On Wednesday, our annual Easter tournament began. This was the only fundraiser we do all year for our team, so we always have big expectations for this tournament. This year, our athletic director, did not set the tournament up very well. The first game of the tournament was supposed to be between Esparto and Brookside Christian, but Brookside did not show up, so Esparto won by forfeit sending them to the next round.
Our game was the next game, and we were scheduled to play against Victory Christian, a team we beat 15-0 last season. In this game, I was batting 7th and playing RF. Our pitcher, Jeremy Wager-Smith, gave up a run in the top of the first and we were down 1-0. We struck back in the first, scoring 4 runs, and I contritubed with a two run single to right field. I don't remember much about the game, since it was 4 days ago, but we were victorious, 12-1, and I went 2-4.
In the next game, Kings Academy, was supposed to play Stellar Prep, but Stellar Prep also did not show up, but we found a last minute substitute team in De Anza High, and Kings Academy got the W, 3-2. The next morning, Buckingham Charter Magnet played Esparto's JV team, and won by a large margin. The next game was us against Esparto Varsity, and I was getting the start, batting 6th. I was ready to pitch, and the opposing pitcher was a player that is currently being recruited by Corban University, an NAIA school.
In my first inning pitched, I struck out the side. And in my first at bat, I smoked a single up the middle. The second inning I pitched, I also struck out the side. 6 K's in 2 innings. My next at bat, I lined an RBI single to center field after Justin Neace tripled before me. In the third inning, with a 4-0 lead, I walked the first batter, a left-hander. He was thrown out stealing though, and I struck out the next two batters, still going for the perfect 21, with 8 K's through 3 innings. The next inning though, the lead off batter hit a single, but I got out of the inning, striking out another 2. 10 K's through 4 innings. In the 5th, I struggled a bit, walking the first guy, allowing a single, striking out another 2, and walking another guy. Bases loaded, 2 outs, and the leadoff hitter singles up the middle to score one, but we get the guy rounding 3rd base in a pickle and get him out. I was the one who tagged him out, and right after I tagged him I spiked the ball out of relief, allowing only 1 run. 12 K's through 5 innings. My pitch count got up there quick, over 80 pitches, so my coach decided to take me out in favor of lefty, Justin Neace. We had a 4-1 lead, but Justin could not throw strikes walking quite a few batters and driving the score up to 4-3. We did indeed hold on for the win though, and I ended up 2-3 with an RBI.
The next game was Buckingham vs. Kings Academy, and Kings destroyed them, 11-1, so we would be facing them in the championship the next night. However, Victory Christian had a game to play that night against Brookside, but Brookside did not show up, so we filled in for them. We decided to screw around in the game, pitching a senior who had never pitched before, Hunter Peixoto. We dropped down to a 9-0 deficit, but we decided to start trying, and we came back and won 10-9 on a walk-off three run inside the park home run by Jeremy Wager-Smith. I went 1-3 in that game.
The next morning, we had to fill in for Brookside again, and play Esparto's JV team, which was a joke. Long story short, we won 18-8, screwing around the whole game, I got to play second base, which was really fun to do as a lefty. I also went 1-2 with a double.
Later that night, we played the championship game against Kings Academy, a team we lost to twice in the tournament last year. My first at bat, I grounded out to first on an 0-1 curve with runners on second and third. In my second at bat, I singled to left in the fourth inning to break up the no-hitter. In the fifth inning on defense, the game fell apart. Our pitcher, Brett Huntley walked the bases loaded, and an error by our third baseman gave them a 1-0 lead. Then a single to right plated two runs and advanced the lead to 3-0. My brother, Quinlan, came in to pitch and walked 2 runs in, we were down 5-0. I got an AB in the sixth but fouled out to the third baseman and we lost 5-0, I continued my tournament hit streak, going 1-3.
My season stats:
7-21, .333 5RBI 2-0 1.40 ERA 10IP 22K
And hey, I'm back in the top five in my league in strikeouts, in 5th place with 22.
_________________ Fantasty
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2017 and 2018 MLBPPW Fantasy Football League Champion
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