Majors: 5/28/03
Carman 13, Hagans 3

  On a night when the Major League field was awash with freshly-fallen rain, Carman and Hagan's took their
tilt to the American League field, and got reacquainted with face-guard batting helmets and eyeblack. Both
teams were a bit short-handed, as Springton Lake Middle School held their Band Concert, so a few players
were out of position, and it showed.
  As Visitors, Hagan batted first. Atkinson reached by E5, and McCusker drew a full-count walk. Both eventually
scored on a string of E2's, before Still, pitching for Carman, got the 3, 4, and 5 batters on K's. Hagan 2,
Carman 0.

Kevin Gillen got things rolling for Carman, as he doubled to left-center, on a rocket that looked like it had
a chance to Go. McGough singled, then Still doubled on an opposite-field shot to right-center, scoring two,
game tied. Still came around to score on Clifton's sacrifice, then A Snow singled, but Will Torrence stopped
the damage there, with a K to end the inning.

Still faced the minimum in the second, getting a K, a 5-3, and another K.

Torrence got two quick outs in the bottom of the second, on a pop-up to third, and a comebacker to the mound.
Carman continued their "Two Outs Mean Nothing To Us", or something like that, streak, as Gillen singled,
McGough doubled - as his blast was kept in the park by a gust of wind - followed by singles by Still and
M Snow, to score 2 more, before Torrence ended the inning with yet another timely K. Carman 5, Hagan 2.

Still continued to look strong, getting a K and a 6-3 to start the top of the third. But McCusker got on
with the second full count walk of the game by Still, advancing when McCarthy wrangled an E3 to keep the
inning alive, and escaping a classic pickle between 3rd and home, when the ball was knocked loose of Carman's
catcher's mitt, as he failed to protect the ball with both hands, for another E2. McCarthy himself ended the
inning, when the coach sent him on a delayed steal of home, only to see the catcher hold onto the ball this
second try. Carman 5, Hagan 3. Still a close ball game.

The bottom of Carman's order got into the act, as A Snow doubled, Boyer and Hobson walked, Newby was HBP for
an RBI, and then Gillen hit a sac-fly to right, scoring Boyer and advancing Hobson, as both showed great
baserunning by tagging up at second and third to advance after the catch. Torrence once again managed to
find a way to hold serve, as he got Carman's 2 and 3 batters on a 6-3 and a 5-3. Carman 8, Hagan 3. The
noose was tightening.

Top of the fourth, and Still started with a K, then issued his third full-count walk of the game, to Travaligni,
who is still recovering from a broken ankle. C-Trav made an ill-advised attempt for a steal of second on a
passed ball, as one could see he was clearly hampered by the bad wheel, as Matt Snow gunned him out at second.
Another K ended Hagan's at-bat.

In the bottom of the fourth, McCusker relieved Torrence, as M Snow walked, Clifton flied-out to first, A Snow
tripled (missing hitting for the cycle by only a dinger), and then Boyer sacrificed home A Snow, on a 6-3
grounder. Two outs, only two runs scored in the inning. Would Carman be able once again to muster some two-out
magic? Hobson and Newby answered "yes", as both walked, and then advanced a base each on a wild pitch. A scary
moment ensued as Kevin Gillen caught on in the throat on a bunt attempt, but he finished his at bat with a gutsy
double to add to the score, and then McGough ended the game with his second double of the night, as Carman
prevailed 13-3.

For Hagans, Torrence had 3 K's, and only 2 walks, in his 3 innings.

For Carman, Still had 8 K's, 3 walks, and surrendered 0 hits.

       1 2 3 4 R  H  E
Hagans 2 0 1 0 3  0  2
Carman 3 2 3 5 13 12 6

"People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring." 

- Rogers Hornsby