The Saturday meeting between the Guilford Patriots and the Shockers turned out to be a very tightly contested ball game. The Patriots were able to pull out the win on Matt Nettesheim’s two-run homer to right field in the 12th inning.(or was it the 11th, this was one was moving on) The game itself lasted close to three hours and it featured some outstanding pitching from both teams. The final, 6-4 Patriots.
The Patriots were up early 3-1 and then the Shockers came back to tie it at three a-piece before going up on the Patriots 4-3 and then the Patriots came back and tied the baseball game in the bottom of the seventh at 4-4.
Esterlin Paulino was on the hill early for the Patriots and the little left-hander out of Southwest Guilford held things together for Justin Smith’s ball club until late in the afternoon. The Shockers went with Austin Moyer and he kept things in place until he had to come out of the game as the Shockers took the field to start the seventh inning.
Moyer got a hit in the top of the 7th and then left the game for a pinch-runner and the Palomino rules state when the pitcher leaves the game for a runner then the pitcher(Moyer) can’t re-enter the game to pitch, he can only come back into the game as a position player.
As you might expect this casued a major stir and Bob Doss the Palomino President had to come on the public address system and give the explanation of the ruling. Lester Rivenbark the skipper for the Shockers didn’t seem too happy about having to make the changes but he moved shortstop Cam Cockman to the mound. I believe the man that drove in the tying run for the Patriots was the young man we mentioned earlier, Matt Nettesheim, out of NWG who wears #43 on his back and he is a small kid who carries a big bat, at least he did on Saturday afternoon.
The pitching controversy aside this was a hard fought game but I still would like to know more about that rule that seemed to change the flow of the game. Justin and Johnny Smith defintely knew about the rule involving the pitcher and Bob Doss backed them up all the way on the ruling.
In terms of pitching that was one of the keys to the game. Paulino and Moyer were tough and then came Cockman and later Aaron Jones for the Shockers and the big-man, Nick Rogers for the Patriots. Rogers is a big man with a mean fastball and he did a nice job of changing speeds and mixing in his curveball on Saturday.
This game was everything we all thought it would be and a little more. The Patriots have first place now all to themselves and the Palomino post-season will be here before you know it. Before the playoffs hit, this week it’s the annual Palomino 4th of July Tournament at locations throughout Greensboro. Stoner-White Stadium, Grimsley, Memorial Stadium, and probably even some games at Leonard Field off of Ballinger Road.
It would be fun to see one more Patriots-Shockers battle this season and if it happens we will let you know about it here at greensborosports.com. Justin Smith and Lester Rivenbark may have the best rivalry going that we have seen in recent years and now after Saturday’s classic the Patriots have a 2-1 advantage in the season series.(Before Saturday’s game, both of the previous contests ended in 7-6 scores)
There were a lot of fans out watching Saturday’s game. John Neese Sr., Alan Ashkinazy, Mr. Sutphin the assistant coach from Grimsley, Keith Miller, Betty Smith, Jeff Smith, and many others turned out to cheer on the teams. I even saw Aaron Jones’ dad and Trent and Zoe running around the ballpark and Chris and Evelyn Walker were there too along with the Wrenns. This one was one for the books and I hope there’s at least one more(hey, I almost forget Larry and Patsy Moore were out there as Kevan, Clint, and crew had hit the road for West Point) game between these two teams somewhere down the road.
Be sure to let Bob Sublett, Blair Moyer, and Ken Daly Sr. know we thought they did a good job too. If we left anybody out then hit the comment box, we would love to have you in there and in the lineup.