Although I am sad the season is over, I am glad we ended the way we did. I think if we lost again, and ended the season with three straight loses, many of us would be dissapointed with this year. However, people went back to their routines from the beginning of the year, such as walking down Historical Webb Ave, and goofing around before the game. Amazingly all of were out of our hitting slumps, highlighted by a tremdous hitting day for Ben Gray (4 for 4. 2 runs, 3 RBI's), and Matt Austin (2 for 2, 3 runs, RBI). Also keeping the Spartans from scoring was Jack Abel, pitching the best he has all year.
That loss to Clearview sure was a wake up call, well, actually no it wasn't, because we lost again. Ryan McCleery commented on the bus ride to Pennsville before the game, if we lose this is going to be a long bus ride home." Oh yes was. Jack Abel pitched beautifully for the first three only allowing 3 hits, 1 walk, and 6 k's. You might find it funny that they scored 5 runs off Jack, who pitched so well. The runs were scored on 4 straight errors, in one of the longest innings of the year. After that inning, Kogut came into pitch and although we feilded much better, we couldn't stop Pennsville from hitting. The freshman became discouraged, and bats were silent for the rest of the game.
Oh drat, we lost. It was bound to happen sooner or later, because very few of the greatest teams ever have gone a whole year undefeated. In fact, the only team that I have knowledge of going undefeated, is the dolphins. Maybe this loss was a good thing for us, a wake up call, so to speak. We started off the game with a three run lead. After that I think we got a little too confident. Between walks and cheap hits, they chipped away and eventually took the 8-5 lead. We just didn't hit today, and thats the reason we lost. Pitching for us us were Kogut, Abel, McCleery, and Redrow.
The Cougars should stay with hoeing rather than hitting. Through six innings they only had 3 hits, all in the first inning. Our team however, continued our torrid hitting. Highlighted by a Matt Austin triple, two doubles for Cale Shoemaker, and a bases loaded single for Benney "the Jet" Gray. And opposed to last game, we fielded the ball, making no errors. Again Cale Shoemaker pitched brilliantly, while Jack Abel came in and threw 3 strong innings to record his first save. The game aspect was very good, but I am a little worried about our fan fare. Of the people who were there, not many of them painted their faces or started the wave.
That's right, we tied. And yes it was a baseball game. You see in High School baseball, you can only play for 2 1/2 hours before they call the game. So our 10 inning, 3 hour long game, had to be called. This game saw many lead changes and ties. For the first 7, we were tied at 4, under the supreme pitching of Cale Shoemaker, who pitched 8 innings. In all of the extra innings, we went into the bottom of the inning with the lead. We hit when we had to, but unfortunately we didn't field when we had to. The extra innings was our worst fielding display of the year. We went into the top of the tenth with a 3 run lead and the momentum. Jack Abel started that innning, and John Kogut finished the game as they scored three runs, only to leave the bases loaded. In the words of some one smart, we played bad enough to lose, but hard enough to win.
After one of our worst hitting games on Thursday, we just knocked the ball silly today. In the words of commentator Mr. Douglas Stuart, "The panthers had their hitting shoes on today." This was our third 10 run rule, 5 inning game of the year, which means we can flat out play the game of baseball. The Woodies changed pitchers three times, and none of them could get us out. Hurling for Pitman was John Kogut, who pitched a complete game with no earned runs and a bunch of strike outs.
Although we won, everything went wrong today. First, the bus never showed up, so 14 of us large fellas piled into two cars. When we got there a half an hour late, the umpires were not there, so our coaches had to call the game. Pitman scored a bunch in the first and 6th innings, but were fairly quiet at the plate. Cale Shoemaker started and was followed by John Kogut, Jack Abel, and again John Kogut, who received the win. Also, while sitting on the bench, our players enjoyed pretzels donated by Mrs. Shoemaker and seeds from "Travel Size". They were delicous.
This was (in Mr. Rettig's words) the first time we had ever beaten G.C. The rats, I mean rams, (they are dirty too, after the game they said some words that cannot be expressed on this page to us, and we beat them up in a mini-rumble), weren't even that good, and they recruit. Their coaching is not very solid, for we had thrown out baserunner after baserunner for 5 outs. Dan Killeen knocked in two runs on his triple. Cale Shoemaker recorded the win, while Ryan McCleery came in and shut the door.
The panthers destroyed the river rats, I mean lions, in 5 innings. It was nice to beat these fellas becuase they beat us twice in basketball. Jack Abel controlled the game with a 1 hitter, throwing 10 K's and 1 walk. Everyone had a couple of RBI's and hits. The sidearm pitcher from Gloucester got shelled while allowing approximately 25 hits. Mike Stone turned a beautiful double play and John Kogut had a diving catch in the outfield. At the plate, Dan Killeen and Cale Shoemaker tripled.
This game was rediculous. The bulldogs got us in the first inning with all 5 of their runs and gave us a little scare. However, as soon as the Panthers got to bat it was all over. The bottom of the first was hightlighted by a record three-straight-triples by Brian Bonner, Cale Shoemaker, and Frank Redrow. The other pitcher got a little wild, walking 8 batters in a row. We scored so many runs that inning poeple were batting left-handed and striking out while trying not to walk. Everyone on our team probably had at least 2 hits and 2 runs so I won't mention any individuals. Shoemaker pitched the first and Kogut was untouchable throughout the rest of the game, allowing no runs.
In the Freshman team's opener, Pitman won a old-fashioned barnburner. Pitching for the fightin' freshman were Cale Shoemaker, Ryan McCleery, and Jack Abel. In the top of the 7th it was looking grim for us. We were down 7-5, when Zeb-man Zebrowski walked to start the inning. He scored on a monsterous triple by John Kogut, and travelsize Matt Myers suicide squeezed Kogut home. In the top of the 8th, Ryan McCleery started a 2 out rally with a single to left. He then stole second on an erant pick-off attempt. Then Mike Stone came through with a game winning RBI to knock in McCleery. Matt Austin led the game off with a homerun, and John Kogut had 3 hits.
