8/31/02

Playing in beautiful weather, the BSS Bruins split a doubleheader with the home team Mt. Pulaski Bruins, losing the seven inning opener 12-9 but taking the five inning second game 7-5.  

The first game was a see-saw, with the score changing from Mt. Pulaski being up 6-2 after two, and then BSS putting 8 runs on the board in the third to take the lead 9-7. Mt. Pulaski put up 5 more runs in the next two innings, coasting to the 12-9 win as BSS could only must 2 hits, but no runs in the last three innings.   Although BSS hit the ball, it always seemed to end up in a Mt. Pulaski glove.

Tom Newell took the loss despite pitching well. Five Bruins defensive errors and the good home team gloves shut the Bruins down. Hats off also to Newell who, as the Bruins lead-off batter this season, went 2-for-2 as well as reaching base twice on walks and once on an error, for a perfect 5-for-5 on-base average for the day.   Hats off to Trey Dhabalt who racked up his first hit of the season and reaching base on a walk. Jacob Wear, who replaced Newell on the mound in the very late innings, went 2-for-4 at the plate and also reached based on a fielders choice.   Hats off to Brooks Fortune who worked the Mt. Pulaski pitchers drawing two walks at his two at bats, one for a bases loaded RBI. Hats off to Casey Sheehan who went 2 for 4 at the plate with an RBI single in the Bruins big 3^rd inning. Hats off to Anton Katalinich who punched the ball at each of his at bats, but unfortunately the other Bruins player was standing in the way.  

From the defensive side, hats off to John VonBehren who made 3 unassisted put outs at first; Wear who snagged two flies to center field; Greg Larson who hauled in a pop at short and had a nice “6-3" out to end the nasty first inning. Hats off to Joey Huddleston who pulled in a pop fly to his 2^nd base position, an out that turned on Huddleston for game two. Lastly, hats off to David Wasser and Jack Duncan who in the 4^th inning with the bases loaded, tied up the Mt. Pulaski runner breaking from 3^rd to home, with Duncan making the tag.

After a short lunch and shade break, BSS took the field for game 2. Tired but determined, BSS fought Mt. Pulaski for four innings. Coming to bat at the top of the last inning, the score was 3-2 Mt. Pulaski.   BSS then came alive!! Wasser led off the inning, reaching 1^st base on a Mt. Pulaski error. Wear and Larson worked the Mt. Pulaski pitcher drawing back-to-back walks. With the bases loaded and one out, Jack Duncan punched a hit through the left side of the infield.  Joey Huddleston reached base on a 3^rd baseman’s error.  Anton Katalinich then hit one that the 1^st baseman couldn’t handle to keep the rally alive. Casey Sheehan then drove the ball up the middle.    The rally put BSS on top 7-3, hopefully sealing a win for Greg Larson who had started the game.   Mt. Pulaski came to bat at the bottom of the 5^th.   Five of their first six batters reached base, three on walks when the plate umpire would not give Larson an extra inch in his calls. With one out, the bases loaded and the score now 7-5, Wasser was called in to pitch in hopes that the ump would give us a different look. Wasser struck out the #7 batter and got the #8 batter to pop out to Huddleston at 2^nd, giving Greg Larson the win.