Wings split two after 6 1/2 hours!.... Posted July 24th, 2008
The Wings split two with the Nitros last night at a damp McDonough Park. The first game was a continuation of a game suspended in the seventh on June 17th. At the time the game was 11-6 Nitros, and it finished excatly the same score. In that game Eddy Mendiola (Notre Dame) and Matt Perry (Holy Cross) both went 3-4 with an RBI each.
The big story of the night was the second game which would last 5 hours and end after midnight. Only the most faithful fans were left in the stands at the end. The Wings sent Dan Rouah (Lynn) to the mound to start the game at 7:02 PM. Rouah struggled throughout his 3.2 innings walking 8 while allowing 3 hits. He was also the victim of several errors resulting in only 2 earned runs out of the 7 runs allowed in his stint. The Wings would find themselves in a 4-0 deficit after two, but would score 2 in the bottom of the third cutting the score to 4-2 on an RBI double by Perry. The momentum would be short lived as the Nittros would add three in the top of the fourth as the Wings would add three errors to their line score. From there the Wings would settle down, making outstanding plays throughout the game, keeping it close. In the bottom of the fifth the Wings would add a single run as John Sills (Holy Cross) after reaching on an error, would advance three separate bases and scoring on three wild pitches. Pete Lompado (Minnesota St) would hold the game for 3.1 innings striking out three and allowing one hit, and Kris Mengle (George Mason) would come in in the seventh and throw 6 innings of absolutely stellar relief keeping the Wings in it to the 13th while striking out 6 and allowing no walks and two hits. How did they get to the 13th and beyond? That came in the bottom of the eighth, when the Wings scored 4 runs to tie the game. That inning featured an RBI double by Mendiola and an 2 RBI double by Bill Cupello (Holy Cross). The Wings would leave the bases loaded at the end of the inning, but tied the game 7-7. The score would remain the same for 10 more innings as both Nitro and Wing pitchers kept runners off base. engle finished up the 13th then Kyle Eastham (South Florida) would take his turn on the mound going 3 innings through the 16th striking out one and allowing one hit. Jason Koziol (George Mason) would be the fifth and final pitcher on the night pitching two innings striking out three. Finally in the bottom of the 18th something would happen after 10 scoreess innings. Jimmy Vahalik (Toledo) would start with a lead off double to right center, Sills would follow up with one out with a single to right but not deep enough to score Vahalik. Then Perry, with the infield playing in with one out, would squirt a ball between the shortstop and third baseman driving in Vahalik at 12:02AM, five hours after the first pitch! The anatomy of an 18 inning game: Combined 24 hits, 11 errors, 125 AB's, 33 strikeouts, and 12 pitchers used.
The Wings travel to Brockport for a 5:00 start. The next Wings home game is Saturday at 7:30 against the Elmira Pioneers.
The big story of the night was the second game which would last 5 hours and end after midnight. Only the most faithful fans were left in the stands at the end. The Wings sent Dan Rouah (Lynn) to the mound to start the game at 7:02 PM. Rouah struggled throughout his 3.2 innings walking 8 while allowing 3 hits. He was also the victim of several errors resulting in only 2 earned runs out of the 7 runs allowed in his stint. The Wings would find themselves in a 4-0 deficit after two, but would score 2 in the bottom of the third cutting the score to 4-2 on an RBI double by Perry. The momentum would be short lived as the Nittros would add three in the top of the fourth as the Wings would add three errors to their line score. From there the Wings would settle down, making outstanding plays throughout the game, keeping it close. In the bottom of the fifth the Wings would add a single run as John Sills (Holy Cross) after reaching on an error, would advance three separate bases and scoring on three wild pitches. Pete Lompado (Minnesota St) would hold the game for 3.1 innings striking out three and allowing one hit, and Kris Mengle (George Mason) would come in in the seventh and throw 6 innings of absolutely stellar relief keeping the Wings in it to the 13th while striking out 6 and allowing no walks and two hits. How did they get to the 13th and beyond? That came in the bottom of the eighth, when the Wings scored 4 runs to tie the game. That inning featured an RBI double by Mendiola and an 2 RBI double by Bill Cupello (Holy Cross). The Wings would leave the bases loaded at the end of the inning, but tied the game 7-7. The score would remain the same for 10 more innings as both Nitro and Wing pitchers kept runners off base. engle finished up the 13th then Kyle Eastham (South Florida) would take his turn on the mound going 3 innings through the 16th striking out one and allowing one hit. Jason Koziol (George Mason) would be the fifth and final pitcher on the night pitching two innings striking out three. Finally in the bottom of the 18th something would happen after 10 scoreess innings. Jimmy Vahalik (Toledo) would start with a lead off double to right center, Sills would follow up with one out with a single to right but not deep enough to score Vahalik. Then Perry, with the infield playing in with one out, would squirt a ball between the shortstop and third baseman driving in Vahalik at 12:02AM, five hours after the first pitch! The anatomy of an 18 inning game: Combined 24 hits, 11 errors, 125 AB's, 33 strikeouts, and 12 pitchers used.
The Wings travel to Brockport for a 5:00 start. The next Wings home game is Saturday at 7:30 against the Elmira Pioneers.
