PG Super25 Game 2: Five-Star National 7, Canes 5

Florida, folks, Florida. Although this was officially the second game of pool play, it was actually the last one to end. Originally slated for 10 a.m. on Thursday, the game didn't start until 11:25 because of a lightning delay. This game originally started at Veterans Park. To give you a little flavor of the surroundings, the field was located by a marshy pond. As you might recall, we are in Fort Myers, Florida. While walking up to the field, a foul ball went in the pond. A kid started to chase it and the lady at the gate who was stealing taking the money immediately yelled, "DON'T GO NEAR THAT WATER." 

She was very, very serious about this. "The gators hide in the tall grass," she said. I gave her a courtesy, "Ha ha, Florida joke," laugh. She stared back with a straight face. "They do," she said.

I did not chase any foul balls.

During the second rain delay, which was more like a monsoon delay, there was a complete downpour for about 45 minutes. As the rain was letting up, two hooligans idiots morons teenagers who had been hanging out at the park waded waist-deep into the pond. They did, as far as we know, return with all their appendages, thereby depriving all of us from YouTube riches we would've received from posting the viral video of their gator attack.

Oh yeah, there was a baseball game. Five-Star (a hybrid of the organization's Georgia and Florida teams combined for this event) won it, 7-5, while giving up just two hits. Both teams are in the top eight that will advance to single-elimination bracket play on Saturday morning.

It perhaps best sums up today that the umpire behind the plate in the resumption of the game was wearing one of the balloon chest protectors, making him perhaps the first human to wear one of those since 1985, and no one even thought it was all that weird.

Game 2 Canes scoring plays

First inning

Jake walked, went to second on a wild pitch, and stole third. He scored on Drew's single. Drew advanced on a pair of wild pitches, then scored on a wild pitch.
Score after one inning: Canes 2, Five Star 0

Second inning
Ben walked and stole second. Reid was hit by a pitch. Jake reached on a fielder's choice and Ben scored on an error. Gavin hit a sacrifice fly.
Score after two innings: Canes 4, Five Star 0

Fifth inning
Asher reached on an error, then went to second and then third on passed balls. Gavin's one-out single plated Asher.
Score after five innings: Five Star 7, Canes 5

Pitching Performances

Reid started and worked into the third, allowing just two hits.

Asher tossed four outs of relief and recorded a pair of strikeouts.

Gavin got a pair of strikeouts.

Andrew finished up in the fifth.

Dugout wisdom
I was unpacking my bag when an envelope fell out. Chace didn't miss a beat. "Is that the money for the umpires?" he asked.

If it was, Chace, then obviously I need to put more in there next time.

Game 2 Web Gems

• Drew corralled a wild pitch and threw a rocket to JT at third, where an over adventurous runner was gunned down trying to advance.
• JT charged in and made a sure handed play on a nubber in the fourth, then threw to Chace for the out.
• Gavin made a ridiculous leaping play at short to spear a line drive, then tagged second for the inning-ending unassisted double play in the fifth.

Game 2 line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
Five Star	0	0	3	0	4	X	7	9
Canes	2	2	0	0	1	X	5	2