Season Comes to an End Against Tough Tiger Team

MBC lost to the Tigers 11-3 to end their season. The game was closer than the final score. The team ran out of steam in the fourth inning, tried to hang on for seven innings, but finally fell in the sixth.

MBC scored two to start the game and again this strategy backfired. Apparently it is bad luck to score two runs in the first inning. Nick Reeves singled sharply and was followed by a Tino Peleti double. Before the hot hitting Mitchell Smith could drive them in, both scored on the same passed ball. Mitchell singled anyway, and before Campbell could walk, crazy Coach Cougan tried a hit and run and Mitchell was caught stealing on a pitch too far outside for Campy to put in play. Thus Stuart Fairchild’s single occurred with no one in scoring position, and the Tigers pitched their way out of more damage.

In the second Andrew Kennedy lead off with a booming double and after a walk to Chris Luttinen MBC was in business again. This inning was thwarted when Nick Reeves slashed a ball that looked like it might get through to score Andrew, but hit Andrew to retire the side.

Stuart Fairchild tried to keep the hard hitting Tigers off the board, but after hitting two Tiger’s to put himself in trouble the team could not make the plays to get off the field. When good hitting teams get extra chances, they tend to score runs. MBC surrendered the lead 3-2 in the bottom of the second. The exact same recipe made the score 6-2 in the third. A combination of hits and errors finally chased Stuart off the mound in the fourth with MBC down 9-2.

Hits by Tino Peleti and Campbell Queen gave MBC hope in the third inning, but a memory impaired Coach Cougan inserted Bubba Golosh (see Bellevue write-up from an early season game) in to pinch run and he was picked off third before Stuart Fairchild could blast a double down the line.

As can be seen, the score made the game look worse than it was. These thirteen year olds were just inches away from making this a VERY GOOD game. Thank goodness they are young, are learning and get better and better EVERYTIME they play. I see a bright future for this group of boys.

Tough, Tough Loss in State Tournament Opener

The underdogs put up a gallant fight. They scored first, they hung tough and they almost came back to win. They made the Green Sox sweat, but came up one run short in losing 6-5.

The Green Sox pitcher walked the Ben Thomson and Nick Reeves to start the game. After a past ball Tino Peleti made them pay with a scorching single to score them both. Nick Reeves made an excellent read on Tino’s line drive and was just feet behind a tagging Ben at third and they crossed the plate in tandem to put MBC up 2-0.

The Green Sox did not earn the number one seed for nothing. They came roaring back in their half of the first to score three runs to take the lead.

Both teams settled down and the game became a defensive struggle. Campy Queen shut down a Green Sox rally in the second by picking off a runner at third with two out.

In the fifth with the bases loaded Jimmy Sheldrup brought the crowd to its feet with by slashing a hard line drive that was just not high enough to elude a leaping Green Sox second baseman.

Tino Peleti pitched valiantly against a strong hitting line-up but tired in the fifth allowing one more run and then two more on a bloop single with two outs.

It looked grim for MBC going into the seventh, but Ben Thomson lead off with a single. Hits by Tino and Mitchell Smith started to make the Green Sox nervous and after a two RBI single by Spencer Hogger MBC was in business. But their closer was called in and he struck out the final MBC batter with the tying run at third and the go ahead at second.

A great game, another proud MBC moment.

Remember this post??????

Remeber this picture? It was one of my first posts.

This has happened since that post. Doesn't he look happy?

And this picture and these words?:

This first picture is a picture of an iceberg. The second picture is from this year's State Champion Magnolia Baseball Club 15 year old team. Doesn't this look like fun? Just before this moment this team played a great game. These guys ALL stepped up and made big plays, had big hits and made great pitches. I am here to tell you that on this night these guys all gave the game their best effort. They really turned it on that night, no question about it.But.......... I am here to tell you that what they did in this game is not what made them champions. It is what they did ALL year. It was the effort they put into the off-season work outs. The long days in the cage, the 100's of ground balls taken in practice. What you are seeing above is just the tip of the iceberg. Most of the iceberg (the bulk of the work) is beneath the surface and is not seen.That is something to think about.

Well HERE IS SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.

It is time for the tip of that iceberg to show up. I am proud of ALL the work you guys have put in. I am proud of the growth in your baseball ability, and your growth as people this year.

You have done the work, you are now poised for your reward.

Now that we are HERE, lets make the most of it. Now is the time to treat that body right. Lets get some good sleep each night we are in this thing. Lets decide that having a game Friday night is waaaaaay more important than one more day swimming at the beach or pool. Lets do everything we can to go into each game as strong and as ready as we can. We have paid a big price to get here, lets keep the effort alive through the tournament.

Our goal right now is to win a game, after that our goal will be to win a game. We will continue to take this league on ONE game at a time and we will be able to walk away when this tournament is over with our heads held high.

Ole' Joe Budnick

I played for this man one summer in semi-pro. I think it was 1976. A wonderful, wonderful Baseball Man.

Joseph August Budnick

Joseph August BUDNICK Born September 11, 1916 in Seattle, Joseph peacefully passed away on July 8, 2009 in hospice care. He grew up in Seattle and graduated from O'Dea High School. Though he worked for the State Department of Revenue for 20 years and as a security guard for the Kingdome for over 10 years, he is most remembered as an athlete and a coach. His name is in the O'Dea Hall of Fame for having earned 11 letters in basketball, baseball, and football. He started coaching in 1935 and finally retired from coaching in 1989. During those years he coached for Edmonds Community College, University of Washington, Seattle University, and in 1960 he coached the Cheney Studs to a National Championship. Joseph was a devout Catholic and was always willing to lend a hand. He loved to make people laugh. He volunteered his time helping many youth causes, especially running baseball camps, helping collect toys for the less fortunate at Christmas, and helping his son run practices for the CYO teams. He also served in the Army during WWII. Joseph was preceded in death by his wife Helen and daughter Darlene. He is survived by his son Joseph M. Budnick of Lynnwood. A viewing will be held from 10:00am to 11:00 am on Monday, July 13th at St. Brendan's Catholic Church with a memorial mass from 11:00am until 12:00pm. There will be a memorial luncheon following the mass and then a gravesite service will follow at 3:00pm at Holyrood Cemetery.

Fantastic Finish to a Fantastic Regular Season

The long season ended with a long game, and as the headline reads the fantastic finish did indeed end a fantastic regular season. MBC came back twice to beat the Pine Lake Pilots 6-4 to finish the season 12-10 and keep their playoff hopes alive. At the time of this story league officials must be pouring over a myriad of tie breaker rules to determine the final seat to the eight team league playoffs.

Both teams were evenly matched. The Pilots came into the game holding on to the final playoff spot with a 12-9 record; MBC came into the game at 11-10. The Pilots had to win to get in, and MBC had to win to create league management chaos.

Tino Peleti threw seven wonderful innings but left with the game tied 4-4 after seven. Stuart Fairchild contributed two scoreless innings and was followed by Nick Reeves throwing two scoreless innings as well.

MBC fell behind 1-0 in the fifth in what was a defensive struggle up to that point. MBC roared back in the sixth inning.

Ben Thomson (2-5) got the ball rolling with a lead off single. Nick Reeves (2-5) then doubled down the line, but the Pilot left fielder made a super play to just nip Ben at third. The Pilots then gave strong hitting Tino Peleti (2-4) an intentional walk hoping to take their chances with Mitchell Smith (3-5 2RBI). WRONG MOVE! Mitchell laced a line drive over the shortstop’s head to tie the game. Campbell Queen (2-5 2RBI) followed with a single to put MBC ahead and Stuart Fairchild (2-5 2RBI) then singled to keep the ball rolling. With runners on first and third, Stuart and Campy pulled off a double steal to make it a 4-1 game.

Tino mowed the Pilots down in the sixth to maintain the lead, and then MBC went into a brief intermission in the bottom of the seventh to allow the Pilots to tie the game.

Oh it is just horrible when this game of baseball goes against you! It started with a strange hop that eluded our shortstop. Then either a sniper from the rooftop or a prairie dog hole in a rough outfield made a reliable left fielder disappear from under a routine fly ball. After a ground out it looked like MBC jut might pull it off until the next two Pilot hitters sent singles down the right field line where MBC players aint’ at. I mean you just cannot play people there.

Both teams traded threats and great plays for the next four innings, and I was beginning to wonder if the field had lights (and it started at 9:00 AM!) when MBC put it together.

Nick Reeves lead off the eleventh with a deep fly out to center field, a sign that the bats were coming alive. Tino Peleti then belted a deep one, but he hit is so far it went out of play and he was held to a ground rule double. The MAN of the day then came up big, Mitchell Smith (who by the way had the nerve to DENY that he relied on Coach Cougan’s most recent batting tip given to him prior to game time, imagine that; that is the thanks I get) sent yet another screamer past the Pilot shortstop (who was VERY GOOD by the way) to give MBC the go ahead run. After Campbell Queen’s hard hit grounder tied up the Pilot first baseman, Stuart Fairchild added an insurance run with another RBI single.

Braced with a two run lead, Nick Reeves went out to close the game. After a quick ground out a runner reached on an error, but this team DID NOT even think THERE WE GO AGAIN, no sir, they got the next batter on a slick game ending 4-6-3 double play.

Let the tie breaker logic begin!!!!!

MBC Finally Beats up A Kent Team

MBC finally put the hurt on a team from Kent beating the Bulldogs White 11-3 Saturday night. “Not so Sudden” Sam Deane went all the way for MBC throwing 5 innings, giving up just five hits and striking out three. He had great help from his defense which turned two double plays one of which he started with a snag of a line drive. A lead off walk came around to score in the second inning and the Bulldogs managed two runs in the fifth as he tired.

He was given great help by his offense all night and did not have to face the Bulldogs in the sixth or seventh due to the 8 run mercy rule.

Fans were a buzz with the first appearance of an ALL BAINBRIDGE ISLAND outfield. The last time there was as much talk about an outfield was during the 60’s when all three Alou* brothers played together. As with the Alou brothers, the Island outfield was airtight and out of sight all evening.

Ben Thomson (4-4) and Campbell Queen (3-3 2RBI) were both perfect and Tino Peleti (3-4 5RBI) and Stuart Fairchild (2-3) were close to perfection. Every player in the batting order recorded hits tonight.

*Bonus points for the first non Steve Queen type person to email me the names of the three Alou brothers.

Magnolia Wins Big Over Mercer Island 10-2

A strong defiant Magnolia team beat a play-off bound Mercer Island team with a huge, clutch second inning explosion.

Stuart Fairchild was rolling and on top of his game from the mound. Stuart threw five innings gave up just four hits and struck out seven.

MBC borrowed a page from the 116 win Mariner team, Two Outs, So What. Nine of MBC’s ten runs came with two outs.

Campbell Queen led the second inning off with a single up the middle. Stuart Fairchild hit a grounder to short, but hustled up the line to prevent a double play (a key part of the inning). Back to back hits by Jimmy Sheldrup and Peter Rakita made the score 2-1 and after a strike out it looked like the rally had lost it momentum. But MBC was not done yet. Spencer Hogger, Ben Thomson, Nick Reeves and Tino Peleti all posted hits and the runs kept coming. Campbell Queen finished what he started when he stroked ANOTHER two RBI hit to cap off MBC’s best inning of the year.

In the fourth inning, again with two outs, Nick Reeves singled and scored on Tino Peleti’s booming triple.

In the fifth MBC needed two runs to mercy rule end the game. Stuart Fairchild singled and Peter Rakita was hit by a pitch. AGAIN with two outs, Andrew Kennedy singled and after a walk to Spencer Hogger, Ben Thomson hit a screaming walk off single to end the game.

Beastly Win Over Mudville

It was a strange night for baseball. Early on it looked like MBC could do no wrong. Soon it looked like disaster as MBC could do no right. A strong fifth inning corrected it all and MBC took home a 11-9 victory.

Stuart Fairchild channeled Dr Jeckl and Mr. Hyde from the mound tonight, as did his defense. Stuart loaded the bases in the first giving up a flare single, a hard single, and then watched his middle infielders pass on an inning ending double play ball. The middle guys turned two on the next (much tougher play) to keep the Mudville Beasts off the scoreboard.

In MBC’s first Coach Cougan wondered for a bit if the Beasts were EVER going to make a play to get an out. With three runs in and the bases loaded it looked like an early rout. But after double play ball and a strike out later he was happy to have four runs.

Things went smooth until the third when the Beasts showed us where their name came from by jumping all over MBC to score six big runs. Tino Peleti answered with a triple in the third to bring MBC within one and then took control of the game from the mound.

In the fifth, MBC regained the lead, and their composure as they tallied six runs and cruised the rest of the way to victory.

Ben Thompson was 3-4, Nick Reeves and Tino Peleti were 2-4, and Mitchell Smith and Campy Queen were 2-3. Others in the hit parade were Stuart Fairchild, Sam Deane and Andrew Kennedy.