Going Commando....Baseball Style

Commando Classic (@ Abingdon)
(5/14/10)
Columbia vs. Illini Bluffs (Baseball)

The schedule didn't exactly work in my favor to cover any games on this day. While I attempt to make a move from Macomb to Galesburg, to ease the miles on my vehicle (12,000 since January 1st), and the cash it takes to fill up the tank (SUV), I scheduled an appointment with my realtor at 4:00 on this Friday afternoon. When I made the appointment, it was because by Friday, I am usually pretty tired from covering games Monday through Thursday, and need the day off to gear up for a long Saturday.

Little did I know that Mother Nature and her rains reminiscent of Noah's Ark would wash away all action this week. Abingdon baseball coach Joe Nichols shot me an email on Thursday, suggesting I make the trip up at some point to cover the action of the Commando Classic. Two games were scheduled for Friday, with a day full of baseball on Saturday, with four games scheduled. This round-robin featuring the hosts, Columbia, Prophetstown/Erie, and Illini Bluffs had actually slipped my mind until his note hit my inbox.

With the 4:00 appointment, I figured I could make the nightcap, which featured Columbia and Illini Bluffs, a couple teams I was hoping to catch. A late add to the softball schedule was United and Moline, in a rematch from a game earlier this season covered by IHSSN. The scheduling Gods did me a favor, and it was scheduled for a 5:00 start.

With the way this lined up, it appeared as though I could double-dip, and catch the final innings of softball, then make the quick drive over to Abingdon for the baseball nightcap. I met with my realtor, and around 5:45, all of the paperwork was filled out, and my house was ready to go on the market at the start of next week.

It was off to the races, as I sped up Route 67, and headed over to United High School. As I approached from the Cameron Blacktop, it didn't look like many cars were there, though it was a pretty bad angle from two miles away.

Getting closer, many cars were heading away from the school, and sure enough, the grounds were nearly empty as I pulled up on the school. The Maroons from Moline were boarding the bus, so I drove on by, and headed to Abingdon.

I made a stop at Casey's to pick up a fresh bag of sunflower seeds and a Powerade. Quickly scanning over the seed selection, I noticed a strange bag, not a David brand seed. It was called Spitz, and it was the Dill Pickle flavor. Chris Smith has been urging me to try this flavor, so I dug right in. I popped a handful in my mouth, and they aren't too bad. Not as flavorful as I like in my seed, but doable. I rank dill pickle a notch higher than nacho cheese, but not as high on my list as ranch and barbecue. Once I induldge in a bag of jalapeno, I will release my rankings and notes on sunflower seed selection. If anyone knows anymore flavors out there, please pass them along by commenting at the bottom of this blog post.

I pulled into the ball diamonds at Abingdon, located right across the street from the high school. The softball team was hosting a doubleheader against Brimfield/Elmwood, and the Abingdon/Prophetstown-Erie game had just wrapped up, so there was slim spots for parking. Fortunately, I found a decent spot, and just on the outreaches of any errant baseballs that could smash a window or dent a fender. If that would ever happen, Joe Nichols' dad Mike owns Swede's Auto Body in Macomb, "Where they've been fixin' fenders since '49." I wonder how many fenders Mike has fixed that were dinged by baseballs?

Speaking of Joe, when I walked toward the field, he was indulging in some Subway. Abingdon has always been one of the most hospitable places to go in covering games. When broadcasting basketball games, former athletic director Toby Whiteman would always make sure the broadcasters had water, and anything else. Even outside at the diamond, Joe offered up anything in the coolers, in the hospitality area.

I asked him how his game went, and the Commandoes survived, beating Prophetstown/Erie, 8-7. Abingdon led 8-3 entering the 7th inning, and walked the first four batters. They were able to hang on for the one-run win. P/E had been hot coming in. After a 2-7 start, they had gone 15-4. Abingdon pulled off a double suicide squeeze in the game, and pulled off another suicide squeeze later.

As the Columbia/Illini Bluffs game began, I noticed some familiar faces in the field. Speaking of the dill pickle seeds idea, it was the very suggestion maker behind the plate, umping the game, Chris Smith. His Men in Blue partner is Shawn Dobey.

I hunkered down, and found a great spot right behind home plate to watch the action. Still wearing my work clothes, sporting a pair of Dockers with some Nike Shox and a WIU jacket, I looked more like a scout, then a member of the media. I heard someone approaching say, "Hey, coach." I looked behind me and it was former Metamora baseball coach Bob Schlemmer. I said, nope, with the media. I then said my name, and he replied, "no kidding, you write some great stuff, I don't know where you get all that stuff."

Bob is originally from Columbia, and has a nephew on the team, Alex Schlemmer, who starts for the varsity as a sophomore. He told me that it was his first time in Abingdon, and had a little trouble find which exit to take, but arrived without too much trouble. We talked for some time, and shared some stories. He talked about Northwestern pitcher Eric Jokisch, and how he came out of relative obscurity from Virginia/A-C Central, and when word got out about him, scouts were knocking down the doors trying to catch a glimpse of him. Schlemmer was also speaking very highly of East Peoria junior shortstop Joe Kelch.

Illini Bluffs plated the first run of the game, on a Blake Rynearson RBI single. The Tigers took a, 1-0 lead, but that was the only lead they would have, falling 12-6 in the end, but making a great rally in the 6th inning.

The Eagles would take the lead in the 2nd inning and not look back. Adam Henke scored the first run on an error by starting pitcher Bryce Petri on a throwback to 1st base. The second run was scored by Andrew Thompson, after reaching on a single.

Bryce Bastien (Jr.) led off the 3rd inning for Columbia with a double. He would also hit a home run over the right field fence, and finished 4-4 on the day, which upped his batting average to .475 on the season. He is receiving some interest from Bradley, and says it's still pretty early in the college selection process for him right now.

Columbia had a 3-1 lead heading into the 5th inning, and that's when Bastien sent a ball over the right centerfield fence, to give the Eagles a 4-1 lead. In the bottom of the inning, Eagles catcher Corey Browne made a great catch in foul territory to end the inning, which IHSSN caught on video.

Browne followed up his defensive effort at the plate in the 6th inning, with a 2-run blast over the rightfield fence. It was Browne's first home run of the season. Bastien had his third hit of the game in the same frame, an RBI single. He was a triple shy of a cycle. Tyler Warren had a 2-run single in the 6th, and the Eagles took a, 9-1 lead into the bottom of the 6th inning.

The Tigers' starting pitcher Bryce Petri tried to help his own cause, facing an 8-run deficit in the 6th inning. Petri launched a home run ball over the right centerfield fence, making it a 9-3 game. Illini Bluffs made a rally and had the bases loaded with none out. They would plate three more runs, and trail 9-6 heading into the 7th inning.

Just in case, Columbia added some extra insurance runs in the 7th inning, with Browne hitting an RBI single, and later a 2-run single by the Eagles would set the final score, at 12-6. Tyler Warren would step in, and leave something in Knox County he rather wouldn't....a tooth. He was plunked in the side of the face, and lost a tooth. Video will be uploaded of the at-bat, and subsequent search for the missing tooth.

Illini Bluffs went down, 1-2-3 to end the game. I talked with Columbia coach Keith Jany, and Bryce Bastien after the game. Video interviews will be uploaded. A return trip is being planned for Saturday. Looking to start the day early, with a 9:30 a.m. softball game at Galesburg, with the Silver Streaks hosting Pekin, then a quick jaunt over to ROWVA to catch the Tigers take on Monmouth-Roseville, then head down to Abingdon to take in some of the Commando Classic.