It was an early start to the day and it was pretty chilly outside, but the Thunder players showed up to play ball.  Everyone was pumped and working hard in warm-up.   We lost both games but we played some of the best ball we have played all year.   As it turned out, we will go to Regionals instead of Districts but regardless, the Thunder players can be proud of the outcome today.

The game summaries are below.  If there had been and MVP for the day it most likey would have been Megan Connolly.  While everyone played hard and contributed to the outcome, I think every player recognizes Megan's hard work, pitching every inning and racking up 15 strike-outs in 12 innings.  She must have been very sore and tired Saturday night.....but she gave it her all for the team! Way to go Megan and all the Thunder players!!

Game 1:

Although both games were nail-biters, this game was the more exciting of the two.  We held the Bandits scoreless through the top of the 4th.  At the bottom of the 4th the score was 1-0 for us.  At the bottom of the 5th the score was 2-2.  Bandits took the lead in the top of the 6th and the final score was 4-2.

Our defense was fantastic:  Megan struck out two in the 1st inning and Emily snagged hard grounder to get the 3rd out.  In the 2nd inning, Megan K'd all three.   In the 3rd, Megan K'd two and Emma scooped a grounder and threw hard to 1st for the out.  In the 4th Megan K'd two more and Carly put the last one out unassisted.  The 5th Megan made the first out stopping a grounder and throwing the runner out at 1st, then Carly jumped on a bunt while Emily scooted to 1st to take the throw.  We had some trouble in this inning, allowing a couple of runners on base with walks and then Bandits ran the bases hard and scored 2 runs.  In the 6th inning Megan K'd the first batter then the next batter hit a double and the following batter laid down a bunt.  Both runners scored before Megan K'd the 4th batter and Syd caught a pop-up foul to close out the inning.   All in all, it was a great showing on defense by the Thunder!

On the offense side:  Lesley hit two nice singles, Megan and Syd both pounded doubles to the outfield.  Maddy hit beautiful single as well.   Some other runners got on base with walks.  We struggled at the plate, though, and just couldn't string enough hits together to score more runs than the Bandits.   Kudos to Bandits for some solid defense, especially by their catcher thowing our runners out on the bases.

Game 2:

On defense:  Once again we played  solid game.   In the 1st inning, to start things off Carly caught a fly in centre that would surely have turned into a home run if it was missed.  Megan K'd the next batter.  The Bandits got the next three batters on base, then Emily closed out the inning by stopping a grounder at 2nd.  In the 2nd inning, Emma threw out a runner attempting to steal 2nd, Megan K'd  a batter and Maddy made a most spectacular out from right field by scooping up a ball that made it through the infield and throwing a rocket to put the runner out at 1st.  In the 3rd inning, Megan K'd two and Maddy stopped a grounder at 2nd for the 3rd out.   In the 4th inning Emily owned the Bandits, taking all three outs....a pop-up behind 2nd and stopping two grounders then throwing to Carly at 1st.   In the 5th inning, Megan had all three outs on K's.   In the 6th, Emily caught another fly behind 2nd and Megan K'd two.  And in the 7th inning, Megan K'd two more and stole a bunt away, thowing the runner out at 1st.

On offense:  Our batters put the ball in play more this game, but the Bandit's defense was solid.  Zee pounded the ball to right centre for a double that scored Emma and then she came in on a hit by Carly.   We only managed to score those to runners, though so the Bandits took the game.