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ABGSL STING 10U GAME REPORT

The Fremont Report

ABGSL Sting 2; Alameda Blaze 7

Halloween's first game began just after dawn, with a heavy mist hanging over the field, and a buzz in the air, caused by line drives off Sting bats. Lila Simpson doubled, stole third and came home on a sacrifice by Graham Griffin. Bonnie Coulman hit what might have been the world's longest single, followed by Derby Gill's drive up the middle. When Robyn Wampler whacked another long drive it looked as if Sting might simply frighten the Blaze to an early death but a Blaze outfielder ran the ball down for the third out. In a stroke she ended the Sting rally, and also proved that it is possible for a small girl with a long devil's tail to make a sensational defensive play.

In their strange devil costumes the Blaze at first appeared overmatched and underdressed, as the Sting, dressed smartly as Thing 1 and Thing 2, rained down hits upon them. In the top of the second Isobel Lavrov lined a shot to right field, and wound up on second base-- but only briefly. Within seconds Tatiana Jellinek had doubled and driven her home. Together with sensational defense--a pitching gem by Robyn Wampler, a line drive snared by Graham Griffin, a Lavrov to Simpson to Skye Salas relay to nail a runner at the plate-Sting play reminded the Blaze coaching staff that something new and strange and even a bit frightening might be happening in Berkeley, California. "This team is so much better than it was in the summer," the Blaze coach had remarked a few weeks back, as she watched Sting play. "Yeah," added one of her smaller colleagues, "It's like they have some different players."

The game went five innings, with only two walks issued, by both teams combined. Sting lost, but Sting fans were proud even in defeat. The father of Derby Gill, noting with approval the play on the left side of the infield, credited the many hours his daughter and her teammates spent watching baseball on television. "They definitely seem to be benefiting from the hours on the couch," he said.

ABGSL Sting 0; Pleasonton Phantom 12

A game that felt desperate even before it started. "It's hard for us to get up for a longer period, and stay up for a long period," explained Coach Carrie Arth. Perhaps it was because Sting snack remained uneaten; perhaps it was because Sting players had been roused from their sleep in the dead of night to play softball; whatever the reason, Sting lacked sting. Even so, several events are worth mentioning. In the top of the third inning, with Sting trailing 7-0, Tatiana Jellinek came on in relief and was able to see through the tangle of plastic snakes on her mother's head to strike out seven Phantom hitters. Quinn Lewis proved that she could play through dissent in her coaching staff. Having drawn a walk, Lewis drifted off first base. She saw the pitch hit the dirt and, out of one ear. heard Coach Carrie, at third base, hollering at her to steal second base; out of the other ear she heard Coach David yelling at her to get back to first. Sensibly averaging the two Lewis dashed halfway to second, and then stopped in her tracks until two very large Phantom, both wearing floppy Dalmatian ears, trapped her in a rundown and tagged her out. "I'm like 'please don't trample me,' please don't trample me," said Lewis, on her return to the bench. "Tag me, but don't trample me."

This game also proved to be a tribute to Sting hopefulness, which fades but never dies, even when death might be forgiven. Going into the bottom of the final inning trailing 11-0, Sting players in the dugout discussed their chances of winning. I'd say it's zero," said Raleigh Williams, but then reconsidered. "But maybe we could still win." To which Adi Saaf added, "We have a really small chance of winning. But if we work hard we can do it."

It wasn't meant to be. As the game ended Bonnie Coulman noted, "we have every problem except the body odor problem.

ABGSL Sting 4; East Bay Impact 8

Before the game Coach David Wampler's mother, Joyce Nicholson, consented to a rare interview about her son. "He's a very nice guy," she said. Asked for comment, the tight-lipped Wampler would only say "She knows me best."

The game itself proved that while nice guys might sometimes finish last they can put up a fight while doing so. Sting lost its third game in a row but it was a fine performance against undefeated team that really could have gone either way. Robyn Wampler silenced Impact for two innings while Sting bats sang. Skye Salas reached base on a dropped third strike and then raced around with the first run of the game. Lila Simpson laid down a lovely bunt and stole the rest of the bases before being plated by Derby Gill's line drive into right field. Tatiana Jellinek got herself to third base and scored on a bunt by Adi Saaf.

Sting fans, overcome by the chemical rush of incipient victory, sprang to new life: Custer's soldiers were transformed into Sitting Bull's warriors. Lacking ordinary noise making devices, the father of Raleigh Williams reached into his I-phone and discovered a cowbell ring tone. Hearing the faint sound the mother of Tatiana Jellinek shouted to her husband, "David! The cowbell's inside the duffle bag in the trunk!" The husband glanced over briefly, and said, "I ain't going out to get it now."

If he had, who can say what might have happened? At that moment Sting led 4-1; what felt like a moment later--a moment without any cowbell sounds-- the game was tied 4-4 and Coach David Wampler was hollering superstitiously at his daughter, Molly, who wasn't pitching, to stop standing in full view of her little sister, Robyn, who was. Alas, it was too late. There was no need for anyone to ask for whom the cowbell tolled.

ABGSL Sting 4; Alameda Blaze 12

The sun showed up, and so did the Blaze. Lila Simpson, Graham Griffin and Bonnie Coulman each came away with hits; Derby Gill made a sharp play on a hard hit grounder at third; but most of what happened in this game was unlikely to be remembered by Sting fans and players for longer than the thirty nine minute drive home. In the top of the third, with her team down 7-0. Coach Carrie made several changes in the field that, to this Sting fan, ushered out 2009, and ushered in 2010. Grace Rusin now squatted behind home plate, gamely blocking balls and framing pitches. As the ball sailed over the startled head of Quinn Lewis in right field, the devoted father of Isobel Lavrov shrewdly observed, "Hey. If you get into the game, the ball will find you." That's worth remembering.