Blowing the Doors off. – Patriots Vs Heat Game 2

For a ramblin’ man like the Defensive Specialist, there’s nothing better than a night spent out under the stars. With this series being played in regional NSW, the Defensive Specialist decided to get back to his roots and set up camp at the back of the ball park. To make trips like these truly sacrosanct, it is important to pack only the bare essentials – a swag, a banjo, the Deep in the Hole Super laptop and a .303 rifle for picking off rogue rabbits intent on burrowing on the diamond.   

After a wonderfully refreshing nights sleep, the Defensive Specialist woke from his slumber to the wafting aroma of sausages sizzling. Thinking that Mrs The Defensive Specialist had arisen early to provide a hearty breakfast, the Defensive Specialist was crestfallen when he realised that the smell was originating from the Bunnings Hardware store behind centrefield which flogs sausages in bread as a fundraiser for a variety of groups.

The Defensive Specialist shook off the disappointment and whipped up true bush meal – rabbit omelettes. After his daily 10km run, the Defensive Specialist dodged the brown snake in the shower block and began making preparations for game two of the Patriots / Heat series.

The Defensive Specialist’s advanced scouting network had informed the Defensive Specialist that the Heat coaching staff were so disappointed with their squad’s performance in game 1, that they really took to the boys and blew their doors off with an epic post game roasting. Seeking to clarify this, the Defensive Specialist sought out the coaches as they arrived in their rental vans. Believe it or not, the global financial crisis did have an impact at even tightly run organisations like Deep in the Hole. One of the first areas that faced cutbacks – scouting. This drain in talent was abundantly clear at this moment as the Defensive Specialist approached the Heat rental vans and noticed that one of the doors had in fact blown off. Yes that’s right, the sliding door had literally fallen off the vehicle whilst in transit and had to be retrieved and loaded back into the van.

*Donations will be accepted and immediately channelled into the Deep in the Hole scouting department.

With the crowd filling in for what promised to be an exciting day, the Defensive Specialist settled in with the dulcet tones of The Lonely Islands ‘Jizz in My Pants’ playing in the background. Perhaps sensing that it wasn’t the most family friendly song, it was quickly yanked from the rotation.

NSW took the field for innie outtie and after a tidy round, coach Graham Cassell attempted to match his pop up from the day before which was arguably the best one of the 2010 Claxton Shield. Cassell stroked it ok, achieved good height and pushed to the left and behind the plate for a 7.5 / 10. Good fungo control. Sensing that he could not match the performance, Heat Manager Don Kyle chose not to fire a shot.

NSW 2-0

The acting mayor of Cambelltown received a quick tutorial on how to throw, scaled the mound, took a run up and remarkably fired a strike on the ceremonial first pitch. The dyslexic announcer then called the South Australian manager out to present the line up before realising that it was Western Australia playing NSW today….just like yesterday.

The Patriots rolled out Wayne Lundgrem to the mound and he looked sharp punching out Mitch Graham to lead off the game. Nick Kimpton laced a 1-2 fastball into centre for a single and then designated hitter Luke Hughes singled to left with Kimpton in motion to put runners on first and third with one out. Tim Kennelly stroked a double to left centre, allowing Kimpton to score with Hughes chugging around second towards third. Third base coach, Don Kyle perhaps suffering the yips after having a runner hosed last night and still fighting the effects of fungo performance anxiety had the windmill going to send Hughes hope. At the last second he threw up the stop sign but Hughes had rounded too far and was now stranded. Shortstop Michael Lysaught relayed behind Hughes to third but the ball got away from Mark Holland and Hughes was able to scamper in safely to home. Lungrem settled down and retired Allan De San Miguel and Chris House on pop ups.

Lefty Daniel Schmidt took the ball for the Heat and retired leadoff hitter Lysaught immediately. He then walked Holland to bring Trent D’Antonio to the plate. D’Antonio grounded to Matt Kennelly at first who looked for the force at second, couldn’t get it out of his glove and then made an errant toss to first base as D’Antonio was safe. Andy Graham then drove a ball to deep right that Tim Kennelly could not corral. Holland scored, but Kennelly’s throw was cut and relayed by shortstop Andy Kyle who then wheeled and gunned down D’Antonio at third base in a bang bang play. PAT MAT then smoked a line drive off the right field wall for a single that scored Graham from second base. Techno Tim Auty and his day glo gloves singled to centre before Schmidt retired Atherton with a punch out.

From the Defensive Specialist’s perspective, Schmidt, whose velocity was strangely down (in the 80—81mph) range was working dangerously up in the strike zone. Dick-high, luke warm fastballs tend to get deposited at this level.

Score 2-2

The Patriots were at it again offensively in the bottom of the second. David Kandilas singled to centre to leadoff. Jason Pospishil popped out to short. Lysaught continued his good form with a laser beam to centre. Holland singled to left and was wound home. The ball kicked away at the dish allowing Lysaught and Holland to move up to second and third with one out. D’Antonio then laid down a sac bunt / safety squeeze to plate Lysaught. Schmidt closed the inning by striking out Graham.

NSW 4-2

Lundgrem and Schmidt both got through the 3^rd with limited action.

The 4^th inning saw offensive action for both teams.  As an aside, on Friday the Defensive Specialist was busy doing his pre-game preparations when Lachlan Dale strolled over and casually asked / begged to have something written about him on the Deep in the Hole blog. The Defensive Specialist doesn’t engage in ‘pay for play’ but said that he’d do whatever he could. So, here we go – Lachlan Dale led off for the Heat and promptly walked the dog on a slider for strike 3. Matt Kennelly then hit a rocket to right centre for a ground rule double. Andy Kyle singled to centre moving Kennelly to third. Mitch Graham hit into a 4-6 fielders choice that plated Kennelly. Kimpton doubled to deep left that appeared to be handled by leftfielder Tim Atherton as it bounced over the fence. The umpires didn’t see it that way and ruled it a ground rule double. With Luke Hughes at the dish, Andy Graham back picked Mitch Graham at third base to end the inning.

Of course, the lead off hitter for NSW Posposhil hit a ground ball straight at Graham who was clearly rattled and the ball ate him up for an error. Lysaught flew out to left and Holland smashed a single just past Schmidt’s left ear hole for a single. D’Antonio then doubled to centre on a ball that Kimpton appeared to get a poor read on to score Posposhil. Andy Graham was intentionally walked to get to PAT MAT who then fortuitously for Perth Heat grounded into a 6-3 double play to end the inning.

NSW 5-3

Luke Hughes led off the 5^th with a titanic blast to straight away centrefield for his second home run of the series. Tim Kennelly was retired on a pop up to second and the catcher Allan De San Miguel stepped in. Lundgrem delivered an 87mph fastball that rode up and in, giving De San Miguel no time to react. The ball clipped the bill of his helmet and then caromed into his face. De San Miguel went down immediately and blood could be seen running from his face. The Defensive Specialist’s medical training instantly came back to him, however as he got up to go and administer emergency first aid, Mrs The Defensive Specialist gently grabbed his elbow and reminded him that his public indemnity insurance was no longer current. The Defensive Specialist wasn’t about to let the possibility of a multi-million dollar liability suit get in the way of saving someone’s life, but fortunately all that worry was for nought as the local vet / doctor was on hand to administer assistance. De San Miguel was led away with a sizeable gash over his left eye and his day surely over.

Vaughn Harris was immediately brought on for the Patriots to relive Graham and retired House and Dale (another punch out on a slider) to end the inning.

Dean White entered for the Heat in the bottom of the 5^th with Chris House moving behind the plate and Luke Hughes going out to left field. White worked a 1,2,3 inning.

NSW 5-4

In the 6^th, Matt Kennelly started the inning with a monster shot to straight away centrefield . Andy Kyle popped out to first and Patriots manager Glenn Williams went to his bullpen to summon local boy Matthew Williams. Williams came in throwing 90mph and was a little more overpowering than any other arm we had seen thus far. Mitch Graham singled to right field and Kimpton walked. A passed ball moved the runners up and opened first base. The Patriots took this opportunity to intentionally walk the dangerous Hughes. Williams then walked Tim Kennelly forcing in the tying run and issued another free pass to Dean White (now hitting for himself in De San Miguel’s position) for the go ahead run.

Lefty Mathew Rae was quickly brought in from the NSW bullpen to face lefthanded Chris House. After getting ahead in the count, Rae served up a down and in fastball that House dropped head on and crushed for a grand slam down the right field line. The epic blast was only bettered by House’s bat toss that may have actually spun 720 degrees – quite remarkable. Dale punched out (hat trick), Matthew Kennelly walked again and Kyle flew out to make the first and third out in the inning.

WA 11-5

The patriots weren’t about to lie down, as Posposhil singled up the middle and Lysaught kept his power surge going with a 2 run bomb to centre.  White settled to retire the next 3 hitters.

WA 11-7

The runs kept coming in the 7^th and final inning. Rae recorded two quick outs before surrendering a single to left by Hughes. Hughes advanced on a wild pitch and scored on a Tim Kennelly single to centrefield.

WA 12-7

For NSW, PAT MAT countered with a double down the leftfield line and techno Tim Auty followed with a double of his own off the right centre wall. White punched out Atherton and then surrendered a sac fly by Kandilas to right that scored PAT MAT. A fly out to left field off the bat of Posposhil ended the contest.

Final Score WA  12-8

As far as the Deep in the Hole Player of the game goes, Chris House provided a thrill with the monster grand slam and prime time bat toss, but for pure value for money, the Defensive Specialist has to go with Luke Hughes who went 3-4, homerun, 4 runs and a walk.

For the Heat, it was a gritty away from home win. Schmidt was not at his sharpest and defensively they didn’t help their cause with 3 errors. Fortunately their bats stepped up and punished the Patriots bullpen like a red headed stepchild. The Patriots would be disappointed seeing their bullpen implode like that after getting out to an early lead but will take solace in the fact that their offense cranked out 13 hits and put up 8 runs in a losing effort.

This of course sets the scene for game 3, which is crucial for both squad’s playoff aspirations. A Perth win could effectively end the Patriots season while a Patriot’s  victory keeps their dream alive and makes the Heat / Aces series next weekend huge. The Defensive Specialist needs to rustle up some tucker to reenergise for game 3 – review coming Monday.