Crush top Gray Bats, 6-1

WEEK FIVE:

 

(3-2)

……………….vs………………………

(2-2)

 

Five weeks into the NABA Fall schedule and one thing is clearly evident.

Pitchers are getting all the honors.

So much recognition, in fact, that I decided to try and find an offensive player of the game this week that would overshadow the effort put forth by the winning pitcher. You know, just to mix it up a bit.

This week, however, we might have to break it up into two categories. 

Christian Necheff’s outing on Saturday made sure of that.

In six-innings of work, the Crush ace held the Gray Bats to just one-hit, a single by Bats’ Coach Larry Zalewski in the fifth-inning, while striking out four.

Behind Necheff, the Crush offense plated six-runs and regained first place in the Fall Standings.

The Crush shaded the score-book three times in the first off Bats’ pitcher BJ Rankin, who pretty much silenced the Orange in the last meeting between the two teams. A Jaron Minford blast to deep left began the scoring for the Crush. Minford’s triple plated Crush lead-off extraordanaire Joe Graff, who led off with a walk (That makes 47 BB this fall for Graff, according to well-maintained Crush statistics).

Necheff followed with a RBI double, and scored the final run of the inning thanks to a Greg a.k.a. “Wino” Wittmer single to left.

Rankin settled into a groove after the first, keeping the Crush at bay until the fourth.

A Graff walk (48) led off the Crush attack once again in the fourth. Graff stole second-base before trotting home on a David Yokitis single that put the Crush ahead, 4-0.

The Crush brought two more runs home in the sixth. Graff led the charge with a line-drive to left and scored on a towering triple by Yokitis that rolled to the fence in left-field. A fielder’s choice brought in the final Crush run in the next at-bat.

The Bats’ brought in one run in the bottom of the seventh off Crush reliever Mark Guthrie, when Rich Ament singled in Scott Kramer. 

 

So, the two categories this week………….

 

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME: Joe Graff

No brainer here. The Crush lead-off man of legend was at it again this week. He finished 1-for-3 with two walks, three runs scored and a stolen base.

 

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME: Christian Necheff

His stats should be above somewhere. Re-read if you missed them.

 

Game Notes:

– Crush slugger Jaron Minford continues to knock the cover off the ball this fall. He finished 3-for-4 with two RBI’s and a run scored.

– CF David Yokitis performed well in the third-spot in the order as usual. He finished 2-for-4 at the plate with two RBI’s and a run scored.

– Necheff helped out his own cause in the game as well, finishing 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

– The win puts the 4-2 Crush back in first-place in the fall standings.

– Brian Strom, ego-maniac author of this post, was 2-for-4 with two stolen bases.

– Special thanks to Ghostbusters Coach Ben “Vigo” Gwin for filling in at first base this week. Superb job.  

– The Crush take on the Ghostbusters in the 11:30 time slot next week.