New Lenox, IL - High Voltage took on Hog Wild in a rematch of week 1 that ended up in a run rule 18-8 victory for the Sparks. Tuesday's game was a rarity in that rain clouds were not part of any discussion as the game time temp was 84 with full sun in the batters face for the first three innings and a breeze blowing in from center field. The home Volts jumped out to a 3-1 lead after an inning and extended to 6-1 after two. Each team scored in the third as the Volts added another run in the fourth to lead 8-2. Hog Wild pushed three runs across to tighten the score at 8-5 but the Volts came back with four of their own to lead 12-5 after five frames. Both teams traded runs in the sixth inning with the Volts leading 13-6 going into the final inning. The Hogs scored on a four run error little league inside the park homerun to cut the lead to 13-10 but that is all they could muster as High Voltage held on for the three run victory. The hero of the night was Jay with six RBI's. No homerun's were hit over the fence by either team for the first time in ages. The win moves the Volts to 7-1 while Hog Wild falls to 4-4 in the Tuesday league. Next week's game is a 9:30 match against Paradise Bay. Anyone fan showing up to the game awake will get free entry into a raffle for an all expenses paid evening at The Garriott.
Notables:
Sunny Boy - This is what batters had to deal with for the first half of the game. With the sun, the wind blowing in, and the ball seemingly dead, it all added up to a low scoring game with zero legit home runs.
Reverse - Ryno must have been upside down when he looked at the temperature as he was dressed like it was 48 degrees. He would go on to tear his favorite pants while showing a burst of speed to move from first to third on a base hit to left field. While your looking at Pratl in the background, props to him for a well played game at first base in place of the East Coast travelling Stapes.
Let's go boys, Let's go boys - Ken with his muscle shirt and on the ball patrolling the first base coaches box.
Attendance Up - Easily the biggest crowd of the year attended Tuesday evening's game against Hog Wild. Fans got the word that with attendance down, team salary obligations on the rise, and El Capitan working 70 hours this past week, it was time to plunk down and buy some tickets to the game. Great to see Coach Kathy at the old ballpark tonight!
Turn My Back - Sutes was not having any of what Jer was selling at third base as he stares out into the abyss in left field. Sutes would eventually score on a Cap'n Jack base hit while JZ was thrown out at third before Shane could touch home plate. Don't know how Justump made that call with his back to home plate, BUT he did make the right call.
Ah Ha - So you all think that Stapes and Ash went to Boston on a summer vacation. Wrongo! They secretly opened up a news publication of their own to talk about fences. Congratulations on the new owners of the Post Gazette!
Aizy - NAILED IT!!!
Lions Den Top 5 - A charter member of the team who may have been the 1st or 2nd selection by El Capitan back in the mid teens, it all depends on who Jack saw first at the breakfast table. Not the fastest guy on the team nor the most powerful, but without a doubt, the loudest and most passionate player the franchise will ever have. Ladies and Gentlemen, I introduce, Ken. This team has no soul without the feisty German marching around the field whether it was his time playing or coaching. In fact, as a coach, Ken has gotten into more conflicts than Grandpa Vanderbilt in just a short time since his retirement last season. Ken doesn't look for conflict, he is a defender of truth, justice, and his teammates without question. Wear your heart on your sleeve Ken was heard throughout the SW suburbs with this trademark "Dammit!" if a ball whizzed by him. Would slam a bat in disgust if making an out. Ken retired and unretired so many times after self-disappointments at the plate or on the field that the team made him punch in and out on a clock so that they would know his status. Retirement never lasted longer than next week's game. Lest we forget the original days of the Lions Den when Ken wired the scoreboard and lead the New Lenox Hawks as founding manager. Too many stories to tell of that era for another time, some good and some not so good, but all of them funny for sure. With the Master Batter franchise, Ken is in the all-time ranks in hits, average, and is tops on the charts when it comes to a person that you want in your dugout. Game nights are not that fun when Old School isn't present so we are glad that he attends most contests (except the 9:30 variety). This clip happened in the summer of 2022 after a loss to the great Bloggers Pizza after Ken deemed his own performance as unacceptable. Enjoy this priceless
Lions Den moment. All raise a glass, Cheers Ken!
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