Challengers 13, Unicorns 5

The second game was a lot more of the same in terms of the Challengers' offensive production. Taking advantage of the opposing pitcher's complete lack of control, the C's put up a 7 spot in the top of the first on just 3 hits. One of those hits was a booming double by Bernet, who appeared to break into his home-run trot about halfway down the first-base line...before speeding up when he saw the ball short-hop the fence in deep left center. The game was never really close after that, as the C's cruised to a 13-5 win.

Two things about this second game bear mention before I wrap up this (already way too long) recap:

First, by jumping on the Unicorns early, with a 7-run first, coach Rob Sedin got an opportunity to give everyone on the team a chance to play at least a full inning or two. Hopefully the guys that are typically playing 1 Liga gained some valuable experience by going against NLB competition (admittedly, they were not exactly confronting the 1927 Yankees, but you get the point). Practice is fine, and all these guys are working hard, but there's no substitute for actually getting into the game. Plus Skinny Olsen even threw out a runner trying to steal third, which will hopefully get him to finally stop whining about all the runners he WOULD have caught trying to steal in 1. Liga if the infielders wouldn't have dropped all his great throws. ;-) Second...and for everyone in attendance, you knew this was coming - The Brian Ball. Here's how the situation appeared to unfold from my vantage point in center: With the score already 9-0 Challengers in the bottom of the second, Kovac was pitching with one out and a runner on second. Right after he delivered a pitch, someone could be heard loudly calling out that's a balk!!.

The yelling itself wasn't surprising - people yell stuff at games all the time - but the person doing the yelling was (sort of): The Challengers' very own Bryan Shemley, who had driven up with Thomas Burger to um, support the team I guess. I'm not sure what Shemley was trying to accomplish, but I'm guessing what followed wasn't it: After getting the ball back from the catcher, Kovac turned and flung the ball towards where Shemley was standing (which was by an opening in the fence next to the visiting dugout). As Murphy's law would dictate, the ball bounced through the opening and out towards the cornfield that was, Field of Dreams-style, behind the Challengers' dugout. Of course it did. Unfortunately, as no one had called for time, the ball was live. As a result, the runner on second was awarded two bases, which allowed him to score from second.

So, two things: First, if you're going to come and watch a game, don't heckle your own team. I'm sure Bryan thought he was being funny, but clearly Kurt didn't think so, and I doubt anyone else on the field did either. Plus, based on the histrionics Shemley exhibits during practice when the batting groups don't switch stations at precisely the nanosecond he demands it, I'm sure he wouldn't have found the situation so amusing if it were some NLB guys bothering one of the Challengers' pitchers during an NLA game. Second - and with all that having been said - Kovac's reaction was a bit surprising. Clearly it's annoying when you're trying to pitch and someone's yelling out nonsense, but, I mean, that was not exactly the first time Bryan had yelled out something obnoxious during a game. There are probably better ways to deal with the situation than throwing a live ball at him (yes, always easy to give advice after the fact, I know, but still). Anyway, let's not give the incident more attention than it deserves. It was a minor blip in an otherwise spectacular performance by the Challengers.

by Alex Gordon