Home Runs by Casley, Kahler and Albury Power Bahamas Offense
TEXACO PIRATES/the Bahamas 4,
Miami Presidente/Florida USA, 3
[MAN-O-WAR, THE BAHAMAS] – Game one was a night of dominant pitching with Rob Scheller and Doug Sleep combining for 18 strikeouts for the host Texaco Pirates, while their counterpart, Rob Schweyer struck out 15 for visiting Presidente team of Miami, Florida. But in spite of the sometimes overpowering pitching, it will likely be the home run slugging that Bahamas fans will remember from this opening act, which saw the host Texaco Pirates rally from down 3-1 in the 6th, to win 4-3, scoring two in the 6th and one in the 7th. Six of the seven runs scored in the game came across the plate on home runs.
Rhys Casley, Barry Kahler and Grant Albury had big nights for the host Texaco Pirates. Casley had a towering home run and a double, scoring two and driving in one, Kahler a game-tying 2-run homer in the sixth, while local Man-O-War Pirate Grant Albury provided two hits, including the biggest one of them all, a tie-breaking seventh inning home run that provided the margin of victory.
Miami, for their part, made the most of just two hits, scoring three runs in the first two innings. After Casley put the Pirates on top 1-0 in the top of the first with his home run, Michael Baillou, Jr. coaxed a leadoff walk to start the bottom of the first, and came home to score on a Carlton-Fisk-esque home run, which had fans craning their necks to see where it would land. It stayed fair, and gave Miami a 2-1 lead. The visitors extended their lead to 3-1, when designated hitter Frank Gonzalez walked to lead off the second inning, was sacrificed over to second by Serrano Baillou, and scored on a flair single down the right field line by Miami’s Tony Currey, a ball which fell just beyond the reach of the Pirates right fielder and second baseman.
It was the last base runner that Miami would have on the night however, as Rob Scheller settled in, to retire the next 7 in a row, 6 on strikeouts, giving way to Doug Sleep, who retired all nine batters that he faced, eight of them on strikeouts. But in spite of that fact, Miami clung to the 3-1 lead into the 6th inning, riding the right arm of Rob Schweyer who had all of his pitches working, most notably the big rise ball that no one seemed to be able to catch up with. But in the 6th, it was Casley again that provided the spark for the host Pirates, lining a vicious double down the left field line, followed by a game-tying-two-run-homer by Barry Kahler to straightaway center field.
[Photo: Grant Albury, Texaco Pirates, with Game winning homer]
In the top of the 7th, it was local son, Grant Albury, hitting in the designated hitter’s spot, who provided the margin of victory, battling past a two strike count, for the game winning home run to straight away centerfield. The pitch he hit was a good inside rise that Albury appeared to just muscle out of the park. Three “Sleepy” strikeouts later, and the game belonged to the host Pirates.
WP-Doug Sleep
LP-Rob Schweyer
HR-Rhys Casley (TP), Alexis Hernandez (MP) Barry Kahler (TP, Grant Albury (TP)
2B-Rhys Casley (TP)
E-Miami (2)
K’s: Rob Scheller (TP) 10 in 4 inn; Doug Sleep (TP, 8 in 3 inn; Rob Schweyer (MP) 15 in 7 inn.
SCORING RECAP
Texaco Pirates 1st: Rhys Casley solo homer, 1 hit, 1 run; Texaco Bahamas 1, Miami FL 0
Miami, FL 1st: Michael Baillou Jr. walked, Alexis Hernandez homered, 1 hit, 2 runs, Miami, FL 2, Texaco Bahamas 1;
Texaco Pirates 6th: Rhys Casley double; Barry Kahler home run, 2 hits, 2 runs, 3-3 tie;
Texaco Pirates 7th: Grant Albury home run, 1 hit, 1 run, Texaco Bahamas 4, Miami, FL 3
OTHER NOTES
Players and fans got a scare in the 4th inning when home plate umpire John Gretz took a hard drop directly on his knee, which knocked him down and nearly out of the game. Gretz recovered and managed to finish the game, but was icing down when last seen after the game. One does not surrender work in the Bahamas easily.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Play continues tomorrow night:
Friday, May 25
7:30pm EST – Abaco Islands vs. Miami President, FL
9:30pm, EST – Texaco Pirates vs. Abaco Islands
Saturday, May 26
Elimination play begins
3pm EST
5pm EST
7pm EST “If game”
Internet connection permitting, the championship game(s) on Saturday, May 26 will be broadcast on Ballparkradio.com. Be sure to check www.ballparkradio.com for “click to listen” link and updates on Saturday regarding broadcast schedule. We did complete some testing yesterday and it appears that we are good to go.
Keep an eye on the Morning Brief blog at Fastpitchwest.com, where we are posting updates and some of Maddy’s photos in a daily slide show.
http://www.fastpitchwest.com/morningbrief
All results will be posted to Al’s Fastball, so check Al’s for scores and more.
Best regards,
Jim Flanagan
www.fastpitchwest.com
www.ballparkradio.com