And then there were two.

100% Real Juice? More like 100% Strikeout Rate

ALISON RUTH, Sons of Pitches

Game 1: 100% Real Juice 10 || Sons of Pitches 0

We actually had spectators this week! Mike’s family was able to come out and watch us this past Sunday. We were so excited to have fans cheering us on!

100% Real Juice took the field as home team for the first match. We started off the game strong, with Johnny Shepherd earning a base hit right out of the gate. Unfortunately, that’s about as far as the Sons of Pitches got, as three strikeouts immediately followed and we ran back out to the field for defense.

Spencer Minder took to the mound to serve as the first line of defense against the incoming onslaught. The Juicers hit single after single straight into center field, and the SoPs found themselves unable to keep up. The Pitches were finally able to escape after allowing seven runs to slip through their fingers.

The next three innings innings were just as tragic for the SoPs, suffering under eight strikeouts and a “hard ground ball” out by Michael Burns (thanks for fudging the scorebook, Dan!). The Juice, on the other hand, popped a couple of home runs just beyond the reach of our outfielders, and mercied us after four.

As much as we SoPs don’t want to admit it, Juice pitcher Aaron Hunter threw a fabulous game. He hurled strikes left and right, racking up 11 strikeouts without giving up a single walk.

Johnny stomps on the plate after hitting a home run. The cheerleading squad stands by.

Game 2: 100% Real Juice 12 || Sons of Pitches 2

The SoPs took to the field as home team this time around, but the home field advantage didn’t prove to be too much help. Jonathan Stevens was on the mound and seemed to get a strikeout in the first, but it was called back because he somehow threw it at 71 mph. He didn’t think he could throw that fast, but he’s a #champion -- a true badge of honor.

The first inning ended up being a long one, but the Pitches managed to get out of it after surrendering only four runs. While the Pitches fared better against Juice starter Epo Olivarez, we still didn’t do too hot, making contact while unable to keep the ball in fair territory. Johnny struck out after a valiant battle at the plate, but then Spencer and Alison were both walked, giving the Pitches a golden opportunity. Two strikeouts in a row left them stranded on the bases. An all too familiar sight for this grisly Sunday defeat, unfortunately.

Johnny took over in relief after Jonathan allowed several walks. After a brief warmup, Johnny swiftly struck out a batter and then Jonathan tagged a runner at third for a mercifully short second inning. Johnny continued to carry the water in the offense half of the inning smacking a home run into deep right field and getting a run on the board.

In the third, the Pitches were able to hold the 100% back for a scoreless inning (we had almost forgotten what that was like!), but still found themselves down 6-1. Determined to jumpstart the offense, Mike made it all the way to second base after a throwing error. A base hit by Alison and a walk for Jonathan meant that the bases were ‘Juiced’ for the SoP offense to take advantage. But Epo knuckled down, and an unfortunate strikeout left all the runners stranded again.

The next two innings continued these difficult trends, and the game ended by mercy rule after five. Congrats to 100% Real Juice, and great season Sons of Pitches!

Juicers about to drop the hottest album of 2018.

Rough Seas: Washout sinks Cannonball

DAN RISH, West Coast Washout

Game 1: West Coast Washout 5 || Cannonball Coming 0

The West Coast Washout wasted little time jumping out to a 2-0 lead, as gutsy baserunning from Daniel Rish and Jeremy Salvo paid off in the first inning.  After the first, both Cannonball starter Paul Rogers and West Coast's Max Melendez settled into a groove, racking up strikeouts and stranding the odd baserunner.

Cannonball struggled to narrow the gap, unable to string any hits together.  Their comeback hopes took a huge hit in the fifth when Rish hit a two-out, three-run homer to give Melendez a 5-run cushion with only six outs left to get.  It was more than enough, and Melendez recorded the six-inning shutout to put the Washout on the cusp of advancing.

Rish went 3-4 for the winners.  Melendez allowed only two hits. Rogers limited walks to two, but the hits he allowed were untimely for Cannonball.

The Sons of Pitches are already prepping for the 2030 season. You can never start too early!

Game 2: Cannonball Coming 2 || West Coast Washout 1

Patrick Meagher took the mound for Cannonball Coming for just the second time since June 10th, where his only start saw him knocked around by Sons of Pitches.  He surrendered a first-inning run to the Washout as Jack Kineke stroked a two-out RBI single. Then the offenses took their leave, with Rish striking out most of the Cannonball batters, and Meagher returning the favor.

Down 1-0 with two outs in the fifth, Cannonball was in need of a big time hit.  They got it as Meagher doubled and Mike Tarantino rolled the dice, entertaining no thought of stopping as he rounded third.  Rish and Washout third baseman Andrew Winter were in hot pursuit with the ball. Tarantino's speed forced an errant throw from Winter, and the game was knotted at one.

Meagher stranded one Washout in the fifth and two in the sixth, sending the game into extras with two seasons in the balance.  A golden opportunity manifested for the Washout in the seventh, as Kineke singled and Austin Cudworth worked a walk. Kevin Tsuchida moved the runners over, giving the Washout two shots to walk it off and seal their advance. Melendez and Rish struck out on a total of seven pitches, and the chance was gone.

Cannonball summoned some more two out magic in the top of the seventh, with Karl Koch doubling to deep right field, a spot virtually undefended by the Washout alignment.  Meagher scored from first, tempting fate and inducing a wild throw from Rish near the pitcher's mound. The Washout did their darndest to keep it going in the bottom half of the frame, but again stranded two, as Cannonball stole the game and the momentum in the series.

Meagher and Rogers both recorded two hits, while Kineke went 4-5 to lead the Washout, and was also quadruple stranded.  Rish and Meagher had 22 and 20 strikeouts, respectively.

Steeeerike three! 

Game 3: West Coast Washout 8 || Cannonball Coming 0

The two Game 2 pitchers continued straight off after their eight-inning game, lest their arms cool down and not warm back up.  Rish and Meagher each allowed one run in three innings.

Rish allowed a two-out solo homer to Koch in the first.  Melendez made an attempt at a robbery, but like most Koch homers, the shot was a few feet too deep.  Down 1-0, the energy on the Washout sideline was low. It got turned around in the top of the second, when a Cudworth walk was followed by singles from Tsuchida and Kineke.  Aggressive baserunning was the story as Cudworth evened the score. Rish worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the following half-inning, getting Paul Rogers and Karl Koch consecutively on strikes. Meagher and Rish then traded perfect innings, and exited stage left as the Game 1 starters returned to the action.

The big blow came from the Washout's Andrew Winter, who smashed a three-run triple and then scored himself on a Kineke single.  Melendez wasn't initially quite as sharp as he was in the series opener, allowing the first two runners he faced aboard. Winter was once again key as he recorded the first out by tagging a contorting Koch on his way to third base.  That was the only jam Melendez would face, and the Washout picked up three more runs as they coasted to a victory.

Karl Koch went 3-6 for Cannonball in the contest, while the Washout were again led by a 4-5 Kineke.  Cannonball was hurt in their quest by playing Game 3 with only four fielders, which may have had something to do with the ten singles eked out by the Washout.

SERIES MVPs

West Coast Washout: JACK KINEKE, who went 9-14 at the plate on the day, earning the leadoff spot for the Washout midway through the series.  Two of his nine hits were doubles, and he batted in five.

Cannonball Coming: PATRICK MEAGHER, who allowed only two runs over 11 innings of work, six of which came with a short-handed defense.  He played a role in all of Cannonball's Game 2 offensive heroics as well.