First National Bank Loses Heartbreaker 3-2

The First National Bank Cal Ripken baseball team (pictured to the left with their regular season championship trophies) fell to KAM Services 3-2 on Thursday, June 26, 2008 in a heartbreaking loss. First National's overall record now stands at 14-2, and the best they can finish in the post-season tournament is third place.

The fourth seeded KAM squad struck early with one run in the top of the first inning. Travis Kittell grounded out second to first to lead off the game. Alex Allen hit a 1-1 fastball off of Jacob Stephens into center field for a one out single. Tanner Scott followed with a deep fly ball into center field that fell for an RBI triple as Allen was able to dislodge the ball from the glove of catcher Daniel Ferguson on the play at the plate. Chase McDaniel hit a grounder to third baseman Wyatt Krikie who threw to first baseman Alex Gowin for out number two. Scott took off for home when Krikie's throw went to first, and First National completed the tough double play as Ferguson tagged out Scott who attempted to jump over the tag at the plate.

Creighton Simmonds worked the count full in the top of the first before being issued a walk from pitcher Alex Allen, and Simmonds stole second before advancing to third base on a wild pitch. Alex Gowin also worked the count full before going down swinging for out number one. Payton Hartbank hit a sharp grounder to second, and it appeared that Simmonds hesitated ever so slightly before heading for home where he was thrown out at the plate for out number two. Very good base running by Hartbank had him reaching second base on the fielder's choice to bring up Jacob Stephens, who was thrown out on a very close play shortstop to first baseman to end the inning. It appeared from my position in the stands that Stephens just beat the throw as he hustled down the line. Since Hartbank was at second base, the base umpire was positioned behind shortstop and he may have been blocked momentarily on the play. But that is just a part of the game, though, and this umpire is a very good umpire in my opinion.

KAM did not score in the top of the second as Corey Godden, who had a two out single into left center field, was left stranded at first base.

First National tied the score at one run apiece when Nixon Doughty came around to score. Doughty walked on a 3-1 pitch to lead off the inning. Wyatt Krikie struck out swinging on a 2-2 fastball, but hot-hitting Skyler Bryant drove a 1-0 pitch from Allen deep down the left field line for a double that plated the speedy Doughty. Alec Carey was called out on strikes for the second out of the inning, and when Daniel Ferguson's line drive was caught by first baseman Hayden Chupp First National's second inning came to a close. Baseball really is a game of inches, and sometimes this old adage applies to individuals. Hayden Chupp is probably the tallest player in the league, and had any other player been at first base Ferguson probably would have had a run scoring single or possibly even a double, which would have turned around the entire direction of the game completely. But as it went, Ferguson's drive was caught, and the game was knotted 1-1 after two complete innings of play.

Payton Hartbank went to the mound in the top of the third and KAM went down 1-2-3. First National had back-to-back two out walks to Dylan McBride and Creighton Simmonds in the bottom of the third, but the threat was to no avail as both runners were stranded when the deep fly ball off the bat of Alex Gowin was hauled in by the center fielder.

The top of the fourth inning proved to be the difference in the ballgame as Travis Kittell led off with a four pitch walk as Jacob Stephens resumed pitching duties. Alex Allen doubled into left field putting runners at second and third with nobody out. Tanner Scott followed by hitting his second triple of the game as he drove a 1-1 fastball just inside the first base line into right field as both Kittell and Allen scored to take a 3-1 lead. Coach Chris Hartbank called a timeout to calm his team down as the highly competitive Stephens showed signs of frustration by kicking the mound following a wild pitch to Chase McDaniel. I say wild pitch but it was not really a wild pitch officially since Tanner Scott did not advance, probably since he wisely remembered what happened to him in the top of the first inning when he tried to score at the plate. After the meeting at the mound, Chase McDaniel lined out to first base for out number one, and Scott was left at third base when Gaven Ayers and Blaise Hiltebeitel both struck out.

First National had their chance in the bottom of the fourth as Payton Hartbank singled into left on a 1-2 count. Jacob Stephens blasted a triple deep into right center field that appeared would tie the game at three apiece as a two run home run, but Stephens stopped running about 10 feet from the plate. He then attempted to make it home but he was tagged out for out number one as the play went 9-4-2 (right fielder to second baseman to catcher). Nixon Doughty grounded out pitcher to first and Wyatt Krikie went down swinging as the rally fell short.

KAM went down in order in both the fifth and sixth innings. First National threatened to tie it in the fifth as Skyler Bryant had his second hit of the game, a gift infield single to lead off the inning. Bryant hit a high foul pop up on the first pitch he saw but the ball was dropped in foul territory by the catcher giving Bryant a new life at the plate. Bryant then hit an 0-2 pitch high in the air again, this time just in front of the plate as the pitcher and catcher for KAM failed to communicate as to who was going to take charge and haul in the ball. First National, however, did not take advantage as Alex Carey went down swinging on a 2-2 count for the first out of the inning. Daniel Ferguson followed by hitting an 0-2 count high off the plate and back to the pitcher for a fielder's choice as Bryant was called out at second base. Once again, in my opinion it appeared that Bryant was actually safe at second as the throw from pitcher Scott was high, pulling the shortstop off the bag. He must have felt so, too, for he then proceeded to tag the runner who was standing on the bag. But once again, this is just a part of the game, and the play stood with Ferguson at first with two outs on the fielder's choice. Bobby Pearson was called out on strikes and the inning came to a close.

First National went down in order in the bottom of the sixth to end the game.

I was not privy to the after game meeting, but my son, Daniel Ferguson, told me that coach Chris Hartbank said he took personal responsibility for the loss of the game as it was his indecision that brought about Jacob Stephens being thrown out at the plate in the bottom of the fourth. I have always had great respect for coach Hartbank, and when I heard this it only further confirmed what I had felt. This is something that will long stay with these kids, and I know it affected my own son. Daniel told me that he felt it was just as much his fault as it was his coach's that the team lost because he did not hang onto the ball in the top of the first inning when Alex Allen came home to score. In my opinion coach Hartbank taught these kids some very valuable lessons. He taught them humility and personal responsibility, two characteristics that are missing in so much of our society today, and two charateristics that are sorely needed. And by him taking the responsility for the loss he also did something else: He showed by his example that the team wins and loses together. It was his comments that caused my son, Daniel, to reflect personally on what he could have done better to have helped his team win, and this will make him not only a better baseball player in the future, but even more so, it will make him a better person.

Coach Hartbank, as well as the rest of the coaches, Tony Simmonds and Jason Gowin, please accept my personal thanks and gratitude for all the time, dedication, effort and energy you have put into making this such a great and enjoyable baseball season for all involved. You have not only taught the kids to be respectful in winning, you have also taught them to be gracious in defeat. And to all of the kids on the First National Bank Cal Ripken 2008 season team, thank you as well for such fond memories. Now go on out and finish on a winning note!