The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Accusations, speculation, the decline of civilization, love and logic
by Than Acuff
Let me just start by saying, you’re welcome.
Why?
Because this is draft number five of my coverage of the game between Elevate and the Eldo on Thursday, July 16 at Gothic Field.
Draft one spent the first five paragraphs railing on Trump, Hegseth and Patel with unfounded accusations and speculation.
Draft two explained why Spain won the World Cup, more of my opinions on the problem with youth sports and how my Hungarian club soccer coach growing up didn’t mince words and told me, “You’re slow, you better learn to think faster.”
In draft three I spent some time talking about how my house was taken over by teenage girls for two weeks, the TV show Love Island and the decline of Western, rather all, civilization.
Draft four I returned to Patel, Trump and Hegseth with more unfounded speculations about how they all had their pop tarts and milk money stolen, got picked last in gym, were stuffed in lockers, dunked in toilets and decided to spend their lives exacting revenge.
But it all came across as insipid and hateful, and the world needs less insipid and hate and more love and logic.
Speaking of love and logic, and maybe a little insipid. There’s a parenting philosophy based on love and logic. I tried it but it required things like communication, follow through and other tiresome tasks. So, I chose love and lethargy that went something, not exactly, but something like this.
“I love you, finish your dinner and do your homework.”
“Can you help with my math?”
“Ask your mom, she was a teacher. Love you.”
And when the Elevate faced the Eldo on Thursday, July 16 at Gothic Field there was some love, some logic but not much lethargy, at least not through the first five innings.
Elevate arrived at the field short of a full roster due to injuries and work but determined to play and called upon Elevate pitcher Christian Allen’s mom, Stephanie Allen, from the crowd to play catcher. So, she put her ice cream down, grabbed a glove and got behind the plate with zero hesitation.
Meanwhile, the Eldo poured over their batting order and came up with what appeared to be the right mix as they took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Nick Fulwiler and Georgia Bachiochi led off with base hits and Fulwiler scored on a double by Brian Lynch. Madyson Arnold followed with an RBI double that was destined for a two RBI double until an Elevate relay from the outfield threw the runner out at home. But the Eldo can thrive under bad decision-making and tacked on a third run as Lexi Chiani drove an RBI single.
Elevate came right back to score four as Jared Martin doubled and scored on a double from Katie McKernan. Fun fact, Martin won an event called the Lake Fork Flyathon in which you run 11 miles along the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River and catch fish along the way. Also, apparently McKernan played Division I soccer for the University of New Mexico.
The Eldo remained disciplined and driven at the plate to score two more as a big hustle single by Jess Ladwig inspired additional hits culminating with a two RBI triple by Lynch and a 5-4 lead.
Rob Holleran then drove another run home with a double, CJ Hoover did the same but before things got out of hand, Lynch pulled off one of the top 10 plays of the season. Dakota Wiggins smashed a fly ball to deep centerfield and while Lynch “let the girls play,” he did back up his teammate at the warning track and somehow made a blind, bobbling grab behind her to limit Wiggins to a sac fly RBI.
Elevate held the Eldo scoreless in the top of the second inning but the Eldo returned the favor in the bottom of the second as Fulwiler pulled off “some Willie Mays shit” and Eldo shortstop Brian Carney scooped a dribbling grounder and dove forward to scoop toss to first base for the out.
Elevate threatened to break the game open in the bottom of the third as Holleran and wife Morgan Holleran combined to drive in three runs for a 7-5 lead, but the Eldo shut it down and answered back to pull within one thanks to an RBI single from Pip Bailey.
Martin, McKernan and Morgan did their jobs in the bottom of the fourth to get on base and Rob, Hoover and Christian did theirs to drive them in for a 12-7 Elevate lead. The Elevate defense then held the Eldo hitless in the top of the fifth inning, or rather all three Eldo batters hit the ball right to the shortstop and Elevate seized the moment to put the game away.
It didn’t look that way to start as Joey Reed came on the mound in relief for the Eldo and struck out the leadoff hitter. Then the floodgates opened with Rob, Hoover and Morgan combining base hits to score two runs. A sac fly RBI from Christian put Elevate out front 15-7 but with two outs, the inning was still salvageable for the Eldo. Not according to Liz Wigginton, Martin and Rob though as Wigginton slapped an RBI single, Martin walked to push in another run and Rob returned to the plate to smash a three-run home run to reach the 10-run limit and putting the finishing touches on the 22-7 win.
The Tuesday/Thursday league playoffs start next week, and I will make a concerted effort to limit the irrelevant, the non-sequiturs and the colloquialisms and focus on the facts.
