This was a close game. Petaluma National is a good team, and they played well all game.
The score stayed 1-1 until the top of the 5th inning, when Cal Bard performed the offensive play of the game, week, month and year: a gritty dive for home that was captured both by our own Eric Schlienger (whose great pictures are posted below) and by the professional sports photographer who came to the game (his picture can be seen in the link below this post). Cal's play is a fantastic display of the kind of drive and ability this whole team operates with. I don't know how many of the other boys could do exactly what Cal did, but I know they work on that kind of 110% (in Cal's case, this play might more accurately be a 200%) effort every game. Aaron and Gabe combined for 12 strike outs on the mound.
Defensively, the play of the game was without a doubt the 2-1-6 pick off of the runner on second in the sixth inning: bottom of the sixth, no outs, runner on second with the tying run at the plate, the boys pick off the base runner with an electrifying play. I honestly don't think the runner ever saw it coming. At that point the momentum completely swung our way, and the team wasted no time getting the last two outs.
This was one of the tougher games we've had to play - a true grind all the way - and a well deserved win thanks to each and every player keeping their head in the game and doing what they needed to do to all the way through. I can't say enough how much fun it is to be at these games, and how intensely proud I am of how hard they work and how well they play.
Enjoy the pics:
1- Juan Carlos digs out the single
2 - MJ makes sure he and the first base ump are in agreement
3 - Gabe gets ready to send that ball back out
4 - Cal dives for home
5 - Such a great effort it deserves two pictures :>
6 - Post game, coaches make sure the boys say thank you to the Petaluma stands as well.
