Gold Country Buzzards

Gold Country Ol’ Buzzards Game Report #1

March 21, 2010

Buzzards Stunned By Free Agents, Shutout 5-0 in Opener

The Gold Country Ol’ Buzzards opened the 2010 baseball season at Lembi Field in Folsom with a 2 pm game against the always tough Free Agents. Lembi Field was not in good shape with very long grass, a low mound and stones piled up in the infield dirt area. The day was beautiful with scattered clouds and the temperature was 74 degrees. The Buzzards got there early for warm-ups, plus a little wiffle ball hitting and infield before the game. The new Buzzards, Don Colbert #8, Mike Hayworth #13, and Scott Reeves #1, were outfitted in their candy-corn orange jerseys and the distinctive black and orange hats with the Buzzard logo. The new Ol’ Buzzards are welcomed additions to this team of guys who still play ball pretty well and enjoy getting together on Sundays to play the great American game and then drink beer afterwards.

Everything appeared set for a good competitive game with each team sending their aces to the mound. The visiting Buzzards sent southpaw, Dave “Keppy” Kephart #21, to start Opening Day, while the Free Agents countered with their sneaky right-hander, Don “Quick Pitch” Rogers #21.

The Ol’ Buzzards had a hard time getting solid wood on Donny’s pitches and did not get their first hit of the game and season until Ray “Bull Dog” Henry’s looping single to left field that followed a Pete “Baron” Von Zboray walk to open the third inning. With the Baron on third base, Bull Dog got the signal to steal. On the next pitch, Ol’ Bull Dog, breathing loud and hard, stole the base, putting runners at second and third with Keppy at the plate. In the previous two innings, Kep had hit two Free Agent batters, so Dave was expecting to get hit by Roger during this at-bat. Lefty fouled off the first inside pitch and then lined the next outside pitch down the third base line. Great idea and a hard hit ball, but it was snagged with a great play by the third baseman with an out-stretched glove and moving toward the base. He easily beat the Baron back to the bag for a rally killing double play. Pete was only three steps from the base when the ball was hit, but the bang-bang play worked in their favor, this time also.

Even though it was a gorgeous Spring Day, the bounces and calls did not go the Buzzards way. Starting in the first inning with the inconsistent strike zone and the - appeared safe, but was called out - questionable call on the two-out pick-off of Dan “Wookie” Wukmir at second base, after stealing the bag on the previous pitch. Continuing with Charles “CJ” Jackson’s strike-out in the third on the ankle biter - called third strike. To letting runners come standing up into second base and not give the infielder some latitude in touching the base while catching, pivoting and throwing around the incoming runner. The tough calls during the game bugged the Buzzards a little and probably caused them to press a little at the plate and in the field. But let’s not get bitter, just even.

The classic was in the disastrous third inning, when with the first two runners on, Keppy fielded a sharp ground ball to his right. When he turned to throw to the shortstop, Taylor “Welzy” Welz covering second base, the umpire was standing in the line of the throw. The double-pumped throw by Kep was delayed just enough for the speedy TWelz to have crossed past second base and then caught the ball standing a half-step off the bag and moving toward first base. The missed timing also forced a hurried throw in the vicinity of Mike “Bake” Baker playing first base to continue the long ten batters, four unearned runs third inning.

To make matters worse, Keppy hurt his left foot later in the inning after making a terrific catch of a little pop-up in front of home plate. After reaching out to snag the ball nearing the ground, he spun toward first base for a surprise throw to the bag hoping to nail the runner. A good idea but his planted left shoe twisted awkwardly, hurting his push-off pitching foot for the rest of the game, and taking his potent bat out of the batting order.

The Free Agents scored their only earned run in bottom of the first inning with a combination of a hit batsman (pitcher Don Rogers was hit on the left calf), a couple of wild pitches, a walk and a fielder’s choice scored the run. Except for a couple of costly rushed infield errors, the Buzzard defense, especially Mark “Ronnie” Wronski at third base, played well and held down the strong hitting Free Agents. Key outs were made including several fly outs with runners in scoring position and twice with the bases loaded.

The Buzzards only produced two hits and six runners in nine innings. You don’t win games with those stats. The Buzzard offense consisted of Ray’s single in the third and Barry “Brooklyn” Forman’s first-pitch blast down the right field line for a double with two outs in the seventh inning for the second and last hit of the day for the Ol’ Buzzards. Only 32 Buzzards came to the plate to face the slick throwing Rogers. He struck out four and walked three with only seven balls hit to the outfield, four of them for outs, in the quick two hour and twenty minute game.

Keppy pitched well, throwing 138 pitches (probably half with the sore foot) 81 for strikes and 57 balls. He struck-out six Free Agents, walked five and hit two batters in seven innings. Mike Hayworth #13 pitched an effective eighth inning throwing 15 pitches (11 strikes & 4 balls). His curve ball was breaking sharply as he put the top of the order down 1-2-3 with a strike-out and two infield pop-ups.

This game was not a typical Buzzard performance and it will serve as a motivator for the rest of the season. The league has been trimmed to eight teams (some real tough, but all have improved), so we will have to play better to win. The good news is - it should be easy for us to play better ‘cause we are.

Buzzard Notes #1: The Gold Country Coyotes lost to the Dragons 12-1. Both Gold Country teams combined for just one run on Opening Day. It appears we’re both saving it up for the home opener next Sunday.

Buzzard Note #2: Next Sunday’s game will be at 2 pm at Colfax High against the Dragons.

Buzzard Note #3: To answer an inquiry. The last time we faced Donny Rogers was June 14, 2009 at Colfax High. He pitched the second game of the double-header sweep by the Buzzards (10-3 & 8-3). We collected ten hits that game including a Barry Forman double down the right field line, just like last week’s only extra base hit. Nice double with that heavy fiber glass bat.

Buzzard Note #4: Team BBQ after next week's game at Ray Henry's place in Eden Valley.