Ouch. Birmingham led La Jolla, 3-1, in a Lions Tournament game Tues., March 31, at Muirlands. Then a mental error by Patriots outfielders in the top of the fifth inning allowed a catchable flyball by Viking Trenton Fudge to fall untouched with two runners on, scoring both runners and tying the game.
Then, a second bonehead play, this time by a Patriots baserunner, put a dagger in a Birmingham rally in the bottom of the sixth inning with La Jolla leading 6-3 and the visitors threatening to come back. To the Vikings' credit, they capitalized on both mistakes to take home a second straight pool play victory on the strength of a 10-4 win.
With one out in the fifth inning, Luke Bucon and Sean Hofmann, filling the eight and nine slots in the Vikings' lineup, were sitting like ducks on a pond when Fudge drove a flyball to left center field. Patriots left fielder Paris Gorham and center fielder Alexis Miranda looked at each other, assuming the other would take the not-difficult-to-reach fly, as the ball dropped to the turf. Bucon, who had gotten aboard on his second basehit, and Hofmann, on base due to an error, both came around to score before the throw could come in. It was all tied, 3-3.
"The baseball gods have been smiling on (Fudge)," said Jacob Grosz, La Jolla pitching coach.
Copyright 2015 Ed Piper
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