Burford Slo-Pitch: This league can’t be weathered!

By Jesse Ferguson, 4BRANT

Some leagues played Wednesday night, June 13th,  and some didn’t, because of the weather– whether it be the ten minutes of rain that came down or the wind. You would think slo-pitch may be lax in the wind and would be more likely to be cancelled than traditional baseball, but nope!

Burford Men’s Slo-Pitch were toughing it out! (The city of Brantford cancelled the Red Sox game on the same night “due to field conditions” but the fields in Burford were in normal condition and bore zero audible complaints from any of the fielders.)

The wind however was strong and caused many spectators and players alike to literally hold onto their hats. I resorted to put mine on backwards.

In the early games, where the wind was strongest, Davis Fuels took on Ackland. It was a back and forth contest as the pitchers– notably Davis’ Steve Aichmayr– tried to place their pitches so they landed near the plate, which was a task to do in the near gale force winds.

Ackland looked strong tonight without either number five in the lineup, which perhaps is coincidence. Or maybe it isn’t… but the fact remains that they didn’t fear the wind today, and still managed to score a league high 25 runs this week. Ackland’s trumps Davis Fuels 25-11.

But 25 was also scored by a team that has been given a tough ride thus far this season. Burford Auto climbed out of the cellar in the standings by crunching the up-and-down Crunchers, 25-18.

The late games were premier contests of the week as we had the rivalry game, Tota Farms versus Bre Haul, as well as the marquee match– for first place– which pitted Bon Lane against the Cement Heads.

By the time the late games were on the wind was still a steady stream but had let up a little and the major gusts had dissipated– and hats could be dawned forward without much fear.

Tota’s Farms found itself on the losing side of the coin last week versus the Cement Heads falling by the slimmest of margins, 20-19.

Last time they faced Bre Haul was May 25^th and they managed to squeak out the win.

It was a high-quality sixth frame for Tota’s as they scored seven to answer Bre Haul’s seven-run sixth (seven consecutive runs).  Tota’s led by two.

After a three-run eighth, Tota’s found themselves up three. In the bottom of the ninth, Tota’s clung to their small lead. Bre Haul went right to it, getting Jeremy Vanderheyden on base in their first at-bat. Then Kyle also reached safely. With none out, it was Todd ending the game via a walk-off homerun!

This time, it was Bre Haul winning by just one as they pull it off in walk-off fashion via a homerun, 17-16.

“Tough loss” said Tota’s Jon Chambers in utter disappoint after teams had left the field. Tota’s has two losses in two weeks by a combined two runs. Rough…

Bre Haul is 4-4, while Tota’s dips to 3-5. Bre Haul gets the Cement Heads next week.

The game for first place was on big Diamond B. Speaking of the Cement Heads, they, of course, were playing Bon Lane.

The Bushwackers really came out swinging with Scott Chambers doing most of the damage in the first.

Later on, Bon Lane’s Mike Schooley showed some surprising agility on the mound getting his glove in front of an instant comebacker that was headed straight for his face. It was crazy that he even got his hand on it. The bad news was he took the spite shot right in the palm of his hand. That’s going to leave a bruise on a tender area.

“Won’t be using that hand for a couple of days,” he laughed after, but like the hard head he is, Schooley did not leave the game.

After four innings, the Cement Heads finally decided to get on the board, scoring four runs. But waiting dour innings to score four runs does not yield great results. A one per inning average does not do well in slo-pitch. Meanwhile Bon Lane had eight runs.

“This game’s just flying by,” commented Bon Lane’s Adam Clement. It was in the eighth inning by 9PM!

Three innings passed again without any Cement runs, but finally they snapped to their half of the eighth, just in time. These six runs gave them 10, But they needed to do that in the ninth inning as well just to catch Bon Lane.

The Cement Heads could not and therefore Bon Lane does not surrender first place on a tiebreaker of head-to-head games, and they win, 18-12.

It doesn’t get any easier for Tota’s as next week they draw these undefeated Bushwackers. Teams with identical 4-4 records face one another, Ackland’s and the Crunchers; Davis Fuels try to get out of their new valley of alone in last place when they face Burford Auto; and lastly, as eluded to earlier, the Cement Heads face Bre Haul.

rAction kicks off Wednesday at 6:45.

For last week’s article, click here.
For a look at the schedule and scores, click here.
For an update on the standings, click here.
For my other articles on 4BRANT, click here.