The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
“This is what a playoff win feels like"
There was something different about the Gray Hares Tuesday night when they took the field to stave off elimination in the rec league playoff loser’s bracket against PooFest. Sure, maybe PooFest failed to bring their A-game, but even if they had, there was nothing stopping the Hares.
The green light was stuck on all game long, both at the plate and on the base path, resulting in the Gray Hares stepping on, or in, PooFest for 12 runs.
Levi Littrell put PooFest on the scoreboard first with an RBI single in the bottom of the first inning.
The Hares responded in the top of the second when Steve Lawlor stretched a single into a double and scored on a base hit from Don Bunnell.
The Hares defense followed up, retiring PooFest 1-2-3 and then opened up a slim lead in the top of the third inning.
Patience at the plate resulted in walks putting two runners on for Gray Hare honorary member Jennifer Hartman.
Hartman knocked both runners in on a triple to left field to put the Hares on top 3-1 but the effort of PooFest pitcher Ed Benner stopped the Hares in their tracks. With a runner on and two outs, Kathy Cannon cracked a come backer up the middle. Benner knocked it down, chased it down, bent down and picked up the ball to flip it down to first for the out.
PooFest positioned themselves to take the lead in the bottom of the third inning with runners on second and third and Littrell at bat.
Littrell drove a line drive up the middle, smacking Hare pitcher Skip Berkshire square in the head. Time was immediately called and care was rendered to Berkshire. Berkshire recovered enough to walk off the field under his own power but he would spend the remainder of the game icing a softball-sized welt just above his temple.
Sam Lumb came on in relief and Littrell grounded out to end the inning.
The Hares then rallied to open up a big ol’ can of whup on PooFest, scoring seven runs in the top of the fourth inning.
Typically cautious and conservative in their approach to the game, the Hares played some atypical Grayball as runners were repeatedly sent home from third base to score.
Lou Beckman and Bunnell got things rolling with back-to-back base hits. Margot Levy tapped a single to load the bases and two runs scored when Lumb won the waiting game against Benner to walk.
Lucy Hecker followed with a two-RBI single, Chuck Senig drove another run in and when the dust settled from the constant traffic of Hares shuffling around the bases, they were up 10-1.
Lumb’s unique pitching delivery and the Hare defense held PooFest scoreless the next two innings, highlighted by a major league play by Bunnell and Lumb.
Wendy Norris swatted a slow grounder between first and second base. First baseman Bunnell shifted left to make the scoop and flipped the ball to Lumb sprinting to cover first for the out, ending the fifth inning.
PooFest inspirator Kate Seeley had a highlight of her own in the top of the sixth inning, nabbing a foul ball behind the plate, but the Hares tacked on another run on another RBI hit by Senig, scoring Levy from second base.
Cannon closed the Hares’ offensive output for the evening, driving in a run with a single for a 12-1 Hares lead. The Hares defense closed their near-perfect outing by retiring the side in the bottom of the seventh to send PooFest packing for the season and keep hope alive for the Gray Hares in the loser’s bracket of the post season.
