Bird Gang (4-4) at Stallionaires (2-4) Games One and Two
GRIFFLE GROUNDS - For the first time ever, the GBL took the field on Memorial Day and both games came down to the wire. Ultimately, the match-up between the Bird Gang and Stallionaires was decided by two swings. With that said, there was only a total of five runs scored in the two game series. Each team struggled to score and pitching became of the focal point of the day. The other big moment of the series was the return/debut of Nate Bryan, one of the GBL's greatest. His return was immediately felt on defense due to his ability to chase down anything hit at the Griffle Grounds. Even with reinforcements, the Bird Gang pitching staff was too much for the Stallionaires.
The action got started in the first, for both teams, and not much happened after that inning. The Bird Gang started the little bit of scoring that occurred. After Stallionaire starter, Josh Ross, walked a pair, Andrew Felde made him pay. Felde crushed one into the deep left field corner for a three run dinger. After that at-bat, Ross and the pitching staff settled in and only allowed two hits for the rest of the game. Down 3-0, the Stallionaires would answer in the bottom half of the first. With his first at-bat in 2016, Nate Bryan set the tone by hitting a single. Teammates Matt Kuna and Aaron Ross would also single to load the bases. The Stallionaires got the first three batters to reach base against Felde, who is having a terrific season at the bump. The next batter, Josh Ross, would fight his way down in the count to draw a walk and score a run. The inning could have been much worse for Felde but, he was then able to get the next two batters to end the inning. After one inning, Bird Gang led 3-1 and it looked like the GBL was in for some fireworks. The league received the complete opposite, Neither team would score again, and the Stallionaires had a few opportunities in the late innings. With Felde out of the game, the Stallionaires had to face Matt Zurawski, who has had his ups and downs on the mound. The Stallionaires found themselves with the game winning run at home plate in the fourth and fifth inning but, just hit the ball right at the Bird Gang defense. In the end, the Bird Gang held on in game one because of one swing and they would do the exact same in the next contest.
Already down a game, the Stallionaires needed to find a way to secure a split. They gave themselves plenty of chances to do so but ended up not capitalizing. The Stallionaires loaded the bases in the first and second inning. Once again, Felde weaseled his way out of another bases loaded inning, not once but twice. Then in the third, he helped his own cause. Felde hit a solo home run off starter Nate Bryan to give his team a 1-0 lead. It was the first hit Bryan gave up all game and it was the only run he surrendered. The Stallionaires would load the bases again in the fourth against Zurawski. They would once again leave them all stranded. In total the Stallionaires left twelve runners on base in game two and it felt like that they would score at least one to tie. That wasn't the case and the Bird Gang held on to sweep the Stallionaires on the GBL's first Memorial Day nightcap.
GAME 1
FINAL Bird Gang 3 Stallionaires 1
W - Andrew Felde (3-1)
L - Josh Ross (0-2)
S - Matt Zurawski (1)
GAME 2
FINAL Bird Gang 1 Stallionaires 0
W - Andrew Felde (4-1)
L - Nate Bryan (0-1)
S - Matt Zurawski (2)
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