Tartans Cap Season with Sweep at Boyce
Box Scores: Game one » Game two »
By BRENDAN MACNABB
October 17, 2011
The Tartans end the Fall season with a remarkable 10-2 record after a thrilling weekend sweep against CCAC Boyce, giving their head coach Claudio Reilsono the greatest birthday present he could have asked for.
On coach Claudio Reilsono's 33rd (ish) birthday (this unbiased reporter thinks that he is at least 35), the Tartans gave their coach two solid wins, including an extra inning thriller in the second game, despite being without star pitcher/catcher/infielder/outfielder/DH/
generally awesome baseball player Paul Ko for the tenth time this season. Still, the Tartans managed to bend, compress, and go during crunch time to pull off the pair of wins.
The first game was highlighted by the stellar pitching of senior captain Bennet Poepping. The Tartans also had a huge contribution from catcher Darnell Danny Dante Darryl Tan, who threw out runners on the bases, crushed the ball, and was a brick wall behind the plate all day. His brother, Jon Tan played well, too, but not quite as well as D'Brickashaw. Brian Saravia also contributed in right field despite having a ridiculous hole in his pants. He should probably just wear a pair of cargoes next time.
The Tartans won the second game in extra innings, despite a very questionable call (to say the least) from the field umpire, who called a runner out on a great double play by Cookie Joe Barbish, who tagged the runner out before throwing to first. After the play, with the runner walking back to the dugout, the umpire inexplicably changed his mind, and decided that he wanted the runner to be safe. This call would have cost the Tartans the game had they not pulled off a great comeback late in the game.
Pitcher Brendan MacNabb challenged the Boyce hitters with the heat all day, and for the most part, they never caught up to it, including a huge pair of strikeouts with the winning run on third in the seventh, one after falling behind 3-0. Big Mike Terrick, who had a clutch hit in the first game, made his biggest contribution of the day by performing his trademark strikeout dance in the dugout. MacGruber, Adam Gruber, had some solid plays at third, fielding bunt attempts all day, and mashed a bases loaded triple in extra innings to all but ice the game for the Tartans. Kyle Woltersdorf indubitably had one of the greatest baserunning plays in the history of CMU baseball, as he intentionally got himself picked off of second to force a pickle (which was kosher, by the way), as he knew that eventually, he would get to third on a dropped throw with a spectacular head-first slide. He also extended his triples streak to, like, 84 games or something.
Wade Brogdon was not mentioned in the recaps of the games but probably did something good at shortstop and batting leadoff. Good job, Wade.
The highlight of the day was definitely the slow man race that concluded the season. The smart money was on the formerly athletic Bennet Poepping. However, Bennet and Mike Terrick, who runs like the big dude from Happy Gilmore who got shot in the head with the nail gun, and chases down Shooter McGavin at the end, made the underdog, Brendan MacNabb, who has never really been athletic in his life (but found out that he could run quite fast when running away from assistant coach Rege Kiliany), look like Usain Bolt. MacNabb then had the cojones to challenge team co-captain Pedro Cuacuas to a race, and won that one too.
Thanks to all the players and officers, and especially the coaches, on a very fun and successful season. The Tartans look forward to continue their success in the spring.
Some goals for the spring include:
Having a full and competitive team in Florida
Challenging Penn State for the playoffs during the last weekend showdown
Bennet Poepping washing his uniform at least twice
Understanding at least 10 percent of what Rege says (but I'm not sure if we want to know what he's trying to say)