KC Dodgers

According to the old country tune, "sometimes, you're the windshield, and sometimes you're the bug." Today (Saturday 6/28) the K.C. 14's did their best windshield impression, while the 13's were every bit the bug. First the good news. The K.C. 14 All-Stars obliterated the South Post Oak team, by a score of 15-1 after 5 innings. South Post Oak broke out in front 1-0 in the first inning, but their bats melted in the late morning sun as though they were made of chocolate. Nary another run would be tallied by South Post Oak. It was a different story on the K.C. side of the ledger. After a 1-2-3 first inning, the K.C. 14's posted 5 runs in the 2nd, 1 more in the 3rd inning, and 9 more in the 4th inning to put the game away. You want singles? Brett Gibson, Brian Borski, Matt West, Mark Robichau, Brian again, Andrew Espinosa and Daniel Rothenberg were happy to oblige. How about doubles? Beau Faulk, Jamie Reingold, Mark Robichau, Joe Silver, Matt West and Patrick Morris are the men with the plan. Bases on balls? Look to Beau Faulk, Sean Lamont, and George Murphy. Sacrifice flies? Joe Silver is your guy. When the smoke cleared, the K.C. 14's had run ruled South Post Oak in a big way. Apparently, home plate needed to be replaced after the game due to all the K.C. spike marks on it. In a related matter, the South Post Oak 14 year old pitching staff agreed to a 1 year contract to pitch batting practice for K.C. Apparently, they did not realize that the contract began AFTER this tournament. Brett Gibson pitched four very good innings to earn the win, and Patrick Morris earned a hold with a 1-2-3 fifth inning on the mound. Now for the 13's. To be blunt, it wasn't pretty. K.C. Titan 13 year old batters went down 1-2-3 in the first and second innings. For a chnnge of pace, a K.C. batter got on base due to a third inning error by the Scorpions shortstop. Unfortunately, he was promptly gunned down by the Scorpion's catcher while attempting to steal second base. Rancho Viejo scored 4 unearned runs in their half of the 3rd inning on a throwing error by the pitcher, a 6-4 fielder's choice at second base, a 4-6 fielder's choice at second base, a single to score a run, a walk, a double to left field to score two more runs, and a single to right field. The inning ended mercifully when Paul Knowlton, the K.C. pitcher, faked a pickoff at first base, then threw to third, who threw home for the tagout of the runner from third. The K.C. 13's tried to mount an attack in the top of the 4th. Ross Chan started the inning with a single but was (does this sound familiar) gunned down at second trying to steal. Charles Mann stroked a sweet single to right field (just one of four hits by the K.C. 13's all game) and was promptly rewarded by being pulled from the game. Paul Knowlton made it runners on first and second on an error by the R.V. second baseman. However, the K.C. 13's remained scoreless with one out fielder's choice and a flyout to left field. In the fifth inning, Jeffrey Rohrbach led off with a single, but was promply erased in a pinch hit double play. The inning ended with a strikeout. With time running out, K.C. led off the sixth inning with the bases loaded on a single by Miles Mendeloff, a walk by Ross Chan and a bunt hit by Colin Bear. The game ended with successive outs on a strikeout, a popout to second base, and a strikeout. To their credit, Paul Knowlton (who unfairly got the loss with 4 unearned runs in 3 innings) and Colin Bear (who allowed no runs in 3 innings) pitched very well, holding R.V. to 6 hits over 6 innings. However, their efforts were wasted with subpar hitting, subpar fieding, and subpar running games by the K.C. 13 Titans. The coming attractions for the K.C. 14's are simple and straightforward. They are in a single elimination situation. Their next game is 2pm on Sunday, followed by another game at 4pm on Sunday if they win. The coming attractions for the K.C. Titan 13's is not so clear. They are in a "pool" situation, waiting until the end of the 6pm games tonight (Saturday) to see when they play next. It could be at 8:30pm tonight (Saturday), or 8am or 10am or noon on Sunday, depending on how the other teams in the pool play. The K.C. 13's adopted an interesting preparation for their possible 8:30pm game tonight. After awaking around 6am for the 8am game this morning, and after losing 4-0 in a lackluster effort (except for the pitching), most of the K.C. Titan 13's spent the afternoon exerting themselves in 93 degree heat and 50% humidity in the hot sun at Fiesta Texas. That's all from Boerne, Texas. Many thanks to my local correspondent, Lisa Rothenberg, for her excellent note-taking during the 14's game, allowing me to provide you with this update. This is Scott Rothenberg signing off.