Shamrocks Complete Comeback for First Win of Season: Game #4: May 27, 2010 - (Pickering, Ont) The 0-2 Shamrocks entered Thursday nights contest still looking for that elusive first win of the 2010 PFRA Season. Coming off being shutout 5-0 by the Panthers in their last contest, the Shammys took on the 2-1 Thundercats in their only game of the week.
Faced with a depleted line-up mostly due to injuries, the 10-man line-up stepped up and played a very team oriented game. Players were asked to play out of position in which they were used do to fill in the void of the missing players. Without key regulars Mike Sarjue, Ted Boggs, Craig Sarson and Shamrock rookie Jamie Strong, the Shamrocks played hard right till the end resulting in their first win of the season.
The two squads were locked into a scoreless pitching duel until the bottom of the 4th. Heads up base running was a direct result of the Shamrocks grabbing the 2-0 lead. After Chris Tercer led off the bottom of the 4th with his 1st triple of the season he decided to take matters into his own hands and scoring on a passed ball. Tercer’s aggressiveness got the Shamrocks on the board ending a 10-inning scoreless drought going back to last game.
The scoring wasn’t done there. Two batters later, Marc Reynolds singled and promptly advanced to 2nd by stealing his first base of the season. On a ground ball to third, Reynolds didn’t break stride as he broke for 3rd and rounded for home. Knowing the first baseman was blinded by the tough sun in that direction, he slid in easily beating a late throw to the dish.
Unfortunately that lead didn’t last very long. Shamrocks pitcher Cam Armstrong was working into this 5th inning of work when signs of fatigue were setting in. With one on, Thundercats clean-up hitter Graham Finley drove one over the head of CF Paul Fleming legging out the 2-run inside-the-park homer.
The two teams exchanged scoreless at-bats in the 6th paving way for a wild 7th inning.
Armstrong returned to the mound, for the 6th and the 7th inning attempting to battle to the end and record his first complete 7-inning. Jumping on a flattening riseball, the Thundercats put a 4-spot on the board highlighted by Nowell Gordon inside-the-park 3-run homer.
Needing a 7th inning rally themselves, the Shammys got down to business.
“I just kept telling the guys, “They just did it to us, we can do it too” and sure enough the guys responded” said manager Cam Armstrong.
Reynolds showed patience drawing a lead-off walk. Singles by Criag Emanuel and Mike Damtsis started the road back. Shamrocks trailed 6-3.
With one out, Brian Abbey recorded his 2nd hit of the game. His single plated both Emanuel and Damtsis and now the Shamrocks just trailed by 1.
Veteran Fred Fleming continued his strong start to the season at the dish keeping the rally going with his single up the middle and moving Abbey to 3rd. Fleming was substituted for courtesy runner Adam Sarson but a contested call at second on a force play off Paul Fleming Fielder’s Choice didn’t go the Shamrocks way. The FC did score the tying run though.
With the go ahead run on 1st, the Shamrocks order and turned it over to the top. Lead-off hitter Armstrong drove a hard liner through the left side of the infield advancing Fleming to 3rd paving the way for the Shamrocks hottest hitter to win the game.
Chris Tercer, batting .800 coming into the game, delivered his 2nd hit of the game. A walk of single to left capped the 5 run 7th inning and gave the Shamrocks first win of the season, 7-6
The Shamrock Times caught up to Tercer in the parking lot for a quote after the game.
I would like to thank the bottom of the order for making me the hero
The Shamrocks look for the 2nd win, and the .500 mark next Monday, 6:30 vs Knights Corner.
Season Notes (Thru 3 games)
Shamrocks Leaders
- AVG: Tercer - .666, F. Fleming - .600, Kelly, Abbey, Armstrong - .285
- RBI: Abbey - 2
- RUNS: Reynolds, Damtsis – 2
- SB – Tercer, Reynolds, P. Fleming - 1