Sipping on my tasty coffee this morning and realized I was enjoying the high school baseball season, from an umpires perspective.....and am thinking this was a pretty fun one for me.... I got to see a special season unfold, especially when the SHS Boys Baseball team woke up from early season challenges and kicked in to fifth gear heading toward Region and State tourney runs. I got to umpire behind the plate in a regular season game when Coulton Poulson of Ketchikan threw a no hitter against Thunder Mtn. I also got to umpire the plate for a regular season game when Erickson Fish fanned 17 JDHS batters - ready for this end of season run. I got to umpire plate for Brian Way enough to know that he was ready for this end of season run - dialed in. I got watch Sitka win in dramatic fashion in the bottom of the 7th of their semi-final game at Regions against Ketchikan. I got to be on the field to see Juneau get off the deck and beat Sitka forcing an IF game in the Regions, followed by a workmanlike pitching performance by Freddie Elliot tossing a 4 hitter to lock up the Region V title but more importantly - the #1 SE Alaska seed and be on the other side of the bracket in the state tourney from South Anchorage. I got to umpire the plate for Brian Ways dominating performance in the first round at State - a convincing win over Eagle River, a very well coached, disciplined team. I was on the field for that monster 15 inning game of Juneau vs South Anchorage - a state record for most innings in a state tourney game, and had what seemed like over a dozen bang bang calls at first in this intense, epic nearly 4 hour game at state tourney (a good reason Sitka, after already qualifying for state - wanted the #1 SE Ak seed, to avoid South until title game at State). I got to be on the field for a shortened game No Hitter by Erickson Fish over a one loss Wasilla team in the semis. And then I got the honor of being selected to be on the field for the State Championship game for that epic South Anchorage vs Sitka - where it was back and forth all day as three seniors pitched Sitka to a title. Freddie Elliot started and went as far as he could. Brian Way pitched his available innings, and then Erickson Fish came in with the title on the line in the 7th, and closed the door. Sitkas offense behind Way, Fish, Belley was strong in this 3-4 week run. Sitkas pitching behind Way and Fish was dominating. Sitka played solid D - with young Ky Stockel at second base making one of the best defensive plays of the season in a critical moment by backing up a wild throw to first, seemingly out of nowhere and making a throw to third to nail a South Anchorage runner trying to advance to third - a critical out in what ended up being an 11-10 victory. Fish and Way, with a strong supporting cast was the them of the late season run by Sitka. At times, it seemed like they were men playing against mere high school kids, both on the mound and at the plate. I also got to be on the field for Ed Conways final game as the Head Coach of the Sitka Woves. After 19 years, it was like a storybook ending for this gentleman who is nothing short of a class act. He has represented the school and the community so well over those years. Winning with humility, losing with class and teaching his kids, and coaches how to do the same. And the life lessons that come with that. For umpires in Sitka, Alaska - we dont get that many games to umpire in a season. It was nice to hear, though it is not anything Bill or Mike or Woody or Clint or Robert or this young man seek (thats all the willing souls we have in Sitka for high school baseball), - it was still nice to hear such positive feedback from the four state umps from up north the validating feedback (they umpire tons more games and a couple of those umps have either made it to or nearly made it to very, very, very, very high levels of umpiring outside of Alaska). So, yes it was fun to hear some critical, positive feedback like that from quality umpires in Chuck, Lucito, Rod, and Carl. But this thought this morning is not about me and my fellow Sitka umpires, who all put their best foot forward in our short season of umpiring - it is truly about having one of the best seats in the house by being on the field with good kids day in and day out, season after season. Yep, we sure get some criticisms from the fans, yep we get offered advice in the grocery stores, and yep it is hard to convince souls to come enjoy the view we have.......cause guess what - I had a great seat this season, and this run, almost a made-for-tv-run by the Sitka Wolves and their retiring head coach and his staff to the State Championship. I also got see, up close, some great performances (individual and team). Everything from a couple of no-hitters to a 15 inning game to timely hitting to exciting defense, across many teams, not just the Sitka Wolves - all of that action happened right here in Sitka, in the friendly confines of Mollar Park, with great crowds all season long. Sitka does love its baseball. And for good reason. :-) Its fun - umpiring. Its a great place to be.....on the field....the best seat in the house to see some great high school baseball played. It makes our Monday night umire meetings worth it. Ill thank Billy Ball - my friend Bill Steinbach, for convincing me way back when to come help him and Woody and Doc Hunter umpire. Id recommend it to anyone..... :-)
Posted on: Sat, 28 Jun 2014 17:37:39 +0000
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