Twenty-two games into the season Hannibal sits in last place in the Western Division of the Prospect League. If the Cavemen keep playing like it has been for the last three games it won’t be there for long.
The Cavemen pounded the Danville Dans 10-5 on Monday night at Clemens Field. The win extended Hannibal’s (7-14) franchise-best winning streak to three games.
“We have the talent to play this way, it just took a while to meld,” Hannibal manager Jay Hemond said.
Leadoff hitter Colin Hoffman was the catalyst for the offensive explosion. In five trips to the dish, the left fielder reached base four times — all of which left him hurting. He led off the game being hit by an errant pitch by Danville starter Jacob Lee. After striking out in the third inning, Hoffman was given a free pass to first after a plunking in the fourth and fifth inning.
“Being a lead-off hitter, your job is to get on base any way you can,” Hoffman said. “... I’m that guy on the team, if there is one guy, who if it’s inside, I won’t turn. You have to wear it.”
Hoffman finally reached base with his bat in the eighth inning — well he didn’t really reach base, he touched them all. With two men on, Hoffman sent a rope to the left-center field wall. At first, the ball appeared to have gone over the fence for a home run. But the ball bounced back on to the field. Hoffman put his head down and turned on the jets. With the ball still in the outfield, he rounded third and slid in for an inside-the-park home run — the first Caveman to hit a homer at Clemens Field.
“When I hit it, I was just running,” Hoffman said. “At first, I thought the left fielder had caught it, because he was slowing down a bit, so I was like ‘Oh shoot.’ I was running hard, but then I heard coach [Clay] Biggs yelling ‘Go, go, go,’ so I just put my head down and starting running. I was looking at the third base coach and he was waving me in so I just gave it all I had until I had nothing left in the tank. When I got to home, I was panting pretty hard.”
For the game, the University of Southern California product was 1-for-2 with a home run, three runs scored and three RBIs.
“Today was my day,” Hoffman said.
Hoffman wasn’t alone to have a big day. Hitting in the eight spot, third baseman Tommy Diibon was 3-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored and an RBI.
“I was definitely locked in,” Diibon said. “I was seeing the ball well — the ball looked like a beach ball up there.”
All three of Diibon’s hits were singles. Before he even took a cut, Diibon had a feeling he might have a good day.
“When I’m on deck and I’m not thinking anything — when I’m just locked in on the pitcher, I know I’m zoned in,” Diibon said.
The rest of the team joined in the fun in the four-run eight inning. After Hoffman burned it around the bases, Ashley Graeter did some running of his own with a triple to center. One batter later, Kyle Gaedele popped a triple. In the eighth, the Cavemen knocked in four runs on four hits.
“That eighth inning was one of the most exciting innings I’ve seen in my life, and I’ve seen a lot of baseball,” Hemond said.
While the bats were battering the Dans pithing, Hannibal starter Roy Metter (2-2) kept Danville at bay. In seven innings of work, the big right-hander scattered seven hits, allowed two runs — only one earned and struck out two against three walks.
“It took him a while to settle in, but then he started throwing his pitches in the right spots,” Hemond said.
The Cavemen will try to extend the streak to four today against the Richmond RiverRats. The two clubs have yet to meet in 2009. First pitch will be at 6:35 p.m. at Clemens Field.
|
|
|
Twenty-two games into the season Hannibal sits in last place in the Western Division of the Prospect League. If the Cavemen keep playing like it has been for the last three games it won’t be there for long.
The Cavemen pounded the Danville Dans 10-5 on Monday night at Clemens Field. The win extended Hannibal’s (7-14) franchise-best winning streak to three games.
“We have the talent to play this way, it just took a while to meld,” Hannibal manager Jay Hemond said.
Leadoff hitter Colin Hoffman was the catalyst for the offensive explosion. In five trips to the dish, the left fielder reached base four times — all of which left him hurting. He led off the game being hit by an errant pitch by Danville starter Jacob Lee. After striking out in the third inning, Hoffman was given a free pass to first after a plunking in the fourth and fifth inning.
“Being a lead-off hitter, your job is to get on base any way you can,” Hoffman said. “... I’m that guy on the team, if there is one guy, who if it’s inside, I won’t turn. You have to wear it.”
Hoffman finally reached base with his bat in the eighth inning — well he didn’t really reach base, he touched them all. With two men on, Hoffman sent a rope to the left-center field wall. At first, the ball appeared to have gone over the fence for a home run. But the ball bounced back on to the field. Hoffman put his head down and turned on the jets. With the ball still in the outfield, he rounded third and slid in for an inside-the-park home run — the first Caveman to hit a homer at Clemens Field.
“When I hit it, I was just running,” Hoffman said. “At first, I thought the left fielder had caught it, because he was slowing down a bit, so I was like ‘Oh shoot.’ I was running hard, but then I heard coach [Clay] Biggs yelling ‘Go, go, go,’ so I just put my head down and starting running. I was looking at the third base coach and he was waving me in so I just gave it all I had until I had nothing left in the tank. When I got to home, I was panting pretty hard.”
For the game, the University of Southern California product was 1-for-2 with a home run, three runs scored and three RBIs.
“Today was my day,” Hoffman said.
Hoffman wasn’t alone to have a big day. Hitting in the eight spot, third baseman Tommy Diibon was 3-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored and an RBI.
“I was definitely locked in,” Diibon said. “I was seeing the ball well — the ball looked like a beach ball up there.”
All three of Diibon’s hits were singles. Before he even took a cut, Diibon had a feeling he might have a good day.
“When I’m on deck and I’m not thinking anything — when I’m just locked in on the pitcher, I know I’m zoned in,” Diibon said.
The rest of the team joined in the fun in the four-run eight inning. After Hoffman burned it around the bases, Ashley Graeter did some running of his own with a triple to center. One batter later, Kyle Gaedele popped a triple. In the eighth, the Cavemen knocked in four runs on four hits.
“That eighth inning was one of the most exciting innings I’ve seen in my life, and I’ve seen a lot of baseball,” Hemond said.
While the bats were battering the Dans pithing, Hannibal starter Roy Metter (2-2) kept Danville at bay. In seven innings of work, the big right-hander scattered seven hits, allowed two runs — only one earned and struck out two against three walks.
“It took him a while to settle in, but then he started throwing his pitches in the right spots,” Hemond said.
The Cavemen will try to extend the streak to four today against the Richmond RiverRats. The two clubs have yet to meet in 2009. First pitch will be at 6:35 p.m. at Clemens Field.
