Sawed off at seven
Posted June 27, 2012
Not even a shortly debated extra innings plea could help solve the 12th edition of the Harry Andreassen All-Star Challenge in Camrose Tuesday night, as the teams ended in a 7-7 tie after 10 innings of entertaining baseball.
On a night threatened by rain, it was the Powerliners who kickstarted things first after winning the coin toss for home-field on an RBI double by designated hitter Craig Neufeld (Bardo A’s) in the bottom of the first. Neufeld would notch two more RBIs on a 3-for-6 night.
But it was the Battle River All Stars who started to string things together in the middle frames. After having trouble with PBL starter Craig Kaughan, the Battle River boys made hey in Kaughan’s last inning of work getting on the board with a Ben Kinser (Killam Braves) double and a Nolan Miller (Heisler Cardinals) single to give the BRBL a 2-1 lead after four.
The BRBL would notch two more in the fifth on reliever Jon Anstey (Leduc Milleteers) who walked three and gave up five runs on the night. The Battle River stars widened the lead to 7-3 on an outfield error by Sheldon Petryshen (Camrose Roadrunners) in the seventh, and all of a sudden the game looked to be getting out of hand. But Anstey forced two ground outs to halt the rally and it gave the PBL offence a chance to get back at it.
And they did right away. Three straight singles by Dylan Solberg (Ryley Rebels), Neufeld, and Brian Tavoroli (Ryley Rebels), who had struck out the three previous at bats got the PBL back in it. They then patiently drew three walks in the eighth before Neufeld cashed in another one and Kevin Smith (Leduc Milleteers) walked in a run with the bases loaded to tie the ball game.
Player-coach Steven Pahl (Leduc Milleteers) called his own number for the final frames as Holden’s Logan Skori, voted in, was injured. Pahl’s greatest piece of work came in the ninth when, with the bases loaded, and none out, got a 1-2-3 double play on Steve Enright (Rosalind Athletics) and then struck out Miller to end the inning.
After a short debate, the teams and umpires decided to give another inning a try to solve the deadlock. But neither team could score in extras and the entertaining back-and-forth affair was finally called. It marks the second time the teams tied in the 12-game-history now at 6-4-2 in favour of the PBL. In 2010, the game was called early due to rain with the game tied 2-2.
Special thanks to Larry Lewsaw and the Andreassen family for the night and those who braved the conditions for the lengthy game – of course, the umpires Doug Bowie and Peter Rogers who graciously donate their time, volunteered, for the night each year.
Posted on June 27, 2012 by Jason Buzzell
