Carp clinches first in GOFL play
from Shawn Williams and the I4C website
It came down to the last inning of the last game with the last at bat to decide which team would finish first in 2007 in the Greater Ottawa Fastball League (GOFL).
Short several players and with pitcher Neil Cooke, with as many at bats this year as there are bottles in a six pack, delivering an RBI double in the fourth as well as scoring two runs, the Carp I4C Victory managed to defeat Dan Konkle and Ottawa Team Easton Thunder 6-5 on Thursday night at Alexander Grove Park in Stittsville.
Carp was missing several players on this night for a variety of reasons, while Easton furnished its regular league line-up including Dave Tubman, Kevin Chevrier, Cory Morrison, Randy and John Peck and of course, ace pitcher, Dan Konkle. But it was clear from the start that Carp really wanted to win this game. Carp third baseman and catcher Al Read particularly wanted to win this game having played the last couple of seasons with the Thunder primarily in a back-up role and moving over to Carp this season.
Carp opened the scoring in the top of the second when Player/Assistant Coach, Eric Rosenquist, hitting out of the five spot, reached on an error by first baseman, John Peck. He advanced to second on a wild pitch and after Russ Mitchell drew the first of eight walks issued by Konkle on the evening both runners moved up on another wild pitch. Rosenquist scored when Pete Pettit hit into a fielder's choice and the score was 1-0 for Carp.
The play of the night took place in the bottom of the second inning. Konkle led off with a walk and was sacrificed to second by John Peck. Pat O'Connor hit a shallow fly ball to right field and Russ Mitchell turned to go and get it and made a spectacular over the shoulder catch as he was stretched out. It not only meant that Team Easton now had two out but Konkle was held at second before Cooke was able to get Lukas Kamps to strike out and prevent any damage from the lead off walk he had issued.
In the top of the third, Cooke led off with a walk and moved to third on a hard hit double down the left field line by Kyle Gourgon. Read reached on an infield single when after hitting the ball back to Konkle, he turned to hold Cooke at third and by the time he went to throw to first it was too late. And the bases were loaded. With Trevor Wood at the plate with two strikes he was called out looking but the ball bounced off of Randy Peck's shin guard and went to the fence allowing the quick thinking Cooke to race home for I4C's second run and a 2-0 lead.
In the bottom of the third Scott Marion hit a lead off single for Easton and scored on a hit and run play with what appeared to be a lead off. However it went unchecked and Tubman ended up at third with a triple and an RBI. He scored on a Kevin Chevrier single and the game was tied at two.
Carp added to its lead in the top of the fourth. Tyler Nystedt walked and Cooke helped his own cause by belting a double to the fence in centrefield scoring Nystedt from first and allowing Carp to re-take the lead.
In the bottom of the fourth, Carp went up by two when Read led off with a home run to left centrefield and while Konkle managed to strike out the side he also walked two more batters, both of whom were stranded. In the top of the sixth, with one out, Cooke drew his second walk of the game and Gourgon followed him with another walk. It brought Read to the plate for the second consecutive inning and the burly catcher hit a two RBI double to make it 6-2 for Carp.
While Konkle struggled with his control on this night, he was also striking out several batters and despite an error in the top of the seventh, he struck out the side leading to the dramatic finish in the bottom of the seventh.
It was clear that with a four run lead, Carp wasn't going to try anything cute. Cooke pitched to Tubman who has been one of the most dangerous hitters in the league since early June. Tubman responded by pounding the ball to the gap for a double. It might have gone for a triple on any other night but Tubman and his teammates weren't taking any chances. After Chevrier hit a single, to put runners on the corners, Morrison got his second hit of the night, a two RBI triple to make the score 6-4. With Randy Peck at the plate, the veteran hitter hit a shallow fly to right field and a hard charging Wood was able to make the catch as he dove forward. The diving catch allowed Morrison to tag up and score from third making it 6-5 for Carp with one out. After Konkle drew his third walk of the night from Cooke, Pat O'Connor came to the plate and worked his way from a two strike count to a walk. Along the way, Konkle took second on a passed ball. With the tying run at second and the winnig run at first, Cooke was able to get Kamps to pop out to Gourgon at short to preserve the lead and give Carp the victory and its first regular season division title in only its second year in the GOFL.
On the night for Carp, Cooke was doing it on offence and defence. At the plate he was 1-2 with a double, two walks an RBI and two runs scored.
Read had a stellar night at the plate going 3-4 and was just a triple short of the cycle with a single, double, home run, three RBIs and a run scored. Gourgon was 1-2 with a double a walk and a run scored.
For Ottawa, Tubman was 2-4 with a double and a triple, an RBI and two runs scored. Morrison was 2-4 with a single and a triple, three RBIs and a run scored. Chevrier went 2-3 and reached on an error and scored a run. Dan Konkle was 1-1 with three walks and stranded at second on three occasions and was left on once at first.
In the circle, Cooke (6-1-2) had the win. He gave up five runs on nine hits, walked four and struck out eight. Carp made one error and Easton left nine runners on, five of them in scoring position. Konkle threw all seven for the Thunder and gave up six runs, five earned on five hits, he walked eight and struck out 14. Easton's defence made three errors and Carp also left nine runners on, seven of them in scoring position.
That concludes the regular season for Carp and the team finishes with a record of 13-6-2 good for 28 points and first place in the league. They will face the Ottawa Blitz in the quarter finals in a best of three series with dates and times still to be determined.
It came down to the last inning of the last game with the last at bat to decide which team would finish first in 2007 in the Greater Ottawa Fastball League (GOFL).
Short several players and with pitcher Neil Cooke, with as many at bats this year as there are bottles in a six pack, delivering an RBI double in the fourth as well as scoring two runs, the Carp I4C Victory managed to defeat Dan Konkle and Ottawa Team Easton Thunder 6-5 on Thursday night at Alexander Grove Park in Stittsville.
Carp was missing several players on this night for a variety of reasons, while Easton furnished its regular league line-up including Dave Tubman, Kevin Chevrier, Cory Morrison, Randy and John Peck and of course, ace pitcher, Dan Konkle. But it was clear from the start that Carp really wanted to win this game. Carp third baseman and catcher Al Read particularly wanted to win this game having played the last couple of seasons with the Thunder primarily in a back-up role and moving over to Carp this season.
Carp opened the scoring in the top of the second when Player/Assistant Coach, Eric Rosenquist, hitting out of the five spot, reached on an error by first baseman, John Peck. He advanced to second on a wild pitch and after Russ Mitchell drew the first of eight walks issued by Konkle on the evening both runners moved up on another wild pitch. Rosenquist scored when Pete Pettit hit into a fielder's choice and the score was 1-0 for Carp.
The play of the night took place in the bottom of the second inning. Konkle led off with a walk and was sacrificed to second by John Peck. Pat O'Connor hit a shallow fly ball to right field and Russ Mitchell turned to go and get it and made a spectacular over the shoulder catch as he was stretched out. It not only meant that Team Easton now had two out but Konkle was held at second before Cooke was able to get Lukas Kamps to strike out and prevent any damage from the lead off walk he had issued.
In the top of the third, Cooke led off with a walk and moved to third on a hard hit double down the left field line by Kyle Gourgon. Read reached on an infield single when after hitting the ball back to Konkle, he turned to hold Cooke at third and by the time he went to throw to first it was too late. And the bases were loaded. With Trevor Wood at the plate with two strikes he was called out looking but the ball bounced off of Randy Peck's shin guard and went to the fence allowing the quick thinking Cooke to race home for I4C's second run and a 2-0 lead.
In the bottom of the third Scott Marion hit a lead off single for Easton and scored on a hit and run play with what appeared to be a lead off. However it went unchecked and Tubman ended up at third with a triple and an RBI. He scored on a Kevin Chevrier single and the game was tied at two.
Carp added to its lead in the top of the fourth. Tyler Nystedt walked and Cooke helped his own cause by belting a double to the fence in centrefield scoring Nystedt from first and allowing Carp to re-take the lead.
In the bottom of the fourth, Carp went up by two when Read led off with a home run to left centrefield and while Konkle managed to strike out the side he also walked two more batters, both of whom were stranded. In the top of the sixth, with one out, Cooke drew his second walk of the game and Gourgon followed him with another walk. It brought Read to the plate for the second consecutive inning and the burly catcher hit a two RBI double to make it 6-2 for Carp.
While Konkle struggled with his control on this night, he was also striking out several batters and despite an error in the top of the seventh, he struck out the side leading to the dramatic finish in the bottom of the seventh.
It was clear that with a four run lead, Carp wasn't going to try anything cute. Cooke pitched to Tubman who has been one of the most dangerous hitters in the league since early June. Tubman responded by pounding the ball to the gap for a double. It might have gone for a triple on any other night but Tubman and his teammates weren't taking any chances. After Chevrier hit a single, to put runners on the corners, Morrison got his second hit of the night, a two RBI triple to make the score 6-4. With Randy Peck at the plate, the veteran hitter hit a shallow fly to right field and a hard charging Wood was able to make the catch as he dove forward. The diving catch allowed Morrison to tag up and score from third making it 6-5 for Carp with one out. After Konkle drew his third walk of the night from Cooke, Pat O'Connor came to the plate and worked his way from a two strike count to a walk. Along the way, Konkle took second on a passed ball. With the tying run at second and the winnig run at first, Cooke was able to get Kamps to pop out to Gourgon at short to preserve the lead and give Carp the victory and its first regular season division title in only its second year in the GOFL.
On the night for Carp, Cooke was doing it on offence and defence. At the plate he was 1-2 with a double, two walks an RBI and two runs scored.
Read had a stellar night at the plate going 3-4 and was just a triple short of the cycle with a single, double, home run, three RBIs and a run scored. Gourgon was 1-2 with a double a walk and a run scored.
For Ottawa, Tubman was 2-4 with a double and a triple, an RBI and two runs scored. Morrison was 2-4 with a single and a triple, three RBIs and a run scored. Chevrier went 2-3 and reached on an error and scored a run. Dan Konkle was 1-1 with three walks and stranded at second on three occasions and was left on once at first.
In the circle, Cooke (6-1-2) had the win. He gave up five runs on nine hits, walked four and struck out eight. Carp made one error and Easton left nine runners on, five of them in scoring position. Konkle threw all seven for the Thunder and gave up six runs, five earned on five hits, he walked eight and struck out 14. Easton's defence made three errors and Carp also left nine runners on, seven of them in scoring position.
That concludes the regular season for Carp and the team finishes with a record of 13-6-2 good for 28 points and first place in the league. They will face the Ottawa Blitz in the quarter finals in a best of three series with dates and times still to be determined.
posted by fitzroyfastball | 8/04/2007 01:00:00 pm
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