Sherrard @ Abingdon (Softball)
Ridgewood @ Abingdon (Baseball)
(4/12/10)
Another late decision on where my travels would take me on this Monday afternoon. After reading over the area schedule, the Abingdon Commandoes were hosting a softball and baseball game, an easy double dip.
The big plus to this is that Sherrard and Abingdon have both been stellar on the softball diamond. The Tigers come in with a (15-2) record, while the hosts are (9-1). The Abingdon baseball team was another team that I had wanted to check out, and actually spoke with head coach Joe Nichols earlier in the day.
One thing that I have become known for with my fellow broadcast partners, are the adventures of how much gas is in my tank, and will it be enough to get us there. Macomb football coach Kelly Sears, my basketball broadcast partner for a few years still ribs me to this day about how full my tank is.
After a long day at the office, my mind was focused on getting to Abingdon (about a 30-minute drive) by 4:30, forgetting the fact that I rolled into town with the low fuel light on. I learned the hard way about five or six years ago that my Ford Explorer had much less fuel life than my previous car, a Dodge Avenger. It was learned at about 2 a.m. about 10 miles from home, after a long road trip. Fortunately, I have some good friends that were willing to trek out and pick me up.
I took off across country, without a town in between Monmouth and Abingdon, with the exception of Cameron. As I approached Route 41, I looked down, and with a look of horror on my face, realized I have been driving over 20 miles with that fuel light on, with another 10 miles to go.
Breathing heavily, and going through a rolodex of names of people I could call in Abingdon, I hoped I could make the short stretch on fumes. I did, and again I made a stop at good old Casey's to fuel up before heading to the diamond.
With the trip to the gas station, I was put back an extra five minutes, making it to the Abingdon baseball/softball complex in the 2nd inning of the game. This was my first trip to the Abingdon ball diamonds. The baseball field sits to the left, with the softball field over to the right.
I weaved through the winding road and found a parking spot next to the practice diamond. I popped a squat on the bleachers along the first base line. The score was 0-0 in the top of the 2nd inning, but that changed with an RBI single. Abingdon's Jamelia Sahyouni hit a stand-up double to the centerfield fence in the bottom of the 2nd inning, but would be stranded.
Sherrard poked out a triple in the 3rd inning, while the Commandoes mustered up a single in the bottom of the frame. Sherrard went down, 1-2-3 in the 4th inning. Sahyouni had her 2nd hit of the game in the 4th inning on a single, while Sheridan Brown also rapped out a base hit.
With Sherrard leading 1-0 in the bottom of the 5th inning, the Commandoes nearly tied the game. Allyson Cordle hit a single in the frame. Dana Combs hit a single into left field, and Cordle came around to score, but was tagged out on a play at the plate to end the inning.
The Tigers plated their 2nd run of the game in the 6th inning, on an RBI double. Two more insurance runs scored in the 7th inning by Sherrard, to win the game, 4-0. Sherrard improves to 16-2 on the season, while Abingdon drops to 9-2. The game lasted 1:21.
Interviews of both coaches, Sherrard's Becky Ince and Abingdon's Lynn Jones. I then set out to catch the end of the Ridgewood/Abingdon baseball game. Normally, softball games end much earlier and there is plenty of time to catch the last innings of a baseball game. Not today!
As I walked along the outfield fence of the baseball field, I noticed the Ridgewood players boarding their bus. The game was over. Abingdon coach Joe Nichols was talking with Galesburg Register-Mail sports writer Aaron Frey. They informed me it was quick as lightning, with the Commandoes plating 7 runs in the 5th inning, to win 10-0.
Nichols and I talked for a few minutes, then did our video interview. Afterwards, as Nichols headed over to the dugout, some of his players were calling him "Hollywood" Nichols, for his camera time.
I set up the laptop in the car, logged online and plugged in the camera to upload the videos. Again, I certainly enjoy technology!
On a side, the latest Illinois Coaches Association Softball rankings (1A through 4A) are now posted on www.ihssn.net.
IHSSN will also be uploading some audio interviews with coaches this week. Stay tuned!
No comments:
Post a Comment