Game 4: Hastings vs Trail

Unlike yesterday’s game, today is ocean blue skies, wispy white clouds, and smokin’ hot with a slight breeze. It’s a perfect day for baseball, and the Hastings team have taken off their under armor to ensure that perfect “baseball tan”. It’s crazy to think that these boys and Katie are wearing two shirts, long pants, long socks, a helmet or a hat and their cleats in this heat. All these teams are an inspiration that have had numerous 3-4 hour practices through any kind of weather, everyday for these upcoming tournaments. It’s hard to have a normal life when you’re so dedicated to the game.

The top of the 1st inning starts off with two outs by the Trail pitcher, and a base hit by Robbie. The Trail team only has 9 players, so no breaks for any of them. The inning ends quickly with no runs on one hit, with Robbie left on 3rd base.


The bottom of the 1st is full of errors, until a nice throw from Josh to Christian at home prevents a run. Robbey continues to pitch well but he needs the support from the rest of the team who is recovering from letting a few men get on base. Another hard line drive brings in another two runs. The second run was a head-first slide, and the Trail player had to tag the base again when Robbey was already there, but the umpire called it safe. Vito is now talking to the umpires as well as the other coach, and at the same time the Trail parents are heckling and screaming “Whiners! Stop whining!” to the Hastings team. There is controversy already in the bottom of the 1st, but the Hastings parents are unfazed and continue cheering. The 1st inning’s final score is 2-0 Trail.



The top of the 2nd inning ends with no runs on no hits from Hastings. Let’s hope that we can keep more runs from scoring.

Maybe Taz can use his accuracy here in the bottom of the 2nd inning. Taz won a glove from the Skills competition last night for accuracy, throwing from home to second base. He was the only Hastings winner, but all played well.
There is also a pitching change from Robbey to Anthony, and Anthony ends the inning with no runs on one hit.

Trail remains pitching well, getting our Hastings batters out quickly in the top of the 3rd inning. The score is still 2-0 for Trail. Ian then gets a base and steals second, then third to hopefully start a rally. Yet Hastings is unsuccessful, and the top of 3 ends with no runs on one hit.

The bottom of the 3rd brings in no runs for Trail.

The Trail coach is trying everything to win this, pointing out that Ian doesn’t have a proper helmet and that Anthony is trying to distract their batter with a batting glove accidentally under his glove. Both teams aren’t let any other runs score in the top of the 4th inning. Now, the Trail back catcher is injured from “the bat” hitting his kneecap, or so he says. In actuality, the ball from their own pitcher hit him. Again, remember there is only 9 players, and the back catcher is unable to walk without help. So, the coach made the decision to put him out in the outfield with another catcher to avoid a forfeit. Let’s hope what goes around, comes around.


It is now the bottom of the 4th inning, and there was a pitching change from Anthony to Taylor. Trail has just scored another 2 runs on a home run to make the score 4-0. There was another pitching change from Taylor to Ryan, and Trail is having a great day for hitting. They now brought in another 2 runs after a hit straight down the 1st baseline. The score is 6-0, and let’s hope Hastings can show their true colours in the 5th inning.


It’s now the bottom of the 5th inning, and Hastings brought in no runs in the top of 5. It’s not over ‘till it’s over, and Ryan pitches no hits and no runs.


The 6th inning ends with Trail winning, 6-0 with injured players. They played well this game, and they did deserve to win. (maybe not the parents and coach) The odds weren’t in our favor today, but Trail needed a win, and Hastings needed a loss. This also shows that we are not perfect, and maybe it was good to show our team what we need to work on. So, on to the next game!

Game 3: Hastings vs Prince George All-Stars

It’s a gloomy day here at the ballpark, at an appalling 8:55 am, but the game starts off nicely with a beautiful rendition of the national anthem and the little league pledge. It was ended by a good luck “manly” handshake by Ian and a Prince George player. Let’s hope it doesn’t rain.

The top of the 1st inning starts off with a fantastic out of the park home run past the 208ft fence by Taylor. Unfortunately, there were no men on base as well. There are two great hits to the fence by Robbey and Anthony. This brings the score to 2-0 for Hastings. As if the game could not get any better, Josh smacks the second out of the park home run to make the score 6-0. Joe Mama is back! The hits continue to be great as we advance into the line-up.
Scott makes a dive over the 2nd baseman’s arm to get to second base, then Taylor gets a double to bring Scott home. Ryan is up next, and with a failed catch from the 3rd baseman, Ryan is safe at first, bring Taylor home to make the score 8-0. The top of the 1st inning ends with 8 runs on 7 hits, making the score an almost mercy.



The bottom of the 1st inning ends with Robbey pitching no runs by Prince George on 1 hit, with 1 man left on base. It has also began to drizzle, and the dedicated fans start to bring out their fleeces and blankets like the prepared Canadians they are.


In the top of the 2nd inning, Hastings continue to hit everything including the 3rd baseman, and many cars parked dangerously close to the diamond. We then bring in another 3 runs to make the score 11-0. This is maybe the best Provincial game yet for stealing and hitting.
At this point the score is 12-0. Speaking of hitting, Robbey has just hit an out of the park home run bringing in yet another 3 runs to make the score 15-0.
Taylor’s birthday homer has set the tone for this early baseball game.



It is now the top of the 2nd inning, and there is a pitching change from Robbey to Shota. The Hastings kids must be warmed up from last night in Keenan’s hotel room consisting of pillow fights for batting practice, wrestling for agility, video games (Halo) for focus, and farting competitions for endurance. They are also ready thanks to feast the mothers made.


Taylor is having a great (birthday) game, showing off his catching talent by making a diving, turn-around catch to get the 3rd out in the bottom of the
second.

The score is still 15-0 in the top of the 2nd inning… until Keenan gets an out of the park home run, again past the 208ft fence to make the score 16-0. Give us a break! The Hastings parents have barely sat down until Shota got another out of the park home run. The ball continues to land in the same spot past the fence. We are still batting in the top of the 2nd, and the score is now 19-0. The sun and blue skies are beginning to show their face as well.



Well as I was talking to my mom and grandmother about maybe Hastings should tone it down, my grandmother informs me that if there is a tie in the championship game, the most points win. That means that the more points that you receive in your games, you will win the tie. So White Rock already has a great advantage, from their first score of 32-0 against Prince George. This doesn’t really seem fair in my opinion, but I guess we have to keep going.

The top of the 4th inning ends off with the score is 21-0.



The bottom of the 4th starts and ends with another fast-reflexes catch by Taylor, and great pitches by Ryan. That's the ball game!

Game 2: Hastings vs Prince George #2 Team

Ryan starts off the top of the first inning with no men on base. Ian caught the first hit in the outfield from the Prince George player.




The Prince George supporters are very enthusiastic, always cheering, and even clapping along and dancing to the music. This Prince George team is the host team and was first denied a spot in the tournament until the coaches went to Williamsport to get permission. They are now in the tournament.





Taylor starts off the game with a double, and steals 3rd base.
Ryan hits a triple on an error in the outfield, and brings Taylor home to make the score 1-0.
Its been a long journey for these Hastings players, who used to be afraid to hit the ball (from what I have seen). Now these players all KNOW they can hit it, and you can see the determination in their eyes.
Ryan comes in on an RBI from Anthony’s pop up in the outfield, and Robbie steals home to make the score now 3-0.



The Hastings boys continue to make no mistakes and get the easy outs in the top of the 2nd inning. There is now a pitching change from Ryan to Anthony. The top of the 2nd ends off with no runs from the Prince George 2 team, and one man left on 3rd base.



The bottom of the second inning brings in another run by Taylor, by a base hit from Ryan. The bottom of the second inning ends with one run with one hit.

It’s the top of the 3rd inning, and the Prince George team is already trying to start a wave.




The score is now 6-0 in the bottom of the 3rd inning. Ian got a base hit and brought in another two runs to make it 8-0.


It’s now the bottom of the 4th inning, and the score is 10-0, Hastings. That’s the ball game!

Layritz vs Dunbar

The Hastings team anxiously awaits their next game while watching the tied, extra-innings Dunbar vs Layritz match. The score is still 4-4 in the top of the 9th inning. We appear to be cheering for the Dunbar team, probably because in what I have seen:
• The Layritz pitcher hit 3 of our players, and never once uttered an apology
• Just now, the Layritz player tagged a Dunbar player out at first, then pushed him with his shoulder. Many Dunbar parents agreed it was “unnecessary”.

Its amazing to see the transformation of the Hastings players, from the view of a baseball sister for 6 years. Instead of goofing off in the stands, the Hastings All-stars are giving helpful tips, wildly cheering the other players on, and are getting focused for their game ahead.

The Layritz team just made an incredible diving catch in the outfield from a great hit from Dunbar. It is now the 10th inning.
**********

The Dunbar team still manages to show humor in the 11th inning, with the score 5-4 for Layritz with the bottom of the 11th left to go. The coach from the stands yells “Hey Jeff! This is only your 6th time up at bat! Don’t forget you have practice after the game.”
The Dunbar team has just tied up the score (5-5), and has a batter on 3rd base. The batter needs a base hit to win the game. However, the Layritz pitcher is now attempting to walk the batter to get another inning in, until… he slips! The pitch is good, and the batter hits a nice line drive, and Dunbar wins! Looks like good humor, and fair play has won them a very long and exciting game that left even the Hastings team pumped up for game 2.