May 8-11

Had my usual Monday lunch at the mall, in the evening we were at McCaskey. Several years ago the ballfield was refurbished and lights were installed, since then the club has played its last few home dates each season at 7:00 instead of the standard 4:15. This was originally planned as the final home game, it was not because of the Friday rainout but the pregame Senior Night activities were held as scheduled. Michael Abrew, Victor Bray, Luis Civico, Chris Rosario, Radamus Roubert and Cristian Viera were recognized as members of the McCaskey class of 2017. The game itself started poorly, visiting Warwick put three on the board in the first inning. In their half JPM replied, Alex Dominguez (walk) and Rosario (double) scored on Viera's two-base hit to make it 3-2. In the home third the Red Tornado tore it open with an eight-run salvo, the first eight batters reached base and scored before the first out was recorded. Big hits in the inning included Dominguez's two-RBI double, two-run singles by Abrew and Mason Lee plus an RBI single by Dylan Esh, Caleb McFarland also picked up a ribbie on a bases-loaded walk. Warwick got one back in the fourth but there would nothing further on either side as JPM won it 10-4. Esh pitched five innings for the decision with Noah Bergey finishing it in relief. On Tuesday we reconvened at 4:15 for the makeup game from Friday, the Red Tornado hosted Manheim Township. Mason Lee singled and scored on Chris Rosario's RBI hit in the first to make it 1-0 JPM but MT went ahead with three in the third. In the bottom half Luis Civico doubled and scored on an error, Dylan Esh walked with the bases loaded to tie the score. Township went back by one in the fourth and held on there, the final was 4-3. Michael Abrew started on the mound and suffered the tough-luck loss. The club concluded its home schedule at 5-5, on Wednesday they wrapped the season with a road victory to finish 7-9 in league play and 9-11 overall. All in all it was a good bounce-back season for the program after a 1-19 mark in 2016. From the ballgame I headed to the rink where dek hockey was already underway. On this night the Riot won over the Pub Dawgs, the Unilords beat the Misfits, the Kings defeated the Owls and the Steamers prevailed over the Hammerheads. Wednesday consisted of lunch with Jenny and little else, on Thursday an all-day rain forced postponement of the evening's hockey schedule at the rink. They were reset for Monday the 15th giving us another three-game week. Take care, thanks for reading.