Teams fight inconsistency in Men’s Slo-Pitch League

By Jesse Ferguson, 4BRANT

On the night of July 25, the Burford Men’s Slo-Pitch League was taking full advantage of the calm, but still warm night.

Last week’s article anointed the game of the week for this week to the team newly exeunt from first-place, the Bon Lane Bushwackers, against what has been called the league’s hottest team, the #Crunchers, on Diamond B at the fields at Burford Arena Complex.

The #Crunchers were on their game early, hoping Bon Lane was still hurting from losing to Ackland’s Insurance last week, who looked the best they had all year in the pouring rain.

To start the game, while the #Crunchers were on fire. The #Crunchers second inning saw them score five consecutive runs to start the inning.

The next inning saw them top their totals and they dipped in six runs, including Trevor Fronchake, who hit a massive homerun last week.

#Crunchers Jonny as he swings at a pitch

In the fifth inning, #Cruncher Mike Heeney managed to smack a homer while dawning his orange Broncos hat. And so did Jonny (picture), as tenth batter, as Bon Lane really started kicking the ball around with poor fielding.

The Bushwacker pitcher did not seem consoled that they may have been unearned runs he gave up–because the bottom line was the #Crunchers were putting a hurt on Bon Lane.

As the sun sets, Bon Lane’s Chris Leroux bats infront of his family

Bon Lane is on a serious down-swing after they seemed to hold a stake to first-place in the league. Today was surely an off-game for them and was concerning, as somehow these recently first-place Bushwackers scored only three runs! Trois (3).

The #Crunchers crunched numbers tonight, compiling 22 runs. Three innings totaled 19 runs. #Crunchers Jeff, Jon, and Zac scored as many runs, each, as Bon Lane did as a whole.

In the late game on Diamond B Ackland’s took on Tota Farms, two very alike squads. For starters, they are both 6-8, fighting for fourth place. To look deeper, Ackland’s has a run differential of +8 while Tota’s is +4. So these teams are just four runs apart this season.

Both teams started slow. By the end of the sixth, the score was just 2-2.

Midway through, Shay Henrique smoked a line drive with runners aboard. It was a quick comebacker right up the middle at the pitcher, Dave Bosnjak. But somehow, Bosnjak threw up his glove at the last possible instant and saved his chicklets and a lot of cash with that glove-save.

The seventh inning was when the sleeping giant for Tota Farms awoke. If you guessed Tim Tota or Steven, you’d be wrong. The team went ten betters deep, starting the scoring with Jon “Prez” Chambers, then Aiden Giles, Dan Moore, Tommy Smith, and Matt Kaufman. This established Tota’s a lead.

“C’mon boys, it’s only five,” Ackland’s Jeff Richardson was heard saying as they opened the ninth inning down a handful. Ackland’s was determined to make things interesting at the least (featured picture: Jason Demunck, after a glorified return to the Ackland’s lineup, bats against Tota Farms’ Levi Smith).

It was bottom of the ninth drama as a hit brigade erupted. Ray Magda scored for Ackland’s and the wheels were in motion. Brandon Webster then scored his second run of the game and we had just a two-run game with two outs left for Ackland’s!

Richardson was next to cross the plate to bring Ackland’s within just one! Jordan drove him in and ended up at third base as the tying run. Up stepped Ricky Christou, with fans watching intently. He smashed Tota’s Levi Smith’s pitch for a line drive.

At contact, it seemed this game was headed for extra innings.

Alas, the line drive was right at Dan Moore up the middle. Moore was in great position.

The bottom of the ninth drama concluded in a split-second. 

Tota Farms (near) handsakes with Ackland’s following a hard-played game

So Bon Lane was good, but they were beaten by Ackland’s last week. Tota beat Ackland’s this week. Regardless, the Cement Heads are the top in the league. Tota Farms may have won a helpful tiebreaker tonight for the Year-Ender Bender © tournament with a head-to-head victory over Ackland’s, 8-7.

In other scores, Bre Haul doubled Davis Fuels 20-10, and the Cement Heads tripled Burford Auto, 15-5.

Next week, stay tuned, as the game of the week, unquestionably, are those number one Cement Heads against those hot #Crunchers. Bon Lane tries to get things back on track when they face Auto.

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 Sports articles on 4BRANT, click here.