Wolf Goes Deep
CLEVELAND HIGH SCHOOL, RESEDA - Starter Jerry Wolf Duff Sellers dominated Team X on the mound and at the plate, leading Balls Deep to a 10-4 victory in their CABO debut. Sellers stuck out 13 while giving up just two runs (one earned) in his seven innings of work. He also drove in three runs with his three extra base hits (two doubles, one triple). Said Sellers during his post-game press conference, "I gotta say it's nice to be playing baseball with all of (my teammates) again."
Balls Deep took advantage of X starter Matt Stoner's early control trouble to jump out to a 5-1 lead through the first three innings. Pitching then shut down both teams offenses in the 4th through 7th innings, with Team X scoring the lone run during that period on a balk by Sellers. Balls Deep then broke open the game in the top of the 8th with 5 runs on 5 hits, highlighted by Sellers long RBI triple into the right-centerfield gap.
"I can't say enough about Jerry's performance today," said Balls Deep manager Michel Lim of his tour de force player. "He did walk five today in seven innings, but five years ago he would have walked five in one inning. His mechanics are so much better, but more importantly he displayed a much more mature approach on the mound. I missed him while he was at Brown. It's good to have him back."
Bystanders noted Lim's giddy demeanor following the team's win, a far cry from his pre-game frustration when discovering that several players he had been expecting to play did not appear. Fortunately, new Balls Deep additions Kohta Nishitani and Sonny Martinez filled in more than capably in the field and at the plate. The duo combined to score four runs. Nishitani also made two critical catches on deep drives into right field to close out two innings. Said Lim, "Kohta and Sonny really stepped up for us today. They give us a very deep lineup when our entire team is assembled."
Balls Deep will visit the Black Sox next Sunday, April 2, at Kennedy High School in Granada Hills. Game time is scheduled for 10am.
