SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS: The first week of the WPBL’s Inaugural Season is in the books and the way it concluded was a doozy.
Just before the game, it was revealed that former MLB player Jemile Weeks was grabbing the managing reins from Boston skipper Keith Foulke.
“We are pleased to have Jemile Weeks take over as manager of the Boston Hunters. Weeks brings tremendous baseball knowledge, leadership, and a clear understanding of what it takes to lead a professional team. We are confident in his ability to guide this group as we move forward through the season,” said Justine Siegal, Commissioner of the WPBL.
Coming off the Hunters epic rally on Saturday, the Heights drew first blood, and it comes as no big surprise that it was off the bat of Denae Benites. NY’s captain went 4-5 tonight, including three stolen bases and a two run homer. She’s gone through the celebratory tunnel so many times – someone needs to buy her an EZ Pass.
The game was a series of too many walks in the park, producing too many unearned runs, a lot of missed opportunities with the bases full and some heartbreaking baserunning mistakes.
Boston starter Gigi Schiano was roughed up for three and third – she gave up five runs, three of them earned on six hits. Counterpart Jacqui Reynolds was pulled with her team leading 5-2, we can only assume it had nothing to do with her performance of two runs on three hits, but the 72 pitches she tossed.
Jaida Lee came in relief, and immediately surrendered a base hit to the hot hitting Molly Patterson, then proceeded to put three Hunters on base, for free, walking in a runner, prompting broadcaster Max Kelton to comment, “It feels like deja vu.” And four pitches later, Gabbie Haas, 1 for 1 on the night, made it 2 for 2, tying it up 5-5 with a clutch two-run double on a 3-2 pitch.
Claire O’Sullivan, the Australian with an Irish name, in her first WPBL appearance, replaced Lee and got out of the inning leaving the bases loaded.
Boston reliever Paloma Benach, another newbie, made a name for herself, keeping NY in check for two and a third innings allowing two hits, striking out two.
In the top of the seventh, Blunt came to the bump, getting in and out of trouble, leaving runners in scoring position. The Hunters had a golden opportunity to put it away in the bottom half, when pinch hitting Lexi Hastings reached on an error. But with two outs she learned the hard way
that trying to steal on Benites’ watch was not a good option.
A WPBL eighth inning first was complete with a runner on second base and a lot of nail biting. Elodie Ciamarro took Boston’s breath away with a lead-off double bobbled by Paddison, putting both runners in scoring position. Claire Eccles executed a perfect bunt, and with the bases full, Natsuki Yonetani, like Denver Bryant 24 hours before, launched a go-ahead two run double.
Boston coulda, woulda, shoulda in the bottom frame, but… With O’Sullivan back on the mound, Blunt lined a single to left, and Edith De Leija belted a base hit to right to make it a one run game. Blunt then got nailed between the bases trying to take third. De Leija took second, Paddison poked one to shallow right and De Leija, not having enough juice to plate the tying run, was tagged out easily by Benites. With Paddison, the tying run on second, Ticara Geldenhuis, sent a rocket to Perez who got the sliding Aussie by half a hair to end the game.
Natsuki Yonetani was Player of The Game, and deservedly – but in defense of defense, you have to give kudos to Heights left fielder Katherine Murphy – she and her “golden” glove were everywhere the Hunters didn’t want her to be. She made a diving catch, one crashing into the wall, and a slight over the shoulder grab which most certainly helped secure her team the better result.
What are these women going to do for an encore?