8/15/10 vs Tigers

After running into some tough luck the past couple weeks we finally got back into the win column. The win this Sunday took 11 innings to get it but felt good to be on the winning side again. The defense looked strong like it had in the beginning and we were hitting the ball more like we had in the earlier weeks. Still we couldn't come up with the big hits that would have made this a 9th inning game. There were a couple instances where we had multiple runners in scoring position.

We scored once in the first inning thanks to some errant throws from the Tigers shortstop and once again in the second thanks to a Dayne Litchfield solo homerun. The Tigers tied it up in their second with a 2 run single. The did not score again till the 6th. We scored 6 more runs in the 5th and took a 8 to 2 lead. The Tigers cut our lead down to 1 after the 7th inning and then tied it in the 8th with a solo homerun. I came in to pitch the last 3 innings for us and did not allow any runs. We broke the tie when Antoine Chatman hit a double to the gap and added some extra insurance with a bases loaded walk. Those run solidified the win for us as I went 1, 2, 3 in the bottom of the 11th. Now we got one more regular season game left vs the Cubs and have either 2nd or 3rd on lock and will face the Tigers again in the First round of the playoffs.

Antoine Chatman with the GW double:

Dayne Litchfield's solo homerun:

8/1/2010 vs Dirtbags

Well, this Sunday we were the visiting team and things started off pretty good for us. We scored 3 runs in the top of the first with the help of a passed ball and a long homerun hit by myself. I felt good about the start we had to the game here. Well, we lost that lead right away. Everything the Dirtbags hit in their first fell. Jam shots just over the infield, super high balls hit straight into the ground. The Dirtbags went on to score 8 runs in the first.


After a terrible first inning we settled down. Austin Gallego found a grove and kept us in the game after that. We starting chipping away at the Dbags lead and got within 3 runs. After coming so close, everything started to fall apart. It didn't help when you have an horrible umpire too. Closest we got was 7 to 10. Then I came in to hopefully keep us close and did not do so well. I gave up two and then five. We couldn't score any runs to keep us in the game. We had one instance where we got the bases loaded and no outs and then went 3 strikeouts to score no runs. We just could not hit like we know how to. We need to come out next week ready to hit and score 20 runs. We know we are 20 times better than how we played on Sunday. We need to get out of this hitting funk and rake like we can. On a good note, Alex Seider hit is first homerun of the season.


My homerun swing:

Alex Seider:

7/25/2010 vs Barons

Well today's game vs. the Barons should have been an easy win for us. We started off slow in the first inning and never changed. Something just wasn't clicking for us today. We had so many opportunities to put the game far out of the reach from the Barons. It doesn't help when I can't throw a ball down and when we make errors on routine plays along with leaving 15 men stranded. I know we had the bases loaded at least twice and couldn't score a run. We couldn't come through with the big hits like all of us are capable of. Dayne Litchfield had a good day at the plate but doesn't have much to show since he lined out hard twice. Matt Black pitched 7 great innings giving up only 3ER and only allowing 5 hits and had 6 strikeouts. I went 4 for 4 with two doubles but no RBI's. I would have traded that for a 1 for 5 with a walk off single. Thankfully we did not lose the game and ended up to scratch out a 6 to 6 Tie. I think we all feel like we lost this game in that it should have never been a game at all. On a good note the Dirtbags lost. Now time to forget about this and focus on kicking some Dirtbags butt.

Matt Black: 7IP, 5H, 3ER, 6K

Me: 4-4, 2B x2

Matt Holmes:

18AA/A All-Star Game

     The 2010 NABA 18AA/A took place on July 22nd at the Davis Playfields. The players representing the Titans were Chase Davis, Austin Gallego, Jeremiah Roberts, and I. I was also the manager of the team since we were in first place at the All-Star break. I got to the game and wanted to concentrate on getting ready for the game but had to take of all the managerial things. I had to make the lineup, get starting positions situated, find pitchers and figure out where everyone could play. After finally getting a lineup card together everything was under way.


     The lineup started with all the Titans' players at the top of the lineup and every Titan contributed to the game. The Titans' side was paired with the AA Cubs and A Warriors, Barons, Ridge Runners. I gave the start to Austin Gallego and he pitched well but had no help from his catcher. His catcher had a tough time just catching the ball. Despite throwing some extra pitches he still managed to do well. Gallego was the only Titan to pitch. All Titans contributed offensively. Jeremiah Roberts went 0 for 0 with 3 walks and a run scored. Austin Gallego and Antoine Chatman each had an rbi single and a run scored. I myself had an rbi single along with a walk and 2 runs scored. Chase Davis is the man that had a big night at the dish going 3 for 3 with two doubles, 2rbi's and a run scored. Helping him to break out of his mini slump. Even though we the American side lost the game 12 to 11, Chase(Crash) Davis' big night still garnered him the MVP award. We all had a good time at the game and got another awesome t-shirt from the league!

Your Titans' All-Stars:

MVP Crash Davis:

Myles Vargas:

Jeremiah Roberts:

Austin Gallego:

7/18/2010 vs Brewers

7/18/2010 was going to be a tough day for manager Myles Vargas. During the week, he had received notice that he would be missing his top pitcher Austin Gallego, center fielder Dayne Litchfield, left fielder Brian Rogers(top hitter), and 3rd baseman Matt Black. Having to rethink how he would make his lineup he had finally come up with a lineup that he would use. Come the morning of 7/18, Myles had received a text at approximately 7:45am from Antoine Chatman stating that an emergency had come up and would not be able to make it to the game. With that text, it would have left Myles with only 8 players for the game. Having to decide what to do, Myles went to his brother and father to ask them to fill in. Both agreed to come play and paid off very well.

Game time was 10am and as usual, Titan players are asked to be there an hour before game time. Everybody was there and only one Brewer player was in the dugout. Hoping that the other team would show, the Titans stretched and warmed up accordingly. Around 9:30am the Brewers started to show up and the game was ready to take place. While warming up Myles had noticed that umpires which would doing the game and was very angry and disappointed at the umpires he saw. The umpires that were there had done the previous game and are terrible. The Titans knew they would have to look past them and keep their cool.

The starting pitcher for the Titans was manager Myles Vargas and things seemed to starting off well until an obvious strike 3 call was missed for the Brewers 3 hitter. Of course, the hitter went on to hit a 2run homerun which cleared the fence by a matter of inches. A cheap homerun on a short fence. Myles regrouped and came back to get the next two hitters out for three outs. The Titans started off their first inning well getting their first two base runners on. One eventually scored on a fielder's choice by Chase Davis. Now the Titans were only down one run.

The second inning was a quick inning with both team only sending 4 hitters to the plate and neither team scoring any runs. Also, the third inning was another quick inning but this time both teams each scoring a run each. So the score was now 3-2 after 3 innings. Again the 4th inning proved to be quick. This time Myles had some help from his dad at first base jumping up to snag a line drive for the first out of the inning and went on to retire the two hitters. The Titans got their first hitter on by way of a hit by pitch from Juan Chavez but were unable to score him. The score remained at 3-2 Brewers lead after 4 innings.

Now the 5th inning is when things started to get going for the Titans. Again, Myles had some help from his dad which this time had a diving stop to his right to knock the ball down and flip it to Myles for the first out. Myles struck out the next hitter, hit the next and got the next to ground out for three outs. So, down by one run the Titans were ready to get something going with the top of their lineup coming up to bat the bottom of the 5th. Ben Petersen started the inning off with a walk. Jeremiah Roberts came up next to take a hit by pitch to the shoulder. 2 runners on, not outs and Myles Vargas gets a free pass to load the bases. Bases loaded and cleanup hitter Chase Davis is up and gets plunked to bring a run in. Matt Holmes hit into a fielders choice and the Brewers got the force at home for the first out. Still bases loaded and Juan Chavez came through with a rbi single. Alex Seider then came through with a 3 run single and still one out. Now Myles' brother Brandon is up and smoked a 2 run homerun over the left field fence to make it 3-9 Titans' lead after 5 innings.

Myles made it another 1,2,3 6th inning for the Brewers and the Titans went on the score another run in the 6th by a rbi single from Matt Holmes. 3-10 Titans after 6 innings. The 7th inning turned out to be tougher for Myles giving up 3runs and the Titans couldn't get any back in the bottom of the 7th. The Brewers cut the lead down to 6-10 after 7 innings.

After holding the Brewers scoreless in the 8th, the Titans went to work in the bottom of the 8th to score 6 runs and make it a mercy rule. With one out, Myles Vargas ripped a double to left center, a walk to Chase Davis, and an infield single to load bases from Matt Holmes. After a Juan Chavez strike out, Alex Seider came through again bringing in two more runs making it 6-12. Brandon Vargas then got walked and Albert del Carmen came through with a rbi single making a 13-6. Now 48 year old Mike Vargas up to bat taking on a lefty half his age smacked a 2 run double off the fence scoring 2 more runs. Now only needing one for run for the mercy rule, Ben Petersen was up to bat and takes a ball in the dirt which got away from the catcher allowing Albert del Carmen to come home and end the game. Titans win 16-6!!

Myles Vargas: 8IP, 5ER, 10K's : 2-4, 2B, RBI

Mike Vargas: 1-2, 2B, 2 RBI

Brandon Vargas: 2-4, HR, 2RBI