Baseball update

So, last year the Tigers heading toward the end of the season were 1 game out of first. Their next-to-last game was against the first place team, and their last game was against the last place team, who they had already easily beaten. So it seemed that if they could beat the first place team (which would put them in a tie and give them the tiebreaker), they would win the regular season. Then, the week before the "big game", the Tigers lost to the third place team, seemingly ending the hopes of a title. Still, second place was on the line. The Tigers played a great game and beat the first-place team (giving them their first loss of the season). Then, a few days later, the first place team lost again. That put us in a tie for first place. All that remained was that last game against the last-place team.

The game didn't start out well. I don't remember all the details, but the Tigers weren't hitting and scoring runs and fell behind. But towards the end they began to inch closer. In the end, in the bottom of the last inning, with two outs and still down one run, with a runner on first, Brennan came up to bat. Needless to say, this was very nerve-wracking for Dee and I (although I don't know that it was to Brennan...). He got one of his trademark short hits in the infield that he beat out with his hustle. The next batter then hit a hard line drive to the fence in center field, the lead run scored easily and Brennan scored from first with the game-and-title winning run. Final score, 12 - 11.

Fast forward to this year. The Tigers started out slow, then had a 9-game winning streak to move into second place, 1 game behind the first place team, with three games left--the next-to-last game against the 1st place team, and the last game against the next-to-last place team. The Tigers had won 2 out of 3 against the next-to-last place team, and 1 out of 2 against the first place team. So, a win against the first place team would give us the tiebreaker. If the Tigers win the last three games, they will be the regular season champions. The third-to-last game is against the third place team, who we had beat twice already.

That game was last Saturday, and it just wasn't a good game. The defense was really quite good (including a catch on a fly ball in right field by Brennan), but the offense never really clicked. In the end they made it close, but still lost, seemingly ending the hopes of the regular season title. But in the next game, the first place team lost! The race is back on.

Tuesday night was the big game. This time the Tigers got off to a hot start, scoring five runs in the first inning (as I believe I've mentioned, there's a limit of five runs per inning). They didn't do quite that well the whole game, but did enough that the game was really never super close, and their defense was superb. The final score was 7 - 4 Tigers.

That brings us to last night, the last game of the season. Tigers win, and they're the regular season champions. This seems oddly familiar... And it got to feel even more familiar. The Tigers were the home team. The White Sox easily scored five runs the first inning (highlighted by a 2-run home run from one of last year's Tigers...). The Tigers did OK, and scored three (although Brennan struck out with the bases loaded for the third out). The Tiger defense started to look better, but the bats weren't. Going into the bottom of the fourth, it was 11 - 3. With only three more turns to bat, and a maximum of five runs each time, it was looking tough. Bottom three hitters are coming up. The first batter gets a single. Brennan is now up. He puts down a perfect bunt about 1/4 the way down the third base line and beats the throw--which got past the first baseman anyway and into the outfield. Brennan heads towards second, but soon realizes that the runner on second isn't going anywhere. So he turned around and went back, sliding into first just ahead of the first base man, coming back with the ball (and yes, I nearly had a heart attack when I saw that last part happening...). The next batter hit a pop out in the infield, and the runner on second ran to third anyway, leading to a double play.

But now it's the top of the order, and they come through enough to score Brennan and one other run. Now it's 11 - 5. Top of the fifth, the defense holds tough and the White Sox fail to score. I wish I remembered the details of the bottom of the fifth better. Brennan came up again with at least one out, and at least one runner on. Once again, he was asked to bunt. This time it was more to the center of the infield, but Brennan (as always) hustled down the base line, and the throw was low and went under the first baseman's glove, allowing at least one run to score. Next thing I know (after the head coach talking all game about how good the White Sox catcher is and how hard it will be to steal) they're giving Brennan the steal sign. Despite my nerves, he was easily safe at second. From there the details again escape me, but Brennan scored the fourth of the Tigers' five runs that inning. The score is now 10 - 11. If the White Sox score five, the game is over. Every run they score makes it that much harder for us. A couple of quick outs, a couple of near-plays, and the White Sox have the bases loaded with two outs. But our third baseman makes the play on a grounder and throws out the runner to keep it 10 - 11.

Bottom of the sixth. Hitters 3 - 4 - 5 coming up. First batter singles. Second batter singles. Or maybe there was a double in there. Anyway, we end up with runners on second and third. The batter smashes a single up the middle to the fence. Both runners score, and the Tigers win the game and the regular season championship. Final score, 12 - 11.

Now it's just the tournament left. But already an impressive accomplishment as the Tigers go from a 1 - 3 record to end the season at 12 - 4.

We're very proud of how hard Brennan has worked, and the improvements he has made. I believe I can say without bias that he is likely one of the top six outfielders in the league, and one of the (if not the) best bunters in the league.

I also want to mention that Jessie has been phenomenally supportive and done her part in cheering on the team. For example, apparently last night she was playing with some of the other siblings, but when she saw that the team was struggling she got the other siblings to come watch and cheer to help the team in their comeback.