American Legion Post 8 (Team Wally) – 32
Glory Days Grill (Team Hill) – 19
If you were looking for a pitcher's duel on Field #2, you were definitely at the wrong field! What started as a back-and-forth hitting battle turned into an offensive explosion, with Team Wally putting on a ninth-inning performance that Team Hill would probably prefer to forget!
1st Inning – Let the Slugfest Begin!
Team Wally wasted absolutely no time getting things started. Rusty led off with a double, followed by singles from Rounds and Woodsby. DeLong ripped a triple, and then Doyle decided the ball needed a little sightseeing, launching a deep, DEEP shot for a home run! Five runs before Team Hill could catch its breath.
But Team Hill wasn't about to roll over. Johnston and Hill singled, Griffin brought in a run with a sacrifice fly, and Sully doubled. Gil and Jorge added singles, helping Team Hill answer with four runs.
Wally 5 – Hill 4. Game on!
2nd Inning – More of the Same!
Apparently, Team Wally hadn't gotten the hitting out of its system. Sensabaugh and BJ singled, Rusty delivered ANOTHER double, and Turchetta, Rounds, Woodsby, and Rabideau all joined the hit parade. Five more runs!
Team Hill responded with singles from Clos and Ed, Johnston reaching base, and a two-run triple from Hill.
3rd Inning – Wait, Somebody Found the Defense!
For the first time all morning, Team Hill's defense decided enough was enough. Doyle and Ernesto managed singles, but both were left stranded. No runs for Wally!
Then Team Hill went to work. Sully led off with a home run, followed by singles from Gil and Tutrani. Jorge doubled, Stevens and Tickner singled, and four runs crossed the plate.
TIED 10–10! Now THIS was turning into a ball game!
4th Inning – Who Wants the Lead?
Team Wally grabbed it first. Turchetta and Rounds singled, Woodsby reached base, and Doyle added another single. Three runs!
Not to be outdone, Team Hill came roaring back. Johnston and Hill singled, Sully and Nestor doubled, Gil reached base, Tutrani singled, and Jorge got aboard. Four runs scored, and just like that, Hill had taken the lead!
Hill 14 – Wally 13.
5th Inning – Defense? In THIS Game?
Team Wally wasn't ready to give up the lead. Sensabaugh and Gilbert singled, Rusty collected yet another double (somebody check that man's bat!), and Turchetta singled. Two runs gave Wally a one-run advantage.
Then something downright unusual happened.
Team Wally's defense retired three straight batters.
Not to be outdone, Team Hill's defense did EXACTLY the same thing!
Six consecutive outs without a run? Were we watching the same two teams?
Wally 15 – Hill 14.
6th Inning – Hill Strikes Again!
After holding Wally scoreless, Team Hill came out swinging. Hill led off with a triple, Griffin reached base, Sully and Nestor doubled, and Gil got aboard. Jorge delivered another triple, and despite a double play mixed into the action, four runs crossed the plate.
The lead changed hands AGAIN!
Hill 18 – Wally 15.
7th Inning – Wally Closes the Gap!
Doyle, Ernesto, and Sensabaugh all doubled, bringing two runs across and closing the gap to just one.
Then Team Wally's defense stepped up. Tickner managed a single, but that was all Team Hill could muster.
Hill 18 – Wally 17.
Seven innings played, one run separating the teams, and nobody had a clue how this one would finish!
8th Inning – The Tide Begins to Turn!
Team Wally's bats came alive AGAIN. Turchetta, Rounds, Woodsby, and Rabideau singled. DeLong doubled, and Doyle delivered another big hit. Five runs crossed the plate!
Team Hill tried to answer. Hill singled, Griffin doubled, Sully brought home a run with a sacrifice fly, and Nestor singled. But Team Wally turned another double play to shut down the rally.
Wally 22 – Hill 19.
Just three runs separating the teams heading into the open ninth inning. Surely we'd get a dramatic finish, right?
Oh, we got drama all right. Just not the kind Team Hill was hoping for!
9th Inning – SOMEBODY CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT!
Apparently, Team Wally looked at that three-run lead and decided it wasn't nearly enough insurance.
And then came the hitting explosion!
Singles! Doubles! Base runners everywhere! According to the scoresheet, all but ONE Team Wally player crossed home plate.
TEN RUNS. IN ONE INNING!
I wasn't there to witness this masterpiece, but looking at that scoresheet, I'm not entirely sure Team Hill's defense was there either!
By the time the dust settled, Team Wally had turned a three-run advantage into a 13-run lead!
And they weren't finished.
Team Hill came up for its final at-bat, but Wally's defense slammed the door. Four batters, three outs, NO RUNS!
FINAL SCORE: American Legion Post 8 (Wally) 32 – Glory Days Grill (Hill) 19
What a game!
For eight innings, these two teams traded hits, leads, and momentum. Team Hill battled hard, and both squads had their moments of defensive brilliance. But when that ninth inning arrived, Team Wally took complete control.
Special recognition to Rusty for his collection of doubles, Doyle for his power at the plate, and the entire Wally lineup for an unbelievable ninth-inning performance.
And let's not overlook those double plays! In a game where hits were flying everywhere, Team Wally's defense made some important stops when they needed them most.
Way to go, American Legion Post 8! That's not just how you win a game — that's how you FINISH one!
