Post Game Report - Game 9

Entering the evening on a 5 game win streak, Melville had their work cut out for them in a highly anticipated match up between the first and second place clubs in the division. A familiar foe, the Screwballs were on a winning streak of their own and also had only suffered one defeat on the year.

Melville came out the gate guns blazing with an impressive six run top of the first, which would quickly be erased by a seven run bottom of the frame after pitcher Michael Barbarino served up a grand slam in the first four at bats. Melville would regain the lead in the next half inning as Barbarino redeemed himself with a three run opposite field bomb, but would return to bat in the third tied. There was a major silver lining though, as the Screwballs would have used their fourth and final home run allowed by rule in just the second inning. Melville would be on high alert, knowing that the great threat they faced would be wounded.

Continuing the theme of the season so far, very clutch defending all over the diamond led to back to back clean innings as Melville would fight for a small lead throughout the back half of the game to find themselves needing to hold their opponent to under 2 runs to clinch a major victory in the bottom of the seventh after a crucial two run home run by Trevor Cavanagh in the 6th and a big RBI base hit from Eric Tow in the 7th.

Though an impressive side that quickly earned the Moby Dicks' respect, the Screwballs early aggressiveness would come back to haunt them as the first two batters of the final frame hit would be back to back solo home runs that would have tied the game. Due to the limit of four home runs over the fence rule, those long balls would serve as the first two outs of the inning, and a routine pop fly by the Screwballs right to former teammate Nick Caracappa, who went 7-7 on the evening with two home runs in the following game, served as a fitting end to a captivating 16-14 victory for the first place Moby Dicks.