The "Squeezing A Few Runs Does It For The Champs!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Second of two days of watching my grandson's baseball team play in a tournament at "In The Net," which is a huge sports complex located at 798 Airport Road in Palmyra, Pennsylvania.  All summer I was unable to attend any baseball games due to the COVID virus, until two Sunday's ago when I was able to take in a double-header which featured the Landisville Vipers and the Mason-Dixon Ruffnecks, which I wrote about on Friday September 4.  The Vipers are actually a group of young men whose high school junior varsity season was eliminated by the virus, but took it upon themselves to form their own team and play in a few fall tournaments.  They were assisted by their parents as well as one mother, Annie Rieker, who helped in collecting money and contacting "In The Net" so that the team could play in this past week-end's tournament.  

Caden Woods makes a throw across the
diamond to 1st base.  Click on images to enlarge.

The uniforms were designed and ordered by the players.  They convinced their JV coach, Tylor Bair, to coach the team this past weekend and he was happy to comply with their request.  Most of the 14 teams that entered the Under-16 (years of age) tournament were All-Star teams from other leagues, with the Vipers being just one of two teams entered that were school teams.  Saturday was a pleasant day and the Vipers played their first tournament game at 8:30 AM.  Two games were scheduled for each time slot, since there are two regulation sized baseball diamonds at "In The Net."  Seedings, or team assignments, for the second day of the tournament were based on how you did in two games on Saturday.  

Coach Bair and two of his players.

The Vipers didn't fare well, losing both games they played on Saturday and were seeded 12 out of 14 based on runs scored and runs allowed.  So, in order to win the tournament, they would have to win every one of their four games on Sunday.  Sunday became a long day of baseball for both the team and their followers which included my wife and myself as well as many team followers.  

Pete Fiore heading to second base.

Another 8:30 AM game began with the Vipers playing the #3 seeded Shenandoah Sluggers whom had defeated them the day before by a large amount of runs.  These young Viper's players worked too hard to go home after the first game of the day, so they decided to turn their fortune around and begin to win.  

Aiden Rodenberger.

This time the Vipers turned the table on the Sluggers, whom had half-a-dozen players that were larger than the Vipers biggest player.  As everyone knows, size doesn't matter in baseball and the Vipers soundly defeated the Shenandoah Sluggers, 12-4.  Two hours later they were playing a team known as POD Nationals whom had won their earlier game.  

Players resting in the shade between games on Sunday. Photo by Mike Costa

The Vipers pitching was strong and they defeated the Nationals 12-0 with Ethan Green doing the pitching.  By now Carol and I had watched four games of baseball in two days, but there was still more to come.  If the Vipers could win the next game, they would qualify for the finals and possibly win the Championship.  

Cody Fatta makes a throw to 1st.

What were the chances of winning against teams that were a collection of the best players from cities and towns?  Well, at 4:30 PM, the Vipers took the field against the Baseball Anthracites, batting first, since they were the lower ranked of the two teams. These guys, who played the entire game with a chip on their shoulders, shut-out the Anthracites 6-0.  They now had to take on The Steelsharks Baseball Team who were seeded #1 at the start of the day.  And, to top that off, the Vipers were the "Away" team which means batting first again.  The Vipers scored first with the score going back and forth during the game.  My grandson, Caden Woods, came in to quell an uprising in the bottom of the 5th and shut the Steelsharks down with three strikeouts.  

Ethan Smith

The Vipers didn't score in the 6th, but the Steelsharks did manage a run off of Caden in their half of the inning.  In the top of the 7th and final inning, the Vipers needed three runs to tie the game and four to go ahead.  First up was Ethan Smith who hit a hard ground ball and reached first on an error by the third baseman.  

Michael Rieker taking a high throw.

Caden came to the plate and singled between short and third with Smith advancing to second. Then Hunter Williams hit a ground ball and reached on an error by the shortstop.  Smith and Woods advanced to third and second.  Matt McCullough laid down a perfect squeeze bunt to score Smith and move Caden and Hunter up a base, but was out at first for the first out of the inning.  For those not knowing what a squeeze bunt might be, it is one of the most exciting plays in baseball.  

Marcus Riveria waits on the ball.

The runner on third base heads to home as soon as the pitcher begins to throw the ball.  The runner is counting on the batter to bunt the ball so he can score.  The batter cannot miss the ball or the runner will be out at home.  The coach  doesn't give the signal to the batter to bunt if he isn't confident he will get his bat on the ball!  

Preparing to bunt.

Matt pulled off a perfect squeeze bunt.  Woods is now on third and Pete Fiore at the plate, the coach calls for another squeeze bunt.  Woods is halfway home when Pete laid down the perfect bunt, scoring Woods, but being thrown out at 1st base.  But, before long the Vipers had scored two more and went ahead by a run.  In the bottom of the 7th inning, Caden walked the first batter bringing in Logan Harelson to pitch.

Team photograph.

Logan struck out the first batter before allowing a single which advanced the tying run to third base.  Logan bore down and struck out the next two batters to end the game.  The Landisville Vipers became the unlikely Champions of the tournament.  They have now entered a mini-season league sponsored by the "In The Net."  Games over the next few weeks will determine the winner of this tournament.  Can the Vipers win another.  Stay tuned!!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The entire Vipers family poses for a photograph.

Medals for the winning team members. Photo by Mike Costa.