As player participation dwindles and the heat bears on, Veto League Baseball was able to scrounge up a 14-man game that took an extra inning to determine the outcome.
Needing a win to tie the Vandals atop the standings, the Meteors (6-6) visited the Goonies (6-7). “This is for first,” Coach Matt Veto proudly stated as he took the field for his team. Veto’s team took the momentum from the beginning, scoring four times in the top half of the first. The Goonies were able to take their first lead in the bottom of the fourth, plating 3 times and taking the 6-5 advantage. The lead wouldn’t last long, however, as the Meteors took control in the top half of the 6th, scoring twice. The Goonies would then tie it in the bottom half.
Three defensive innings later, the two teams found themselves in a gridlock of who can score last. The Meteors wasted a ninth inning bases loaded 1-out situation, popping out to the infield and grounding out to short.
The Meteors then took advantage of a crucial Goonie error, as Jeff Kilgard puddled a grounder to shortstop Josh Paul, who watched it roll under his glove. The Meteors scored two huge runs in the top of the 10th. The Goonie bats then came alive. Ryan Barton, hit-less in eight at-bats, stepped to the plate with no outs and a runner on first. He lined a double down the line in left, allowing John Escajeda to score one of his four runs. The bald and burly Bob Zerull was walked with no outs. Doug Scott, batting .641 in his rookie season, reached on an infield single after squirting a grounder to the shortstop. In his Veto League debut, John Weber (3-7), followed it up with an RBI single. That set the table for the Goonie captain, Josh Paul, with no outs and the bases loaded. Paul rocketed a pitch from teammate Jesus Apodaca to left center, allowing Barton to plate the winning run. “That was a great pick-me-up after my error,” Paul said afterwards.
In a startling moment, “Wrigley”, the dog of VLB Veteran Jon Escajeda, said after the game that this was the most exciting baseball game he’s ever watched. Maybe that’s because he was running circles around the bleachers throughout, all the while being chased by a band of elementary-schoolers.
Both the Goonies and Meteors begin preparing for the playoffs, which begin Aug. 16.
Needing a win to tie the Vandals atop the standings, the Meteors (6-6) visited the Goonies (6-7). “This is for first,” Coach Matt Veto proudly stated as he took the field for his team. Veto’s team took the momentum from the beginning, scoring four times in the top half of the first. The Goonies were able to take their first lead in the bottom of the fourth, plating 3 times and taking the 6-5 advantage. The lead wouldn’t last long, however, as the Meteors took control in the top half of the 6th, scoring twice. The Goonies would then tie it in the bottom half.
Three defensive innings later, the two teams found themselves in a gridlock of who can score last. The Meteors wasted a ninth inning bases loaded 1-out situation, popping out to the infield and grounding out to short.
The Meteors then took advantage of a crucial Goonie error, as Jeff Kilgard puddled a grounder to shortstop Josh Paul, who watched it roll under his glove. The Meteors scored two huge runs in the top of the 10th. The Goonie bats then came alive. Ryan Barton, hit-less in eight at-bats, stepped to the plate with no outs and a runner on first. He lined a double down the line in left, allowing John Escajeda to score one of his four runs. The bald and burly Bob Zerull was walked with no outs. Doug Scott, batting .641 in his rookie season, reached on an infield single after squirting a grounder to the shortstop. In his Veto League debut, John Weber (3-7), followed it up with an RBI single. That set the table for the Goonie captain, Josh Paul, with no outs and the bases loaded. Paul rocketed a pitch from teammate Jesus Apodaca to left center, allowing Barton to plate the winning run. “That was a great pick-me-up after my error,” Paul said afterwards.
In a startling moment, “Wrigley”, the dog of VLB Veteran Jon Escajeda, said after the game that this was the most exciting baseball game he’s ever watched. Maybe that’s because he was running circles around the bleachers throughout, all the while being chased by a band of elementary-schoolers.
Both the Goonies and Meteors begin preparing for the playoffs, which begin Aug. 16.