The zone is an often used sports term to indicate a player is playing to his or her utmost capability.
I think we need to call Webster and ask what term is used for an entire team playing to their utmost ability, because that is what happend Monday night in Brookline's second game in the 2011 Aston-Middleton Diamond Classic.
Any coach will tell you that getting off to a good or bad start does not mean you will win or lose that game, but it sure can help. Coach VanTrieste made a few modifications in his lineup Monday night.
"Just trying to spread the pop through out our entire lineup rather than the normal 4-5-6 spots," he said. The result? How about an 11-1 drubbing at the hands of the host team, Aston-Middleton.
Blayze Hyland got the ball rolling with a line drive single, that was followed by Colin Reynolds, Ryan Wellington, Chris Hattal, Will Shallow, Colin Morris, and William Hoopesall led to a 4-0 lead for Brookline heading into the bottom of the first.
Two increadible line drive grabs by Blayze Hyland and a running pop-up catch by Will Shallow puts up goose eggs for the home team and we move to the second. Reid VanTrieste got the ball rolling and it just never stopped as that single was followed by Danny Smyth, Mason Baylis, Quinn Carson, Blayze Hyland, Colin Reynolds, and Ryan Wellington all with singles to make it an 8-0 lead and moving in the bottom of the 2nd.
Perhaps the play of the year (well, at least on record. See attached video for yourself!) was made by Colin Reynolds, in a soft popup that was falling just short of the pitchers mound, there is no way anyone could make the catch.
Well, maybe no one but Colin Reynolds. A diving catch was indeed made to record the first out and this inning also saw Tommy Caruso make another outstanding play by snaring a line drive that was surely headed for a double. On to the third, with Brookline ahead 8-0.
This time is was Chris Hattal who lead it off for Brookline and was immediately followed by Will Shallow, Colin Morris, William Hoopes, Reid Vantrieste, and Mason Baylis to improve their lead to an 11-0.
Aston-Middleton shows some fight and after two quick strikeouts, it went single, double, single to get a run across, but that would be all they could muster, as another great grab by Colin Reynolds and toss to Will Shallow would end their comeback attempt. A few great grabs by the Aston defense would end Brooklines fourth .
Due to the 10-run rule, the Brookline Defense would put an end to this contest by recording three outs again without allowing a run.
"This is how we knew these kids could play, we always knew they would hit, but tonight it was their defense that lead them to victory," Coach Caruso mentions after the game.
Their next contest is Wednesday at 6 p.m., and depending on that out come, we may still have a shot at the trophy!
Here are some of your top offensive performers:
Blayze Hyland (2-3, 1 R, 1RBI)
Colin Reynolds (3-3, 1 R, 1 RBI)
Ryan Wellington (3-3, 1 R, 1 RBI)
Chris Hattal (2-3, 2 R, 1 RBI)
Will Shallow ( 2-2, 1 R, 1 RBI)
Colin Morris ( 2-2, 1 R, 1 RBI)
William Hoopes (2-2, 2 RBI)
Reid VanTrieste ( 2-2, 1 R, 1 RBI)
Danny Smyth (1-2, 1 R)
Mason Baylis( 2-2, 1 R, 1 RBI)
Quinn Carson (1-2, 1 R, 1 RBI)
