The stadium games in these Florida tournaments are always a little more fun than the rest of the games,
but this one was the most fun on that I have been a part of down here.

The top seeded Cubs (2-0) were up against the 1-1 Omaha Indians, in a game that was important to both teams.
The Cubs were able to get on the scoreboard first, in the second inning. Jim Hicks got things rolling with a one out single
and a stolen base. Darrell Duncan followed with a single (moving Hicks to 3rd), and stole second to give the Cubs runners
on 2nd and 3rd with one out. The Indians pitcher got a key strike out to get the second out. Tim Brown loaded the bases
with a walk, and John Martin got the Cubs 2 big runs with a 2 out - 2 RBI single.

Meanwhile Bob Bolt pitched in and out of trouble in the first two innings, getting two strike outs in the first to get out of that jam,
and got a ground out to third on a nice play by Andy Hoyle to get out of a bases loaded jam. The Indians scored 3 times in the top of the 3rd inning
to take a 3-2 lead. However the Cubs would not leave their teammate on the hook for too long. The top of the order got the lead back in the bottom
half of the frame. Jack Griffin continued his torrid hitting getting a single and stealing second to get thins going. Jerry Rosen walked and Mike Girard
hit a line drive single up the middle to load the bases, with nobody out. Andy Hoyle drove in the tying run with a fielder's choice, and after a Hicks
single reloaded the bases, Darrell Duncan delivered the go ahead run with another fielder's choice.

Bob Bolt settled in nicely with that lead and kept the Indians at bay through 5 complete innings. He allowed only one runner in each of the 4th and 5th innings.
The Cubs turned to Mike Girard to finish what Bobby started. Girard got through a clean 6th inning and the Cubs would reward him with a crucial insurance run
in the bottom of the sixth, and it was Bob Bolt that got things rolling this time with a single. Ron Massaroni singled him to third, and PJ Martone brought him home
with his second huge hit in 3 games, and the Cubs entered the last 3 innings with a 5-3 lead.

Girard would get through the 7th without much trouble, hitting the lead off man but getting the next 3 outs fairly easily with the help of a nice play by Jack Griffin
in center field. The 8th inning would be a different story. Girard walked the lead off guy, but got the next batter on a strikes. The next batter singled to put runners on
1st and 2nd with one out. The big defensive play of the game was up next. The Indians got a bloop single to right, but Bob Bolt charged hard and let fly with a strong throw.
Jerry Rosen made a great catch and swipe tag to nail the runner trying to score. The next Indian hitter singled to load the bases and was followed by a batter that stuck his
elbow out to get hit by the pitch, and the the lead was cut to one, with the bases still loaded and two outs. Girard took the very vocal support of his teammates, their wives,
and the Albany Capitals who came to give support and struck out the last batter of the inning, with the game very much on the line.

The Cubs would enter the 9th with a slim 5-4 lead. It looked like things would go easily when Girard struck out the 1st two hitters in the inning. A two out bloop single and a third
HBP by Girard would prove that these appearances were false, as both cheering sections were load in their support and the excitement was back. The number two hitter followed
with the hardest hit ball that the Indians would manage off of Girard, but Jim McQuade had him played perfectly in left field and made a nice catch with everything hanging in the balance,
and the Cubs walked off with a very nice 5-4 victory. The Cubs are just one of 5 teams out of 69 in the tournament to be 3-0, and with just 10 runs against in those 3 games the Cubs are tied for

Next up for the Cubs will be the 1-1 Pensacola Barracudas, at 1:45 pm on Tuesday. Can't wait to share the field with these guys again!!!




-- Edited by mgirard11 on Tuesday 2nd of November 2021 08:44:35 AM