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London fans relished the chance to see one day of something they thought they'd be seeing every day of the season. With the Mustangs now in the early stages of a major make over, competitive baseball again at Kiwanis Park was something not to be missed and their team, in the guise of the Fisherman All Stars, didn't fail to deliver.
Polar Bears' starter Tarrance Appleman earned the right to begin the game for the Fishermen League. His duel with triple crown candidate Kris Plank, the hard hitting Remparts first baseman, didn't go to plan when he issued a free pass to first base. Keegan Moers fell just short of bringing Plank home, with the count at 3-2 his blast was plucked out of deep right field by Hayden Revelez. However it was a magic piece of fielding by Richard Miller who scrambled to stop Skeeter Manderson's crisp shot and initiate the double play which ended the threat.
Mud Cats' starter Pickles Stackpole earned the right for the Farmers All Stars and his form didn't desert him. Brandt Passmore drove an easy ball towards Dedrick Faulk at third base and the out was completed when Plank took the throw at first. Lennie Broadus followed shortly after when he skied a shot to centre field which was easily caught by Johnathen Sarrett. Stackpole then made short work of Hayden Revelez striking him out after 4 pitches.
Crusaders' pitcher Tony Barrett started the second innings strong enough striking out Evan Ikard and also saw off Sarrett who was thrown out at first, however his arm injury, which had him in doubt for the game, was pitch by pitch visibly slowing his velocity down. A two year absence from the Fishermen League hadn't lessened American's short stop Bill Dennis' familiarity with Barrett and he duly dispatched, what should have been Barrett's signature fast ball, 416 feet back over the centre left field fence. The innings was ended when left fielder Hank Warner stopped the next ball from Barrett taking the same route from the bat of Arkeith Bustillo.
Mc Yett looked like he was still playing in the 2010 All Star game, his most recent All Star appearance, because he was seeing the ball like and pumpkin then and was still seeing it like a pumpkin last night. In his first turn at bat in 2013 Yett hit an effortless double off Jovon Yakow to give the London crowd and Fishermen fans something to cheer about. Yett was then able to advance to third after Miller was caught out in centre field, and was shortly after able to cross home plate and draw the Fishermen level as Pat Douglas was thrown out at first.
The Fishermen took a one run lead in their third turn at bat when designated hitter Jarren Letendre hit a home run off Hooks Fife. The Farmers threatened in the fourth when they got a runner on base with one out when Manderson singled off Allen Putnam, but it was Richard Miller again in the thick of the action as he was able to stoop low to his left to stop Ikards' hit then quickly spin and throw to Ducotey waiting at second who in turn then threw to Yett at first to complete the second double play of the game. While the fans at Kiwanis Stadium were just warming to the game, Yett was already hot. His second turn at bat produced a single but the Fishermen couldn't capitalise.
The designated hitters from both teams were doing their jobs and not to be usurped by Yett, Letendre singled in the fifth with two out collecting his second hit of the game. The Fishermen were beginning to build when Letendre's single was immediately followed by Passmore who also singled and advanced Letendre to second, however Wattie Wifford maintained his composure when he enticed Broadus into a swinging strike to collect the final out ending the innings. In the top of the sixth, Jeovany Greif, who two weeks earlier was one of the favourites along with Letendre for the Fishermen DH spot amongst the radio talk shows, showed his former Fishermen colleagues no favours and doubled off Blues strike out king Bill Claire with one out. Despite the encouragement from the Kiwanis Stadium crowd, Claire wasn't able to collect any strike outs but did his job all the same and retired the next two Farmers batters without any damage being done to the precious 2-1 Fishermen lead.
Dragon's pitcher Bumpus Wensloff started the second innings strongly when Revelez struck out for the second time in the game, however he couldn't keep Yett from getting on base with his second single and third hit of the game. Yett was forced out at second when Mickey Bodie made first base after hitting towards Carl Bouchelle's third base side of the field. Jocko Nixon, who replaced Douglas at catcher in the bottom of the sixth, drove in Bodie with a two base hit to right field doubling the Fishermen lead. Pirate's second baseman Howie Herring ended the innings when he was able to collect Shane Walter's shot and quickly throw to Plank at first base.
The Farmers weren't about to give in and started the seventh with purpose when Shannon collected his first hit of the game singling off Frank Nunn. The next two Farmers batters came out swinging, Ikard skied out at short stop and Chance Greenwood's shot was not quite enough to tie the game as he was caught in right field by Revelez. Elmer Yount's single saw Shannon scamper to third base, but Nunn was able to take advantage of Avrea's first at bat and struck him out swinging.
Both teams were held scoreless until a 3 run eighth when the Fishermen took command of the game. Marcel Orren led off with a single off Jonah Lauw, then Rolf Crisaf struck out bringing the irresistible Yett to bat. Yett's fourth hit was his biggest of the night as he blasted a 392 foot shot bringing home Orren and extending the lead to four runs. The situation was getting the better of Lauw as he walked Bodie before giving up a double to Nixon which brought Bodie home. The final two outs came without further scoring as the Fishermen tried to put the game further out of reach.
Shannon hadn't given up the fight for the Farmers when he collected his second single of the game however it was Blue's closer Asmar Coleburn who finished the game in style striking out the last two Farmers batters.
Yett's imperious performance earned him the MVP award and when you include his last appearance in 2010 has gone 0.875 from 8 at bats with 2 home runs, bringing in 5 runs, collecting 4 himself. One can't imagine Mc Yett waiting 3 years for his next All Star appearance.
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