May 18, 2019- vs. Briarwood, 10-9 win
I am writing these thoughts so we can pick up some pointers and think more about how we play the game.
This game showed more the character of the team as I like to see it. We played horrible defense to start the game, but we did not quit.
The biggest part of the game was what we did to win. We didn't win it all in one play. We chipped away. But more importantly we did some things that winning teams do. It was unselfish baseball. We excelled in a lot of mental areas of the game which we hadn't done as well before in. We started adjusting when needed.
I applaud guys for getting key hits and for making adjustments during the game which needed to be made. Also, I appreciate guys telling me when they feel they can not continue in a position because of soreness or something like that. It helps the team.
Some of the things which nobody ever mentions which really stand out are noted below.
After I made a visit to the mound in the second inning, William Prior focused on throwing strikes. I mentioned if he loses the next guy up I will pull him out. He gave up a hit on the first pitch, but that told me he was throwing strikes. He then proceeded to strike the next two guys out. This was the first save of the night. It also gave us time to get Noah warmed up and ready to pitch. If William doesn't get out of that inning, they would have scored more runs. Despite not having his best night, credit goes to William for sticking with it and focusing on fundamentals.
We all know Noah pitched great last night. But, I think its more important to mention how he adjusted his at bat and slapped a ball down the third base line. It wasn't for a hit as the team threw him out at first. But, what it does do is it slows his bat down so he works on seeing the ball better. This is the kind of at bat that breaks someone out of a slump.
Michael Horton had a big double in the fourth inning which drove in two runs. We were down 9-2 at the time and the pitcher they brought in had walked the first three guys of the inning. If Mike gets out, their team can slow us down and they would win. In my mind, this was the play that turned the game around. However, it wasn't the hit itself which impressed me. It was the mental approach to the hit. I noticed and said something to the guy on third how Mike was taking a good approach to the at bat. What I meant was Mike was locked in a zone. He saw the guy was throwing balls and decided to look for a good pitch that he can hit rather than jump on any pitch. He didn't try to make something happen, but he let his ability do the job. Mike took a couple of bad pitches and then roped his single between third and short as a result. That shows how a mental approach to hitting can really help.
Grant's Bunt was at a key time in a good place and for a good reason. I was itching to bunt off of the big guy all night long. In retrospect, I think if we would have done it frequently it may have lost its edge and they would have adjusted. This was the second big play in the fourth inning which helped us a lot. I can't stress how important to the game a bunt can be. We should all know how to bunt for different situations such as for a hit or just to move runners up.
Christian shortened up and got a key hit in the last inning.
Cameron worked a walk out of fouling off a couple of pitches. Each pitch he was getting closer and closer to hitting the guy hard. He didn't get greedy and try to hit a pitch he couldn't hit.
William Prior changed his approach from trying to get a hit, to trying to do what it took to win the game with his last at bat. Rather than try to stroke a line drive, all he would have needed to do was hit the ball on the ground to the right side to win the game. He hit a foul ball which was on a half swing, and then the next hit, it was fair and it actually was in an area where nobody could have gotten him out. He gets credit for a single, but it was the approach, which was unselfish, which actually won the game.
I am writing these thoughts so we can pick up some pointers and think more about how we play the game.
This game showed more the character of the team as I like to see it. We played horrible defense to start the game, but we did not quit.
The biggest part of the game was what we did to win. We didn't win it all in one play. We chipped away. But more importantly we did some things that winning teams do. It was unselfish baseball. We excelled in a lot of mental areas of the game which we hadn't done as well before in. We started adjusting when needed.
I applaud guys for getting key hits and for making adjustments during the game which needed to be made. Also, I appreciate guys telling me when they feel they can not continue in a position because of soreness or something like that. It helps the team.
Some of the things which nobody ever mentions which really stand out are noted below.
After I made a visit to the mound in the second inning, William Prior focused on throwing strikes. I mentioned if he loses the next guy up I will pull him out. He gave up a hit on the first pitch, but that told me he was throwing strikes. He then proceeded to strike the next two guys out. This was the first save of the night. It also gave us time to get Noah warmed up and ready to pitch. If William doesn't get out of that inning, they would have scored more runs. Despite not having his best night, credit goes to William for sticking with it and focusing on fundamentals.
We all know Noah pitched great last night. But, I think its more important to mention how he adjusted his at bat and slapped a ball down the third base line. It wasn't for a hit as the team threw him out at first. But, what it does do is it slows his bat down so he works on seeing the ball better. This is the kind of at bat that breaks someone out of a slump.
Michael Horton had a big double in the fourth inning which drove in two runs. We were down 9-2 at the time and the pitcher they brought in had walked the first three guys of the inning. If Mike gets out, their team can slow us down and they would win. In my mind, this was the play that turned the game around. However, it wasn't the hit itself which impressed me. It was the mental approach to the hit. I noticed and said something to the guy on third how Mike was taking a good approach to the at bat. What I meant was Mike was locked in a zone. He saw the guy was throwing balls and decided to look for a good pitch that he can hit rather than jump on any pitch. He didn't try to make something happen, but he let his ability do the job. Mike took a couple of bad pitches and then roped his single between third and short as a result. That shows how a mental approach to hitting can really help.
Grant's Bunt was at a key time in a good place and for a good reason. I was itching to bunt off of the big guy all night long. In retrospect, I think if we would have done it frequently it may have lost its edge and they would have adjusted. This was the second big play in the fourth inning which helped us a lot. I can't stress how important to the game a bunt can be. We should all know how to bunt for different situations such as for a hit or just to move runners up.
Christian shortened up and got a key hit in the last inning.
Cameron worked a walk out of fouling off a couple of pitches. Each pitch he was getting closer and closer to hitting the guy hard. He didn't get greedy and try to hit a pitch he couldn't hit.
William Prior changed his approach from trying to get a hit, to trying to do what it took to win the game with his last at bat. Rather than try to stroke a line drive, all he would have needed to do was hit the ball on the ground to the right side to win the game. He hit a foul ball which was on a half swing, and then the next hit, it was fair and it actually was in an area where nobody could have gotten him out. He gets credit for a single, but it was the approach, which was unselfish, which actually won the game.