Sara's Dad and Eric make a guest appearance in Game 11. (Wolan)

With only 7 players showing up before game time, the Vets once again faced the prospect of being short handed by game time. To avoid the forfeit, the Vets made some interesting moves. Sara’s dad, who happened to be at the game, agreed to come out of retirement and to play a game for the Vets. In addition, the Vets managed to round up a fan, seemly off the streets, to play left field. With 9 players, the forfeit was avoided and the game was on.

Summary

Game 10 matched the Vets against the challenging A-Bracket team, Always Growing. Though a competitive team, A.G. has been known to pull some sneaky things during game play, including adding an extra fielder and even changing their batting line-up mid-game. Regardless, A.G. had one advantage the Vets could not dispute: a 10-9 fielder advantage.

The Vets agreed to bat first as they tried to resolve batting and fielding placements on the fly. The Vets would strike first to take as early 2-0 lead, thanks to RBI singles from Devin and Nate.

Taking the mound for the Vets in the bottom half of the inning (as always,) was their veteran pitcher Rick Palma. Palma, who gave a strong performance in game 10 yielding just 7 runs over 6 inning, was looking to another great outing.

It became apparent early on that the Vets were looking for flash some leather in this game, as team captain Joelle made a terrific grab in center field to erase an extra base hit from the first batter. Later that inning, Palma would strikeout a batter in three pitches as he was caught looking at the third pitch. After one, the Vets were up 2-0.

Team Always Growing would battle back 3 runs in second. They might have gotten more if it weren’t for a diving catch near the fence in foul territory by Devin to record the third out. After 2, A.G was up 3-2.

Rick is in disbelief after scoring a hit on an extremely terrible fielding play by AG. (Wolan)

In the third inning, the Vets managed to string some hits together in hopes of making something happen. It started it a bizarre play near third: with runners on first an second, Palma hit a pop-up between second and third. Despite having two fielders within its vicinity, they allowed the ball to drop for a hit. As a bewildered Rick took first, A.G. then made a toss at third to try and get Devin out at third but couldn’t. It appeared that this botched play was intentional in hopes of getting the lead runner out at third. But it failed, loading the bases in the process.

With the bases loaded and one out, Sara’s Dad came to the plate and hit into a fielder’s choice to bring a run in. After Eric reloaded the bases, A-WOL came to the plate. He hit a ground ball into the infield, who then tried to get the “easy out” at first. But the speedy A-WOL out ran the throw by one and a half steps to bat in another run. Halfway through three, the score was 4-3, Vets.

A.G. would score 2 more runs in the third to take a 5-4 lead. But once again, the rally was limited thanks to the Vets’ defense, as Eric made a running behind the overhead catch in left field to rob the first batter of extra bases.

After blanking the Vets in the forth, A.G. batted in 4 more runs in their half of the inning. One run came under some controversy as a player “stole” home after the ball was thrown back to the pitcher. According to league rules, when the ball is back in the hands of the pitcher who is in the pitching circle, no runner can advance.

This argument was made mute after the next batter scored a hit, which would have allowed a runner on third to score anyways. A.G. was held from doing any more damage in the inning thanks to a line-drive snag by Devin at third. (Sounds familiar?) After 4, AG was up 9-4.

The Vets tried to get something going in the fifth, as A-WOL made a 2-out double to put runners on second and third. Joelle was unable to cash them as she grounded out near first.

The team looks on as Sara trys to get things going in the 6th. (Wolan)

Likewise in the sixth, the Vets threatened with the bases loaded with no outs. Jon, the lead runner, miscued a fly ball and was unable to tag up on a Nate fly ball to shallow center field. The next batter, Palma, hit a fly ball into left field. After tagging-up, Jon hesitated towards home plate and was easily tagged out near the plate to end the inning.

When asked about the play, Jon commented that his mindset was still in a state when he was at second. After Sara scored an outfield hit, the outfielder threw the ball at the pitcher who was not paying attention. As a result, it passed by him. A-WOL called Jon to third. However, Jon reexamined the situation and rejected A-WOL’s call. Had he listened, he would have been a dead duck at third. Like a play out of Peyton Manning playbook, it would appear that the “pass ball’ was intentional, as the catcher quickly fielded the ball and was ready to throw the ball to Jenn (from Ryan’s Landscaping fan) at third.

A.G. was unable to cash in any runs in the sixth either thanks the Vets defense. A-WOL lead the charge with a running basket catch in right field to retire the first batter. After an infield hit, putting a runner on first, the next batter made a shallow hit to left field. Eric made a running attempt at the ball but it bounced off his glove. He quickly made a toss to second to get the force out at second.

“That’s the first time I’ve seen a force out on any base after the ball was hit into the outfield” commented Palma after the play. “Get heads-up play.”

The next batter hit a ground ball to Nate at short who made a slick glove-only flip to Jon at second for the final out.

Down 9-4, the Vets hoped to stage a comeback in the seventh. Eric started the call with a one-out single. A-WOL followed with an infield single that saw Eric advancing to third: first on a bad toss to second and then a late throw to third. Joelle was able to cash-in Eric at third with a sac hit to first. Jon would follow with a walk to put runners on first and second. But Sara couldn’t keep the inning alive as she grounded out near first, ending the game.

Though the Vets lost, there is some encouraging news as the team readies for the playoffs.