A Good Game Spoiled

Any golfer will tell you that Mark Twain's opinion of the game - "A good walk spoiled" - is true on some days. Beaverton's game against Tigard on Monday falls into the same category. After an interesting and generally well-played game through 5 and one-half innings, Beaverton's defense and pitching collapsed in the Tigard sixth and the Tigers went on to score 9 runs to blow the game open and win 10 - 1.

Beaverton starter Megen Ickler (2-2) pitched a strong game through the fifth, scattering five hits and giving up only one unearned run. Tigard's run came in the third after a leadoff double was followed by a sharp single which was misplayed by centerfielder Megan John, allowing the runner on second to score. The attempt to cut off the run at the plate was too late, but catcher Willow Martinson fired the ball the third to catch the runner trying to stretch the error-assisted double into a triple. With one out and the bases clear, the next batter singled to right center past a diving Hannah Johnson at second. After the Tigard clean-up hitter sacrified, the Tigers had a runner in scoring position at second with two outs. After walking the next batter, Ickler got a strikeout to end the Tigard threat.

The Beaver bats had been quiet through three innings, with Johnson's lead-off double in the third the only hit. In the fourth, the Beavers had a chance to tie the game after Martinson and Kayla Lauro led off the inning with back-to-back singles, and pinch runner Valerie Sanchez advanced to third on a wild pitch. Both runners were ultimately stranded as a fly out to center and two strikeouts ended the inning.

The Beavers fared better in the sixth, however. Still trailing 1 - 0, Martinson and Lauro again went back-to-back, this time with doubles, plating pinch runner Sam White. Lauro advanced to third on Caitlin Ellerbe's groundout to short, but a strikeout again stopped the rally.

The Tigard half of the sixth almost defies description. It was far too reminiscent of many of the Beaver's Metro games in 2007 and 2008 when they allowed walks, passed balls, wild pitches and errors to dictate the outcome of what had been close games. A play-by-play serves no one and it is to be hoped that the Coaching Staff and players can learn from the experience and come back mentally stronger. Tigard brought 14 runners to the plate and scored 9 runs in the inning on only two hits. Beaverton pitchers walked three batters (Molly Tyler came on after Ickler pitched to 6 batters), hit a batter and made two throwing errors. Beaverton fielders made 4 errors. The first 8 Tigard batters reached base safely without benefit of a hit.

The Beavers were unable to answer. Tigard pitcher Ashley Suter purposefully tried to bean Johnson as she led off the inning (Johnson had gone 2 - 2 in the game to that point), hitting her in the back and sending her to first. But two strikeouts and a weak grounder back to the pitcher ended the game with Tigard ahead 10 - 1.

If the rain holds off, the Beavers travel to Tualatin this afternoon to face the Timbervolves.