While other teams have put away their baseball gloves and bats for the summer, the Great Lakes ThunderCats’ season is still in full swing, after they competed against statewide competition over July 18-20 in the 2003 Grand Blanc Invitational Baseball Tournament.
For the first time, the ThunderCats played at the major league regulation base distances and pitching length. In game one of the event, the Cats found themselves in a pitcher’s duel with the very strong Brighton Bulldog team. Kolden Buehler and Austin Delmotte pitched and gave up only three runs to the Dogs. The game was tied 3-3 going into the last inning, and the home team Bulldogs were able to score, winning the game 4-3.
Game two found the ThunderCats facing the perennially tough team representing Flushing, MI. In another game dominated by strong pitching, Trey Larocque was able to hold the opposition to one run. Josh Deeg came in relief and held the Orangemen scoreless for the final two innings.
The ThunderCats came to life and Taylor Phillips, Delmotte and Deeg scored in succession, giving the Cats a 4-2 victory. In the Cats’ third game on Saturday, they faced the home team from Grand Blanc. The ThunderCats’ bats were still on fire, as Ty Taylor, Quinn Evans, Mike Wood and Larocque all scored in the first inning.
Taylor, Evans and Buehler added to the lead in the second. Nathan Peklo drove in the final run for the mercy win. ThunderCats’ pitchers Billy Cribbs and Phillips combined for the win, giving up one run.
On Sunday, the Saline Hornets fell victim to the still “red hot” ThunderCats’ bats. Jason Palazzolo went 4-for-4 with four RBIs and three runs scored. Taylor had two hits and four runs scored, while Evans and Buehler each scored three in a lop-sided 21-4 victory. Taylor and Palazzolo combined for the win.
In the championship game, the Cats and Dogs went back at it. The ThunderCats had to face the Brighton Bulldogs once again. The Bulldogs had beaten the Cats 4-3 in game one. It was no surprise that a pitching war had begun. At the end of regulation, the score was tied 4-4.
In the eighth inning, the Dogs threatened, but catcher Deeg gunned down a potential base stealer and picked off a runner leading too far off second base, ending the threat. In the Cats’ eighth inning, Buehler scored on a deep sacrifice by Phillips. The Cats added one more and captured the championship with a 6-4 victory. Pitchers Buehler and Delmotte combined for the championship win.
For many of the teams competing, the Grand Blanc tournament marked the end of the 2003 baseball season. For the ThunderCats, Grand Blanc was just a tune-up for the 13-year-old World Series that they will compete in from Aug. 6-10 in Steam Boat Springs, Colorado.