Wood Splintered by Baysox

Baysox 2
Wood 1 

Its been nearly four months since Wood baseball club's ace pitcher/blogger Steve McDevitt went down with a season ending knee injury during a game against the rival Heroes.  After a quick decision to return to second base, McDevitt turned awkwardly and blew out whatever was holding the leg hinge together.  McDevitt was immediately carried off the field and taken to the hospital, but the uneasy feeling he left in the Wood dugout was palpable.  Who would take the ball in big games?  Who else could keep base runners from stealing, while throwing under 74mph?  Who else would scrub Rick Roitenger's back in the bathtub? Many important questions were left unanswered. 

Head coach Brandon "when I watch Olympic gymnastics, I like to pretend I'm competing in pommel horse, prop myself up on the coffee table and swing my legs around the" Sides was shaken enough by the injury to scour the internet for a replacement pitcher/blogger.  After hours of skimming Craigslist, Youtube, match.com, and numerous animal porn sites, Sides succumbed to reality.  No one on the internet could match McDevitt's combination of command, movement, and mound demeanor.  Someone else would need to step up.  And step up someone else did.

Chente Lopez didn't just accept the role of staff ace following McDevitt's injury, he snatched it and ran like hell.  In the regular season Lopez accounted for over 1/3 of all Wood innings pitched.  Lopez took the ball in virtually every big game, and more often than not ended up with a W and at least eight innings pitched. 

Sunday's test against the Baysox was no different.  Lopez took the ball for Wood, and damn near pitched them to the number one seed in the upcoming playoffs.  A stunning seven inning start against the defending league champs was marred only a middle inning two run homer.  A two run homer, I might add, that traveled possibly 310 feet which at most parks would not have reached the outfield wall.  Alas, this band box was not most parks, and alas that was all the Baysox needed.

Wood jumped to an early lead in the top of the first inning after a Frank Bauch base on balls.  Bauch (more specifically his courtesy runner Will the Tong) reached third on a Grant Bledsoe single up the middle, and made it home on a two out stolen base attempt by Mike Moyer (also a courtesy runner).  Wood could not quite figure out the Baysox starter after the the first.  Brandon Sides and Sean Bachelder collected the only other hits of the afternoon.

Sunday's highlights don't all include Chente Lopez though.  Several defensive leaders emerged on Sunday as well.  Mike Moyer and Will the Tong played an excellent game up the middle for Wood, Dave Aubuchon made a killer play at third, and Jevon Mattiasi caught another gem behind the dish for Lopez.  Wood's two head monster of Frank Bauch and Grant Bledsoe at first base also made several key plays.

Wood minor leaguer practicing the "Aubuchon Method"

Alongside their defensive prowess in the field, Dave Aubuchon and Jevon Mattiasi both had memorable plays we can safely classify as bloopers for the highlight reel.  In the middle innings Aubuchon decided to stop a dive up the base line with his face, causing a bloody nose.  The bleeding stopped shortly thereafter, but aftermath looked like Dave just ate lunch with Hannibal Lecter.

Mattiasi's blooper occurred on a double steal.  The Wood veteran saw two baserunners stealing, and for the life of him could not decide which runner to throw out.  Life must be good when your footwork is quick enough to have a choice.  Jevon instead split the difference and threw directly to Matt Moyer at shortstop.....who was standing in the hole on the outfield grass.....and nowhere near either baserunner.  Rube from Major League II would have been proud. 

Lopez's big game focus on the mound isn't the only way he resembles the injured McDevitt either.  The right hander recently proposed to his long time girlfriend Erin and took the first step towards holy matrimony, which McDevitt is entering with Woodette bride Alisa in a few short weeks.  The parallels are uncanny.  Congratulations to the happy couple, we are proud to permanently induct Erin to the Woodette hall of fame and happy to have you.

Steve's serious face

Shoutouts

- Sean Bachelder for starting the 9th with a huge, timely, rally inducing hit

- Dave Aubuchon for bunting Bachelder to second, despite being pretty sure he was about to go yard

- Mike Moyer for tossing a shut down 8th

- The Baysox for arriving at dawn to prep the field, and then being flabbergasted when Wood took a
  proper pregame infield


Wood looks to regroup from the loss, shake the bloopers, and wake the bats this coming Sunday in its first game of the playoffs.  Wood captured the #2 playoff seed with its 16-4 regular season, earning a first round bye this Saturday.  Sunday's game will be against the winner of the Gamecocks and Aces, and played at Redwood High School in Larkspur at 2pm.  Its safe to say Chente Lopez will be taking the ball for Wood. 

Come one, come all, and cheer on your beloved Wood as they battle for an SFNABA title.  Great seats still available.