DENVER - The players were looking for revenge. It had been a long, long time since they beat the coaches and staff in the biannual softball game.
After yesterday's performance, it's safe to say they got the monkey off their backs.
The boys were crushing the ball yesterday, much to pitcher (and "Voice of the Pioneers") Mitch Hyder's dismay.
Tyler Thalken, who was a very good high school baseball player in Tulsa, Okla., hit a pair of homers, including a grand slam, to earn Most Valuable Player honors.
Brian Stafford, sporting a Brad Hawpe Rockies' jersey (likely because Hawpe is a fellow lefty), nearly hit I-25 three times, as he smacked pitch after pitch over the right field fence.
Trevor Noonan added a couple more moon shots over the fence. Chase Hallam and Justin Coughlinwent yard, as well.
In all, the players hit nine home runs, including a barrage to erase an 8-0 deficit in the second game. In one inning, Stafford cranked two and Thalken hit his slam.
Freshmen Chris Udofia and Charles Webb joined the coaches and staff's team in order to balance out numbers (you can probably pick them out in the picture below). Udofia, despite being gifted with great athletic ability, initially was uncomfortable at the plate - quite possibly because he had never picked up a bat before.
As his basketball teammates and softball opponents jeered, Udofia struggled in his first few at-bats, popping up and hitting a soft grounder. Then he seemed to pick up steam, hammering the ball over the outfielders' heads in his next two at-bats.
The coaches and staff battled, as head coachJoe Scott and assistant coach A.J. Kuhle both cleared the fence, but in the end, the players were too much, winning both games, 16-4 after five innings and 9-8 in a four inning encore.
Hyder, for his troubles, ended the fall season 0-2 with a 25.00 ERA.
When asked for a response to his performance, Hyder commented, "Don't blame me. Coach Scott wouldn't let me work the count."
Regardless, sources at the Rockies indicated that the team won't be calling anytime soon.
Open Practice: As a reminder, the men's and women's basketball teams will have open practices this Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon in Hamilton Gymnasium. It will be the men's team second practice, since they are not officially allowed to start until Friday night at 5 p.m.
Unofficial Softball Statistics
Total Home Runs Hit by the Basketball Team - 9
Total Number of Homers Kyle Lewis Needed to Complete the Cycle - 1
Total Number of Singles Andrew Hooper Hit in Five At-Bats - 5
Total Number of Earned Runs Charged to Mitch Hyder - 25
Total Career At-Bats by Chris Udofia Prior to Wednesday - 0
Total Number of Time Chris Udofia Hit Balls Over the Outfielders' Heads Wednesday - 2
Total Runs the Basketball Team Prior to the Third Inning of the Second Game - 0
Total Runs Scored by the Basketball Team in the Third Inning - 9
Final Score of the Second Game - 9-8
After yesterday's performance, it's safe to say they got the monkey off their backs.
The boys were crushing the ball yesterday, much to pitcher (and "Voice of the Pioneers") Mitch Hyder's dismay.
Tyler Thalken, who was a very good high school baseball player in Tulsa, Okla., hit a pair of homers, including a grand slam, to earn Most Valuable Player honors.
Brian Stafford, sporting a Brad Hawpe Rockies' jersey (likely because Hawpe is a fellow lefty), nearly hit I-25 three times, as he smacked pitch after pitch over the right field fence.
Trevor Noonan added a couple more moon shots over the fence. Chase Hallam and Justin Coughlinwent yard, as well.
In all, the players hit nine home runs, including a barrage to erase an 8-0 deficit in the second game. In one inning, Stafford cranked two and Thalken hit his slam.
Freshmen Chris Udofia and Charles Webb joined the coaches and staff's team in order to balance out numbers (you can probably pick them out in the picture below). Udofia, despite being gifted with great athletic ability, initially was uncomfortable at the plate - quite possibly because he had never picked up a bat before.
As his basketball teammates and softball opponents jeered, Udofia struggled in his first few at-bats, popping up and hitting a soft grounder. Then he seemed to pick up steam, hammering the ball over the outfielders' heads in his next two at-bats.
The coaches and staff battled, as head coachJoe Scott and assistant coach A.J. Kuhle both cleared the fence, but in the end, the players were too much, winning both games, 16-4 after five innings and 9-8 in a four inning encore.
Hyder, for his troubles, ended the fall season 0-2 with a 25.00 ERA.
When asked for a response to his performance, Hyder commented, "Don't blame me. Coach Scott wouldn't let me work the count."
Regardless, sources at the Rockies indicated that the team won't be calling anytime soon.
Open Practice: As a reminder, the men's and women's basketball teams will have open practices this Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon in Hamilton Gymnasium. It will be the men's team second practice, since they are not officially allowed to start until Friday night at 5 p.m.
Unofficial Softball Statistics
Total Home Runs Hit by the Basketball Team - 9
Total Number of Homers Kyle Lewis Needed to Complete the Cycle - 1
Total Number of Singles Andrew Hooper Hit in Five At-Bats - 5
Total Number of Earned Runs Charged to Mitch Hyder - 25
Total Career At-Bats by Chris Udofia Prior to Wednesday - 0
Total Number of Time Chris Udofia Hit Balls Over the Outfielders' Heads Wednesday - 2
Total Runs the Basketball Team Prior to the Third Inning of the Second Game - 0
Total Runs Scored by the Basketball Team in the Third Inning - 9
Final Score of the Second Game - 9-8
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