Game Date:        5/22/04
Leagues:          Rookie
Reds 20    Yankees 11
 

Description:

The Reds and Yankees came into the big matchup with a lot on the line on Saturday. Both teams were 4-2 and tied for first place in the South Oldham Little League Rookie Division. But with only six Reds on-hand before the game started, it appeared that the big matchup would fizzle into a forfeit. 

But two more Reds showed up moments later, giving the Reds the legal minimum of eight in order to play the game. Still, it was an ominous start...the Reds would have to play with just three outfielders, while the Yankees had a full complement of players. 

The powerful Yankee offense looked unstoppable early on as the Yankees belted out six straight hits to open the game, including a double to deep center field by Michael, to jump out to a 6-0 lead.

The Reds countered with an offensive explosion in the bottom half of the first. After Isaac Fields led off with a single, T.C. Falkner blasted a double to put runners at second and third. Kyle Blair singled home Isaac and the parade was on! Jack Newcomer singled home T.C., and then Sam Riemer singled to load the bases. Josh Hurt, Tyler Jones, and Shaun Montgomery all hit RBI singles to pull the Reds to within 6-5 with no outs.

Back at the top of the order, the Reds got back-to-back doubles from Isaac and T.C., with two runs scoring on each hit. The nine-run outburst gave the Reds the lead for good.

The Reds offense apparently fired up the defense, as the Reds put on an impressive show in the top of the second.  After giving up a leadoff single, the Reds retired three of the next four Yankee batters. T.C. got the first out on a groundout to first base. Kyle then threw out the next batter at first from his pitcher's position. After an RBI single by Jax pulled the Yanks to within 9-7, the Reds slammed the door shut when the next batter grounded out to T.C. at first.

Despite having just three outfielders, the Reds did a phenomenol job on defense as the infield kept the ball in the infield.  The few balls that made it to the outfield were tracked down swiftly by the Reds outfielders.  As a result, the Yankees managed just two extra-base hits.

The Reds put the game away at the plate in the bottom of the second.  Josh Hurt gave the Reds all the runs they would need by smashing a bases-loaded triple that made it 12-7.  Tyler drove home Josh with a sacrifice grounder to first, and the Reds eventually plated seven runs to pull ahead, 16-7, after two innings.

The Reds recorded three outs in the third, limiting the Yankees to four runs, which officially ended the game with the Reds on top, 16-11.  But in the interest of getting more practice for both teams, the two coaches agreed to let the Reds bat in their half of the inning.  The Reds matched the Yanks' four third-inning runs to make the final score, 20-11.