Touching the Bases with Nate Eastman: Season’s End

After beating the Syracuse Saltcats in dramatic fashion we tried build off the excitement to try to make it to make the play off push.  We had to win the next 7 of 8 games to keep our playoff hopes alive.  We started off the game with a couple of wins against the Outlaws extending our streak to 3 wins and needing the next 5 out of 6 games make it to the dance.

We started our next game a head with a score 5-0.  We were unable to score any more runs and we could not hold the Outlaws as they came back from behind and won the game 7-5.  We then dropped the next game eliminating us from the playoffs.  With four games left in our season we still wanted to show that we had some fight in us and try to end the season on a high note.

In my last game in Oneonta for the summer I wanted to go out on a high note.  I had been struggling for the past couple weeks at the plate without making good contact with the ball and a large increase in strikeouts. So I tried to keep things simple in my approach at the plate and just try to drive the ball up the middle.  Our pitcher that day was Josh Griffith a sophomore from Fort Scott Community College, a Junior College in Missouri.  He pitched his tail off only giving up 1 run through eight innings leaving the score 1-0 heading into the 9^th inning.

We had only 2 hits up to the point with the Outlaws starting pitcher Luke Crumbly having pitched 8 scoreless innings with ten strikeouts.  At the start of the 9^th inning the outlaws brought in their closer to finish out the inning and doing a good job as he sat down out 4^th and 5^th hitter for the first two outs of the inning.

I then stepped up to the plate with two outs, trying to keep our hopes alive.  I took the first pitch, fastball on the outside corner for strike one.  The second pitch was a fastball on the inside part of the plate and I was able to muscle out a jam piece single to put the tying run on base.  There was then an error by the outlaw second basemen who misjudged a tough fly ball just behind first base.

With runners on first and third, pinch hitter Matt Ederle hit a hard ground ball that got past the 3^rd basemen to score the tying run.  With two outs we were able to push across 3 more runs to give Josh a 3 run lead as he went out and finished the next inning giving him a complete game 3 hitter.

I was thrilled for Josh to get the win to top off his successful summer on the mound. It was also nice to have started a two out rally to help our team win in my last appearance in my hometown.  It was great to have local support from family and friends during our games here in Oneonta.  Oneonta will forever be home in my heart with this town made up of all the great people in it.  I am truly grateful to have had the opportunity to grow up and play here through the years.