Southgate — Wednesday, August 6 — The SweatSox continued their midseason surge Wednesday night at Southgate, overpowering the South Ottawa Sandbaggers 16-1 in a game that was never in doubt and ended early via the mercy rule.
Coming in with an 11-8 record, the SweatSox wasted no time setting the tone. For the second straight game, they erupted out of the gates, plating four runs in the top of the first inning before piling on 12 more over the next four frames. By the time the dust settled, the Sandbaggers (3-17) were left searching for answers as the SweatSox secured their second consecutive inning-shortened victory.
“This was a big one for us,” said SweatSox manager Cory Bond. “Last time we played these guys, they took us to extras with only eight players. To come out like this and handle business—it keeps us right in the mix for second place in the Tier 3 standings, which is exactly where we want to be.”
Leading the charge in every facet of the game was Eric White, who delivered a dominant all-around performance. Making his 10th start of the season, White tossed his third straight five-inning complete game, allowing just four hits and no earned runs while striking out eight en route to his eighth win.
At the plate, White was just as unstoppable. The right-hander went a perfect 3-for-3, reached base five times after being hit by pitches twice, and scored a run in each of the five innings played. He also swiped three bases, showcasing a relentless presence on the basepaths that kept the Sandbaggers on their heels all night.
Josh Ramage also turned in a standout performance, collecting three hits and driving in a team-high five runs. But it was his activity on the bases that drew the loudest reactions.
In what may go down as a historic moment for the franchise, Ramage recorded what is believed to be the first legitimate stolen base of his career.
“I’ve been putting in the work for years—training hard, staying hydrated, really focusing on explosiveness,” Ramage joked. “This was the moment I’ve been waiting for, to finally take those extra steps on the basepaths. And I’ve got to give a shoutout to Cory for having the stones to put the steal sign on. That’s a lot of trust in a guy like me.”
The offensive onslaught didn’t stop there. Craig Cornell and Mike Pignat each added triples, with Pignat continuing his consistent run production by driving in four runs—another routine night at the office for one of the team’s most reliable bats.
Defensively, Geoff Nolan anchored the infield with his strongest outing of the season. The shortstop recorded a team-high three assists along with two putouts, flashing range and confidence throughout the night.
“Look at me,” Nolan said with a grin after the game. “I am the shortstop now.”
For the Sandbaggers, it was a tough evening across the board. Daniel Jones, splitting time between right field, third base, and quarterback, struck out in all three of his plate appearances. With the game ending early, he was denied a shot at the elusive golden sombrero.
The SweatSox will look to keep the momentum rolling Friday night when they return to action at Kinsmen for a 6:10 p.m. matchup against the Rockets.
Final SweatSox vs Sandbaggers Notes/Thoughts:
- Josh is a king amongst men.
- Kent’s garage code is 6969.
- The only thing worse than sitting, is being DH’d for in center field.
- What’s wrong with Loni Anderson?
#FIXEDIT