STAMPEDE Streak Hits 6 With Wild No-Hitter

Oct. 18, 2009

Looking out over the frozen tundra...

Fireman's field was the site for last night's Turf-twinbill under the lights between the LI Prospects and the Smithtown STAMPEDE. With game time temps around 40°, the STAMPEDE put 4 quick runs on the board in the 1st inning as the Prospect pitching allowed hits by Matt the Bat (2-4,2B) & Nick the Stick (2-3 BB, 2 RBI) to start the rally. Salvatore walked, as did the Pounder, Nick S., to force a run in. Connor N. stepped in & promptly rifled a single to right center scoring two more, with the 4th run scoring on the throw. Spotted to a 4-0 lead, Pounder took to the hill and struck out the side in the first. The STAMPEDE added another run in the 2nd on two more walks and Jason's ground out to second. Nick S. walked the first two Prospect batters in the 2nd, and was nicked for a run after three steals & a 4-3 ground out.

With 2 walks each to Nicky T. & Joltin' Joe, the 4 hit (Matt, Nicholas, Salvatore, Nick S.) 5th inning attack coupled with an RBI ground out by Chris made the score 11-3. While not surrendering any hits to the Prospects, Nick S. was relieved in the 5th as many defensive changes were made. Connor N., making his STAMPEDE pitching debut, issued a walk & got a 6-3 ground out to end the 5th inning.

The 6th was a troubling inning as 3 consecutive errors were made on sure outs, with 3 runs then scoring on WP/PB mix-ups and miscues. Joltin' Joe on in relief with 2 outs got an infield pop up that was allowed to fall, then hit a batter. With the score 12-8, and still no hits for the Prospects, Jason took the mound and ended the game with one pitch for the Save... a grounder to first.

In the 1st inning of game 2, Smithtown again rallied with 4 runs on Jason and Anthony's walks, Nicholas' ground out, and walks to Salvatore, Nick S., and Connor N. The STAMPEDE was hitless in the 1st inning, and remained that way until they registered 3 huge hits in the 6th. Matt was on the mound for Smithtown turning in 4 strong innings, with solid defense at his back. Two solid hits by the Prospects to start the game were nullified when 3B Anthony turned an unassisted DP after snaring a hot liner to his back-hand. The 2nd inning saw SS Nicholas field a ball up the middle and throw on the run to 1B Salvatore, who caught, turned, & fired to C Jason who blocked the plate perfectly on the bang-bang tag play.

Nicholas relieved Matt to start the 5th, and walked 3 straight batters after one out. A bases loaded safety squeeze was bare-handed by Nicholas to get the force at the plate for the 2nd out. A single and two more walks, allowed the score to be tied at 4 before the final out in the top of the 5th on a come-backer. Bottom 5, was rally time for Smithtown. Matt singled to right, and advanced to 2nd on a WP. Nicholas dug in & drove a ball toward the hole at SS, where Matt made contact with the fielder resulting in an out. Nicholas then stole second, and was driven in by a clutch double to RC by the Pounder for a 5-4 lead.

Nicholas came out in the 6th to nail it down, but the Prospects would not go quietly. A leadoff single, a walk, and two steals had runners on 2nd & 3rd with no outs. With the STAMPEDE infield playing in to protect the one run lead, out number one was recorded on a jam-shot pop-up to 2B. Jason, again playing in, fielded a hot grounder at 1B, then fired to C Anthony who planted himself to block the plate. The runner from 3rd was stone-walled a foot & a half from the plate as the tag was applied. The batter & runner advanced to 2nd & 3rd on the tag play with two outs. With the infield back, Nicholas fired a strike to the Prospects number 6 hitter. The hitter fouled off the 2nd pitch, before being frozen looking on a low and away fastball for strike three. The final three outs were played as professionally as could be to earn the 5-4 victory.

With 2 more wins, the STAMPEDE squad has now tallied 6 straight victories to improve their American division record to 6W & 3L.