The "Nice Day For A Ball Game ... Let's Play Two … Or Maybe Three: Part II" Story

Kunkle Field in Mt. Joy, Pennsylvania

It was an ordinary day.  Sunday and day two of the Mt. Joy Baseball Tournament.  The four teams that have advanced since yesterday all had winning records in the first day of the tournament with my grandson's team, the Mountville Pirates, being the only undefeated team with 3 wins.  Yesterday was played in order to determine the four best teams and rank them 1 through 4 for today's games.  The winners of the two games today will play later in the day for the Tournament Championship.  Today's games are being played at Kunkle Field in Mount Joy.  This iconic field has been used for baseball for over 50 years.  I can remember coaching Midget-Midget as well as Jr. Midget games on this field.  

#21 Dylan is the starting pitcher for the first game.

The chain link fence around the outfield is covered with advertise- ments from local businesses with a scoreboard atop the leftfield fence.  The roofed dugouts are covered with chain link fencing for protection for the players sitting in them.  Players who have ever played on this historic field never forget the experience.  

#2 Aiden slides safely into second base.

I never played here, but the many games I have coached on this field are among those that I will never forget.  Once again the Pirates are the away team and start their first game with a run.  Mountville and Hempfield White battle back and forth in a good game with Hempfield coming to bat in the bottom of the 6th and final inning losing to the Pirates 5-3.  

Ryan waits on the pitch to drive it to the outfield.

Two outs with runners on first and second bases for Hempfield and the game getting tense.  The Pirates pitcher throws a low pitch and the ball finds it's way under the catcher's glove.  Hempfield's third base coach yells for his player on second to steal 3rd base.  He is half way to 3rd when the Pirates catcher finds the ball and fires toward 3rd base.  

#29 Caden has his hands raised as he hustles towards
the dugout to celebrate with the team after making
making the final out of the game when he tug out a runner
who was attempting to steal third base.

Caden, my grandson, who has played 3rd base during most of the tourna- ment, takes the throw as he straddles the bag, drops his glove with the cather's throw and swipes the ball across the sliding runner.  Out!! yells the home plate umpire.  Game over!  Pirates go to the Championship Game.  Caden, as well as all the infield players jump up and down as they head toward the coaches, charging from the dugout.  The Pirates are still undefeated!!  

Twilight arrives to greet the final game of the tournament.

The Champion- ship Game is set for 8:00 PM.  Carol and I, along with our daughter, grand- daughter and friend arrived a few minutes early and watched the grounds crew putting the finishing touches on the field.  Field lights were turned on and the game began right on time with Mountville taking on the Warwick Diamondbacks.  

Colin is safe at third as a Pirate steals third base.

The Pirates are home team for this game.  Warwick starts the game with a run in the first inning, but the Pirates matched that run in the bottom of the inning.  Game went back and forth until the top of the 5th inning arrived with the Pirates leading.  Warwick put some runners on and were threatening to score with two outs when a Diamondbacks player hit a hard grounder to third.  Caden moved to his left, scooped up the ball and fired to first for the final out.  The Pirates exited the field all excited.  Over a month ago the same two teams battled in the finals of the Warwick Tournament when Mountville coming out on top.  

Ace Noah pitches the final three innings for the Pirates.

Would this game end differently?  Pirates failed to add to their lead in the bottom of the 5th and Warwick came to bat in the top and final inning.  The Pirates were able to win the exciting game with a runner in scoring position in the top of the 6th.  I found my way onto the field to take some celebratory photos of the coaches and players.

Springtime bugs are drawn to the lights above the
Pirates dugout where they fly into the lights and drop
to the ground below. 

As I stood next to the home team dugout, the sky seems to be raining bugs.  They are dropping by the hundreds as they flock to the bright, hot stadium lights above me.  They strike the lights, dying instantly and drop from the sky on those standing underneath them.  

The winning Mountville Pirates.

I learned very quickly to keep my mouth shut.  I took photos as the tournament director, Tim, helped hand out the trophies and medals to both teams in the Champion- ship Game.  Parents from both teams lined the infield with cameras as the teams posed at home plate for team photos.  Once again, baseball is America's favorite past-time in the eyes of all who watched this exciting Memorial Day competition.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Nobel rounds third on his way to scoring.

The Pirates dugout.

Zander pitching for the Pirates.

Colin ready to catch strike three.

Coach Hodge and his son.

Bird's eye view of the ballpark.

Warwick and Mountville battle for the championship.

Caden waiting for the pitch.

The final score: Mountville Pirates 5, Warwick Diamondbacks 3

Players gather after the game.

Coach Woods, Caden and Mom Woods

Home dugout

End of a great tournament.