View from the Dugout: Oh, brother!
The Pioneer Baseball League has a few unique rules. Most noteworthy is how they break a tie after nine innings.
This article was originally written by Mike Trask for The Davis Enterprise. To read the full article, please visit: https://www.davisenterprise.com/sports/view-from-the-dugout-oh-brother/article_36ec1d9e-4964-11ef-aeec-6f5461c16390.html
The Pioneer Baseball League has a few unique rules. Most noteworthy is how they break a tie after nine innings.
The PBL uses a knockout round, instead of extra innings to settle ties. Basically, it is a home-run derby. The team chooses a player to hit. They get five "outs" to hit as many home runs as possible within a two-minute time limit. The team with the most home runs wins the game. If the game is still tied after the first round, another hitter gets a crack at it.
Going into Wednesday's game against the Oakland Ballers, the High Wheelers were 0-4 in knockout rounds and had not achieved a walk-off win all season.
The game was a back and forth offensive battle with at least one run scored in each of the first six innings. Tied 8-8, the pitchers on both sides would settle down and put up zeros the last three innings.
The Ballers would send up slugger Dondrei Hubbard to start off the knockout round. He hit a couple deep shots but they all fall short in deep centerfield.
Braeden Blackford would be the High Wheelers' first hitter. He was the obvious choice on this day; he had four hits including a double and HR. "I felt good with my timing today," Blackford said. He added that he "was getting my front foot down early enough and was able to recognize spin in the first at-bat (homer)."
Will the bullpens emptied, the full rosters of players spilled out in front of the dugout to get a closer view. Only needing one HR for the win, every pitch was dramatic. After a couple close calls Blackford would come up empty.
The Ballers sent up their second player, JP Gates, and once again the pressure was too much and he was unable to hit one out of the park.
Jose Gonzalez, affectionately known as "Brother" would be the High Wheelers' next hitter. When asked about the origin of his nickname he said, " My little sister was jealous that my name was Jose like our father's. She refused to call me Jose, and just called me 'Brother,' and it stuck."
The tension was building and the players slowly crept closer to the field sensing something would happen soon. Gonzalez would come up short on his first three swings. He would step out of the batter's box and take a deep breath to reset. His next swing was a towering shot to deep right field.