With superb pitching leading the way, the Pirates won a hard fought extra inning ODL game against the Dominion Dragons. Not only was the game tight, but even whether or not the game would be played came down to the last moment as our close companions this season, thunder and lightning roared through a half hour before the game. It was actually raining with the sun out, producing a remarkably vibrant double rainbow. Had your reporter been more technically skilled than the Amish, I would have had a picture for you. Linda Snyder took a good photo, take a look at it next time you see her. Oh, wait–our webmeister was on his game! Click the little photo to see it larger.

Tyler McElhenny continued his superb season long excellence, with another three inning shutout performance. The Pirates couldn’t ask for more out of Tyler this year as he remains the go to guy. Matt Crouse picked right up where Tyler left off, tossing two outstanding innings. Evan Scott was next and didn’t miss a beat matching Matt’s excellence with a terrific two innings of shutout ball also. Tyler is our candidate for the CGL All-Star game and won’t be in Atlanta and will be missed, but certainly watching Matt and Evan pitch had to excite all Carney Pirate fans about our chances. Reed Bromley came in and threw a scoreless eighth inning completing the shutout.

The game was won in the bottom of the eighth when the usual suspects combined to produce the game’s only run. Bromley led off with a solid base hit. Ian MacGeorge, who was sitting out tonight’s game to allow the coaches a chance to give some Atlanta outfielders playing time, came in and ran for Reed. The strategy immediately paid off as MacGeorge (no doubt a result of his reading Heads Up Baseball – next base mentality) saw the ball hit the dirt and without hesitation, took off successfully beating a fine throw. Mike Snyder worked the pitcher into a full count forcing him into delivering a pitch he could drive into the right-centerfield gap, driving in a racing MacGeorge with the game’s only run. The Pirate defense played crisply, and Ryan Thomas turned in a fine performance avoiding passed balls with runners in scoring position.

College World Series Nudge

Why not settle back and watch tonight’s game in the College World Series between Georgia the last ranked national seed (#8) and Fresno State, the first ever #4 regional seed to even make it to the CWS (click to see our CWS article), much less the championship series. This year’s series, like the two previous years we’ve studied in Train Your Brain, demonstrates once again that it is the best playing team that makes it to the championship series, a valuable thought for our upcoming Atlanta trip.

In Other News

In other sport news, pulled off the AP wire, Matt Snyder earlier in the day edged out his game hero twin brother, the Hurricane Twins, and defending champ Reed Bromley to capture the 16th Annual Carney Pirate Fishing Open.