MBC Hits Rock Bottom Against the Rush? Hope So

Horrible traffic, injured players, gloomy skies, five errors by the infield, bad calls, general lollygagging and silent bats; one or more of these bad things caused the MBC 16's to play their worst game.

Poor Andrew Helean  pitched his heart out scattering five hits and giving up just one earned run while his team lost 8-1. The evening started poorly and the game started slowly.  The Rush pushed a run across in the second on a lead off double, a sacrifice bunt (blown, again by the MBC defense trying to prove once again that bunts are kryptonite) and a documented blown call by the field umpire.  No kidding, he tried to end Coach Cougan's argument with these unwise words "Sorry Coach I blew the call, that's baseball".  Coach Cougan's agreement with his blown call, but disagreement with his inability to change the call almost ended with Coach Cougan's exit, thank you Coach Pelley for your calming influence.

But that point became moot as MBC kicked (booted is another word for it) the door open for the Rush with two, two out errors in the fourth inning to plate four runs.  To solidify the evening boots were displayed in the sixth inning to plate three more.

On the bright side, Robbie Dunbar and Adam Hinthorne managed to get hits and Adam even scored a run.

MBC Takes Care of Stars

In perhaps their best game of the year, MBC came out hitting on all cylinders to beat the 8-2 Seattle Stars 5-1.
Great pitching, solid defense and an offensive attack that spanned the entire line-up were keys to the game.

Stuart Fairchild threw four solid innings and was matched by Nick Salle for the last three. The team turned two double plays and the game even featured a diving catch (on a routine flyball) by super cool Nick Safka.

Dylan Vchulek led off with a single (on his way to a 3-4 night, with a triple) and after two walks to Adam Hinthorn and Stuart Fairchild he scored on a passed ball.  Quinn Burcham then hit a deep sac fly to right to score Adam and Robbie Dunbar notched a clutched two out single to score the third run.

In the third, Stuart Fairchild hit a bomb over the left fielder's head for a double and once again scored on a clutch two out single by Robbie.

In the fifth, Stuart legged out an infield single.  A speedy Keenan Heller was put in to run for Stuart and after a steal of second, Keenan scored when Nick Reeves clutched up for a two out single.

Four out of five of MBC's run were scored with two outs!!!

MBC Blanks Bellevue

MBC made quick work of Bellevue on Wednesday night.  Andrew Helean threw 6 1/3 scoreless innings striking out five with solid defense and the offense got to work quickly.

Dylan Vchulek starting things off with a single and moved to third on Nick Salle's single.  After Adam Hinthorne and Stuart Fairchild flew out it looked like the inning was over, but an errant pick-off at third went wild and Dylan scored on the overthrow.

While Andrew Helean held the Bellevue bats at bay MBC did what it has been doing too much of lately, threatened repeatedly without scoring, 

A lead off single and stolen base by Nick Reeves left him stranded in the second. Back to back hits by Nick Salle and Adam Hinthorne went for naught in the third.  Nick reached again in the fourth and was followed by a David Becker single to produce no runs. 

Finally in the fifth, Nick Safka led off with a single, but was thrown out pushing for two.  Dylan then truly hit a double and scored on Nick Salle's clutch RBI single.

Andrew tired some in the sixth and Nick Reeves came on to relieve.  With runners on first and second the Bellevue batter lined a shot up the middle.  Nick deflected the line drive and the ball ended up in shortstop Stuart Fairchild's glove for an easy double play, crisis averted.

Nick Safka came on to pitch a 1-2-3 seventh to bring victory to MBC.

MBC Shuts Out ZIPS

Needing a win big time, MBC travelled down to Puyallup on Monday night to battle the PBC Zips.  The bad news was the team bus only had room for ten players.  The Lakeside Honor Society boys quickly volunteered to remain at home to study for their finals. 

Stuart Fairchild took the mound and gave the Zips zip.  Stuart was on a roll  pitching  4 2/3 innings and yeilding but three hits.  Robbie Dunbar relieved in the fifth and threw one spectacular inning, but had to yield to Nick Salle with two outs in the sixth due to a mysterious hand injury.  Nick Salle got the third out and cruised through the seventh to keep the three pitcher shut-out.

MBC should have scored liked they were in Bend Oregon.  It was the night of the Rally Without the Tally.  MBC loaded the bases four times during the game and was blanked three times.

Fortunately MBC went to work early and held the lead all night.  Keenan reached first with one out in the first.  Stuart Fairchild followed with a hit and after a walk to Quinn Burcham and a strikeout the stage was set for Robbie Dunbar.  Robbie blooped in a single to score two and Nick Reeves followed with a single to make the score 3-0.

Nick Safka led off the fourth with a double and scored when Nick Salle scorched a ball up the middle. 

In the seventh Robbie Dunbar walked and was driven to third by Nick Safka's second hit of the night.  Finally, after having runners on third all night Tai Huff clutched up and scored Robbie with an infield out.

Having just ten players on the bus made for some interesting line-ups defensively.  Stuart Fairchild was limited in mobility from a nagging hamstring issue, Robbie had the mystery hand thing going on that no one could figure out and some thought had something to do with alien life forms taking refuge in his elbow (hey, it could happen) and in the sixth inning, while batting, a baseball was thrown through Keenan Heller's right foot.  It hobbled the boy pretty good.  Keenan rallied some but moved around like Walter Brennan on the Real McCoys show  (You Tube it you youngins) from long ago.

Laces Tie Up MBC

A hard hitting Laces team rolled into Magnolia and out hit MBC to take a 7-3 win. The Laces scored in the first, third and fifth inning, some on their own but mostly with help from MBC's errors.  It was a tough night to be a pitcher.

It was not a good night to be an MBC hitter either.  The Laces Aces struck out eleven of our hitters and help the team to just five hits; Dylan Vchulek, Nick Salle, Adam Hinthorne, Quinn Burcham and Nick Reeves.

MBC Is Skunked in Battle with Steelheads

Perhaps too tired from their weekend in Bend MBC came out flat against a strong Steelhead team on Wednesday night.  After scoring 94 runs in six games over three days MBC found nothing left in the tank.

The score was 8-0 but, and you gotta trust me on this one, it was closer than that.  After Nick Salle blanked the Steelheads in the first, Dylan Vchulek led off with a screaming line drive to right.  As an indication of how the night was to go, their right fielder made a fine running catch into the corner.  With two out the hot hitting Adam Hinthorne doubled, but again, as an indication of how the night was to turn out, he was picked off of second base.

The Steelheads scored one in the second on a two out single.  In the third the game got away from MBC.  Violating all rules of gentlemanly manners the Steelhead put on a bunt play with two runners on.  After MBC's obligatory error the bases were full. After a run was walked in Quinn Burcham came in to relieve.  A force at home kept the Steelheads at bay, but a long double scored three and the night was ruined.

Robbie Dunbar and Adam Hinthorne each had two hits and Dylan Vchulek, Nick Reeves, David Becker and Quinn added hits.

Bend it Like MBC!

What a great weekend.  The MBC 16’s stormed (literally) into Bend Oregon on Friday and proceeded to kick behinds and take names; the only sad news is that I have since lost my list.

Sadly, and to some disappointment, we soon discovered that not all of our weekend opponents were worthy adversaries.  They were good quality teams, but for some reason unknown to us, two younger teams decided that entering an older tournament might be good for them.  Someone gave them some bad advice.  It was not just our size to their size that made such a difference, but the real problem for them was team speed.  Their outfielders could not cover the ground needed for our gap shots and their infielders were not used to playing a game where every batter ran like Ichiro.

Coach Cougan was proud that his talk to the MBC players of showing respect and dignity to an opponent throughout the game was well heeded.  Against both of the younger opponents Coach Cougan was complimented by the class and spirit that MBC showed to their younger opponents.

MBC scored 94 runs in the tournament on torrid hitting.  MBC banged out 17 doubles 4 triples and 3 home runs.  MBC raced out to big leads early in each game.

Day ONE

In game one MBC saw its big lead disappear, but rallied for more runs and found the relief pitching needed to hold off Sho-Time to record their first victory.  This game was a warning of what happens when you let teams hang around, but as will be seen later it was not taken to heart at this point.

Game two was a blow-out with the highlights being Nick Reeve’s throwing a perfect game and Quinn Burcham launching a massive three run homer.

Day Two

Game three was an early morning (8:00 am) contest in which again MBC broke out with a big lead against a pretty good opponent.  Sitting idly on their lead (again) MBC saw this team come back within one run going into the seventh, and of course MBC was the visitor.  It was not pretty in the seventh as the Mongoose scored two runs to win without a hit. (and they only showed bunt once, but I guess that was enough Kryptonite to weaken the MBC defense, see past year’s woes and more woes about other teams bunting on us).

You never really want to play a team just after they lose a game they should have won, but the poor Salem Shamrock really had no other choice.  MBC took out an awful lot of frustration on the poor Shamrock team and launched ball after ball into outfield and made quick work of the Shamrocks

The shock of losing did nothing to dampen the spirits of the club.  The planned team dinner was great.  It was good for us all to get together, eat some wonderful food and enjoy each others company.  It did wonders to recover from the disappointment of losing earlier in the day.  Upon learning that we still made the final four AND that our first opponent in the Championship round would be the Mongoose sent everyone home with great anticipation for morning revenge.

Day Three

The Mongoose had NO chance against a resolved MBC bunch.  MBC jumped out with a two run first and the Mongoose did not like the look of Andrew Helean from the get go.  Andrew pounded the strike zone and limited the Mongoose to just three runs as MBC pounded their three pitchers for eighteen runs.  Revenge was sweet.

MBC basically turned in a repeat performance for the Championship game.  A fresh Robbie Dunbar Jr.* ate up the Bears and his team (with big help from his own bat) again blasted out eighteen runs.  This marked Coach Cougan’s first Championship in his eight years of coaching MBC baseball (and might finally shut up the critics who say he cannot win the big one)

The tournament drove home the point of just how valuable MBC's mid winter signing of Robbie Dunbar Jr.* was to the team. (*please remember that adding the Jr. to his name is contractually necessary).  Robbie hit .600 with two doubles and a triple and threw a complete game shut-out in the final game.  The current depth of our pitching staff was a wonderful luxury.  The ability to roll out a fresh strong starter after all teams had played five games was instrumental in capturing the tournament title.

Adam (Wee Man) Hinthorne went off big time in this tournament.  Adam hit .588 with three doubles and a triple and drove in 10 runs.  In addition he made his second mound appearance in as many years and brought home his second victory, this one a complete game.

Nick Safka hit .500 for the tourney with a big double.  He also pitched well in his only pitching appearance.  Nick was a valuable ally in assisting Coach Cougan sorting out the “Mechanical Pencil Caper” (MPC) as well, more on this later.

The mighty Quinn Burcham batted .462, and hit a massive home run and three doubles (but only got to second on one of them)  He also made a fine relief appearance in game one.

Stuart Fairchild continued his consistent (and powerful) ways.  Stuart hit .467 with just one double, but TWO home runs.  Stuart’s first home run left the yard so fast that Coach Cougan could hear it go by!

Tai Huff hit a strong .455 with a booming double.  Aside from being a top suspect (he was later cleared) in the MPC, Tai is fast becoming a favorite teammate.

Dylan (the blur) Vchulek (.429) made a strong case to remain at lead-off for the remainder of the season.  His disruptive speed, in front of the bats this team has, made an incredible impact in each game.  MBC was lucky enough to loose EVERY coin flip prior to each game to garner Visitor status.  The other teams were just playing into our hands as Dylan immediately shook up each pitcher and put the other team on edge thinking they had to make every play as fast as they could, thus forcing many errors throughout the game. Dylan also made a fantastic backhand play at second base early in the semi-final game to record the third out and save a run.

After the shock of our loss to the Mongoose, Coach Cougan received an even bigger shock and bigger loss.  His yellow mechanical pencil that he uses to record line-ups and keep track of things in general during the game was missing!  As any good detective could tell you, the suspect HAD to be someone who had access to the dugout during the game.  This made the rest of the coaching staff, and all the players’ suspects. Smeagle was dismissed because we were pretty sure he did not know what a pencil was due to his reliance on crayons in his kindergarten class.

Coach Cougan quickly cleared the coaching staff.  Their integrity and credibility are above question they promptly answered that, no they had not taken it.  

All players were told they were suspects early Monday morning.  They were told they would be questioned, and they were told that they had all better have a pretty good alibi for the 4^th inning of yesterday’s first game.

Most suspects were cleared.  Nick Safka did admit to liking mechanical pencils, using them and that his favorite color was yellow.

David Becker refused to give any direct answers without his lawyer present, which moved him up the short list.  Nick Salle reminded me that he was warming up in the bullpen with me during the disappearance. Jack Murphy denied being in Bend on Sunday and had five alibi witnesses that saw him in Mag Town during our 4^th inning.

Nick Reeves was evasive, his upper lip was sweating and he would not directly answer questions but I did notice he was twitching his head in Keenan’s direction. Kennan Heller broke down early in his questioning and confessed to be the culprit.  Oddly he could not explain how he did it, why he did it or even what the pencil looked like.  The authorities started to think that he may be just a serial confessor, but someone had to go down for it and it might as well be Keenan. 

Prior to calling the Bend Police on the way out of town, Coach Cougan found the pencil deep in his baseball bag as he was changing into his travel clothes.  This, luckily, kept the incident out of the papers and saved Keenan from doing prison time on Bend Oregon.