritted it out and made pitches when they had to. We played an error less seventh and we mashed the ball like we never have before.

Mitchell Smith was unconcious at the plate, 4 for 5 with three doubles and 4 RBI. Tino is BACK!, 2 for 2 with 3RBI. Stuart was just being Stuart, 2 for 3 with two doubles. Quinn Burcham was huge with a 4 for 5 night, a double and 4 RBI AND he kept his streak of being thrown out at home alive with a gallant slowdown in the third. Russel Madche had a big night 2 for 3 with an RBI.

This game see sawed (mostly the wrong way) all night. We spotted them six runs, roared back with four, gave them one more, roared back with three, traded four run innings, and one run innings and finally scored three in the top of the seventh to grab the lead. Tino drove in the tying run and Quinn drove in the go ahead and the insurance.

A glazed eyed Stuart Fairchild, finally given a lead, staggered out for the seventh and taking no chances with his D, fanned two of three hitters and watched with great interest as Quin made a fantastic catch on a routine ball to right.



* John Peterson, a former pitcher to who we gave about 65% defensive support to in his one suffering year as a pitcher for MBC.