Ducks vs. Grizzlies was rained out and will be rescheduled for later in the year.

South Oakland’s next game is Wednesday 6/2 vs the Senators. 9pm at SpringView Field.

Despite turning a triple play, knocking out ten hits, and a strong start from Randy Patton, the short-handed South Oakland Ducks (2-6) lost to first place Bauerstown by a score of 4-3 in Shaler Sunday afternoon. The Grizzlies (9-1) won on a walk off sac fly. This is the second walk off loss for the Ducks this season.

I wasn’t at this game. My daughter had softball. Her team won 16-14.

We still have a lot of games left. If we improve our attendance it will allow us to take advantage of our relief pitchers, which could help us in situations like Sunday. Randy pitched well, but he should not have to face the top of their order for a third time in the seventh inning when we have guys who can come in and close out games. But we can’t pull our shortstop and put him on the mound if we don’t have someone else to play there.

It’s frustrating, but if we can get on a roll, and play well down the stretch we can still make a run. We have the pitching. We’ve lost on the last at bat to the top three teams record wise. Those games are basically a coin flip. I don’t think our record reflects our talent level, but in such a short season there isn’t as much time for the bounces to even out. All the teams in AA are really close talent wise. We have to be able to win close games.

South Oakland plays next on Wednesday night in a rematch against Bauerstown. 9pm Springview Field.

The lights went out in the bottom of the seventh last night at Springview Field. The Ducks trailed 7-4, with one one, two out, and their three hitter up. While the win percentage for South Oakland is not great, the suspended game keeps their record at a mediocre 2-4 for the time being.

The Ducks trailed 6-0 before scoring four in the bottom of the fifth. Earlier in the game a ball hit by Tom Pulice down the third baseline was ruled foul that would have gone for a three bases after the Eagles’ left fielder accidentally kicked it out of play. It was called foul. The Eagles (5-1) added an unearned run in the top of the seventh.

The next bounce that goes our way will be the first. I’m not sure if this is bargaining, denial, or just anxiously awaiting regression to the mean. I think last year’s Bandidos who scuffled through May before making a run to the finals are a good model. We can get hot if we have more than half our infield show up.

There are 17.1 games left, and we probably have to win twelve to get into fifth place. I think it is doable.

South Oaklands next game is Sunday, 2:30 pm against the undefeated Grizzlies.

South Oakland (2-4) lost a rematch to the Devils last night 7-3. The Ducks lead 2-1 until the fifth when the Devils scored three unearned runs. South Hills (2-6) added three more unearned runs in the sixth. Billy Welsh (L, 1-2) was the tough luck loser in this one despite recording 8 strikeouts in six innings. Brandon Bouchard pitched a complete game win for the Devils, scattering 11 hits over seven innings.

The Ducks have lost three in a row, and four of five.

If we don’t turn it around quickly, this is going to be a lost season. We have recovered after bad starts in the past, so there’s precedent for putting together long winning streaks. But we’ve lost a few dependable players in the last year who always showed up ready to play, and we haven’t replaced them. We have pitching now, but we don’t have any flexibility because our bench is too short and we can’t pull guys on defense to relieve our starters. We leave a ton of guys on base. I don’t know what the answer is. I’m not usually this negative.

We need to win Wednesday. A loss puts 2-7 in play as we follow that with two against the Grizzlies. A in and we can hang around .500 at least and hope we get better attendance. No one shows up on the weekends, so we will probably lose Sunday. Maybe it will rain.

South Oakland plays the Eagles tomorrow, 9pm at Springview Field.

South Oakland Ducks of the North Side (2-3)

at

South Hills Devils (1-6)

8:30pm

Herschel Park

The Ducks have a chance to clinch the season series vs the Devils and get back to .500 with a win tonight in West End. Tonight’s game is a rematch of last week’s classic Welsh vs Bouchard pitching matchup that the Ducks held on to win in extra innings. It should be another highly contested bout this evening.

Nearing the quarter mark of the season, we need to keep our heads above water during the tough opening part of our schedule. We can’t take any team lightly despite their record. Billy will keep it close tonight, and we are due to start hitting better with guys in scoring position. I like our chances with our ace going for us.

Bad news for the Devils

A shorthanded Ducks (2-3) team rallied late but came up short against the suddenly loaded Bandidos (2-2).

With the win, Bakery square took the first game of the inaugural battle for Greg Friend’s contract. The winner fo the season series between the two teams will acquire/retain the rights to disgruntled Bakery Square outfielder/relief pitcher, Greg Friend.

G. Friend allowed two runs in the seventh inning of todays game.

South Oakland has a quick turnaround. The team looks to get back to .500 when they take on the Devils (1-6) tomorrow night at Herschel Park.

First pitch is scheduled for 8:30.

Box Score

Cranberry Recap

The Ducks lost a heartbreaker to undefeated Cranberry, 2-1 in Spring Hill Wednesday night. South Oakland starting pitcher Brandon Blackstone (L, 1-1) gave his team a chance to win. He scattered 9 hits over 7 innings with ten strike outs in his second complete game of the season.

After Cranberry scored a run on two hits in the first, the teams traded runs in the third. Cranberry starter Andy Germani worked out of a bases loaded no-outs jam in the second. Former Hurricane, Cranberry reliever Jon Hart (W, 1-0) got out of trouble a few times in four relief innings. The game ended on a bases loaded double play.

The Ducks have benefitted from great starting pitching so far this year. Timely hitting has been a problem for a team that historically scores a lot of runs. When the bats come around, South Oakland should be tough to beat.

The Ducks’s next game is a Sunday morning hair of the dog match against the Bandidos in Bakery Square.

Sunday, 9:30am at Mellon Park.