Independents Next Match

Silas K. Pierce Cup 2007 – Grand Rapids, MI
Kents 14, Bay City 4

The final match of the day would place the Bay Citys against the Kents, a formidable opponent and one that the Independents have never found success against. That success would elude them again on this day, as the Kents tallied six runs before the Independents could score any.

Having been placed squarely in a whole the Bay Citys attempted to mount a challenge but in 5 innings they could only muster 3 runs against the gentlemen from Grand Rapids. In the meantime the striking of the Kents and the pounding of the mid-day sun would help to melt the Bay City defense and they would see the Kents score 8 more times before the contest came to a merciful end.

For their part the Bay Citys would tally only once more behind Mr. McInerney, and never found their footing after a long delay between matches. The final score would stand at 14-4, but the Bay Citys would find themselves Champions of the State of Michigan again thanks to their fine play earlier in the day. Perhaps someday they will find the Achille’s heel of the Kents, but for now they will have to take their medicine and like it.

Silas K. Pierce Cup 2007 – Grand Rapids, MI
Akron 6, Bay City 8

Match 2 - The second match of the day for Bay City followed fast on the heels of the first, and found them facing a more familiar foe. The Akron Black Stockings battled the Bay Citys to a ten all tie in the Silver Ball Tournament in Mumford, New York in 2006. The match was well played and left both sides admiring the fine play and manners of the other. The second meeting of these two clubs would be just as entertaining.
Akron took a quick lead in the contest when Mr. Blasick tallied a run due to Mr. Lee’s howitzer to the long field. Mr. Lee was able to attain his second before the ball found it’s way back to the infield. The next play was defensive brilliance personified, when Mr. Jason Zedak of the Balck Stockings drove a dying ball into the shallow left field, and “Kid” Garcia, the left fielder renowned of the Bay Citys, charged in from the long field like Little Phil Sheridan and bottled the drive in style. He then fired a blast from his backside into the second sacker and picked off Mr. Lee, who undoubtedly believed that Zedak’s ball would fall in safely. Instead of another run scoring and another striker safely in, the Black Stockings would find themselves with 2 hands lost. The innings would end with Mr. Russell flying to Mr. Garcia as well. Even after the fine defensive play, the Independents could not coax their striking from it’s slumber, and they found themselves skunked again.
Akron would begin their parade of aces again in the second inning and score 3 more times to bring their lead to 4-0. The Independents would finally make their mark in the match and score two runs of their own when Branden “The Rope” Revette and “Twinkle-Toes” Brissette crossed the plate thanks to the fine striking of Ron “Irish” O’Laughlin. This would bring the score to 4-2, and help to put the Bay Citys back in the match.
In the third innings the Black Stockings would score another time and lengthen their lead again to 5-2. It was this innings that the Independents became determined not to be put down, and through a succession of single hits they began a parade around the bases that would see eleven strikers come to the plate and 5 aces score. The rally started with Ray “The Banker” Banister crossing the dish, and he would do so again in the fourth innings to help the Bay Citys take the lead 8-5. The Black Stockings would add another ace in their part of the fourth innings to bring the match to 8-6.
The fifth innings would see the Bay Citys succumb to the whitewashing of the Black Stockings defense, and put the home town boys back onto the field. The Akrons would see their first two hands lost in the innings, and then put their next two strikers aboard. It was then that Mr. Russell stepped to the plate for the Stockings and drove a howitzer into the gap between the center field and right field. The newcomer to the Bay Citys, Mr. Jason “Buttons” McInerney, made a mad dash into the foray and found himself holding the sphere safely in his hands before any further damage could be done. It was a bully play for the you lad, and surely one that saved the day for the Independents.
The final score would stand at 8-6, and the Bay City nine would move on successful once more.

Silas K. Pierce Cup 2007 – Grand Rapids, MI
Sheridan 4, Bay City 8

Match 1 - The Independents began defense of their state championship in a match against the Dandies of Sheridan Michigan. It was the first time these two clubs had met on the field, but there were some familiar faces on the Dandies nine. The club had been started by a couple of fellows from the Kent first nine, Adam Whilmore and Charles Bliss. The latter of the two made his reputation by robbing “Doc” Garcia of the Bay Citys of a long strike back in 2005. A play that is still remembered to this day by the Independents, much to their chagrine.

The match itself began without much distinction as both clubs ended the first innings without notching a tally. In the second innings the Bay Citys found their striking form and scored 6 runs, thanks in large part to the striking of Dan “Rainmaker” Decuf, who found himself standing on third sack after one of his colossal clouts, and Sean “Tanner” LeRoux who made his second easily in his turn at the plate. The Dandies would find some holes in the Bay City nine’s defense, and tally 2 aces of their own in the third innings, and brought the score to 6 to 2.

The Sheridan boys tightened their belts and held the Bay Citys to some whitewashing in the third and fourth innings, and then scored another 2 aces of their own in the fifth to bring the total to 6-4 in the Independents favor.

The hometown nine would not be held scoreless for much longer and ran across an ace in the fifth and sixth innings in the persons of Scott “Umpy” Umphrey and Brian “Hooks” Freehling. That would be the end of the scoring as the Bay City defense rose to the challenge and skunked the Dandies for the remainder of the match. The first step towards the championship was taken and found to be on solid ground as the Independents were triumphant at 8-4.

Game 1 - Kent 12, Bay City 3
The men from Kent won the coin toss and elected to let the Bay Citys strike first. It was a bad sign when the first three Independents strikers went down in order. The day became increasingly worse when the Kents struck for 4 runs in their part of the 1st innings. The gentleman from Bay City appeared to right the ship when they loaded the sacks with not a hand lost in the top part of the second innnings, but alas the next three hands were lost and not a tally was made. The Kents would be relentless in adding runs to their list of tallies in the next three innings, while the Bay Citys left the sacks loaded again and only added two aces to their score. By the time the Bay City defense had steered itself from danger the score was already to great to overcome and the match was ended with the score Kent 12 and Bay City 3.


Game 2 - Bay City 24, Greenfield Village 10
In match number two of the day the Bay Citys seem to find their lost striking ability. In the top half of the first innings the Independents struck hard and made their way to 15 aces. Not to be outdone in their half the Lah-de-dahs of Greenfield Village tallied 9 aces of their own in the bottom half of the first innings. The Bay Citys would slam the door shut on their opponents for nearly the rest of the contest, and would continue to tally many runs with some fine striking. The match would hold some sadness though. Kid Garcia, who had played brilliantly in the field patrolling as left scout, injured himself and was lost for the remainder of the day. Twinkle-Toes Brissette, who had found fine striking form in both morning matches, was lost as well when he pulled up lame at first base. Both players showed a great deal of sand by finishing the contest, and smiling bravely at the conclusion. Bay City earned not only a win, but the admiration of the gentlemen from Greenfield Village and recieved an invitation to play at their homefield on August 7th of this year. The fine attitude by both teams was not lost on the cranks.



Championship Match – Rochester 16, Bay City 7



Thanks to their fine play against the La-de-dahs the Bay Citys found themselves with the opportunity to win the Silas K. Pierce Cup. True to form the Bay Citys lost the coin toss, and the Grangers of Rochester elected to strike first. As is their norm the Grangers struck well and quickly gained a 7 aces to 1 advantage against the hometown boys. Despite being low on healthy bodies the Bay Citys were not low on morale, or talent. They quickly made up the difference and found themselves with a chance to win in the end. The last innings found the Grangers ahead by merely one tally with the score 8-7. They quickly erased all doubt as to the outcome of the contest in their last at bat, and rang the tally bell 8 times to take a commanding lead. The final score could have been much worse had it not been for an innings ending play by Scott "Umpy" Umphrey. Being forced to change position due to injuries Umpy made a miraculous, one handed grab of a howitzer off the bat of one of the fine Granger strikers. The play drew huzzahs from both clubs. However, Umpy's grand play was not enough to rescue the Bay Citys from defeat. The Independents gained fine praise from the Grangers excellent fielding short stop, Goodfella Pratasek, at the contest's end, but that was all they would leave the field with. The Grangers would take home the cup, and the Bay Citys would have to be content with having earned some respect on the day.