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A Grand Slamming Opening Day
May 22nd, 2005
CHILI, NY--
A long awaited day finally arrived for the players of Sunday Night Softball. Months of hard physical training and preparation has led up to this day. Harry's Hoodlems and team GCA opened the season in a game that will go down in history. Team GCA brought in a team of half verterans and half rookies after last minute transactions to fill the spots of absent players. Harry's Hoodlems on the other hand, looked nearly the same as they did last summer with the exception of Chris Maggioli, who was added to their roster during the offseason.
The game got under way at roughly 4:47pm EDT with Jason Hantes throwing the ceremonial first pitch to no other than ex-GCA player Chris Maggioli. Harry's Hoodlems recorded a single hit in the top of the first as Jason Hantes pitched a beautiful first inning. In the bottom half of the inning, GCA scored four taking the early lead.
GCA slowly added onto their lead established in the first inning while Harry's Hoodlems slowly chipped away at it. GCA took a 12-8 lead into the top of the 8th off of a 2 run homerun by Hantes in the bottom of the 7th. In the top of the 8th, GCA looked for Frank Battaglia to secure the lead as they pulled Hantes off the mound after 7 strong innings of work. Frank let up four runs in the top of the 8th as the Hoodlems tied it at 12. GCA was shutout in the bottom of the 8th forcing the game to remain tied heading into the 9th at 12.
In the top of the 9th, Frank Battaglia let up 6 more runs as the Hoodlems exploded out to a 18-12 lead. Reynolds had sceen enough from Frank and called upon the right handed Matt Williams who came into the game with one out and let up a solo HR down the left field line to Andy Perrone. GCA escaped the inning without any further damage.
In the bottom of the 9th, GCA faced what could be their first loss in franchise history being down seven runs. Battaglia led off the inning with a base hit and Reynolds flew out for the first out following. Scarbrough, Hantes, Palmeroni, Barclay, and the recently aquired Klein Le put five straight hits on the board as they chipped away at the seven run deficit to trail 19-16. Scarbrough hit a two run homerun during the streak. Walker hit into a fielder's choice recording the 2nd out of the inning. Top of the order for GCA as Matt williams hit a line drive into right field to load the bases for Frank Battalgia. Frank Battaglia, with the game in his bat, did what many SNS players could only dream about and hit a walk off grand slam as team GCA rallied from a 19-12 deficit in the bottom of the 9th to win 20-19.
"Our team had gotten the bases loaded after a clutch Matt Williams base hit, and I just wanted to go up there and put the ball in play. Little did I know, I would be meeting my teammates at home plate following a walk-off grand slam," Battaglia reponded when asked about what was running through his head at the plate. "I knew with two outs I would be running on anything. I heard contact being made and I just ran like the wind as I was the game tying runner. As I rounded second, I saw Chris Scarbrough (coaching third base at the time), jumping up and down in celebration as he saw the ball fall behind the fense. I looked around and saw our bench being cleared and then it clicked," Matt Williams said. Tim Story let up the winning homerun pitching. "I threw a great knuckle ball that danced every which way and hoped he would either pop it up or hit a grounder to win it for us. He made full contact and I could only watch as that ball carried deep down the right field line," Story commented.
"I thought I had let my team down when I flew out to left. I was really down in the dirt following that at bat," Reynolds said at the post game press conference. "I was coaching first base at the time of the grand slam. I honestly didn't think it was had enough on it and it took me a second or two to realize it had gone over the fence. I was ready to redeem myself from earlier in the inning if that ball didn't carry over."
Jason Hantes had a no decison on the mound after pitching seven great innings. "I was kind of shocked they pulled me. My arm had a few more innings in it I thought" Jason said. Jason finished the game with seven full innnings pitched with letting up eight earned runs and 0 strikeouts. Jason hit a a key two run homerun to finish the day with two hits and four RBIs offensively.
"I think Frank made up for letting in 10 runs in the inning and a third he pitched" Barclay said. "I think team managment can forgive and ignore that 67.50 ERA Frank starts the season with."
Tim Story recorded a heart breaking loss as he gave up the winning grand slam. "I thought we had the game won. Someone must have given one hell of a pep talk on that GCA bench before Frank led off the inning," Tim sadly said. "I had shutdown the GCA hitters for the first eight innings and I thought I could do it for another inning. Heck, I even posted a SNS strikeout record fanning three batters. A few errors came at the worst time possible as they came back. Almost being able to touch victory and then to see that ball take off is the worst feeling I have ever felt."
With the win, team GCA jumps out to a early 1-0 record and the Harry's Hoodlems fall to 0-1. The game marks the second straight regular season game with a grand slam. Andrew Reynolds hit the first ever SNS slammer in the final regular season game last year. The two will meet again next Sunday same time and same place.
Courtesy of WGCA 430am: Battaglia's Grand Slam
Final: Harry's Hoodlems- 19 GCA- 20
Win- Williams
Loss- Story
Time: 2:06
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