since July 7, 2004.This season hasn’t been an easy one for Evergreen’s club baseball team. With only seven games remaining, the team has yet to pull off a win. Too bad image wasn’t a factor. Hell, that sexy image has brought them publicity, notoriety and female attention, yet it cannot help them win. Sure, being sexy is all fine and dandy (well, more than fine), but it doesn’t do any good score-wise if the team isn’t following through on the field.
But who knows for sure how they’ll do in the end? A lot can happen in the next few weeks.
When Evergreen played the University of Oregon two weeks ago, the Ducks nearly knocked them out of their shells, beating the Geoducks 13-0, 12-1 and 15-2. Considering the circumstances, the Ducks were not handed these wins – not quite. Like their previous meeting, the Geoducks showed up short of players; however, this time the team was without its usual starting pitcher and catcher.
Saturday, March 27, the Geoducks faced the Ducks during an evening game at Bucknell Field in Lacey. Third-base coach Justin Porter pitched – in lieu of Evan Kearley – while infielder Tucker Waugh filled in behind the plate for absent catcher Ross Trainor. Porter hurled 135 pitches, though the Ducks managed 13 runs by the fifth inning to shut out the Geoducks. In addition, that game marked the final appearance of infielder James Stippich, who is working on a film internship in Hollywood, though it is rumored he’ll be back.
In the first game of Sunday’s (March 28) doubleheader, the Ducks scored early, when catcher Jonathan Loomis’ hit to right field sent infielder Ben Donahue home. The team scored four more runs before the Geoducks would score their lone run of the game. During the third inning, with pitcher Sean Presley at bat, outfielder Whalen Dillion managed to steal home on a Duck error. Upon Dillion’s run, Presley commented, “Was that an RBI?” Although several Geoduck players managed a few hits or were walked, infielder John Each was the only one who garnered a base hit during the game.
The second Sunday game found Waugh pitching six innings, outfielder Jeramy Villianos pitching the seventh, and infielder Will Tubman behind the plate. The Geoducks scored first, with two runs in the first inning, and held the lead till the third inning. Again, the Ducks dominated the scoreboard – sealing it with a three-run homer late in the game – though the Geoducks managed to keep the Ducks’ feathers ruffled enough to last the full seven innings.
Likely the shifting of players’ positions can account for the Geoducks’ performance against Oregon, as the team had improved dramatically since the start of the season. Earlier last month, the Geoducks showed this when they played rival the Western Washington University Vikings as well as a non-league match up with the University of Idaho Vandals.
Though the Geoducks lost the three games, the team showed strong defense, improved pitching, better offensive plays, and more runs were being scored. During the first game with Western, the Geoducks hosted the Vikings on a Friday (March 5) evening at Bucknell and were ahead 8-1 by the third inning, thanks to Trainor stealing home and Presley’s two RBIs in the first as well as Harrison-Smith’s RBI and stealing home, Stippich stealing home and two more RBIs from Presley in the second. But the Vikings dominated the rest of the game, particularly outfielder Kevin Danford’s two RBIs and outfielder Chris Peterson’s three-run homer during the seventh inning, beating the Geoducks 12-8.
The next day, the Geoducks faced the Vandals at Green River Community College in Auburn and managed to score five runs by the top of the fourth inning. The Vandals would hold them to just that for the rest of the game and put it in the bag when infielder David Bingham hit a three-run homer, securing the win at 9-5.
That Sunday (March 7), the Geoducks returned to Green River and played the Vikings yet again, only with nine players. This time, however, the Vikings shut out the Geoducks 11-0 within five innings. In fact, only Stippich and Trainor managed base hits.
This weekend, the Geoducks will travel to Bellingham for another chance to bury the Vikings. Beyond that, the team will play their final games of the season against Central Oregon Community College on May 1 and 2 in Bend, Ore.
Despite the scores, a fake mound and lack of players, the Geoducks have consistently reinforced one point throughout the season: their love of the game. Yes, their ability to turn from a loss and play another game with as much energy, effort and enthusiasm says a lot more than how tight their pants are.
How ‘bout a heartful of Dang Hot!
Copyright © 2004, Talia M. Wilson
published in Cooper Point Journal, April 8, 2004
since July 7, 2004.