AN: FINALLY THE NASTY ONE HAS COME BACK TO FANFICTION!
Welcome back to the story everyone as today we focus in on the second quarter of the Sand Cats' title defense in year 6. Can they continue their winning ways from the first quarter, or will they cool off and fall down the standings? Only one way to find out, let's jump into it!
Chapter 8: Rolling with the Punches
== Game 5 Wild Pigs (2 – 2) ==
The second quarter of the season began on the road as the Sand Cats (3 – 1) traveled to Founder's Field to take on the Wild Pigs whom were supporting some familiar faces from last year's championship team, C Knox Oxensocksen and 2B Lloyd Cook. The Pigs were coming off a tough loss in their last game as they fell 10 – 9 against the Moose. Both teams were sending their aces to the mound as both looked to start a new winning streak. Peter Tapia (1 – 0, 10.80 ERA, 2.40 WHIP) would start for the Sand Cats after clearing concussion protocol though he was only at about eighty percent healed from the line drive to the jaw he suffered on Opening Day. He would be facing righty Rhiannon Cannon (0 – 1, 40.80 ERA, 6.00 WHIP) the former Moose ace who'd signed with the Wild Pigs in the offseason and was coming off an absolute drubbing back on opening day.
== Bottom of the 1st ==
The Wild Pigs would be the ones to strike first as Tapia opened the inning by retiring the first two batters via groundouts. RF Flash Evans would put an end to that momentum as he took a powerful cut at a high and inside Changeup.
THWACK!
It was a no doubt homer as it landed in the opening groundskeepers' lot down the right field line under the bleachers. The blast was Evans' fourth of the season in only his fifth game (1 – 0). The next two batters would double and single to put runners on first and third with two outs, but then the runner on first got greedy and tried to steal second against the manager's orders. C Kamden Brennan was having none of that and fired a strike to second with his newly maxed out arm strength to nail the runner and end the rally as quickly as it began.
== Top of the 3rd ==
The score remained unchanged until the third inning when the Sand Cats finally answered the opening salvo. Brennan started the inning with a double to the left center gap before the next two batters flew out and grounded out respectively. It looked as though he would be stranded out there, but rookie CF Ivan Marin delivered a clutch two out single to left which allowed Brennan to score and tied the game up (1 – 1). Second year DH Hezekiah Cross then singled up the middle to put two runners on with two outs. Reigning two time MVP 1B Hercules Bentley delivered a single to the right center gap as Marin came in tom score from second and Cross advanced to third (2 – 1). 3B Kara Kawaguchi then singled to the left center gap as Cross walked in to score from third base (3 – 1). RF John Paul kept the inning going with a single to right field to load up the bases but second year SS Vihaan Robertson, starting for the slumping Fletcher Mackie, grounded out to the first baseman to end the inning.
== Bottom of the 4th ==
The Wild Pigs would answer back in the fourth as once again Tapia retired the first two batters with groundouts as he'd started settling in quite nicely after the rough first inning. He would however be burn by an up and inside Changeup as CF Nirub Oowanga punished it.
THWACK!
The ball roared over the right field fence for Oowanga's third homer of the season and helped to make up for him getting thrown out stealing second base in the first inning (3 – 2). The next batter would ground out to third to end the inning as Tapia held onto the one run lead for his offense.
== Top of the 5th ==
The Sand Cats would answer right back literally with the next batter as Cannon left a Cutter down the middle of the plate to Marin.
THWACK!
The ball carried out over the left center field wall as Marin recorded his second homer of his young career and increased the lead back up to two runs (4 – 2). The next batter would ground out, but Bentley drew a walk which was Cannon's second of the game but the catcher noticed there was blood on the ball when he caught it.
Asking for time, the manager hustled out to the mound to see that Cannon had ruptured a nasty blood blister on her index finger and would have to leave the game as she couldn't grip the ball properly anymore with the blood making her fingers slippery. Coming out of the bullpen for the emergency relief was righty Chille Armhorn (0 – 0, 2.08 ERA, 2.54 WHIP, 3 ER, 11 H, 1 HR, 1 WP, 1 HBP, 2 K, 4.1 IP in 4 APP). He proceeded to turn the tide of the inning by picking off Bentley at first when he tried to steal on a full count, and got Kawaguchi to fly out and end the inning.
== Bottom of the 5th ==
The Wild Pigs would answer in the bottom half of the inning as Cook hit an infield single off Tapia's glove to start the rally. The next batter hit a hard grounder to third as Kawaguchi dove to her right and stopped the ball but made a really low errant throw to first. Thankfully, Bentley was able to pick the throw on the hop for the first out as Kawaguchi was slumped over on her knees at third. She appeared to be holding her right wrist and on closer inspection it had a nasty sprain which meant she'd have to miss the next two games and the rest of this one. With no other third baseman on the roster, Buck brought in veteran 2B/3B Janus Friedman to replace her. It was his back-up position so his fielding was going to suffer as a result.
3B Wally Bacon hit another infield single off Tapia's glove as Cook advanced to third once play was allowed to resume following the injury timeout. DH Tyson Jarvis then hit a grounder up the first base line to Bentley. He had no choice but to take the out at first as Cook hustled home to score (4 – 3). The next batter grounded out to shortstop to end the inning.
== Top of the 7th ==
Both pitchers go through the sixth cleanly, but the Sand Cats offense found their groove in the seventh. LF Luca Golden started the hit parade with a single to center, rookie 2B Skyler Mosley then singled to the shallow right field corner to put runners on the corners. Marin then grounded back to the mound as Armhorn threw to second to get the first out, but the return throw to first was late as Golden scored from third on the fielder's choice (5 – 3). Cross then got a curveball out over the plate.
THWACK!
Cross used every bit of his upper body strength to push the ball over the left center fence for an opposite field homerun. It was his third of the season as the lead swelled to four runs (7 – 3). This would spell the end of Armhorn's day as veteran righty Kendra Kerr (0 – 0, 3.52 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 3 ER, 7 H, 2 HR, 1 BB, 7 K, 7.2 IP in 4 APP) entered from the bullpen. She proceeded to retire the next two batters via lineout and flyout to end the inning.
== Top of the 9th ==
The Sand Cats would tack on some insurance runs in the last inning as the top of the lineup started another rally. Golden delivered a single to left field off of the leaping shortstop's glove, which Mosley followed with a single up the middle. This set up Marin to deliver the goods as he smoked a fastball from Kerr.
THWACK!
The ball sailed over the right field fence for an opposite field homerun as it was the rookie's third of the season and second of this game (10 – 3). This would put the game out of reach as against all expectations, Tapia pitched a complete game to notch his second victory of the season and put the Sand Cats in the win column once again.
== Game Summary ==
Sand Cats 10 – Wild Pigs 3
WP: Tapia (2 – 0) LP: Cannon (0 – 2) POTG: Marin (3 – 5, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 4 R)
== Game 6 vs. Blowfish (4 – 1) ==
The Sand Cats traveled back home to the friendly confines of the Tiger Den in Koreatown as they would face off against the red hot Blowfish. Their division rivals were also 4 – 1 on the season and were coming off a 4 – 3 victory over the middling Moonstars. Trey Mondo (0 – 0, 11.25 ERA, 3.75 WHIP) got the ball to face off with hotshot rookie pitcher Rig Bulgar (0 – 0, 3.18 ERA, 1.06 WHIP) whom was coming off a great debut performance in his first start. Who would carry the day?
== Top of the 1st ==
The Blowfish would get the scoring started today as veteran 2B Shayanne Hill doubled to the left center gap to start the game. Veteran C Sting McGee singled off of Mosley's diving glove to put runners on the corners with no outs. Rookie 3B Emmitt Anger flew out to Golden in left field for the first out. Former Hot Corners' star DH Jeb Jumps jumped all over an up and away 4SFB from Mondo.
THWACK!
There was never any doubt about this ball as it soared over the left center fence for Jumps' second homer of the season (3 – 0). Rookie RF Botch Friendly then struck out chasing an inside 4SFB for the second out before CF Isaiah Straining drew a walk to extend the inning, but Brennan threw out Straining trying to steal second base to end the inning.
== Top of the 2nd ==
The Blowfish would add to their lead in the next inning as SS Chimo Gaspar singled to center to start the inning. 1B Junior Young Jr. acquired from the Sawteeth in the offseason, popped out to Mosley at second for the first out. LF Dab Horne, another former Hot Corners player, struck out looking on a low and inside Changeup for the second out. Hill kept the inning alive with a single to center which allowed McGee to come up and single to left center field as Gaspar scored from second, and Hill advanced to third (4 – 0). Brennan would bail Mondo out of this jam as he gunned down McGee trying to steal second to end the inning.
== Bottom of the 3rd ==
Bentley led off the inning looking to bounce out of the little slump he was currently mired in. He took the first pitch for a ball, before getting a 4SFB up in the middle of the zone from Bulgar.
THWACK!
The rookie pitcher could only turn and watch it sail into the center field bleachers to the right of the forest area as the Sand Cats were finally on the board (4 – 1). Three batters later, Mackie was up with two outs in the inning and he ripped a hanging first pitch Curveball back at Bulgar.
THUD!
The sickening thud of his body going limp was all the crowd heard as McGee rushed out and threw Mackie out at first to end the inning. The players crowded around the rookie to see if he could get up without issue and he played it off as if nothing was wrong and walked into the dugout under his own power as the Blowfish fans breathed a sigh of relief.
== Top of the 4th ==
Mondo couldn't get out of his own way on the mound as he retired the first two batters with ease, but then surrendered a two out single to Horne. Hill then came up and ripped into a high middle of the zone Cutter.
THWACK!
The ball went screaming over the left center field wall for Hill's first homer of the season as the lead grew to five runs (6 – 1).
== Bottom of the 5th ==
Bulgar managed to get through the fourth without issue, but after a one out single by Golden he started to seem woozy out on the mound. Not wanting to take any chances with his young phenom's health he made a move. Righty Joanna Heater (0 – 0, 5.06 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 3 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 4 K, 5.1 IP in 3 APP) entered from the bullpen as the sixth year veteran gave up a single but got the two outs necessary to end the threat without damage.
== Top of the 6th ==
After watching him struggle through five innings Buck had seen enough of Mondo, and brought in a fresh arm. Rookie southpaw Plaid Mahoney (0 – 0, 0.00 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 1 H, 0.2 IP in 1 APP) entered from the bullpen. He got a ground out from Gaspar, before Young Jr. reached base on a fielding error by Friedman at third. Mahoney bore down and forced a double play from Horne to end the inning.
== Bottom of the 6th ==
It looked as though Heater was going to have another easy inning as she retired the first two batters without issue. That changed when she left a 1 – 0 Curveball hanging in the middle of the plate to Cross.
THWACK!
Cross pounded the stuffing out of that ball as it soared over the right center field fence for his fourth homer of the season as the team started clawing their way back into the game (6 – 2). Mosley then single to center field which brought Friedman up to the plate. Friedman wasn't having the best of games as he was hitless and just made a fielding error in the top half of the inning making him feel tense. He worked the count to 1 – 1 before zeroing in on a low 4SFB in the middle of the zone.
THWACK!
He got enough of the ball for it to carry over the right center field fence as he circled the bases pumping his fist at his successful at-bat. The oldest player on the roster, 37 years old, still had some fight in him as his first homer of the season made it a two run game (6 – 4). Golden then flew out to center to end the inning.
== Bottom of the 7th ==
After another scoreless inning from Mahoney, the team got right back to work at the plate. Bentley drew a walk from Heater to start the inning as Brennan followed him with a double to the left center gap to put two in scoring position with no outs. Marin clutched up and doubled to the right center gap as both runners scored to tie the game (6 – 6).
The Blowfish manager quickly made a move as southpaw Arf Foley (2 – 1, 4.50 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 5R, 3ER, 7 H, 1BB, 1 HR, 1HBP, 7 K, 6 IP in 5 APP) entered from the bullpen to try and hold the game in a deadlock. Mackie delivered a single to right as Marin advanced to third. Mackie was then thrown out trying to steal second. Paul delivered a hard single off the diving Anger's glove at third as Marin raced home to complete the comeback (7 – 6). Paul was then thrown out trying to steal second, and Cross lined out to Gaspar softly at shortstop to end the inning.
The last run would end up being the deciding one as Mahoney shut the Blowfish out in the last two innings to record his first career win in the Super Mega League. He also recorded his first three career strikeouts as well when he fanned Jumps in the eighth, got pinch hitter Mulberry Mastiff looking to end the eighth, and got Young Jr. swinging as the second out in the ninth.
== Game Summary ==
Sand Cats 7 – Blowfish 6
WP: Mahoney (1 – 0) LP: Heater (0 – 1) POTG: Hill (4 – 4, HR, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R)
POTG for the Sand Cats: Bentley (1 – 2, HR, RBI, 2 R, 2BB)
== Following the Game ==
Former Sand Cats reliever Boone Dozenrolls was signed by the Freebooters after being released from the team in the offseason. This set up a possible revenge storyline as the Freebooters were the next scheduled opponent. Brennan ended up studying the movie Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story and found ways to improve his fielding by comparing a dodgeball to a baseball (+6 FLD, 56 up to 62). Reliever Kaylie Sutton ended up undergoing a ligament repair surgery to help her breaking balls become more effective (+4 JNK, 72 up to 76, she also improved from a C+ overall grade to a B-). Despite his poor first half of the season, Mondo ended up picking up an endorsement deal with Bro Boom™ (+3 VEL, 50 up to 53 +4 ACC, 31 up to 35 but -2 JNK, 96 down to 94).
== Game 7 vs. Freebooters (1 – 5) ==
The catatonic Freebooters came to town next as the struggling franchise looked to try and turn things around in this matchup against the defending champs after losing a tight game 3 – 2 against the Sawteeth (2 – 4). Kamryn Snow (1 – 0, 3.24 ERA, 0.96 WHIP) got the nod for the Sand Cats as she looked to keep her hot start going against the struggling lefty Ariel Preston (0 – 1, 7.11 ERA, 1.26 WHIP) from the Freebooters camp.
== Top of the 2nd ==
After a scoreless first for both teams, the Freebooters would draw first blood in the second. RF Kache Baskette led off the inning with a single to center. Snow got the next two batters to groundout but left a ball over the plate to struggling CF Charlie Simon. Simon deposited a double into the right center field gap as Baskette scored easily from second base (1 – 0). Snow got the next batter to flyout to center field to end the frame.
== Bottom of the 2nd ==
The Sand Cats would answer back in the bottom half of the frame. The first batter grounded out then LF Tandy Deep III, starting today for the slumping Paul, smacked a double off the right center field wall. The next batter popped out to second base before a ball got by the catcher and ricocheted into the first base dugout allowing Deep III to reach third base. Friedman then delivered a single to right field to score the runner despite his RBI Dud trait making it harder than normal for him (1 – 1). The next batter grounded out to end the inning.
== Bottom of the 3rd ==
Snow stopped the Freebooters cold in the top half of the next inning, before the Sand Cats started their third inning with a bang.
THWACK!
C Jaxson Powers, starting for Brennan to give him some rest, jumped on a down the middle 4SFB from Preston and smoked it into the seats in center field to the right of the forest area for his first homer of the season (2 – 1). Preston retired the next two batters, but then gave up a single up the middle to Cross to keep the inning alive. This set up Bentley who made the lead a tiny bit bigger.
THWACK!
He crunched a hanging Curveball from Preston and smoked it to center field seats to the left of the forest area for his third homer of the season as it grew to a three run lead (4 – 1). The next batter flew out to center field to end the inning.
== Top of the 4th ==
The Freebooters answered back with a bomb in the first at-bat of the fourth.
THWACK!
This bomb was courtesy of C Alexander Cobb as he made up for the passed ball he gave up earlier by crushing an up and inside curveball from Snow into the center field forest area. His third homer of the season made it a two run game (4 – 2). Snow got the next batter to popup in foul territory for the first out, but then surrendered a single to the left center gap off the bat of 2B DP Turner, signed from the Sawteeth. This set up 3B Ralph Blue, signed from the Herbisaurs, to crack a double off the left center field fence to score Turner easily and make it a one run game (4 – 3). Snow would retire the next two batters to keep the game from getting out of hand.
== Bottom of the 5th ==
Things remained unchanged until the bottom of the fifth inning as with one out in the inning, Cross stepped up to the dish with nobody on and kept his hot hitting going.
THWACK!
He crushed a middle away 4SFB from Preston over the center field wall to the left of the forest area for his fifth homer of the season as the lead went back up to two runs (5 – 3).
== Top of the 6th ==
The Freebooters would answer back in the next inning though as Cobb doubled off the right center field wall to kick things off. The next batter grounded out to second, but Cobb got to third base. Turner then delivered a double to the left center gap as Cobb walked home from third to make it a one run game again (5 – 4). Snow managed to retire the next two batters to hold onto the lead as her start would end here.
== Bottom of the 6th ==
After a two out infield single, the Freebooters went to the bullpen and brought in right handed specialist Grace Loopinovich (0 – 0, 5.40 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 4 ER, 8 H, 6 K, 6.2 IP in 4 APP) to get the final out of the inning.
== Top of the 7th ==
Buck brought in long reliever Leia Collins (1 – 0, 1.42 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, 1 SV, 10 H, 1 ER, 1 HR, 2K in 6.1 IP in 2 APP) to replace Snow to try and close the game out.
== Bottom of the 8th ==
Loopinovich was rolling along until the eighth as Deep III started the inning with a single to center field. The next batter lined out, but Friedman delivered an infield single up the middle as the shortstop's dive couldn't handle the ball. The next batter flew out to right field, but Powers came through in the clutch with a two out double to the left center gap. Deep III scored easily from second as Friedman held up at third base (6 – 4). The next batter popped out to the shortstop in shallow left field to end the inning.
This insurance run would be enough to seal the victory as Collins nailed down the three inning save not allowing a single run to the lowly Freebooters' offense.
== Game Summary ==
Sand Cats 6 – Freebooters 4
WP: Snow (2 – 0) LP: Preston (0 – 2) SV: Collins (2) POTG: Powers (3 – 4, HR, 2B, 2 RBI, R)
== Following the Game ==
Former Sand Cats player 3B/SS Chandler Terry was signed by the Heaters as they were scuffling on the season and needed a cheap young player to cut some cap space for next season as they replaced veteran SS Kasha Emyn.
Friedman stopped eating protein as a part of his daily diet due to a heart issue that was found during his routing physical with the team doctor (-6 POW, 63 down to 57). Mosley accidentally got food poisoning after the game which ended up flushing out his digestive system and caused him to lose some extra fat weight (+6 SPD, 47 up to 53).
== Game 8 vs. Hot Corners (3 – 4) ==
The Hot Corners came to town next for the final game of both teams' first halves of the season. Both teams were sending their fourth starters to the mound as they looked to end the first halves on a positive note. Johnny Rowland (0 – 1, 18.69 ERA, 3.69 WHIP) got the ball from Buck to try and bounce back from his horrendous first start of the year which saw him pick up his first official loss in 15 career starts including the postseason. The Hot Corners answered with veteran southpaw, and original Sand Cats pitcher, Kandi Sweet (0 – 1, 18.00 ERA, 3.00 WHIP) who likewise wanted a bounce back performance. The Hot Corners themselves were coming off a close 5 – 4 loss to the division leading Herbisaurs (7 – 1).
== Bottom of the 1st ==
The Sand Cats would strike first this time as Mackie led off the game with a flyout to right field. Marin then got a hanging curveball on the first pitch of his at-bat.
THWACK!
There was little double above this one as it soared over the high left field wall for Marin's fourth homer of the season as the Sand Cats jumped out to an early lead (1 – 0). The fans had barely returned to their seats when Cross sat on an 0 – 2 away Slider from Sweet.
THWACK!
The ball went out over the lower left center field wall for Cross' sixth homer of the season as the back-to-back homeruns had the Sand Cats up two early (2 – 0). The next batter singled, but the following two were retired in order to end the inning.
== Bottom of the 3rd ==
The Sand Cats struck again in the third inning as there was one out and no one on for Cross who was up for his second at-bat of the game. Sweet delivered a first pitch high Slider to him in the middle of the zone and he didn't miss his chance to clobber the breaking pitch again.
THWACK!
The ball went out a few rows deeper than the last one over the left center field fence as Cross circled the bases for the second time today, and seventh time this season in eight game (3 – 0). Later in the inning, Paul hit a two out single to left under the diving glove of the third baseman which Deep III, starting for Golden, followed with a single of his own up the middle. Kawaguchi then delivered a clutch two out double to center which scored Paul, but Deep III was thrown out trying to score to end the inning (4 – 0).
== Bottom of the 6th ==
After five innings of work, the Hot Corners manager turned things over to southpaw Joseph Broseph (0 – 1, 5.63 ERA, 2.13 WHIP, 14 H, 1 HR, 3 BB, 5 ER, 10 K, 8 IP in 7 APP) as he managed to hold things down for the Hot Corners.
== Top of the 7th ==
Rowland had been cruising along all game, but finally gave up a run in the seventh inning. DH Beau Belter smoked a double to the right center gap off a diving Marin's outstretched glove to start the inning. The next two batters both grounded out but Belter managed to advance to third base and then home to cut the lead down to three runs. This subsequently gave an RBI to 2B Benjamin Mackie, Fletcher's younger brother, an RBI.
This would not be enough for them to make a comeback, as Rowland retired the next seven batters in order to complete the game and earn himself a one run victory. The team's winning streak now stands at four games in a row.
== Game Summary ==
Sand Cats 4 – Hot Corners 1
WP: Rowland (1 – 1) LP: Sweet (0 – 2) POTG: Cross (3 – 4, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R)
== Following the Game ==
Mackie's muscles got suspiciously bigger overnight as he gained some pop at the plate (+3 POW, 81 up to 84). Buck made sure to keep an eye on this development as he'd been burned by Steroid scandals in the past, Duffers and Cook to name a few. Marin decided to take a Jazzercise class on a whim which helped to limber him up (+2 SPD, 74 up to 76 and +1 ARM, 21 up to 22). Finally, Powers took some Yoga classes to try and counteract his aging body as he looked to make it through the whole season with the team (+1 SPD, 59 up to 60, and +3 FLD, 68 up to 71).
With the team's record now standing at 7 – 1 they owned the best record in the league and the conference after the Herbisaurs lost their next game to fall to 7 – 2 on the season. Can they hang on to the top spot in the second half, or will their season crumble before their very eyes?
AN: And that's a wrap for this chapter! Let me know down in the comments how you guys are enjoying the story and if there's anywhere I can improve. Catch you in the next one; this is "The Nasty One" signing off!
PRAK #TheNastyOne