My baseball provincials
Lyle Taylor
It was only last summer but yet it feels like it was yesterday. I can
almost smell the fresh cut grass, feel the rough baseball in my dirty
hands, see the stands outside the field, taste the musty air, and hear
the fans jeering you’re on. Our team, the Port Coquitlam Cardinals
played in a summer league to qualify for the provincials. We ended up
clinching the last spot for the provincials in a tight game against Surrey.
Making the provincials in last place expected to be knocked out in the
quarterfinals finals. I knew I had to step up and help the team to the
best of my abilities. The tournament took place in Comox.
Day one
Our team played our first game against Burnaby. It was a very close
matchup until the final moments of the game when we conceded 4
runs to make the game 6-1. That was the final score.
Knowing that our chances were low and that we had to win 3
games straight to even have a chance to make the semi’s including the
fact the one of our next games was against a undefeated team we
knew that we didn't have much of a chance.
Day two
My team played our next game against Campbell River. We were
down by two in the top of the last inning. Bases loaded and I was up to
bat. I hit a double to put our team in the lead. Now leading 6-5 we had
a chance. The next batter struck out and it was the end of the inning. I
ended up pitching the last inning of the game. With a strong defence
behind me we didn't concede a run in that inning to win us the game.
I was very excited and so was the team. But we couldn't get too
ahead of ourselves. Because our next game was against the
excruciatingly hard team to beat, Vancouver. Vancouver were
undefeated all year and if we lost this game it would be all over.
Day three
To be honest I was nervous. Sweat on my palms and a bit light
headed I went onto the field. An hour later Vancouver was beating us
9-3. With two innings left to score 6 runs our team clutched up and did
just that. We went into extra innings. In the 9th inning we scored one
run to beat Vancouver 10-9 in one of the most intense games that I
have ever participated in. I have to admit during that game I was very
nervous. Because I was the pitcher who had to pitch at the end of the
game to shut them down. I pitched for three innings two of which were
in extra innings. I knew if I concede one run. A years’ worth of hard
work to get to this very moment would be for nothing and we would be
eliminated. Luckily I shut them down and we won the game.
Day three game two
It was our second game of the day and it was against the team at
the bottom of the pool, VOC (Valley Of Champions: Kelowna) VOC in my
mind was not going to be an easy game. All the games that they had
played in ended with them only losing by one – three runs. By the third
inning VOC was winning 2-0 everyone knew that if we lost it was all
over. I thought to myself that there was no way that I was allowing VOC
to beat our team. Connor strongman and I rallied our team together to
score a solid 4 runs in the fifth inning. We shut VOC down for the rest of
the game to finish with a solid win over them with a score of 4-2. We
were ecstatic. Knowing now that we were headed for the semifinals
tomorrow nothing could bring me down. Except this.
Bad news
Our team was just about to leave the field when the manager of the
provincial tournament came up to us and laid on the bad news.
Apparently there was a three way tie for two spots on our side of the
table to make the semifinals. Vancouver got the bye to the semi’s
which meant that there were two teams battling for one position. The
manager told us that we had to play in a tie breaking game against
Burnaby before we can go home. There were two massive problems
with this. One being that Burnaby was the only team that we played
and couldn't defeat. And two is that our team was absolutely exhausted
from playing in two rough games where we barely game out with a win
previously in the day. Knowing we didn't have any other choice we
stepped onto the field for our third time in the day facing off against
our rivals, Burnaby.
Day three tie breaking rounds
I didn’t know what to do. I was supposed to pitch but my arm was
killing me. I had pitched in every single game that we had played in so
far. I was scared and confused. If it wasn't for my mum I don't know
what I would've done. A mother advice is always the best. All she
simply said to me was “believe in yourself and you'll do fine”. And that's
exactly what I did. I pitched five innings allowing only two runs. In the
sixth inning we were down 2-0 but rallied and scored four runs to make
it 4-2 in the seventh inning they scored one run and had a man on third
base. Luckily Connor strongman caught a fly ball to end the intense
game. Finishing our third game of the day our team was exhausted. I
headed straight for bed.
Day four semi finals
Semifinals time. That was the only thing that I could think of during
that time. Our opponent, the host of the tournament, Comox. Comox
was a very tough team. The table so far looked like this. On one side
was Chemainus and Vancouver. And the other was us and Comox.
After a pep talk from our coach we stepped onto the field. After the
fifth inning the score was 9-1 our turn at bat and we couldn't convert.
They went up to bat and they couldn't score a run either. Same with
the sixth inning. No runs were scored so now it was the final at bats for
our team. Down by eight runs with one inning left to win us the game.
It was all down to this one inning. First batter was hit, second batter
was hit, and Third batter got a single. Bases loaded, I hit a triple to
make the score 9-4. Next batter up hits a single, meaning I score and
the score is now 9-5. With our rally caps on our team was pumped we
were still in this game. Next two batter both hit singles. Bases loaded
for Connor strongman who hits a double. The score is now 9-8. Connor
steals two bases in a row and is now on third base. Next batter up
strikes out. One out man on third the score is 9-8. Next batter walks.
Then he steals second base. Now with a man on third and second. Our
chances were high. Connor pulls off a gutsy play and steals home and
makes it. Everyone is going absolutely crazy. Man on third the score is
now 9-9 if we score one run we win the game and go to the finals. Next
batter up, strike, ball, ball, ball, strike, strike three. Now with two out
we were a bit nervous. But Bryn Tomlins hit a single to win us the game.
The rest was a blur to me but all I remember is everyone chanting
Bryn’s name as we ran off the field…
Day four Provincial Finals
I can't believe that at one point we were struggling just to make the
provincials. It seems so irrelevant compared to this. Most of our team
knows that we don't have much of a chance to win this game. Because
of the rule where a pitcher is only allowed to pitch a certain amount of
pitches within a timeframe. And because we had three games in one
day. We had already exhausted all of our pitching for the rest of the
provincials. The only pitching we had left was pitchers whom never
pitch. We ended up losing the game 7-3.
In the long run
I don't think anyone on our team was sad about the outcome of the
provincials I think I can say with my head held high what we have
accomplished this year. Look at where we've come. Bottom of the table
barely clinching provincial seeding. Winning three games in one day.
Winning every game we played from behind. I am very proud of my
team and my teammates. I think everyone else could also say the
same…
-Lyle Taylor
True Story
Baseball
Provincials
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