Pitching, Defense, 4-1; Slugging, 16-10 Lead STAMPEDE Over SYAG

Oct. 10, 2009

Today's opener had the Pounder on the mound for Team STAMPEDE as they took on the SYAG Braves at Brady Park. Pounder settled in after the 1st inning when he gave up a leadoff walk, & an RBI double to the Braves cleanup hitter. Pounder's defense was sharp, and helped keep the Braves in check over his 4.1 innings of work. STAMPEDE defense played errorless ball and erased all SYAG threats, includinga one out 5th inning rally started by 2 bases on balls.

In the 5th, Matt relieved Nick S. with runners on second & third, one out. Matt registered a huge strikeout, then fielded a ball back to the box for the 3rd out... and no runs for the Braves. Matt was effective, retiring 5 of the 7 batters he faced as he earned his first save for Smithtown.

STAMPEDE bats managed only 4 hits for the game, with Matt the Bat's blast over the Brave CF's head (B 1st) driving in Salvatore (leadoff walk) & moving Anthony (also walked) to third. STAMEDE scoring in the 3rd again had Matt the Bat singling, and a second Smithtown run coming in on 2 SYAG miscues. To pad their lead slightly, Smithtown rallied for 2 runs after Jason got plunked in the hip, then stole 2nd & 3rd. Nick S. walked, & Connor N. drove Jason in with a groundout to short. Chris' single, & Joltin' Joe's RBI groundout to 3rd, ended the scoring... 4-1 STAMPEDE.

Game 2 was a whole different ball game. Anthony struggled with his control as he gave up one hit & 3 walks to set the SYAG rally in motion. When Smithtown's first inning defense committed 3 errors, the Braves were given a 4 run lead. Two more walks in the second inning looked like more trouble, but Anthony bore down to get a big strikeout, a fly out, & a grounder to 2B... no runs. After struggling to find the plate in the 3rd when ahead 6-4, Anthony was relieved by Nicholas, who got a quick strikeout, a groundout, then temporarily lost the plate himself before getting the third out. Now leading 10-6, SYAG totaled one single, six walks, and six runs as Smithtown committed another error to extend the inning.

Nicholas found his groove over the final 3 innings, facing the minimum 9 batters, despite walking the 5th inning leadoff batter --- & then picking him off of first base. He was backed by the customary solid STAMPEDE defense the rest of the way. The last 3 innings turned into a STAMPEDE slugfest as number 3 hitter, Matt (3-4, 3 RBI), & cleanup hitter Nicholas (3-3, BB, 2 RBI), led the Smithtown attack. Scoring 3 in the 4th, on 3 hits (Matt, Nicholas, Nicky T.) and 2 walks (Joe, Chris), the STAMPEDE pulled to within one run, 10-9. In the 5th, Pounder reached on an E6, and Connor N smashed a single to center to set the rally in motion. Chris' RBI groundout did the job to even the score at 10, & was followed by Joe's Texas-League RBI single to left to put the STAMPEDE ahead for good.

Smithtown put the game away in the 6th with Jason singling to set the table. After Hit Man Anthony was beaned, he and Jason worked steals, and were driven in by Matt the Bat's laser hit to RF. Nick the Stick lined a screamer down the LF line, and moved up with Matt to load the bases as Salvatore reached first on a bunt right down the 3B chalk line. Nick S. smoked a ball past the SYAG 2B to bring in the final 2 runs of the day for Team STAMPEDE.

The Smithtown squad showed their "never quit" attitude as they poured on 10 runs in the final 3 innings. By overcoming the 10-6 deficit, Smithtown extended their winning streak to 4 games... and counting.