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SPORTS NEWS FOR
WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 2004
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McKenzie Senior Babe Ruth Going to State -
Defeats Bradford, Dresden; Faces Marshall Co. in Opener |
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By Jim Steele
steele@mckenziebanner.com |
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McKenzie's 18-19-year-old Babe Ruth team will be heading
back to Lewisburg and the state tournament this week.
The McKenzie squad qualified for the tournament by
capturing a 10-9 extra-inning affair against Dresden at
Union City. The team finished second in the district at
Decatur County, bowing 9-8 to the hosts in an exciting
affair during the district finals. Decatur County
qualified for state by winning its district, which
relegated McKenzie to the area tournament at Union City.
Now, McKenzie will gear up for another trip to Marshall
County, seen of last year's state tournament. It will
face the host Marshall County team 8 p.m. Friday.
Against Bradford in the opening round, McKenzie fell
behind 9-4 and needed to score five in the top of the
seventh just to stay in the game. What happened next
rivaled the devastation of an avalanche.
McKenzie scored 17 runs in its half to lead 21-9.
"That was unbelieveable," said McKenzie coach Kyle Manns.
"I have never been involved with anything like that
before."
Chris Wall almost hit for the cycle in his three
seventh-inning at-bats. He doubled, tripled and homered.
"We hit the ball better then than we have all year,"
Manns said. "It was just unbelievable. We just started
hitting the ball."
In the next winners bracket affair, McKenzie outdueled
Dresden 13-1. Then McKenzie had to turn around and play
Dresden again.
McKenzie fell behind 9-7 when Chris Wall homered with
Clint Manns on second. McKenzie eventually won the game
10-9.
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Witnessing Perfection -
Two West Carroll Seniors Watch Big Unit's Perfect Game |
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By Jim Steele
steele@mckenziebanner.com |
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When one considers that there have been hundreds of
thousands of Major League Baseball games played over the
past 135 years, being in the right place at the right time
to see a specific event is like a crapshoot.
Watching a no-hitter live would be akin to winning the
lottery. Seeing a perfect game would be like winning
Powerball.
If that's the case, maybe West Carroll graduates Adam
Welch and Wesley Arnold ought to purchase some tickets.
The duo opted to take their senior trip to see the Atlanta
Braves play the Arizona Diamondbacks. The date was May 18,
2004 and that one night will be permantly etched into the
minds of these local youngsters.
D-backs' lefty Randy Johnson, all 6-10 of him, came out
smoking against the Braves and fired a perfect game. He
faced 27 batters and retired all 27 batters without a
single one reaching base. That feat has only been
accomplished 17 times in MLB history.
Of all the millions of fans in the world who have seen big
league baseball games, to be part of the 40,000 in
attendance that night had to be special.
And Welch was sort of sizing up the rotations.
"I figured three weeks ahead of time that, if there were
no off days or rainouts, we'd get to see Randy Johnson
either on the 18th or the 19th," he said. He was right.
That night, Johnson was on, hurling 117 pitches, striking
out 13 Braves and throwing 87 strikes in those 117
offerings.
"It was weird because we really didn't know he was
pitching a perfect game until like the middle of the ninth
inning," said Arnold. "And then we thought it was just a
no hitter. Then we started asking ourselves if Johnson had
walked anyone."
In the final at-bat, Johnson faced Braves catcher Eddie
Perez, who, with a 5-for-11 clip, has had success against
the "Big Unit." Perez saw several pitches that were above
96 m.p.h. Even most of the fiercely partisan Braves fans
wanted Johnson to complete the feat.
"Fans were chanting 'Ran-DY, Ran-DY,' at the end of the
game," Arnold said.
"But there were a few Braves fans yelling, 'Ed-DIE,
Ed-DIE,' wanting Perez to break up the no-hitter," Welch
said. "It felt weird and unreal and the fact that he threw
a perfect game really didn't hit me until it was over."
Just in case he wanted to check to see if he was dreaming,
Welch had the game taped while he was away.
"In the first inning, Johnson didn't have his best fast
ball, but he got better as the game went on," said Welch.
"And the fact that he's 41 years old is even more amazing.
I'm not a particular fan of Johnson, but I always liked
watching him pitch."
J.D. Drew almost got a hit and there were even attempts
for Braves to bunt their way on base. In all, the duo
agreed that there weren't that many hard-hit balls in the
game.
Many contemporaries of Welch and Arnold opted for a senior
trip to Cancun, Mexico. While crystal clear water and an
exotic setting may be appealing, but the memories Welch
and Arnold brought back from Atlanta will be much more
indelibly etched on their minds.
"It's not often that you take your senior trip and we just
happen to be there when the most powerful, overbearing
pitcher is pitching," Arnold said. "I was surprised."
Welch, a long-time Braves fan, said the two games he saw
in Atlanta were good. The next night, Luis Gonzalez hit a
two-run homer to edge Arizona past the Bravos in 12
innings.
"It was a fun trip," he said. "I'll never forget it." |
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Click here for JIM STEELE's
WEEKLY COLUMN |
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Other news stories exclusively in
the print edition: |
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- Bethel Golf Scramble Winners
- Wallace Fillies New Coach
- Marlins Watch McKenzie Prospects
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Phone (731) 352-3323 or
Fax (731) 352-3322
washburn@mckenziebanner.com
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