It was a relatively low scoring affair, but tempers were still running high in Storm’s matchup with Hanet on Tuesday night.
In the first two innings Lance provided nearly all of the offence for Storm launching a two run homer in the first and a grand slam in the second. He accounted for six of the first seven runs Storm scored, and actually single handedly produced enough runs to win the game as Hanet only managed five runs all night. Storm would have another big inning in the fourth, scoring five runs on a sequence of singles, and they would hold on to win 14-5.
There were a number of interesting plays throughout the game though.
The infield fly rule is a rule that is designed to protect the runners, though it protected the defence in a strange situation. Brad came up and popped the ball up the first baseline. With runners on first and second, it should have been called an infield fly. It wasn’t. The ball was then missed by Hanet’s pitcher, and it took a funny hop and landed harmlessly in foul territory. Except it wasn’t so harmless. Hanet complained that it should have been called an infield fly. They were right. It should have. But batters are also only called out on infield flies if the ball is fair. The ball was foul. The umpire compounded his first mistake like the interest on a mortgage and then retroactively called Brad out for an infield fly, which led to a whole lot of yelling on both sides of the ball. Brad was warned that he could get suspended and it would go on his permanent record, which was a terrifying thought. Eventually everyone calmed down and something else happened that inning, but it’s hard to remember what. What’s even more disappointing, is that nobody seemed to learn from their mistakes. Brad came up again with runners on first and second. It was like he was looking for a De Lorean to travel through time and erase his wrongdoings, except he doubled down on them by popping up to third base earning the nickname, Brad “it’s still in effect MacInfield fly.” Now if that wasn’t bad enough, it was the second straight infield fly that wasn’t called by the umpire.
Things go both ways, though, and Hanet had a runner leave early on a fly ball that wasn’t seen by the umpire, which was forgivable, but there was also a strange play at the plate where a ball hit the plate then hit the runner in the leg and rolled fair. Kevin picked up the ball and tagged the runner who was called out. The explanation was that the ball rolled fair, which means it was fair. However, since the ball hit the batters leg (which the ump clearly didn’t see) there are only two possible calls. Either the ball hit the batter in the batter’s box and the ball is foul, or the ball hit the batter in front of the batter’s box and the batter is out for coming into contact with the ball in fair territory. But neither of those are the explanation the umpire gave, and Hanet was nonplussed yet again.
Other interesting moments sprinkled throughout the game.
Sam was doubled off second on a line drive. This happened immediately after one of Brad’s infield flies. Sam now has to learn this baserunning Mantra.
I am Sam. Sam I am.
I will not run on a line drive.
I’ll stay right here to stay alive.
I think I know just what to do
I’ll only run if it gets through!
Lance started the game in dominant form with two home runs, but once Storm was plus two, he didn’t know what to do with himself, and popped out to the catcher.
Duran had been struggling (for Duran) with some light contact throughout the game. Before his last at bat, he warned Lance in the on-deck circle that he was going to try to pull the ball. Mills reminded him that we had no more home runs to hit, but he replied “I just want to hit the ball hard.” And he did. Hard over the fence for a home run out. Storm proved they are a full team and are not just a couple of big hitters as Storm won while Duran and Joey combined for only two hits in ten plate appearances.
On another note, Ken has now been a late scratch in consecutive games. Ken is no longer on a sign out basis. He is now signed out and must sign in if he wants to play.
Storm 14 - Hanet 5
Boxscore | ||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Total |
Broadway | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
Storm | 2 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | x | 14 |
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