McKownville Offense Too Much For Five-O's

Coming off of a frustrating loss to Delicious and Howards Hoopers last Saturday, the Five-O's had something to prove not only to the league but to themselves. The only thing that could stand in their way was the McKownville Fire Department. Unfortunately for the Five-O's that would be enough. McKownville would beat up on the Five-O's and win the game by a score of 16-7.

The game was alot closer then the 16-7 score. The Five-O's were charting uncomfortable territory by taking a lead in the top of the first inning, but it would be short lived as McKownville would answer back with a little six run rally.

"It's really confusing", firstbasemen John Ginder said, "If we score some runs early we end up giving them back, if we don't score early we allow them to score and have to play catch up". The Five-O's defense failed them again. Misplayed balls in the infield, missed flyballs in the outfield, and batters not swinging lead to the teams demise Thursday night.

The Five-O's were without two of their team leaders Thursday night. J.J. Mazzone (Hits Leader) and Tylor Stevens (Batting Average Leader) were away and not available for comment. "It is never easy when you are missing players of their caliber" Five-O's starting leftfielder Steve Witham remarked without knowing about it in a postgame press conference that didn't take place. "We could have used the speed in the top of the lineup and the power at the bottom" he added.

John Ginder was able to make up for both during the game. Ginder went 4-4 and appears to have gotten past his hitting slump that was weighing heavily on his mind. "I just took a different approach during my AB's" Ginder said. Ginder put the Five-O's on the board in the first inning with a 2-run double. He wouldn't stop there. He would add a Ground-Rule Double and an inside the park homerun. "We saw flashes of Ginder's speed last week with his infield single" shortstop Ed Rickert said "But I didn't see that coming". "I would have been happy with a triple" Ginder said of his homerun, "But winning is too important to me, and my quarter ton frame can't stop on a dime like it used to" he added. Ginder almost didn't make it all the way home. Some loose dirt along with his exhaustion almost made him do a faceplant on the thirdbase line. "It would have been great if he fell then got tagged out" John's less talented, softer hitting brother Roger said who has to use comedy to make-up for his lack of playing ability.

For the second game in a row, the Five-O's opponent forced starting pitcher Jenna Govel to throw strikes by standing in the batters box and not swinging. "The umpire was coaching their hitters but nobody on my team listens to me" catcher Kyle Haines said. "At one point I heard them say not to swing at anything" he concluded while rubbing the dirt off his brow after the game.

The Five-O's really need to start getting their act together before the season passes them by. There are still plenty of games left but the inconsistency of this team seems to make them fall by the wayside.

It was down to two players for the CapitalRegionSports.com player of the game. Todd Roberts and John Ginder. Roberts was handed over the leadoff spot for the absent Mazzone and thanked managment by striking out to leadoff the game. Ginder went 4-4 with two doubles, a homerun, three RBI's and three runs scored. It went to a best three out of five coin toss, but Ginder came out on top and is this games CapitalRegionSports.com player of the game. It is his second this season.

The Five-O's are luckily off this Saturday but will be back on the field next Saturday June 7th at 11am at Strawberry park.