What is a magic stick?
Little Kids in the Stands
LOWER KINSMEN- For the first time in franchise history, the SweatSox played a game at Lower Kinsmen, which if you weren’t aware, is right next to Kinsmen-proper, just down the little hill which I guess makes it lower in elevation. Who knew?!?
Our opponents on the magical afternoon of firsts (full list later) were the Bytown Bats, who are playing in their inaugural season after being accepted into the league this past off-season. While the SweatSox bats weren’t exactly on fire, recording just 5 hits in 5 innings, we were able to capitalize on 9 walks and 5 hit-by-pitches to score 11 runs, and combined with strong pitching and decent defense, was good enough to end the game in 5 innings.
FINAL: SweatSox 11. Bats 1.
Eric White got the start in this one, and was making his 2024 pitching debut after finally recovering from a Yoga injury suffered just before the season started. I don’t know what pose he was doing at the time of the injury, but odds are it was downward facing dog.
The reigning Tier 3 Pitcher of the Year was on top of his game, giving up just 1 hit, 1 walk, and an unearned run in the mercy-shortened complete game. He also racked up 8 strikeouts to take the team lead over our GLE Cory Bond.
At the dish, the SweatSox were led by Trevor Williams, who was 2/3 with 2 RBI, 2 runs scored, and 3 stolen bases. T-Billiams credits his big performance to not having to lug the bases bag down to the field before the game.
An offensive honourable mention goes out to the Brothers Bond (Cory & Mark), who went a combined 0/0 with 2 walks and 3 HBP’s. Once again, Mother Bond was not impressed with the pitching staff of our opponents plunking her boys while she was in attendance, a never-ending streak unlike any other.
Kent Johnston, Larry Pawelek, and Phil Leduc had the rest of the SweatSox hits.
The winner of the 2004 A&W Kamloops International Baseball Game MVP Award was: Jaspreet Sanghra. On offense, Jas had a key sac bunt, was HBP (obviously), stole 2 bases, and scored the penultimate game clinching run. Bollywood was even better on defense though, holding it down at 2nd base, making 2 high degree of difficulty catches and 2 high degree of difficulty assists. He does need to work on his “rolling-on-the-ground throws to second” which aren’t as accurate as they should be at this point in time.
A defensive honourable mention goes out to Larry Pawelek, who had 2 nice catches himself, one hard liner, and one 360-spinner.
There are no more defensive notes…
I’ve seen better.
Nephew Marcus re: Uncle Mark at SS
Unfortunately, we were on the wrong end of this game’s Highlight of the Night, which saw the SweatSox hit into a bases loaded triple play just as we were looking to really break the game open in the 3rd inning.
Shoutout to Eric White (lined out to 2nd), Phil Leduc (doubled off at 2nd), and I, Shaun Keay (tripled off at 3rd), for helping create this very memorable moment in SweatSox history. We do believe this is the first triple play we’ve ever been a part of (on either side of the ball), so congratulations to us for running into it, and to the Bats lads on their execution of it.
Final SweatSox vs Bats Notes/Thoughts:
- The bases bag is fucking heavy, no wonder Trevor is so ripped
- Josh is a 3-balls 0-strikes fake-bunter
- There can only be 1 on-deck batter on-deck at a time
- Cory needs to watch his language when the SweatSox make stupid plays on the field and there are little kids nearby
- There may have been more Bond’s than Primeau’s at Lower Kinsmen yesterday
- Mark hasn’t pitched an inning yet, but he still managed to get the hook after the game
- A Big Bone is way better than a Big Mac
- Sex chocolate is to be consumed after the coitus, not during
- It’s better to wait & binge than watch something weekly, unless the tone has been properly set
- I, Shaun Keay, got caught with my pants down in the parking lot after the game. Not by Mindy though.
- Padres vs Barons was a playoff-like atmosphere at the lower of the Kinsmens
BONUS COVERAGE – The Complete List of SweatSox Firsts:
- FIRST time at Lower Kinsmen
- FIRST game at 4:00pm
- FIRST time playing the Bytown Bats
- FIRST time completely filling up the stands with our own fans
- FIRST time Trevor almost got screwed out of 2 SB’s
- FIRST time Josh has been noogied multiple times
- FIRST time Eric and Jas have been big boned
- FIRST time I’ve had 0 beers in the circle
- FIRST time I haven’t kicked ass and chewed bubblegum at the end of the night
- FIRST time we’ve had a couple rattlesnakes circling the bases after the game:
NEXT UP: for the SweatSox (2-2) is our 2nd match-up of the year against the Rockets (0-3), later tonight at Trillium. Ramage on the bump, in alternate uniform. Will today be the day Nick Lenardon sets the NCBL’s all-time HR record?
#WONTHEHYJINX