Game #4 vs. East Bay Lookouts
Having lost the morning game to finish 3rd in their pool, the Outlaws were forced to come back for a late afternoon game against the Lookouts who also finished third in their pool. Sending Baily (Bingham) out to start the game, the Outlaws were hoping to finish on a positive note. Bailey started strong, retiring 3 in a row after allowing a leadoff single up the middle. The Outlaws used two walks and an RBI single by Trevor to take a 2-0 lead after one inning. While Bailey took the Lookouts down 1-2-3 in the 2nd and 3rd (3 Ks), the Outlaws scored 2 more in the 2nd and 2 more in the third to take a commanding 6-0 lead. In the 2nd, after the first two were retired, the Outlaws scored twice after two outs, the rally starting when Jordan reached on an error by the 2B. Cooper followed with triple down the right field line and Joe drove him in with yet another RBI single. In the third, after Trev led off with a LONG opposite field ground rule double, another run scored without the benefit of another hit but aided by two walks. The Lookouts did mount a rally in the top of the 4th, when a single, walk and double made it 6-2 with a runner on 3rd and no outs. after striking out the next batter, the defense stepped up to squash any thoughts of a big comeback. The next hitter hit the first pitch fairly deep to left for what looked to be an easy Sac Fly, but neophyte Outlaw LF Chris Clegg had other ideas. Showing perfect form, Chris got behind the ball, caught it with momentum, and released it immediately, throwing a strike to his cutoff man. The throw was so strong and accurate that the catcher, Jordan, was calling to let it come through to the plate. Bailey did cut it of though, and his relay to plate was just in time to complete the 7-1-2 double play to end the inning. One of those plays where everything has to be perfect to get the out: Everything was, and we did. The Outlaws pretty much put this one away in the bottom half, scoring 3 more times on 3 singles (Joe, Trevor, Greysen) and 2 walks. The Outlaws had 2 hits in 5th (Coop and Joe), but didn't score, and added one more in the 6th when Bailey scored after singles by Gresysen and Josh (RBI). On the other side, Bailey finished up a ridiculously solid 5 inning stint by retiring his last three batters after the first two batters reached to start the inning. His final line: 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 BB, and 6 Ks. After all of his hard work in the off-season, a real eye opening performance for "BayDog", something that can really help the Outlaws as we move forward. Chris came in to pitch the 6th, struggled, and was replaced by Josh, who put out the fire, retiring all three he faced including 2 strike outs. Final score: Outlaws win 10-5. Hitting Standouts: Joe Chalco 3-3, 2 R, and an RBI. Trevor Zscheile 3-4, Double, 3 R, and 2 RBIs. Greysen Pulsipher 2-4 with an RBI, and Cooper Renteria 2-3 with a 3B, run scored and an RBI. Also, Bailey had 2 BBs, 2 R, 2 RBI, and 2 SB.
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Game #3 vs. Nor Cal Sluggers
In a game where the final score didn't really reflect what was mostly a tightly contested game, the Nor Cal Sluggers beat the outlaws 7-0. Knowing the winner of this game would advance to bracket play on Monday, the Outlaws were again unable to come up with the big hit to potentially swing the tide. Again, the Sluggers came out true to their name, using a leadoff double to take a 1-0 lead in the top half of the 1st. They actually banged out 3 more singles after that, but had to settle for the one run when, with the bases loaded, Jack fielded a hot smash to his left, stepped on 3rd for the force and threw across the diamond to complete the inning ending double play. The boys got a baserunner in the second when Coop walked, but he was stranded at third to end the inning. The next three innings turned into a pitchers duel with Joe going 1-2-3 in the 2nd and third, and facing only 2 batters over the minimum over that three inning stretch. Unfortunately, the Sluggers' big lefty was up to the task, throwing a complete game shutout, allowing only 4 hits and striking out 10 (including striking out the side in the 3rd) on 122 pitches. The Outlaws did threaten with a 2 out rally in the second and had a second, potentially game changing rally snuffed out by what this "hot headed?" reporter thought was a horribly blown call at the plate in the bottom of the sixth. Trailing only 3-0 at the time, Joe led off with a single and was at 3B with one out and the heart of the order coming up. When Trev hit a comebacker, Joe broke for the plate and got around the catcher avoiding the tag with a textbook slide. As always seems to be the case at BLD, this "questionable" call came at a most critical time in the game. Instead of a 3-1 game with one out and Trev at first, it was still 3-0, two outs, and Trev at third. While its hard to say it would have made a difference given the dearth of timely hitting throughout the weekend, it sure would have been nice to see how things might have shaken out. Ultimately, it wasn't meant to be as the Sluggers, having tacked on single runs in the 5th and 5th to make it 3-0, added four in the 7th to take what little suspense there was out of it. The Sluggers outhit the Outlaws 13-4, but again, with 4 of those hits in first, and 5 in the last inning, it was a very tightly fought game in the middle innings before things got ugly at the end. Overall, not a great performance, but one were you have to tip your hat to the big lefty who was pretty much in command the whole way.
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Game #2 vs.Slammers
Coming back for a game they had to have in order to have a shot at making it to Monday, the Outlaws seemed to find the groove that seemed so elusive in the morning game. After Joe walked to lead-off the game, and Coop bunted him over to 2nd, he score on Trev's single to CF. "Trev Run" then proceeded to steal 2nd, 3rd, and home (on a double steal in 1st and 3rd scenario) to spot the good guys with a 2-0 lead after the top half. Josh, who was a game-time decision to start with a pinched nerve in his neck, gave up one unearned run in the first inning, but that was the last run the Slammers would score. Josh ended up his three innings with 3 hits allowed, 3 BBs, and 3 Ks. Coop allowed on hit and struck out two in one inning of relief, and Bingham foreshadowed his performance on Sunday with an 8 pitch 1-2-3 inning to close it out. Back on the offensive side, after going down in order in the 2nd, the Outlaws scored a single run in 3rd on a single by Jordan, and courtesy runner Chris (Clegg) eventually scoring on a wild pitch. The boys then blew this one wide open in the 4th, sending 12 men to the plate. Collecting 4 hits, and aided by 4 walks (including 2 w/bases loaded), the Outlaws scored 6 runs in the frame to take a commanding 9-1 lead. Two more walks and a double by Chris led to two more runs and a final score of 11-1 Outlaws. Offensively, the Outlaws ended up with 7 hits (Trev: 2 for 2, with a 2B) and added 8 BBs (Jarren: 2) and 6 SBs (Trev: 3). Oddly enough, the Slammers committed no errors while the Outlaws had 3 of their own.
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Game #1 vs. Concord Patriots
Unfortunately, the Outlaws came out of the gate slowly, and never recovered, dropping the opener 7-2. Looking a little sloppy, and quite frankly, a little low in the energy department early, a couple of 3 run innings early by this revamped Patriots team seemed to end this one before it ever got started. After Cooper walked and stole second to lead off the inning, he died there as the next three batters were retired. In the bottom half, the Patriots came out swinging; the leadoff hitter led off with a triple to deep right-center and two more hits let to a 3-0 defecit after one inning. The Outlaws loaded the bases right away with singles from Jarren (Meek) and Joe (Chalco) and a walk. Chance (La Chapelle) came through with a big hit into right field with a full count, driving in Jarren for the Outlaws first run of the season. Unfortunately, Joe, who had a great jump from second and never broke stride coming around third was thrown out at the plate on a perfect throw from the right fielder. The score after 1 and a half: 3-1 Concord. The Patriots struck again in the 2nd, scoring three more runs on four singles and a walk. Greysen came in to relieve Jonny (Loza), who struggled with command and seemed to be up in the zone throughout his abbreviated outing, Greysen threw the ball well considering he hadn't taken the mound in quite some time, keeping the Patriots scoreless in the 3rd and 4th innings. They did get to him again later in the game though, as they used many great at bats to coax 3 full-count walks to add to a base hit and an error, tallying 3 more runs in the bottom of the fifth. Overall, Greysen gave a workmanlike effort, throwing 88 pitches in his 3 1/3 innings to help the team avoid burning more pitchers in game one. Offensively, the Outlaws only scored once more, a lone run in the 4th. That run coming on a leadoff single by Jack, another single by Joe and a sac fly from Jonny on a great at bat, smoking a ball into right field w/two strikes, but right at the RF. In the end, the Outlaws were only out hit 8-6 (Joe 2 for 2), but the 8 walks issued and some shaky defense were the difference.
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