Like a jumbo jet landing on your face – Game 2

As the Defensive Specialists approached the Blacktown Olympic Facility, the dulcet strains of church bells could be heard. Upon entering the stadium, the tones evolved in to ear shattering noise, with AC/DC’s Hells Bells blasting through the sound system. The Defensive Specialist whipped out his sound level meter that indicated the music blaring at 180 decibels. To put that in context, that’s like having a jumbo jet land on your face.

Fortunately as NSW was half way through infield outfield, the music switched again to everyone’s favourite – Bon Jovi. Anyway, the Patriots performed the drill effectively as the early arriving crowd eagerly awaited Graham Cassel’s attempt at the catcher popup. Cassel once again sailed it out of the yard, directly over the back stop. A one off fungo functionality error, hey it happens. Consistent fungo dysfunction? well you’ve got a problem and need professional treatment.

South Australia could now not lose the infield outfield battle but were still keen to put on a solid show. All went well until coach Mark Haylock decided to underhand roll a slow roller to third. This was an unprecedented move and indicated that he was unsure of his fungo control abilities. It was all crystal clear moments later when he hit a feeble pop up that didn’t go more than 6 feet in the air and in fact should not be referred to as a pop up. Lets call it a ‘nub’. Despite this effort, South Australia took the series 1-0.

Starting on the hill for the NSW Patriots was Wayne Lundgren who describes himself in the game program as “fun’, ‘chilled’ and ‘active’. There you have it. The first game of today’s double dip was scheduled for 7 innings only. He proceeded to breeze through the SA top order with minimal fuss.

47 year old Darren Fidge took the ball for South Australia and was greeted rudely by Michael Lysaught who smoked a line drive to leftfield to start the game. Mark Holland then grounded a ball to second in what looked like a sure-fire double play but shortstop Cresswell airmailed the ball over first base. Trent D’Antonio then singled to right, putting runners on first and second. This brought Mitch Denning to the plate. Denning crushed a ball to right centre that centrefielder David Washington took a brutal route on and played it into a potential triple. Holland scored as Denning put his head down and was gunning for third. Unfortunately, the third base coach had put the breaks on D’Antonio at third, which Denning did not see. He rounded second, realized the error in his ways and was easily out trying to scramble back into second.

NSW 1-0

Lundgren continued to deal through the second, working effectively with his fastball and slider as he mowed through the obligatory 3 hitters.

Stone Hands Pat Maat as he is now referred to, led off the NSW 2^nd. Not learning from last night, the announcer was keen to let everyone know what the big fella was hitting - .325. Surely another out? No, firm single to right. This brought up Tim Auty and his techno walk up music. The crowd immediately broke into “little fish, big fish, cardboard box” dance moves which inspired him to single down the left field line moving Maat to second. David Kindalis then drove a ball to centrefield that Washington desperately wanted to screw up again but caught anyway. Maat tagged to third. Shannon Pender then killed the rally by hitting into a 4-6-3 double play.

Dan Wilson led off the third and had obviously read yesterdays Deep in the Hole as he had altered his uniform look to hide his woefully skinny chicken legs. . It didn’t help as Lundgren blew through the bottom third of the SA hitting lineup. He may have thrown about 14 pitches in the 2^nd and 3^rd innings.

South Australia threatened in the 4^th. After an out by Washington, Cresswell singled to right for the first SA hit of the game. Stefan Welch then singled to centre as Cresswell attempted to go first to third. Techno Tim Auty recklessly overthrew the cut off man allowing Welch to cruise into second. Lundgren recalibrated and got Ryan Murphy to feebly ground out straight back to him, and then punched out Michael Collins to end the threat.

Both Lundgren and Fidge then proceeded to shut down their opponents’ scoring opportunities with the only real highlight between the 4^th and 7^th inning being NSW catcher Andrew Graham accidently having his walk up music switched to some soft hip hop ordinarily reserved for Mitch Denning. Always amusing to see an impossibly white catcher pimp rollin’ to the dish with beats popping in the background.

In the 7^th the Patriots turned the ball over to soft tossing lefty Matthew Rae. He was greeted rudely by Ben Wigmore who hit a piss rocket straight back at him and into centre. Mathew Smith pinch-hit and grounded into a 5-4 fielders choice. Collins punched out and Angus Roeger pinch-hit. He executed a perfectly accidental swinging bunt that Rae fielded and promptly launched into the NSW bullpen allowing Smith to tie the game. Rae then got out of the inning by getting Washington to ground out 5-3.

1-1

NSW couldn’t answer in the bottom of the 7^th leading us into extra innings.

The 8^th inning provided very little in terms of offense, but SA threatened in the 9^th. Collins singled softly to centre bringing Wigmore to the plate. Wigmore then sac bunted Collins to second. This left the Defensive Specialist scratching his head. Was sacrificing your hottest hitter to move a slow footed guy to second, who may not necessarily be able to score on a single to the outfield, the best move? It was academic anyway as Smith flew out to right and Dylan Child struck out to end the threat.

Hayden Beard replaced Fidge in the 8^th inning and looked to be in command in the bottom of the 9^th as he retired Graham to start the inning. Jason Posphosil singled to right and then stole second. This brought Auty to the dish as his techno beats pumped and the crowd started to push up lasers. Obviously feeling the love from the crowd, Auty smoked a line drive to left centre scoring Posphosil for the walk -ff winning score and a frenzy of glow stick waving.

NSW 2-1

The Deep in the Hole Player of the Game has to go to Wayne Lundgren who was so dominant early on in the game and yielded no runs while working 6 innings and striking out 6. Lundgren’s use of his fastball and slider kept the South Australian line up off balance and forced them into early-in-the-count swings, which kept his pitch count down and allowed him to save what appears to be a very thin NSW bullpen.

Now if you’ll excuse The Defensive Specialist, he needs to rehydrate so that he is sharp for the game 3 review.