Disco Memories, an Umpire Delay, and the Heat Were Hot in Stronghurst

Annawan/Wethersfield @ (Biggsville) West Central
Softball/Baseball
(4/20/10)

Another advanced notice trip, gave me some time to gather lineups and rosters in (attempting) to cover both the Titans/Heat matchup in softball and baseball. Both Annawan/Wethersfield coaches (Jeff Parsons and Jeremy Trill) returned my emails in the morning, giving me some names to talk to after the game.

I was able to reach West Central softball coach John Morrison on his cell phone during the day, to let him know I would be coming over, and looking to interview him, and a few of his players after the game.

With many stories I was working on in the morning, I thought it was going to be a squeeze play in trying to get out of work in time, and make the short drive over to Stronghurst. As it turned out, I was able to head out the door at 3:45, and forgot how close Stronghurst was to Monmouth. This gave me extra time for a stop at Casey's (jeez....I need to get something in return from Casey's for all the money I spend at their wonderful General Stores, as well as the plugs in my blogs) for a Gatorade (Lemon-Lime) and a bag of ranch flavored sunflower seeds. This is already my third bag of seeds this season, the first two were barbecue. Going to ranch, was a nice changeup. Next up: Jalapeno.

It's not too often I cruise the highways of Henderson County. One of my first, if not my first, trip into Henderson County was right out of high school. During a road trip to a Cubs/White Sox game, I was scoping out the Illinois map in an Atlas, looking for funny-named towns in our state. One that really stood out for me was, Disco, Illinois. Disco is a (probably unincorporated) town between Stronghurst and LaHarpe. On a boring Sunday, me and a couple buddies hopped in a car and took off for Disco, to check it out. Disco was home to a handful of houses, a set of railroad tracks, and some grain elevators. What were we expecting? I don't know, maybe some bell bottoms, leisure suits, and the Bee-Gees.

The last couple games I have arrived at the diamonds shortly after 4:30, and the games have been well underway. It seems as though, most of the recent games have begun at 4:25. Arriving at 4:15, I knew the games could not have started, and in fact, neither would start on time.

I had no idea where the diamonds were in Stronghurst. I have been to the school a couple times, announcing games for the (Stronghurst) Southern Rebels several seasons ago. I cruised through the downtown of Stronghurst and made my way over to the high school grounds. The ball diamonds sit near the school, and not too far from the Henderson County Fairgrounds.

The two diamonds sit next to each other. The softball diamond, which is to the east of the baseball diamond, has homeplate looking out to the southeast. The baseball diamond has home plate looking to the southwest. The softball diamond is also several feet further south than the baseball diamond, so with the angles of the two fields, foul balls getting sprayed onto one field or another is probably a rare occurrence.

At 4:30, neither game had started, and in fact, I hadn't noticed any umpires on the softball side. I had a short chat with Annawan/Wethersfield baseball coach Jeff Parsons, and he gave me an updated lineup card for the game. The baseball game started at 4:33, according to my watch.

By 4:38, the softball umpires made their way over to the diamond, and we were playing ball at 4:41. With the delay in the softball game, I turned one direction, and watched the top of the first inning in the baseball game. Aaron DeClercq hit a 2-run single, and the Titans led 2-0 after an inning in baseball.

Over on the softball side, at Stan Fisher Field, the visiting Titans also took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, when Chloe VanOpdorp hit a 2-run single. The host Heat answered right back, in the bottom of the frame, scoring three runs. Alexis Ensminger rapped a base hit, and scored the team's first run. Ensminger advanced on Jessica Ditsworth's bunt, and tried to take third. It looked like she was going to be out, but while sliding into third, the ball squired away, and she was able to score. The freshman finished the game, 3-3, and scored 4 runs. Ditsworth, also a freshman, went 3-3 with 3 runs, while classmates Madison Newberry went 2-3 with 2 runs and 2 RBI, and Kayla Long went 2-3 with a run. Four freshman start for the Heat softball team, along with a junior and four seniors.

Ditsworth scored the tying run in the first inning on an Alisa Johnson RBI single. Johnson scored on a Justine Dillard RBI single. Johnson finished 1-4 with an RBI and a run, while Dillard went 3-4 with an RBI.

The Titans were able to get just one hit in the second inning, a bunt by Tessa Swedman, off of West Central starter, Mariah Brooks. In the bottom of the second, Ensminger had a single and scored a run, and Ditsworth reached on a fielder's choice, then scored the fifth run (5-2) on a passed ball.

Annawan/Wethersfield closed to within a run in the third inning. The first two batters would reach on a dropped third strike, and a walk, and come around to score, making it, 5-4. Once again, the hosts would answer back, and extend the lead to five runs in the third inning. Newberry led off the frame with a ground-rule double after it bounced over the fence. Dillard followed with a single, and stole second. She was called out in a collision at third base. It looked like the umpire in the field wasn't sure if she was out or safe, and after a brief look of confusion, asked, "Show me the ball?" She was called out. Long then followed with a base hit, then Hillary Pence drew a walk, followed by an RBI triple by Ensminger, and an RBI but by Ditsworth.

In the fourth inning, Titans head coach Jeremy Trill was given a warning by the home plate umpire. Early in the game, Trill asked the ump if the runner at second base had left early. The umpire replied, "no". Trill, then asked, "well were you looking?" Fast forward to the fourth inning, and during the Ditsworth bunt, Trill asked if she was in the batter's box. The umpire said something to the effect, that, that is enough and that is your warning.

The Titans were sat down, 1-2-3 in the fourth inning. Just a Newberry single and stolen base in the fourth inning for the Heat, leading 9-4. The first three Annawan/Wethersfield batters reached base in the fifth inning. The base runners reached on an error in the outfield, a fielder's choice, and an infield single, but no runs scored.

The scoring flood gates opened up in the bottom of the 5th inning for the Heat. Pence reached on a bunt single, and scored the first run of the frame, then Ensminger reached on a fielder's choice, followed by another Ditsworth bunt, then Brooks walked. All four would come around to score, making it, 13-4, after Newberry hit a two-run single. One more run would make it a game, and that came with the bases loaded with two outs. Newberry scored the run after Erin Bavery was issued a walk, giving West Central the 14-4 win in five innings.

Following the game, I talked with West Central head coach John Morrison, while waiting for Coach Trill (giving infield practice with the JV). It was then Coach Trill's turn, who was getting heckled by his Titans players before the video interview. It was the girls' chance to get heckled next, as I interviewed the four Annawan/Wethersfield captains (Chloe VanOpdorp, Ali Stern, Brittany Lewis, and Sam DeClercq).

After those interviews, I made my way over to the West Central dugout, and interviewed the four West Central seniors (Mariah Brooks, Justine Dillard, Alisa Johnson, and Erin Bavery). It is always funny how some of the players get nervous on camera. Bavery, which is pronounced Bay-ver-ee (not Bah-ver-ee) said she was a little nervous, but all did a great job.

With the JV games now in full force, I headed over and talked with Annawan/Wethersfield baseball coach Jeff Parsons. I glanced at his scorebook and got the Titans stats, with their 13-6 win over West Central. Sean Walker has been tearing the cover off the ball, and today went 3-3 with 3 RBI and 3 runs. Walker is 12-15 and has hit a home run in each of the last three Lincoln Trail Conference games. Sam DeClercq went 3-5 with 3 RBI, and Jake DeJaegher went 3-5 with 2 runs and an RBI. The latter also earned the win, improving to (5-1) on the season. He went 6 2/3 inning with 6 strikeouts.

Parsons and I talked for at least a half hour, from this year's Titans baseball team, to Wethersfield Flying Geese basketball, in which he feels very, very strongly about next season, with a great 8th grade class coming in. We also talked about the rest of the LTC for basketball, as well as his playing days at Williamsfield for Bob Anderson in the 1980's.

During the JV game, the West Central Heat were absolutely crushing the ball. Freshman Trey Goff crushed a ball over the right-centerfield fence (over the 344 feet sign), that drove in 3 runs. It was very impressive off the bat of a freshman. With nightfall setting in, and the lights on in Stronghurst, I called it a night around 7:45.