Cicero came into the Sports Zone arena on Saturday night with momentum from 2 consecutive wins where they racked up 96 hits and 55 runs. On this night, they squared off against the Sports Zone home team.
This game was going to be different though, because it would be Cicero’s first ever “wood bat” game…
Armed with a handful of wood bats, including an old 32″ Louisville Slugger that has seen better days, Cicero stepped up to the challenge.
The Rattlers struggled at first, scoring zero runs in the first 2 innings with only 3 hits coming from Daniel Capp, Lucas Thelen and Michael Mooney. On the positive side, every player was able to put the ball into play.
Cicero’s defense held up enough to contain SZ’s offense, who has wood-bat tournament experience, by holding them to 2 runs through the first 2 innings.
The top of the 3rd included some solid hits by SZ, as well as a couple of errors by Cicero. SZ drove in 3 runs, to make the score 5-0 in their favor.
Cicero adjusted somewhat by the 3rd inning, as solid hits by Nicholas Capece, Capp, Thelen, Alex Sanes-Carmona, Sean Bombard and Mooney helped bring in 2 runs to make the score 5-2.
A scoreless fourth inning saw several nice defensive plays by both squads.
SZ White hit back in the 5th inning with 2 runs of their own, giving them a 7-2 lead.
Rattlers players came off the field fired up in the bottom of the 5th. Hits by Bombard and Capece were followed by the only double of the day for the Rattlers, which came from Capp. Hits by Thelen, Sanes-Carmona and Conor Downer helped bring in 3 runs to make the score 7-5.
Unfortunately, Cicero was held scoreless in the 6th and 7th innings, while SZ pulled away with 7 runs off a number of well-placed hits and a 3-run homerun.
With time dwindling on the clock, and the score 14-5 in SZ’s favor, Cicero came out determined to cut the lead. Hits by Capece, Cochran, Thelen and Sanes-Carmona, plus an exciting Daniel Capp 2-run homerun, cut into Sports Zone’s lead.
As the last seconds of the game ticked away, Cicero was unable to catch up and the game ended at 14-9.
Highlight plays:
- Long throw by Cochran from LF to Thelen (1B) for an out.
- Nice snag by Cochran at SS that led to a solo put out at 2b and an almost double-play to 1B.
- Conor Downer (RF) fielded a deep fly ball off the back wall and made a perfect, long throw to Capece (SS) for an exciting tag of a sliding Chris Williams at 2nd base.
- Charging play by Capece at 3rd base, with a solid throw to Thelen (1B) to beat the runner.
- 2-run home run by Daniel Capp, plus an earlier double.
- Catch of a deep fly ball by Thelen.
- Nice scoop by Capece (SS) of a hard-hit ground ball right up the middle, and then making the throw to Mooney (1B) for the out.
Team Captain for Cicero on this night was Nicholas Capece.
Game MVP for Cicero was earned by Daniel Capp, who went 4/5 with a double and 2-run home run.
Game Quote: If you accept the expectations of others, especially negative ones, then you’ll never change the outcome.
What’s the difference between aluminum bats and wood bats? Aluminum bats provide more power, a faster swing, and a larger sweet spot. So, in terms of head-to-head, aluminum bats outperform wood bats. Wood bats provide hitters with better mechanics, better approach, better contact and force the player to be a better hitter.
With a wood bat tournament in Cooperstown on the Rattlers summer schedule, we can expect to see the team working more wood bats into their upcoming games.
This night saw the return of Michael Mooney, who missed 2 previous games. Connor Pearce was limited to offense only as he continues to nurse an arm injury.
Photo front left to right: Bombard, Cochran, Thelen, Capp, Capece, Pearce.
Photo back left to right: Sanes-Carmona, Downer, Mooney