Matthew Monday: First Pitching Outing

In a way, this is a follow up to last week’s Matthew Monday where Matthew played in his first Little League baseball game.    

Well, he’s had two more games since then but what made this past Thursday’s game (July 30^th) special is that Matthew got to finally pitch.  It is his dream to pitch.  All his other sports dreams pale in comparison to pitching.  He has loved throwing the ball since really small.  In last week’s post I mentioned that the coach really likes Matthew’s throwing arm.  For the longest time I”ve noticed he had a strong throwing arm.  I didn’t know how to gage it for his age since I had no other kids his age to compare to, but it always popped into my glove with a thud. 

 The coach said he would pitch and in the third game he gave him a try.  The coach brought him in with one out in the second to last inning of the game.  (They don’t necessarily play nine innings; they play for two hours, no matter how many innings that is.)  His team (5-Tool) had a small lead.

 With the first batter there was controversy.  He ran the count to 3 balls and 2 strikes.  The payoff pitch was high and inside and heading for the batter’s head.  The batter ducked, the ball went over his head, but hit the bat and rolled onto the field.  The umpire initially called it foul, but the ball was fair and the batter ran to first.  The umpire reversed himself and awarded the hitter first base, but Matthew’s coach started arguing with the umpire.  When the umpire initially called it foul, Matthew’s team stopped playing the ball.  If he had called it fair they could have thrown him out at first.  The arguing went on for a good ten minutes.  The opposing team’s coach wasn’t conceding anything.  He wanted his player on first.  Finally a league official was called over to decide the controversy.  He went with Matthew’s coach.  The umpire had initially called it foul and so play had stopped.

 This first clip picks up where the batter returns to hit with a 3-2 count.  What you’ll see is ball four, the batter walks, which I think was providential justice.  Matthew gets the next hitter to pop out but then some pass balls and a catcher’s error lets the runner on first come all the way around and score.  Matthew then strikes out the batter for the third out.  5-Tool still holds the lead.  Matthew is wearing a pitcher’s mask.  They are required at this age level.

 I think he had some nerves in that first inning.  This second clip is of the final inning.  He really gets comfortable and pitches well.  What you’ll see is a pop out, a single, and he strikes out the last two batters.

 So here’s the line score for Matthew’s performance: 1 2/3 innings pitched, gave up one hit, one walk, one unearned run, three strike outs, two pop outs.  The team won 10-6 and Matthew earned a save and the coach gave him the game ball.

 

 He is so happy, he’s driving me nuts.  All he wants to talk about is pitching…lol.

 PS, I promise, I won’t bother posting on his baseball every week.