Meridians Baseball

The battery of Rack and Fread combine for the 10/15 shutout as they switch places midway through the short affair (11-0 in 5 innings). Meridians score 7 in the first inning and cruise from there with multiple RBI's from Soto and Parkhurst, an RBI each from Rack and Lewis, multiple hits from Soto, Rack & Fread. Soto finally breaks 'old blue' from his .571 Hobbs season last year after she gave way to the 'white lightning' sticks that took over in 2006. Web gems from Ehrhardt's diving stop in the hole at short, almost getting the double play and Eicher's line drive stab at 3rd. Fread picks off a runner at 1st, but throws it too good and too hard.

Two more excellent complete game performances on the mound! No offense to speak of in Game 1 as we drop it 0-3 despite Rack's sore arm effort on the mound. Coach moves the hot hitting Ehrhardt up in the order and we rebound nicely for an 8-0 win in the nightcap behind Moore's shutout performance. Soto leads the charge going 3-4 with 2 doubles, 2 runs & 3 RBI, Younger unloads to the right field wall for a one-legged triple with Thomas scoring him with 2 outs, "Red" Carter wins the dugout pool for his deep double to left center and Eicher (caught both ends of the DH) figures out the lefty with multiple hits in Game 2. Web gems from Rack's backhand stop up the middle and gun to first after pitching 7 innings and for the 2nd week in a row, Arnold with a diving catch in left.

Excellent Complete Games from McClung & Rack (8 innings from him) who help themselves in their pitching efforts with a bases clearing double & rocket triple (McClung) and great baserunning & a good, high fastball taken off the centerfield wall (Rack). We take Game 1 (6-2) and come back late in Game 2, but only end up with a tie after 8 innings (4-4). We see great competition in the Burlington Red Sox who club 2 long home runs and a double & triple to the wall with the wood bats as well. James Engram forced an error that brought in the first run with Chris Arnold, Younger and Soto knocking in RBI's for Game 2.

McClung tosses a shutout and adds a key, 2-out, 2-run single late to add even more cushion (also scored himself earlier). Can't remember the other 3 RBI (betting on Flick & Younger) behind another great performance on the mound by McClung; giving up only 3 hits, striking out much more than a handful (we forgot to count, but are guessing at least 8) and picking off a runner. Younger with an excellent point as he "tried" to jump over the ball while running the bases. Cooke found his way back to us and brought along fellow TMC Saint, Jake Brown who had good at-bats and took one off the helmet. Joe Flick with good wood in his debut with us, highly recommended by the Dayton Braves. Jason Madden moved 2 runners into scoring position that eventually did and good work behind the dish from Roy Eicher who gunned down a runner.

The fall started like the summer season ended - searching for players, but with McClung on the mound and the 8th man showing up at game time - coach calls it "good enough" and we play the first 4 innings one man short. McClung overmatched their hitters and only allowed 4 balls into the outfield. That 8th man, Rendle, goes yard at Hille and the Meridians cruise to a 5-1 victory.