In spite of a 10 day layoff due to poor weather conditions, the First National Bank team looked very sharp as they cruised to an 8-0 victory over Schilling's on Friday, June 12, 2009 in Cal Ripken Baseball League play. With the victory, First National remained tied for first place with a 7-2 record.
Payton Hartbank started a 2 out first inning rally by hitting a double into center field. Alex Shoot followed with his second home run of the season, a no doubter that sailed high over the left center field fence.
Garion Smyser began another 2 out rally by drawing a 2 out, full count walk in the top of the third. Garion stole second on the ensuing first pitch to Daniel Ferguson, who also walked. Payton Hartbank lofted a fly ball down the right field line that hit the top of the foul pole and landed in the bleachers, but the ball was ruled foul. Daniel Ferguson and Garion Smyser then pulled a successful delayed double double steal to make the score 3-0 First National. That was not a typo. Daniel stole both second and third on the same play that Garion stole third and home. Daniel then came home as Hartbank had to settle for a triple into deep center field. Alex Shoot followed with a triple of his own into left center field, and he scored the final run of the inning on a pased ball to make it 6-0 First National Bank.
Daniel Ferguson started the last rally that led to 2 runs in the top of the sixth and final inning. Daniel took a 1 strike fastball deep into left field that rolled to the wall. He was headed for third when his coach held him up, so he had to settle for a 2 bagger. Payton Hartbank then hit a ball high and deep into deep center field that left the ballpark for a 2 run shot, making the score 8-0.
The First National Bank pitchers limited their opponents to just 2 gift hits. Hartbank started and pitched the first inning without giving up a hit. He walked 1 while striiking out the side. Daniel Ferguson, who was doing the catching at the time, threw out Joey Allee at first base when Allee swung and missed at an outside offering that went to the backstop for strike 3. Runner Chase Vogt, who had reached on an error, was off with the pitch from second base, and the base umpire was watching the play at third. Allee was originally ruled safe at first by the base umpire, but the coach for First National appealed the play with the home plate umpire. The home plate umpire asked what the call was at first base, and the base umpire admitted he had not seen it because he was watching the play at third. The home plate umpire then made the right call, and Allee correctly was ruled out.
Alex Shoot pitched the second and third innings. He walked 2 batters while striking out 4 in his 2 innings of work. He also allowed a double that should have been caught by the left fielder, but he misjudged the ball, and it landed for a double. Payton Hartbank, who had moved to center field, raced over to back up the play. He grabbed the ball and fired to his cutoff man, shortstop Daniel Ferguson, who wheeled and rifled a strike from the outfield grass to catcher Garion Smyser, holding the runner, Hayden Jurka, at third base. Jurka had reached safely on a 1 out walk before stealing second base. He was still on second with 2 outs before the fly ball that fell for a double was hit by Joey Allee. There really was no excuse for Jurka not to have scored from second base. Only poor base running kept Schilling's off the board.
As good as the pitching was from Hartbank and Shoot, they just may have been topped by Daniel Ferguson, who finished by pitching the last three innings for First National to register his second save of the season. Daniel did not allow a base runner until there were 2 outs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Daniel had 4 strikouts in those 3 innings, plus he fielded his position extremely well as he had 4 assists, too.
Daniel had his opponents completely off-balance as he was mixing up fastballs with knuckle curveballs. The knuckle curve is a pitch Daniel has just learned this year, taught to him by a very wise and learned man, and after seeing Daniel strike out the leadoff hitter on a full count knuckle curveball in the bottom of the fifth, the First National coach asked for time, and met with his team on the mound. He asked for time because he did not know that Daniel had a second pitch. He then asked Daniel what that pitch was, Daniel told him, and his coach told Daniel he really liked it. He then said he wanted Daniel to throw it more, so the coach started signaling to the catcher from the bench what pitches he wanted Daniel to throw.
Daniel should have faced the minimum of 9 batters in his 3 innings, but a wrong call by the umpires kept that from happening. With 2 out and nobody on, Daniel threw a 1 strike fastball in the dirt in front of the plate. Batter Chase Vogt swung at the pitch, and he hit a high fly ball that was caught by shortstop Payton Hartbank. Since no call was made immediately by the umpire, Hartbank fired to first, but Vogt already had crossed the bag. The umpires looked a bit confused, and not seeming to know what to call, and they ruled the runner safe. The coach for First National appealed the call, but this time it stood, even though it was wrong. The batter should have been ruled out. Daniel then got Joey Allee to ground out back to him on a first pitch knuckle curveball to end the inning and the game.
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