Bay City hosts Walker Tavern

July 15, 2012

Carroll Park, Bay City, MI

Bay City 41, Walker Tavern 9

It was sunny, but the heat was near stifling as the Independents welcomed in the weary Walker Tavern Wheels who rolled in from their previous afternoon's match down Saginaw way with the hope of taking the Michigan Cup home with them, and wresting it from the Bay City gents who only recently took it from the Regular Base Ball Club of Mount Clemens.  The two clubs took to the pitch for the opening coin toss to determine the order of striking in front of a decent sized crowd which included some retired Independents, Ray "The Banker" Banister, Brian "Hooks" Freehling, and "Shoeless" Jeff Dinauer.

The coin toss, presided over by Gary "Judge" Gerkin, was won by the Bay Citys who chose to take the field.  It didn't take long for the Bay City defenders to show why they are the current State Champions, as the opening striker for the Walker Tavern club drove a hard line drive screaming into the garden only to have it bottled in style by the Independents' center fields man extraordinaire, Tom "Cat" LeRoux.  The next two strikers decided to test the younger LeRoux, Sean "Tanner" LeRoux, the Bay City short stop with a sky ball that he tracked and killed in the long field, and then a hard liner that he snatched like a minie ball from the air.  Having skunked the Wheels in order the Bay Citys took to striking and sent nine gents to the plate tallying four aces.  The strikers of note in the innings were Tom "Cat" LeRoux, Branden "The Rope" Revette, and Jeff Silverback Rahl each of whom drove a variety of long balls into the garden to make their seconds.  Mr. Rahl's strike would have easily made a home run, if it had not taken a fortuitous bound off a tree in right center field that put the ball back into the long field rather then having it float into the pond, which it most assuredly would have if not for the mighty oak. At any rate Bay City took the lead in the contest for the Cup at 4 to 0.

The Walker Tavern gents came to strike in the second innings hoping to recapture the style that saw them take a 10 to 1 lead into the fourth innings against this Bay City club just two weeks prior, and they sent their captain, Jim "Crazy Legs" Terwilliger, to begin the apple mashing for them.  Mr. Terwilliger, sensing the uselessness of hitting the onion to the left side of the field where the LeRoux's had staked their claim, decided to try the right but saw his hand killed as Alan "Kid" Garcia bottled his sky ball and claimed his hand.  The next gent for Walker Tavern, "Sticky Mitts", cannonaded a ball into the gap between left and center field that seemed destined to bring extra bases for the Walker Tavern boys only to have "Cat" LeRoux dash into the void and take the ball with a one handed, on the run, juggling catch that brought the crowd and both clubs to their feet in appreciation.  The next hand was killed on a hot daisy cutter that was plucked by the third base tender, Justin "Doc" Garcia, who then deftly placed a rifle shot across the diamond into the pillowed hands of the first base man, Dean "Sawmill" Koch, to end the innings with a skunking of the Wheels.

The Bay Citys were able to plate two more aces in the second innings, and began the march with a home run into the long field by the Independents hurler, Brian "The Butterfly" Beceril, and then followed it with a howitzer from Britt "The Mad-Scientist" Vanchura that saw him make his second.  Vanchura would later tally galloping from second to home on a safety from the bat of Jimmy "Two Quarts" Arnold.  After two innings the Bay Citys held the match at 6 to 0.

The Bay Citys went right back to work in the third innings, whitewashing the Walker Wheels yet again before taking to an apple mashing, parade around the pillows that saw them send 21 strikers to the line, and plate 17 aces.  Strikers of note in the innings included, Kid Garcia, Rope Revette, Jimmy "Two Quarts" Arnold, and Adam "Little-Train" Johnson, all of whom made their seconds with long strikes to the garden.  Even more striking were the accomplishments of Justin "Doc" Garcia who made two two-baggers in the innings, Jeff "Silverback" Rahl who made his home run (un-added), and Jason "Buttons" McInerney who was the only Bay City gent to strike twice without tallying.  After three innings of play the Independents were solidly in control of the match at 23 to 0.

In the fourth innings the Wheels would break through against the Bay Citys and their fine hurler, Jeff "Silverback" Rahl, thanks to a long sky-ball from the stick of Sticky Mitts that saw him make his home run, and carry two more gents to tally.  Bay City would answer with five more aces of their own to take the innings, and bring the match to a total of 28 for the Independents and 3 for the Walker Wheels.

The fifth would see the Wheels go back to the willow whipping tallying three more runs, including a home run by the General, and they may have made more if not for a scientific play made when Alan "Kid" Garcia rifled a ball home that killed the Tavern gent, Buckshot, at home plate for the third hand lost.  Bay City would rally again to win the innings with 8 more aces sending 14 gents to the stripe.  Strikers of note in the fifth were Justin "Doc" Garcia who made his home run and drove home two others, Tom "Cat" LeRoux, Branden "The Rope" Revette, and Jeff "Silverback" Rahl each of whom made their second on blasts into the garden.  After five innings of play the ledger now stood Bay City 36 and Walker Tavern 6.

The sixth innings would see the Tavern gents tie the Bay Citys with each club knotting an ace apiece, however the Bay Citys would win the remainder tallying 4 combined aces in the seventh and eighth, while only relinquishing one in the seventh, one in the eighth, and skunking the Wheels in the ninth.  Refusing to take their last at bats in the ninth the Bay Citys preferred instead to commence with the after match feast and reclined with their Walker Tavern friends over some chicken and barley hops.

Don't Call it a Comeback!

Bay City versus Saginaw

Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, Mi

July 7, 2012

Bay City 12, Saginaw 11

In the format of the day, having won their first match, and subsequently gaining the title of State Champion, Bay City awaited the results of the next match between Grand Rapids and Saginaw to decide their opponent for their second match of the day. It was a fine game indeed, with the Independents southern neighbor, the Old Golds, coming out on top 15 to 10.  This would mean that  Bay City would have an opportunity to play the Old Golds for the third time since bowing to them in the World's Tournament championship match last August.  Bay City was fortunate enough to defend their home park the last two times against Saginaw, but was curious to see if their luck would remain here on the Island, and far from the friendly confines of Carroll Park.

The match began with a test of knowledge to decide the order of striking, and Bay City was again fortunate enough to come out on top and allowed the Saginaws to strike first in the match.  The first two hands of the mighty Old Golds would be lost in order thanks to nearly identical plays made by the fine third sacker of the Bay Citys, Justin "Doc" Garcia, and the last hand would be recorded when Lumberjack Piersault crushed the onion on a line through the trees that was bottled in fine style by the older of the Garcias, Alan "Kid" Garcia.  Having skunked the Old Golds in order, the Saginaws returned the favor to Bay City and brought the Saginaw cranks to their feet turning a neat twin killing turned by a combination of Diag, to Leppek to Dost.  The first innings would give indication that the crowd on the island would be in for a very emotional, and well played defensive display of our great game, and they would not be wrong for looking ahead the Bay Citys and Saginaws would combine to whitewash each other in 8 turns with Bay City skunking Saginaw in 5, and Saginaw returning the favor in 3.

In the second innings Saginaw took the lead in the contest thanks to a home run from the bat of Jason "Logger" Leppek that cleared the tree tops in right field.  The Bay Citys would however regain momentum after Big Ben Early of the Old Golds made his first the Independents were able to turn a twin-killing of their own thanks to a combination of LeRoux to Stedry, to Rahl.  LeRoux would kill the next hand on his own when he bottled a line drive in style from the bat of Chad "Shorty" Short.  The Bay Citys would match the Saginaw run in their second, with Cat LeRoux tallying thanks to consecutive safeties and swift base running by both he and Doc Garcia.  After two innings it was still a tight scratch at 1 to 1.

In the third innings the Saginaws took a big lead thanks to a one hands lost home run by Jon "Boozehound" Smith, and another tree trimmer from Logger Leppek that saw him take his second.  In all the Old Golds would tally 5 runs, and then skunked the Bay Citys to take the lead in the contest at 6 to 1.  The Saginaws would be killed in order in the fourth, and the Bay Citys would be whitewashed again as well.

Thanks to the fine pitching of Butterfly Beceril the Bay Citys were able to skunk the Old Golds in order for the second straight inning, and third of the first five of the match.  This fine defensive form allowed the Independents to begin to chip away at the Saginaw lead in their fifth and they did so plating two aces, and sending seven batters to the plate.  The runs in the innings were tallied by Buttons McInerney, and Cat LeRoux thanks to the third of what would be four doubles on the day for the whiskered one.  After five innings the match now stood at Saginaw 6, and Bay City 3.

Sensing momentum leaning to the Bay City side the Saginaws fought back in the sixth innings and matched the Bay Citys fifth inning output, thanks to a daisy cutter by the fine Old Gold captain, Adam "Squints" McCauley, and another timber topper by Jason "Logger" Leppek which had him make his second and later tally on a safety by Big Ben Early.

The Independents however, would not be outdone, and sent six strikers to the mark in the sixth and tallied three more aces in the form of Tanner LeRoux, Kid Garcia, and Buttons McInerney.  The biggest blow in the innings however, was again delivered by Cat LeRoux with his fourth double this one with two hands down that drove in Garcia and McInerney.  The LeRoux powered Independents were now trailing 8 to 6.

The Saginaws would not answer in the seventh as they saw their hands killed in order for the fourth time in the contest, and Bay City clawed ever closer thanks to the apple mashing of Jeff "Silverback" Rahl who put another two bagger in the books for himself, and then tallied on a neatly placed daisy cutter from the bat of Jeremy "Schoolboy" Stedry.  After seven the match was now Saginaw 8 and Bay City 7.

Saginaw brought their top of the order up in the eighth innings and they would not disappoint lengthening their lead in the contest by tallying thrice with a safety by Squints McCauley, a double by Lumberjack Piersault, and a three bagger by Logger Leppek.

The Bay Citys now took to striking in their eighth with the top of their lineup as well, and Tanner Leroux led it off with a fine daisy cutter past the short stop, and then tallied on a tree trimmer to the long field by Alan "Kid" Garcia.  Garcia would later tally thanks to consecutive fly outs by Beceril and McInerney, and entering the last frames the Bay Citys trailed 11 to 9.

The ninth innings would be filled with dramatics, as was a great deal of the match, but we digress.  At any rate the Old Golds began by losing their first hand to a fly out to the left fielder, but then Bulldog Diag put  a liner just through the hands of the second base tender, and made his second after the ball was untangle from the trees in right.  The next striker, Matt "Rip" Shaner put a bound out into short center that was bottled by Cat LeRoux, who then sent a rifle shot to the third sacker Justin Garcia who then neatly put a tag on Diag to kill his hand as well and complete the fourth combined twin killing of the contest.  At any rate the Bay Citys had momentum now heading into the ninth innings down by two runs.

The ninth innings for the Independents began where the Old Golds ninth had ended, in the hands of Justin "Doc" Garcia, and for the second time in a  matter of minutes the good doctor would not disappoint crushing the onion beyond the trees in right field and easily making his second.  After a fly out to the left field Garcia tagged and made his third, and tallied after a timber rattler from the bat of Jeff "Silverback" Rahl.  The tension would mount when Rahl, the tying run, would make his second on the fourth consecutive safety from the bat of Schoolboy Stedry.

Now with a runner on first sack, and the tying run at second the bottom of the Bay City order was counted on to come through for the first time in the match.  Matt "Barrell-Roller" Barnard stood at the ready while a hot pitch skipped off the plate and allowed both runners to advance to second and third.  Barnard then stood in coolly and delivered a hot daisy cutter towards second that bounded away from the second sacker and allowed Rahl to score, Stedry to move to third, and Barnard to make his first.  The match was now tied with the winning run in Stedry a mere 90 feet from home.  The Bay City captain, Jayme "Cap" Johnson, now came to the plate hoping to bring the Schoolboy to tally to win the match.  The benches, and cranks were all in full throat as the captain put a swinging bunt onto the green and beyond the immediate reach of the Saginaw pitcher as Johnson made his way to first with his back turned to the play.  The immediate silence from the Saginaw cranks, gave the indication that Stedry had scored and the day was won.  In this instance silence was truly "Golden."

After giving ample salutes to both sides, and thanking the efforts of Jason "Gypsy" Kladiva for putting on this fine display both clubs reclined to a meal, and then the Bay Citys made off to enjoy the fruits of victory on the Island.  That is if barley and hops can be classified as fruits.

Mount Up!

Bay City versus Mount Clemons

Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, MI

July 7, 2012

Bay City 16, Mount Clemons 5

The day was nearly as beautiful as the scenery on the pitch near The Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island when the Bay Citys took to the field to participate in a pair of match games put on to honor the 125th Anniversary of the aforementioned Michigan icon.  The first match of the day pit the Bay Citys against the current State of Michigan Champion Base Ball Club, the Regular Base Ball Club of Mount Clemons.  Having challenged the Regulars earlier in the week, the Bay Citys were hopeful to bring both he Championship Cup, and the title of State Champion back to our city by the Bay.

The order of striking was decided by a test of skill and speed that was won by the Bay City contingent of Alan "Kid" Garcia, and Sean "Tanner" LeRoux, and the Independents chose to strike last in the contest leaving the Regulars the chance to begin the scoring for the day, and they did so with skill and speed.  The Regular third sacker, Cartwright, began the match with a neatly placed safety that had him make his first, and he took his second by theft, the second striker in the order, Tea Cup, then drove him home to open the scoring for the Regulars and give the Champions the lead in the contest.  The Bay Citys would more then match the Mount Clemons efforts in their first with "Kid" Garcia opening the striking with one hand down, and then pilfering his second.  Kid would tally thanks to the striking of Brian "Butterfly" Beceril, who would also make his second by the art of thievery.  Beceril would tally with two hands down thanks to a howitzer from the bat of Tom "Cat" LeRoux whose blast had him take his second.  Cat would require no theft to make his ace, as the next striker in the order, Justin "Doc" Garcia simply cleared the trees in right to make his second and drive the Cat to tally.  Doc would steal his third, and then tallied on a daisy cutter from the bat of Branden "The Rope" Revette.  The scoring would end there though, as the left fields man for the Regulars would make a brilliant bound catch on a cannonade from the bat of the Silverback that would have easily cleared the confines of our home Carroll Park.  Bay City now held a 4 to 1 lead in the contest that they would never relinquish.

In the second innings each club would trade aces keeping the margins of the contest essentially the same.  The Regulars would add another run in the third continuing their fine striking, but Bay City would match it, and then surpass it with their finest inning of the weekend sending nine strikers to the mark and tallying six aces of their own.  The biggest strike of the innings came in the form of redemption for the Silverback who was able to drive another howitzer deep into the garden that was able to split the fleet fielders of Mount Clemons and allowed him to make his second with ease.  The match was now clearly in Bay Citys favor at 11 to 3.

Bay City would whitewash the Regulars in the fourth thanks to the fine pitching of Mr. Beceril, and the Butterfly would put on another display at the plate by plating a home run with two hands lost in the Bay City fourth.  The Independents would tally another ace in the innings as well when Buttons McInerney made his first, then stole his second and tallied on another two bagger from the bat of Cat LeRoux.  Both clubs would be skunked in the fifth innings, but the Mount Clemons gents would plate an ace to draw closer in the contest in the sixth thanks to a long strike into the garden by Mr. Dublin.  The score would remain 13 to 4 entering the seventh innings, as the Independents would fail to tally again in the sixth thanks to the fine fielding of the Regulars and the excellent pitching of Ray Pachuta.

In the seventh innings the Regulars would tally again thanks to the striking of Mr. Cartwright, and the Bay Citys would plate three more with the largest blast coming from the bat of the Butterfly when he mashed the apple deep into the long field to make his second, and then tallied thanks to consecutive safeties from Buttons, and Cat LeRoux.  Both clubs skunked each other in the final innings to bring the final ledger to bear at Bay City 16, and Mount Clemons 5, thus allowing Bay City to once again lay claim to the title of State Champion.  We thank the Mount Clemons gents for their fine play, and welcome the chance to play them again in just three short weeks time.