Rebels Can’t Find A Way To Win
Posted June 5, 2013
With the 10-7 loss to the Bardo Athletics on Tuesday night, the Rebels have now lost three games to teams out of the PBL playoff picture and with the team struggling, may very well find themselves on the outside looking in for the first time since re-joining the league in 2009. The loss moves the Rebels PBL record to 3-4-1 on the season and was the fourth loss in five games with the only win coming last week versus the Beaumont Angels.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | L | |
| REBELS | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 2 | 8 |
| ATHLETICS | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | – | 10 | 8 | 3 | 7 |
Win – Chris Middlestat (1-1 vs the Rebels)
Loss – Tom Shulba (0-1)
Middlestat would manage to fan 9 Rebels in his complete game win
P Tom Shulba made his first appearance on the hill for the Rebels and looked to get off to a great start retiring the first two Athletics quickly in order as SS Ryan Olsen was frozen on a curveball and then C Rob Berrecloth rolled over to 2B Corey Epp. But then a flare by 1B Craig Neufeld that was pushed out of the reach of SS Brain Tavaroli as the wind was gusting out to left field started the two out rally for the A’s. Shulba would then hit 3B Ken Braget and walk P Chris Middlestat to load the bases with two outs. 2B Chris Kallal would line a ball to LF Brett Holmberg who misjudged the ball and had it deflect off of his glove to the fence to clear the bases on the the three base error. Quickly it was 3-2 Bardo.
2B Corey Epp would lead off the game with a single to right field
What would a Bardo/Ryley game be without some arguing and rules being challenged? The Rebels were able to corral nine guys for the game but one of the nine had to leave early. LF Kevin Reinholt was coaxed off the couch after being home all day with the flu to drive to Bardo to keep the Rebels at nine for the entire game. When the Rebels added Reinholt onto the bottom of the lineup as they had not gone through the lineup thinking that once the player left, they would still have nine without incurring an automatic out. With Reinholt coming up to bat third in the second inning Bardo C Rob Berrecloth challenged the roster rule with the home plate umpire arguing that it is only permitted with an injury as the rule states and not because of a player leaving the game for any other reason. The umpire agreed and told the Rebels he could not be added. With an uphill battle in the argument with the umpire and Athletics the Rebels would be forced to send Reinholt back to the dugout to sit and wait until the other player left.
A quick check on the PBL website for the rules, which were approved in March 2011;
5. Unlimited substitution of players is allowed, if all players are batting. If batting more than 9 players and a player must leave the game his position in the batting order will not be an out unless this brings the team to only 8 players.
It would appear that there was nothing wrong with what the Rebels were doing as there is no mention of the rule only applying to an injury. It was ironic that the team that had always been one of the biggest supporters of the unlimited substitution rule for years to allow guys who travel to play ball the opportunity to play as opposed to be turned away, were upset the Rebels wanted a guy who drove an hour to play.
In the end the misunderstanding of the rule didn’t cost the Rebels the game and didn’t win the game for the Athletics but can be chalked up as another incident in the Bardo/Ryley rivalry.
SS Brian Tavaroli would lead the Rebels offensively as he channeled some frustrations with the home plate umpire regarding balls and strikes, into a 2 for 3 game with a double, triple and three runs scored. 3B Craig Koughan and CF Kris Kushnerick would each drive in two runs for the Rebels while C Blake Helgeland would score two runs in his 2 for 4 game which saw him steal a couple of bases as well.
SS Brian Tavaroli would score on C Blake Helgeland’s double in the seventh
Shulba would pick up the loss, his first as a Rebel, in his four innings of work surrendering 9 runs, 6 earned, and 8 hits as his frustrating night came to an end after the fourth inning in favour of P Corey Epp. Epp would pitch two innings of hitless baseball but would give up one run in the fifth inning after walking two and hitting one. The run would be scored all the way from second base on a passed ball on some Rebels communication issues and some quick base running by the Athletics runner.
P Tom Shulba would finish the day 1 for 3 at the plate with a single in the seventh inning
The Athletics evened the series with the Rebels at 1-1 in 2013 with the rubber match set for Tuesday June 11 in Ryley and will come after some off field bonding by the two teams at a wedding on the weekend. The Rebels will have a bye on Thursday night, their first of the season, while the Athletics will travel to Holden to take on the surging Jays, winners of five in a row. A Bardo win will move the Athletics into fourth place with eight points, one point ahead of the struggling Rebels.
