In a well-played game yesterday at New Scotland, the Gray Cougars edged the Americans by the score of 12-10 in six innings (called for darkness).
Once again, sleight of wrist artist Dave "The Magician" Plew took the ball for the Cougars, and managed to keep the Americans' bats in check for three of the five innings he pitched. But the powerful Americans lineup was not to be denied, breaking through for four runs in the bottom of the first and six more in the fifth frame. John Breen took over mound duties for the Cougars with two outs in the fifth and closed out the game without allowing a baserunner.
Leading the way for the Americans was Nick Kanellis, who went three for three with a pair of doubles. If any of you have not yet seen Nick at bat, let me tell you, ladies and gentlemen, this guy is plain scary. He hit a clothesline shot at me in left field that traveled about 300 feet and never got higher than eight feet off the ground. I managed to get the back of my glove on the ball solely in self-defense--and I swear it was still rising!
Perennial standout Don Wixon was a fill-in for the Americans, catching the entire game and going two for two, with a double, a vicious triple down the right field line, and a walk.
But it was the Cougars who did most of the hitting, collecting 17 safeties overall. Slick-fielding rookie third-baseman Murray Carr led the Cat attack, going four for four with a walk, despite being seriously hobbled by a muscle pull.
Catching for the first time in 35 years, Cougars rookie Tony Cortes was smooth behind the plate, despite also having pulled a leg muscle in the first inning. Tony was two for three at bat with a walk.
Many thanks to Tony Scanu, manager of the Americans for another good game. This new 55s division is turning out to be a whole lot of fun!
