2009 Major Thunder: Welcome

     Canal Major Thunder

Tight matchup.  Heat got on the board first in the 2nd to Take 1-0 lead.

Thunder 'D' on fire with Taylor catching a popup and throwing to Lauren S at
2nd for a double play.  5th inning, still down 1-0, Alexa leads off with a
single.  Lauren Mellor singles for 1st and 2nd.  Anna B walks to load the
bases.  Anna K pops to short  and with the infield fly in effect, batter is
out. SS drops the ball and Lauren gets picked off at 2nd for the second out.
Throw to 2nd allows Alexa to score from third to tie the game.

Bottom 5th, Heat retaliate with 3 runs on a couple of errors and base on
balls. To take 4-1 lead.  With rally caps going, Thunder try to find answer
in top 6 with Taylor leading off with double.  Solid infield hits by Ali and
Emily fail to score Taylor and final score is 4-1.

Thanks to Anthony for the above write-up!

The Thunder started the 1st inning with solid pitching by Holly who struck-out 3.  She continued a strong performance with a total of 11 strike-outs after 5 innings.  The Thunder was patient at bat again with a total of 12 walks.  Ally had a great hit in the 2nd inning to score 2 runners and Lauren S followed with a big hit to left center.  The score was 3-1 after the second.    Alexa got the Thunder going with a amazing double at the top of the third.  Anna B hit a line drive single to left center and Rachel followed with a shot to right.  The bats continued in the fourth.  Emily started the inning off with a hard hit single.  Jessie came through with a big hit down the middle.  Alexa and Anna B also singled in the fourth to increase the Thunder lead 10-2.  Rachel had another single in the 5th.  The defense looked good throughout the game.  Lauren M had a nice catch to end the 4th inning and Rachel made a nice throw to first during the 5th innings.  Anna K excelled as catcher throughout the game making one great stop after another.  Anna B pitched the sixth inning with 2 strikeouts and caught the pop-fly third out. 

Great Game THUNDER!!!!!!!!!   Next game is Wednesday night 6:00 against the Heat.

A Strong Defense - Alexa started the Thunder off to a great start with her pitching.   The defense was strong in the first with a great double play by Taylor and a nice catch by Anna B to keep the Riptides to one run at the end of the first.  Jessie pitched for the Thunder in the 3rd and did a very nice job.  The defensive plays continued in the 4th inning thanks to Rachel, Alexa and Lauren.  Holly came through with an amazing catch to keep the Riptides from scoring in the 5th.  Another double play in the 6th by Holly's throw to second for the 1st out and Emily's throw home to Hailey for the 2nd out.  Lauren finished the inning and game by catching the pop fly 3rd out. 

A Strong Offense -  The girls are doing a great job being patient at the plate with 14 walks during the game.  Anna B had a great hit to left field for the first hit of the game and scored the first run.  Rachel and Anna K also scored in the first by aggressive baserunning after being walked.  Taylor also had a great hit in the first and scored the fourth run of the inning.  Gabrielle had two great hits one in the second inning and one in the fifth.  Ally stole two bases in the 4th.  Jude's great baserunning in the 5th was just what the Thunder needed.  She stole two bases to put the go ahead run on third.  After Jessie's walk and continue to second allowed Jude to steal home and score. 

 The Thunder WINS again.

 The bats were hot tonight! The first inning saw both Anna Baxter and Anna K hitting doubles – both bringing in runs to tie the score 2-2.  Jessie came up with a strong hit during the second, which helped the team gain their 4 run limit.  Anna Baxter struck out 2 batters each of the first three innings—a strong showing!

The Riptide, however, were determined to play tough, and staged a comeback during the 4^th and 5^th inning to take the lead by one run, despite hard hits by Alexa (darn that Katrina), Haley (single RBI, but then called out trying to steal), Taylor, Anna B (called out at home) and Rachel (RBI single). 

 With the Riptide leading 13-12, and darkness setting in (without the 6^th inning, the Riptide win) Holly Brooks dazzled with a 1-2-3 inning!  At the bottom of the sixth  - the Riptide’s players tasted blood, but the Thunder was not about to give up!   Lauren gets on base when a pop fly gets dropped, then steals to second on a passed ball.  Anna B hits to center field, which allows the tying, run to score.  Anna K hits a double, but Anna B gets called out at home.  Tied game- winning run on second base.  Rachel’s at bat, working the pitcher as Anna K steals to third.  It’s a full count to Rachel when Coach Darren gives Anna K the go ahead to run home on a passed ball if she thinks she can make it.  The last pitch comes in- a high ball that gets by the catcher and Anna K takes off for home. The Riptide’s pitcher covers home, the catcher chases the ball and makes the toss, but Anna K slides under the tag to win the game!

The girls came to play on Saturday.  Anna K went 3 for 3 including a double and two singles and three runs scored.  Anna B went 2 for 2 and a walk with 3 runs scored.  The team overall hit 10 singles and 1 double.  There were 14 walks.  On defense, the girls held Suburban scoreless for the first three innings.  Anna pitched 6 strike-outs in the first two innings.  Taylor followed with 2 and Lauren with 1.  The Thunder won the game in 5 innings 15-5.