I love spring. Technically it's not spring yet, but I still love it. The brisk mornings. The birds chirping. The buds growing on the trees. I love it all. The best part though is the sound of aluminum ringing across campus from solid contact with a 90 mile per hour fastball. The semi-green grass growing in the diamond. The smell of hot dogs and (not here at GWU) beer. The cracking of peanuts under your shoes as you walk. The salty taste from seeds. Budweiser Presents blaring over the loud speakers. Little kids running all over the place playing catch and the serious scorekeeper focused intently on the game. Coke, popcorn, and cotton candy vendors walking up and down the rows.
Today marked the first day of the college baseball season. Gardner-Webb squared off against the Canisius Golden Griffin's from Buffalo, NY. The cold 35 degree start to this mid-afternoon contest seemed to give the Golden Griffin's a slight advantage as they had to travel through a snow storm. However, that advantage did not last long.
The Runnin' Bulldogs (1-0) lefty Brett Stackhouse came out on fire. Retiring the first three Griffins with ease throwing just 15 pitches. Not only was the pitching hot, but the bats came out golden as well. Thanks to an error at first on a squibbler to first followed by a single and a deep fly ball, Brock Miller scooted around to give the Bulldogs the lead.
That lead didn't last too long as Shane Wilson clobbered one to left center tying the game at one. Gardner-Webb didn't like that too much and decided to answer back. Kurt Fulginiti lead off the inning with a sharp single to left field followed by Tyler Johnsons single to left. Catcher Ty Boyles add a beautiful sacrifice bunt down the first base line to move both runners into scoring position. Finnaly brought in by John Ahearn's fielders choice to give Gardner-Webb the lead for good.
Gardner-Webb added a three run fourth and a six run seventh and failed to score a run in only the eighth inning. Big league prospect, Daniel Cook, led the way offensively for the Runnin' Bulldogs going four for four with a walk, homerun, three runs scored, and two RBI's. Bubby Spake and Ty Boyles added dingers for the Bulldogs, and Brock Miller went 3-5 with a triple, three runs, and an RBI.
Kevin Mahue led the way for the Golden Griffins (0-1) going 2-4 with two runs and two RBI's. Shane Wilson added a homer and an RBI. Brett Stockhouse improves to 1-0 on the season while Mike Goemans drops to 0-1.
The series continues tomorrow with a double header beginning at noon and then a game on Sunday at 1. The Golden Griffins will be have to stretch out their pitching as the starter the 84 pitches in just four innings, and his relief didn't do much better - 70 pitches in just 2 2/3 innings.
3 comments:
Dude. That was way too much baseball talk. We love ya anyway though!
Ok, that was Cathy talking.
You had all that at Gardner-Webb? I thought they barely had enough grass to grow in the medians there?
Nice description though. It actually made me long to watch a game. I commend you on your excellence in imagery portrayal. Everyone who read it had the smell of popcorn and grass swirling through their nostrils.
"Play Ball!"
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