INDIANS THREE-PEAT AT PETE SCHWAB MEMORIAL IN FRANKENMUTH

          The Alvinston Indians travelled to Frankenmuth, Michigan, the weekend of July 16-18, and were hoping to continue their tournament winning ways in Frankenmuth, at the annual Pete Schwab Memorial Fastpitch Tournament. 

          Alvinston opened up on Friday night, against the Rice Creek Lightning, which is the team they've faced the past 2 years in the finals of this tournament.  Rice Creek was more prepared off the hop, as they went on to a 3-0 win over Alvinston, ending Alvinston's 13 game undefeated streak in tournament play.  Rice Creek scored their runs on a solo homerun, and two-run homerun, as they got to Indians starter Brad Young, who suffered the loss.  Alvinston collected only 3 hits.  Chris Drew was 2/3 for Alvinston, while Steve Donald was 1/2. 

           With an opening game loss in the tournament, it was essential that Alvinston get winning, as they'd likely need a 3-1 record, to get into the playoff portion of the tournament.  In game #2, they faced off against the Goshen Gators, which were the team Alvinston faced in the semi-finals of this very tournament, last year, when they recorded a 4-2 win.  This year, the Indians got to work in the second inning, and they batted around, scoring 6 runs.  Ryan Swift singled to start the Indians, and Ryan Chapman drove him home when he singled in the first run.  After a Mark McCallum single, putting runners on third and first, Greg Fowler singled to score Chapman.  Andy Triest then scored Scott Smith (who was running for McCallum), with a perfectly executed RBI sacrifice bunt, to put Alvinston up 3-0.  Donald and Joe Triest, would also score on RBI's from Drew and Keith Rankin.  Alvinston starter Ryan Swift allowed single runs in the third and fourth, but that was all he would allow in 4 2/3 innings of work, as he earned the win, with Shaun Winship pitching effectively in 2 1/3 innings of relief.  After Alvinston's six run second inning, they failed to score the rest of the way, and went on to capture a 6-2 win, over the Goshen Gators. 

           In game #3, the Alvinston Indians faced Munger, and captured a 4 inning, 12-0 mercy win.  Alvinston scored 2 runs in the first, 3 in the second inning, and 7 runs in the third inning.  Shaun Winship captured the win for Alvinston, collecting the 4 inning shutout victory, and fanning 6 Munger swingers.  Drew, Rankin, Swift, and McCallum each had multi hit game for Alvinston in the win.  Ryan Chapman hit a two-run homerun in the 12-0 win. 

           In the final round robin game on Sunday morning, the Indians squared off against a squad from Columbus, Ohio.  The Indians got to work immediately, counting three runs in the opening frame.  However, Columbus would add runs of their own in the first and second inning, to make it a 3-2 game.  The game would remain 3-2 until the sixth inning, when Alvinston counted 7 runs, to go on to win the game 10-2.  Scoring for Alvinston were J. Triest (2), Rankin (2), Drew, Chapman, Donald, Smith, Fowler, and A. Triest.  Driving in the runs were Drew (2), Rankin (2), Swift (2), Chapman (2), Fowler and Smith.  Ryan Chapman his a solo homerun in the game, while Andy Triest was a perfect 3/3 for Alvinston.  J. Triest, Rankin, Swift, and Chapman also had 2 hits a piece for the Indians.  Swift earned the win on the mound for Alvinston, while Shaun Winship pitched 1 1/3 innings in relief, to preserve the 10-2 win.   

          Now with a 3-1 record, the Alvinston Indians were guaranteed to move onto the playoff round.  Their first playoff opponents were the Duncan Outlaws.  Duncan got to work in the first inning off of Indians starter Brad Young, counting two runs, to go up 2-0.  As far as the Indians offence, it was non-existant until the third inning, when they counted 3 runs, to go up 3-2 in the game.  It started with a walk to Donald to lead off the inning, and a single by J. Triest.  A sacrifice bunt by Drew moved the runners over to third and second with one out, and then a fielder’s choice by Rankin plated Donald for the Indians first run.  Swift then came to the plate, and put the Indians in front on one swing, as he crushed a 2-2 offering over the fence, for a two run homerun.  The Indians failed to add to their small lead, and in the sixth inning that bit them, as Duncan retook the lead scoring one run off of starter Brad Young, who settled down after the first inning, and one run off of reliever Shaun Winship.  However, the Indians replied in a big way in the bottom of the sixth inning, when they went to work and scored 5 runs.  Chapman reached base on error to get things going, and a sacrifice by McCallum got him to second.  That set the scene for pinch hitter Scott Smith who tripled down the line, scoring Chapman, to tie the game.  Andy Triest then put the Indians ahead, when he singled to score Smith.  Donald walked to put runners on first and second, and then a single by J. Triest, scored A. Triest.  Drew then brought in the final two runs (Donald and J. Triest), when he singled.  With the score now 8-4, Winship and the Indians allowed one more run, making it 8-5, but captured the gritty win, advancing to the semi-finals.  Winship got credit with the win in his two innings of relief for Brad Young, who allowed 5 hits in 5 innings of work for Alvinston, while striking out 5.  A. Triest was 2/3 for Alvinston, while J. Triest was 2/4 for Alvinston in the game.     

          In the semi-finals, the Indians squared off against Mickey’s Sleds, from Midland, Michigan.  The game pitted starters Brad Young, against Doug Gillis.  It was shaping up to be a pitcher’s duo, when Gillis was injured in the third inning with two out, and had to be removed from the game.  Heinlein came in for Mickey’s and continued to make it a pitcher’s battle.  While both teams threatened to score in the game, no team did until the seventh inning.  That team was Alvinston, as Fowler singled, while A. Triest followed as he reached base on a fielder’s choice.  Donald then reached base on an error, and with runners on first and second, J. Triest singled up the middle to score A. Triest.  With two out, Drew loaded the bases when he walked, and that set the stage for Ryan Swift, who singled up the middle, plating both Donald and J. Triest.  The Indians earned 3 runs in the top of the seventh, for a 3-0 lead, and that’s how the game would finish, as Winship would shut the door for Alvinston in the seventh.  Winship would earn the win, in relief of starter Brad Young, who allowed 4 hits in 4 1/3 innings pitched.  Winship then relieved Young, for 2 1/3 innings, allowing 1 hit, while striking out 5.   

          This pushed Alvinston back to the all-familiar Championship game in the Pete Schwab Memorial Tournament.  The Indians have made a history of playing well in this tournament the past few years, however, this time they were the underdogs, as they were about to play their fourth game of the day.  Their opponents would be none other then the Rice Creek Lightning, the team they had defeated in the finals on two previous occasions, but the only team to have defeated them in this tournament in two straight years, back in game 1 on the Friday evening.  The game remained scoreless until the top of the fifth inning, when the Indians finally got their offence clicking.  A. Triest singled, and Donald walked to put runners on first and second, and a wild pitch, advanced both runners to second and third.  Joe Triest then came to the plate, and hit a ball to the second baseman, which was misplayed; allowing A. Triest to score the game’s first run.  Now with 1 out and runners on first and third, McCallum delivered a clutch RBI single for Alvinston, to score Donald, to put the Indians up 2-0.  The Indians had finally solved Rice Creek starter Sean Kelly, and were happy to be on the scoreboard, but the lead was quickly erased.  After being untouched for 4 innings of work, Rice Creek was finally able to get to Indians starter Ryan Swift.  A controversial triple ruled fair got Rice Creek going, and that batter would plate, to cut the lead to 2-1 for Alvinston.  Ryan Swift then with one out, walked the next batter, and the Indians decided to go to relief pitcher Winship. 

Winship allowed a two run homerun upon entering the game, as this put Rice Creek up 3-2, and it left Alvinston, with not a lot of outs to go, to score additional runs.  However, in the sixth inning, Alvinston replied in a big way.  Chapman and Smith both singled, and Eric Hyatt, executed the pivotal sacrifice bunt to perfection, advancing both runners to second and third with one out.  A. Triest then came to the plate, and in a 9 pitch at bat, finally hit a ball back to the pitcher, but the pitcher failed to throw him out at first, as he was watching to make sure Chapman never scored from third.  With the bases loaded, Steve Donald hit a clutch 2 run single, plating both Chapman and Smith, and giving Alvinston a 4-3 lead.  With runners on second and third and still only 1 out, the Indians ran out of magic, as Rice Creek were able to get the second and third outs of the inning.  Winship settled down in the sixth, allowing only a two out single in the inning. Then in the seventh, after a leadoff single, Winship struck out the next batter, and then got the following batter to ground out to second, with J. Triest and Donald hooking up for a 4-6-3 double play to end the game, and earn the Indians their third straight Championship in this tournament.  The game was definitely a nail-biter, with both teams playing strong ball, but Alvinston coming out on top.  Winship for the third straight game was credited with the win, in relief of Swift, who threw his best game of the tournament when it mattered most. 

          Alvinston reeled off six straight wins, after their opening game loss.  They posted a 6-1 record in the tournament, with 4 gruelling games on the Sunday to win it all.  Winship posted all three wins in relief for Alvinston, in the three playoff games, and the entire Indians pitching staff of Young, Swift, and Winship shared the tournament Most Valuable Pitcher Award.  The Indians now have a record of 20 wins, 3 losses, and 1 tie in tournament play this season, and a 34-9-1 record on the season as a whole.  The Indians are just under a month away, from attending the ISC World Tournament in Midland, Michigan.