Amazingly, somebody had filmed the game and made a 5 minute recap of some of the highlights, including the last inning. So, at long last, you can check it out yourself!
For better video, click on the youtube link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTMbhO2qdGs
Reggio Baseball: Pro Days in Italy
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
A walk off weekend
This weekend we played against Modena. Modena, at one point, was a top team in the league. Recently, they have fallen off. There foreign pitcher is the best pitcher in the league. He has lost 2 games all year, but has dominated with a hard fastball and a sharp slider. Of course, we would have to wait until the second game to face him.
In the first game, we put up 6 runs in the first two innings. After a pitching change, there staff started to settle down. Modena's offense is fairly poor, but they were able to scrap some runs together later in the game. In the end, it wouldn't be enough. We took game one 10-5. This win further increased our chances of clinching the number one spot. A weekend sweep of Modena would put us in prime position as the number one seed.
Going into the second game, our team remember the lose we had against there foreign pitcher, Angel Marquez. We were anxious to face him. Granted, he struck out 16 the last time we saw him. The beginning of the game started much like the first time we faced them. Marquez dominated as our foreign pitcher, Luis, struggled early on. He let up a couple of runs early in the game, and we found ourselves down 4-0. Marquez was lights out. He wasn't striking out as many, but he held us to one hit through 8 innings. This is where things would turn around.
Going into the ninth, the score was 4-0. My roommate and our shortstop, Chris, lead off. On the first pitch, he ripped a triple into the right center gap. Our next hitter, Taio, looped a single over the second basemans head, scoring Chris. 4-1. Our third hitter and right fielder, Paicho, hits a screaming line drive into the right center gap for another triple, scoring Taio. 4-2. Marquez had dominated all game, but he was suddenly missing some spots. Our 4 hitter, Paul, would step up. Our bench was starting to believe. Marquez would settle down, striking out Paul. Claudio would step up next. After a good at bat, he would fly to deep left field, scoring Paicho from third. 4-3.
I would step to the plate with two outs and nobody on. The team still believed we could win it, and were loud behind me. We had a fairly big crowd as well, and they were getting excited. The first pitch Marquez threw me was a high fastball for ball one. The next pitch was another hard fastball, this one on the outside part of the plate. I would swing and miss. With the count 1 and 1, I figured he would come with the slider. I had guessed right, and I ripped the slider down the left field line for a triple. I slide into third, adrenaline pumping. The bench was now going crazy, and we knew it was destiny. They would intentionally walk the next hitter, and we countered with a pinch hitter. On the first pitch, Perry hit a line drive to right field for a single. I crossed home plate, and joined my teammates screaming in the dugout. 4-4.
With runners on first and third, our nine hitter and second baseman stepped to the plate. The pressure was on, and Modena could feel it. This lose would completely knock them out of contention, and would almost certainly guarantee us the number one spot. After getting ahead, Alle took a defensive swing and hit a ground ball to the second baseman. We watched in amazement as he went to field the ball. It was as if the baseball Gods were on our side, as the second baseman bobbled the ball. Everybody was safe, and the game was over. We had scored 5 runs in the ninth off the best pitcher in the league. We had 3 triples, two singles, a sac fly, and the game ending on an error. Our team stormed the field, as half of us tackled Perry, and the other half swarmed Alle. It was a great win, and a lot of fun.
After the game, I was set to go to Berlin. So after hanging out with the team and celebrating, I hopped in the car and headed to the airport. My flight was at 6:45 in the morning. I knew it was going to be a good weekend. I will save that for another blog post. Anyway, hope everybody had as great a weekend as I did. I'm headed to the beach! Talk to you soon!
In the first game, we put up 6 runs in the first two innings. After a pitching change, there staff started to settle down. Modena's offense is fairly poor, but they were able to scrap some runs together later in the game. In the end, it wouldn't be enough. We took game one 10-5. This win further increased our chances of clinching the number one spot. A weekend sweep of Modena would put us in prime position as the number one seed.
Going into the second game, our team remember the lose we had against there foreign pitcher, Angel Marquez. We were anxious to face him. Granted, he struck out 16 the last time we saw him. The beginning of the game started much like the first time we faced them. Marquez dominated as our foreign pitcher, Luis, struggled early on. He let up a couple of runs early in the game, and we found ourselves down 4-0. Marquez was lights out. He wasn't striking out as many, but he held us to one hit through 8 innings. This is where things would turn around.
Going into the ninth, the score was 4-0. My roommate and our shortstop, Chris, lead off. On the first pitch, he ripped a triple into the right center gap. Our next hitter, Taio, looped a single over the second basemans head, scoring Chris. 4-1. Our third hitter and right fielder, Paicho, hits a screaming line drive into the right center gap for another triple, scoring Taio. 4-2. Marquez had dominated all game, but he was suddenly missing some spots. Our 4 hitter, Paul, would step up. Our bench was starting to believe. Marquez would settle down, striking out Paul. Claudio would step up next. After a good at bat, he would fly to deep left field, scoring Paicho from third. 4-3.
I would step to the plate with two outs and nobody on. The team still believed we could win it, and were loud behind me. We had a fairly big crowd as well, and they were getting excited. The first pitch Marquez threw me was a high fastball for ball one. The next pitch was another hard fastball, this one on the outside part of the plate. I would swing and miss. With the count 1 and 1, I figured he would come with the slider. I had guessed right, and I ripped the slider down the left field line for a triple. I slide into third, adrenaline pumping. The bench was now going crazy, and we knew it was destiny. They would intentionally walk the next hitter, and we countered with a pinch hitter. On the first pitch, Perry hit a line drive to right field for a single. I crossed home plate, and joined my teammates screaming in the dugout. 4-4.
With runners on first and third, our nine hitter and second baseman stepped to the plate. The pressure was on, and Modena could feel it. This lose would completely knock them out of contention, and would almost certainly guarantee us the number one spot. After getting ahead, Alle took a defensive swing and hit a ground ball to the second baseman. We watched in amazement as he went to field the ball. It was as if the baseball Gods were on our side, as the second baseman bobbled the ball. Everybody was safe, and the game was over. We had scored 5 runs in the ninth off the best pitcher in the league. We had 3 triples, two singles, a sac fly, and the game ending on an error. Our team stormed the field, as half of us tackled Perry, and the other half swarmed Alle. It was a great win, and a lot of fun.
After the game, I was set to go to Berlin. So after hanging out with the team and celebrating, I hopped in the car and headed to the airport. My flight was at 6:45 in the morning. I knew it was going to be a good weekend. I will save that for another blog post. Anyway, hope everybody had as great a weekend as I did. I'm headed to the beach! Talk to you soon!
Monday, July 19, 2010
Florence Games and Adventures
This past weekend, we were set to play in Florence. I was excited to go, mostly because it wasn't that long of a journey. We are coming down to the wire in the season, and although it is certain we will make the playoffs, we are trying to hold onto the number 1 spot. Anzio is right behind us, and going into the weekend we were up 5 games. It also instills some meaning into the games ahead, and motivates the team to play through the crazy heat.
The first game was a disaster right off the bat. We continued to beat ourselves throughout the whole game, making errors and bad decisions both in the field and at the plate. After a terrible weekend at the plate last week, I was determined to have a good week. In the first game, I ended up going 3 for 5 with a triple and an rbi. We ended up losing 9-5. I wasn't mad, however. I felt the team needed a lose like that. Up until that point, we had won 14 straight games. Every team needs to come back down to earth sometime, and I'm just happy it wasn't in the playoffs.
For the second game, both teams were pumped. Luis and there pitcher (who was cuban) dueled early in the game. Luis dominated, which is usually the case. After one time through the lineup, we were able to start to put together good at bats against there pitcher. The game was tight, and going into the ninth we were up 5-3. We brought in Paul to close it out. Unfortunately, he let up a game tying double with two outs. In the tenth, Claudio got on with one out. I then hit a single to right field, moving Claudio over to third. After a strike out, the next hitter (Perry) hit a fly ball to center. The center-fielder dropped it, allowing Claudio to score. Paul would get another chance, and this time succeeded. With runners on first and second and two outs, he threw a fastball that trickled away to my left. I got a good jump on the ball, and I was able to throw the runner out at third for the final out. I finished the game 3-5 again, making me 6 for 10 with a double and a triple.
I was happy with the results of the second game, and also content with my performance at the plate. After the games, it was time to go out. Our friend Lucy, who we met in our Italian class, came to Florence to check out the city. She met some people, and brought them to the night game. After the game was over, I met up with them and we headed into the center. There was an American girl, an Irish girl, and an Australian guy. We headed over to the hostel, dropped off my stuff, and headed out to the disco. Thanks to Vanna's guidance, we picked a spot called Space Electronic. Downstairs was karaoke, and upstairs was a discoteca. It was great to be out and meeting new people.
The next day, I took everybody around the center of Florence. I felt like I was a tour guide, and I think I did a pretty good job. I learned a lot about the different cultures just from talking to the people we met. We even watched a Gaelic Football match in the Irish pub. The girl's hometown was in the championship. It was my first time seeing the sport, and it was actually quite exciting. Her home town won, so we headed to get some dinner then out to the bar. If you get a chance, check out either Gaelic Football or Australian football. Pretty interesting sports, and very exciting.
It was a great weekend overall, and the summer months have been fun. Next week, we play at home against Modena. They are very important games, and I'm looking forward to facing the best pitcher in the league. My roommate and I were also invited to Berlin by a girl we met in Munich. I am really looking forward to this weekends games and travels. I don't know where we will end up, but no matter what, it promises to be a great experience. I hope everybody had a great weekend, and I'll talk to everybody soon.
The first game was a disaster right off the bat. We continued to beat ourselves throughout the whole game, making errors and bad decisions both in the field and at the plate. After a terrible weekend at the plate last week, I was determined to have a good week. In the first game, I ended up going 3 for 5 with a triple and an rbi. We ended up losing 9-5. I wasn't mad, however. I felt the team needed a lose like that. Up until that point, we had won 14 straight games. Every team needs to come back down to earth sometime, and I'm just happy it wasn't in the playoffs.
For the second game, both teams were pumped. Luis and there pitcher (who was cuban) dueled early in the game. Luis dominated, which is usually the case. After one time through the lineup, we were able to start to put together good at bats against there pitcher. The game was tight, and going into the ninth we were up 5-3. We brought in Paul to close it out. Unfortunately, he let up a game tying double with two outs. In the tenth, Claudio got on with one out. I then hit a single to right field, moving Claudio over to third. After a strike out, the next hitter (Perry) hit a fly ball to center. The center-fielder dropped it, allowing Claudio to score. Paul would get another chance, and this time succeeded. With runners on first and second and two outs, he threw a fastball that trickled away to my left. I got a good jump on the ball, and I was able to throw the runner out at third for the final out. I finished the game 3-5 again, making me 6 for 10 with a double and a triple.
I was happy with the results of the second game, and also content with my performance at the plate. After the games, it was time to go out. Our friend Lucy, who we met in our Italian class, came to Florence to check out the city. She met some people, and brought them to the night game. After the game was over, I met up with them and we headed into the center. There was an American girl, an Irish girl, and an Australian guy. We headed over to the hostel, dropped off my stuff, and headed out to the disco. Thanks to Vanna's guidance, we picked a spot called Space Electronic. Downstairs was karaoke, and upstairs was a discoteca. It was great to be out and meeting new people.
The next day, I took everybody around the center of Florence. I felt like I was a tour guide, and I think I did a pretty good job. I learned a lot about the different cultures just from talking to the people we met. We even watched a Gaelic Football match in the Irish pub. The girl's hometown was in the championship. It was my first time seeing the sport, and it was actually quite exciting. Her home town won, so we headed to get some dinner then out to the bar. If you get a chance, check out either Gaelic Football or Australian football. Pretty interesting sports, and very exciting.
It was a great weekend overall, and the summer months have been fun. Next week, we play at home against Modena. They are very important games, and I'm looking forward to facing the best pitcher in the league. My roommate and I were also invited to Berlin by a girl we met in Munich. I am really looking forward to this weekends games and travels. I don't know where we will end up, but no matter what, it promises to be a great experience. I hope everybody had a great weekend, and I'll talk to everybody soon.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Munich!
Alright. So, this weekend we played against Paviglio. They are the worst team in the league, and we beat them both games. I went 1 for 4 in both games, which was disappointing. The team, however, did very well. We have essentially taken the number 1 seed going into the playoffs. So it's basically smooth sailing from here. I am keeping the information about the game short, mostly because it was not very interesting. What is more interesting is that on Sunday me and Chris went to Munich!
So last week as we were watching the world cup, I decided it would be awesome to watch Germany play in Germany. We hoped and prayed that they would beat the Dutch and advance to the final. Of course, they didn't, but my heart was set on going to Germany. After much debate, we decided to go anyway. Chris played in the German league for 3 years, and knew people that played for Har (located about 10 minutes outside Munich). He sent out a couple of facebook messages, and before you knew it we were on our way.
We got in the car and left Reggio by about 7:30 am. It was an ambitious move, but it needed to be done. Chris knew a few girls on the Har softball team, and told them we would make one of their games. The trip took us about 5 hours, but the 5 hours flew as we marveled at the scenery. To get to Munich, we drove up through Northern Italy, and then into Austria and finally into Germany. After Verona, we hit the swiss alps. The mountains are breathtaking, and it was exciting to see all the small and large ski villages scattered around. With no problems, we made it to Munich.
We were planning on staying just Sunday night. We booked a room at the Wombats hostel, which I was told is one of the most famous in the world. We parked the car, dropped our bags off, and headed to catch the train out to Har. The Har station was right by the softball field. When we got there, it was very hot. So, we bought a beer and found some shade. After the game was over, we spoke with the girls and decided we would meet in the town center.
We hopped on the train back to the center. Munich is home to the worlds largest koo koo clock. It's not really a koo koo clock, but its something like that. If you want to check it out, its called the Glockenspiel. Anyway, we thought it went off at 6, but it didn't. After 15 minutes of let down, we walked over to the Hofbrauhaus. It's the largest beer hall in the world. Basically, everyday is Oktoberfest there. We sat down in the beer garden, had a couple of litres, and left to meet up with our friends.
Germany is known for having the best beer in the world. It will be a common theme throughout the post. We met up with the girls, and they decided to take us to the Olympic Park to watch the World Cup final. We caught a train, and headed on over. We arrived to find hundreds of people waiting for the game to start. If you can imagine, there were a group of beer tents, and then large tables with chairs. Behind that, there was a large grass hill. All the seats were taken, and the hill seated hundreds more. Once I am able to upload pictures, I will be able to show you. Needless to say, it was awesome. We drank and watched the game. The great part about Munich is it's much like New York City in that it's very diverse. Both Dutch and Spanish fans screamed and went crazy until the end. It was my first true World Cup experience.
After the game was over, me and Chris decided it was time to head to the karaoke bar. After a couple of tunes and meeting some great people from all over the world, we headed back to the hostel to get some rest. On a side note, I was talking to a girl from London, and asked her where she thought I was from. Her guess was Wales. Wales? Really?
Anyway, rest is not what we got, due to a very hot room and a bit of a hangover. The plan for the next day was to head to the English Gardens, and then head home that night. Fortunately, things didn't go according to plan.
We woke up, drank some water, and got in the car to head to the English gardens. The English Gardens is a massive park. It is larger than Central Park. It's located right by the University, and the students use it as a beach. A river runs right through the middle of it, and people lay out next to the river. It is absolutely amazing. On one side is where the students sit. On the other side, well that's the nude side. Europe at its finest. One of the main attractions at the English Gardens is the river. The river has a decently fast current, and people jump in and ride the current all the way down. The water is freezing, being that it comes from the swiss alps. It is an amazing experience. As you float down the river, you come to bridges that you hang on to and jump off of, and rapids that toss and turn your body. There is a concrete method on how to ride the river, so if you ever go, make sure you ask.
We had the great pleasure of meeting some very cool people while at the Gardens. Coincidentally, two German baseball players sat right next to us as well as one of there girlfriends. On the other side of us, we met a beautiful Russian girl who was studying in Potsdam. We hung out together all day, riding the river and drinking at the beer garden. During the process, we decided to stay out that night. We headed back to the HB house, and had a few beers. There, we met three more girls from Auburn in Alabama. They would join us out as well. It's truly amazing and fun to hear how different people live their lives and hear new and interesting stories. It really is the best part of traveling. After a fun night out and barely any rest, we got back in the car and headed home.
Munich is by far my favorite city to date. If you have the opportunity, absolutely go. The people were incredibly friendly and the city has a lot to offer. I was really excited to venture outside Italy and go to Germany. I will definitely be going back again, as it is home to Oktoberfest! All in all, it was a great weekend and I'm looking forward to some more in the near future.
'
P.s. I was featured in an article for the Reggio Journal. It's a few page article about our team and how well we are doing. It's actually quite funny. The title says, "Solidi come il.....Marmo" (Solid like Marble) This is a play off my last name, which means Marble in Italian. It was exciting to see and be recognized. Anyway, hope everybody had a great weekend and has a great week! Talk to you soon!
So last week as we were watching the world cup, I decided it would be awesome to watch Germany play in Germany. We hoped and prayed that they would beat the Dutch and advance to the final. Of course, they didn't, but my heart was set on going to Germany. After much debate, we decided to go anyway. Chris played in the German league for 3 years, and knew people that played for Har (located about 10 minutes outside Munich). He sent out a couple of facebook messages, and before you knew it we were on our way.
We got in the car and left Reggio by about 7:30 am. It was an ambitious move, but it needed to be done. Chris knew a few girls on the Har softball team, and told them we would make one of their games. The trip took us about 5 hours, but the 5 hours flew as we marveled at the scenery. To get to Munich, we drove up through Northern Italy, and then into Austria and finally into Germany. After Verona, we hit the swiss alps. The mountains are breathtaking, and it was exciting to see all the small and large ski villages scattered around. With no problems, we made it to Munich.
We were planning on staying just Sunday night. We booked a room at the Wombats hostel, which I was told is one of the most famous in the world. We parked the car, dropped our bags off, and headed to catch the train out to Har. The Har station was right by the softball field. When we got there, it was very hot. So, we bought a beer and found some shade. After the game was over, we spoke with the girls and decided we would meet in the town center.
We hopped on the train back to the center. Munich is home to the worlds largest koo koo clock. It's not really a koo koo clock, but its something like that. If you want to check it out, its called the Glockenspiel. Anyway, we thought it went off at 6, but it didn't. After 15 minutes of let down, we walked over to the Hofbrauhaus. It's the largest beer hall in the world. Basically, everyday is Oktoberfest there. We sat down in the beer garden, had a couple of litres, and left to meet up with our friends.
Germany is known for having the best beer in the world. It will be a common theme throughout the post. We met up with the girls, and they decided to take us to the Olympic Park to watch the World Cup final. We caught a train, and headed on over. We arrived to find hundreds of people waiting for the game to start. If you can imagine, there were a group of beer tents, and then large tables with chairs. Behind that, there was a large grass hill. All the seats were taken, and the hill seated hundreds more. Once I am able to upload pictures, I will be able to show you. Needless to say, it was awesome. We drank and watched the game. The great part about Munich is it's much like New York City in that it's very diverse. Both Dutch and Spanish fans screamed and went crazy until the end. It was my first true World Cup experience.
After the game was over, me and Chris decided it was time to head to the karaoke bar. After a couple of tunes and meeting some great people from all over the world, we headed back to the hostel to get some rest. On a side note, I was talking to a girl from London, and asked her where she thought I was from. Her guess was Wales. Wales? Really?
Anyway, rest is not what we got, due to a very hot room and a bit of a hangover. The plan for the next day was to head to the English Gardens, and then head home that night. Fortunately, things didn't go according to plan.
We woke up, drank some water, and got in the car to head to the English gardens. The English Gardens is a massive park. It is larger than Central Park. It's located right by the University, and the students use it as a beach. A river runs right through the middle of it, and people lay out next to the river. It is absolutely amazing. On one side is where the students sit. On the other side, well that's the nude side. Europe at its finest. One of the main attractions at the English Gardens is the river. The river has a decently fast current, and people jump in and ride the current all the way down. The water is freezing, being that it comes from the swiss alps. It is an amazing experience. As you float down the river, you come to bridges that you hang on to and jump off of, and rapids that toss and turn your body. There is a concrete method on how to ride the river, so if you ever go, make sure you ask.
We had the great pleasure of meeting some very cool people while at the Gardens. Coincidentally, two German baseball players sat right next to us as well as one of there girlfriends. On the other side of us, we met a beautiful Russian girl who was studying in Potsdam. We hung out together all day, riding the river and drinking at the beer garden. During the process, we decided to stay out that night. We headed back to the HB house, and had a few beers. There, we met three more girls from Auburn in Alabama. They would join us out as well. It's truly amazing and fun to hear how different people live their lives and hear new and interesting stories. It really is the best part of traveling. After a fun night out and barely any rest, we got back in the car and headed home.
Munich is by far my favorite city to date. If you have the opportunity, absolutely go. The people were incredibly friendly and the city has a lot to offer. I was really excited to venture outside Italy and go to Germany. I will definitely be going back again, as it is home to Oktoberfest! All in all, it was a great weekend and I'm looking forward to some more in the near future.
'
P.s. I was featured in an article for the Reggio Journal. It's a few page article about our team and how well we are doing. It's actually quite funny. The title says, "Solidi come il.....Marmo" (Solid like Marble) This is a play off my last name, which means Marble in Italian. It was exciting to see and be recognized. Anyway, hope everybody had a great weekend and has a great week! Talk to you soon!
Monday, July 5, 2010
Fourth of July Weekend
The fourth of July weekend. It is probably my favorite weekend in America. I wish I was able to be back to celebrate. I am, however, in Italy. This weekend was another big weekend for baseball. We were set to play Anzio, who sits high in the standings. They desperately needed to take two from us, and we knew that if we swept them we would sit comfortably in the number one spot. So, after a long week of learning italian and terribly hot weather, we were set to play.
In game one, Fillo threw a great game. After a rough start, he settled down and pitched a solid 8 innings, allowing 3 runs. The offense was stellar as usual, coming up with big hits and driving in big runs. It was extremely hot, and both teams lagged a bit. After two miserable at bats, I was able to bounce back and get two hits and an rbi, ending the first game 2 for 4. We went on to win 10-3, and really putting Anzio's backs against the wall.
After some much needed food and rehydration, we got set to play the night game. The sun being dow was no help, as the humidity took over and the bugs came out. After Luis fell behind in the first, our offense bounced back again, showing true resolve. In my first at bat, I hit a hard groundball up the middle, but the shortstop made a good play and threw me out. I was then hit with a pitch in my next at bat with runners on first and second. At this point, we were down 2-1. With the bases loaded and 1 out, my teammate hit a groundball to second. I went in hard on the slide, throwing my shoulder into the shortstops legs. It ended up being enough, and the ball sailed over the first basemens head. Two runs would score, and we wouldn't look back from there. In the eighth, with us leading 5 to 3, we scored 5 runs. Considering the heat and length of the day, it was great to see the team have life that late. Luis threw a great game, as always, and we went on to win 10-3. I ended up 1 for 3 in the game with an rbi and hit by pitch.
So after some quality wins, everybody was exhausted. I knew I had to represent America the next day. So I woke up, had some pancakes for breakfast, and at about 1 pm started to celebrate. My teammate, Alle, had organized a bbq for everybody at 5. He lives in the country side, and his family owns a landscaping business. He has a nice piece of property, and a pool. It was great to be able to have a bbq on the fourth of July, even though I wish I could have celebrated it with my family and friends. I decided it was necessary to show some love to America, and performed a stellar rendition of the national anthem, much to the pleasure of my teammates.
The weather has been real hot here. It definitely wears you out. Between studying Italian, baseball, and extracurricular activities, this week wiped me out. I'm looking forward to an easy week. Wednesday, we are scheduled to play against the 18 year old national team. It should be a disaster of a game. I have no idea why they are making us play them, but that's just my opinion. This week, we play Poviglio at home. On a side note, since Italy and the US are no longer in the world cup, I have made it a point to root for Germany. It is for completely selfish reasons. If they beat Spain this week, we are planning to head up to Munich for the finals on Sunday. It should be an absolutely amazing experience, especially if they win. So, how about we all hope for that?
I hope everybody had an amazing weekend and enjoyed the holiday. I can't wait until my computer comes so I can actually use skype and have a functioning email account again. Italian customs is the worst, but luckily my teammates father is helping me out. Anyway, have a great one and talk to you soon!
In game one, Fillo threw a great game. After a rough start, he settled down and pitched a solid 8 innings, allowing 3 runs. The offense was stellar as usual, coming up with big hits and driving in big runs. It was extremely hot, and both teams lagged a bit. After two miserable at bats, I was able to bounce back and get two hits and an rbi, ending the first game 2 for 4. We went on to win 10-3, and really putting Anzio's backs against the wall.
After some much needed food and rehydration, we got set to play the night game. The sun being dow was no help, as the humidity took over and the bugs came out. After Luis fell behind in the first, our offense bounced back again, showing true resolve. In my first at bat, I hit a hard groundball up the middle, but the shortstop made a good play and threw me out. I was then hit with a pitch in my next at bat with runners on first and second. At this point, we were down 2-1. With the bases loaded and 1 out, my teammate hit a groundball to second. I went in hard on the slide, throwing my shoulder into the shortstops legs. It ended up being enough, and the ball sailed over the first basemens head. Two runs would score, and we wouldn't look back from there. In the eighth, with us leading 5 to 3, we scored 5 runs. Considering the heat and length of the day, it was great to see the team have life that late. Luis threw a great game, as always, and we went on to win 10-3. I ended up 1 for 3 in the game with an rbi and hit by pitch.
So after some quality wins, everybody was exhausted. I knew I had to represent America the next day. So I woke up, had some pancakes for breakfast, and at about 1 pm started to celebrate. My teammate, Alle, had organized a bbq for everybody at 5. He lives in the country side, and his family owns a landscaping business. He has a nice piece of property, and a pool. It was great to be able to have a bbq on the fourth of July, even though I wish I could have celebrated it with my family and friends. I decided it was necessary to show some love to America, and performed a stellar rendition of the national anthem, much to the pleasure of my teammates.
The weather has been real hot here. It definitely wears you out. Between studying Italian, baseball, and extracurricular activities, this week wiped me out. I'm looking forward to an easy week. Wednesday, we are scheduled to play against the 18 year old national team. It should be a disaster of a game. I have no idea why they are making us play them, but that's just my opinion. This week, we play Poviglio at home. On a side note, since Italy and the US are no longer in the world cup, I have made it a point to root for Germany. It is for completely selfish reasons. If they beat Spain this week, we are planning to head up to Munich for the finals on Sunday. It should be an absolutely amazing experience, especially if they win. So, how about we all hope for that?
I hope everybody had an amazing weekend and enjoyed the holiday. I can't wait until my computer comes so I can actually use skype and have a functioning email account again. Italian customs is the worst, but luckily my teammates father is helping me out. Anyway, have a great one and talk to you soon!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)