[Elendil]

Game Six

Hatt vs. Northeast

September 9, 2011 - It was noticeably warmer in the panhandle at this time of year, with the temperatures in the upper 40s at game time. However, the panhandle also had a moist climate, and on this night the air was finely misting, while a thick fog loomed offshore over Mendenhall Lake.

The starting pitchers were expected to be sharp, with so much on the line, and they were. Scott Northeast walked nobody and struck out five in his eight innings of work, while Jack Hatt walked two and struck out five over eight innings.

But at the end of eight Bethel had a 4-2 lead on the strength of a George Henneberry double and some timely hitting in the 6th. However, Duncan Sutherland had ended that inning getting thrown out at the plate, a play that the Mushers hoped wouldn't come back to haunt them.

The Mushers went down in order in the ninth, and James Marshall came in to nail down the save and the league championship. With a two-run lead and the fog worsening, the Mushers could already sense victory.

The Senators opened up with a pinch-hitter. Terry Shannon came in to pinch-hit for Bob Crawford, who'd had a pretty poor series. Shannon grounded out to shortstop. One away.

Second baseman Ralph Collette came up. On a 1-1 count, he pulled a pitch to the left-center power alley and just kept motoring. The relay came in to third, just late. Collette had a dirty jersey and a triple.

Catcher Bob Russo came up. Marshall pitched to him carefully, with the pitcher's spot due up next. Russo worked the count 3-2 and then drew the base on balls. Runners on the corners with one out - and the now the tying run was on base.

Marshall took a little stroll around the mound, massaging the ball and contemplating the floodlights filtering down eerily through the fine mist. The dense atmosphere made the standing, cheering crowd seem strangely distant.

Dirk Cluett came in to pinch-hit. Though still young, his career hadn't turned out the way he had expected after those batting titles. He wasn't even a starter anymore, but he had played well in this series when called upon.

The left-handed Cluett was a free swinger, and he wasn't going to think about changing that now. First pitch swinging, he went down and got a pitch down and away, driving it to the right-center power alley. It got down and bounced around along the wall. Cluett kept running. He almost caught up to Russo, huffing and puffing. Cluett was in to third standing up, and Russo beat the catcher to home plate as the relay came in off line. Tie game.

Now Marshall really had to focus. The save was blown, no time to think about that, the infield was drawn in with one out and a runner at third. A strikeout would be ideal here.

Seguin strode to the plate. He took a ball, stepped back to wipe away the moisture from his forehead. Marshall brought the next pitch, and Seguin simply poked it halfway between the drawn-in shortstop and third baseman. Both dove; neither got there. Cluett danced home easily, and the dugout exploded to greet him.

Marshall could only sit down on the mound, dazed. The series was tied.

Final score: Juneau 5, Bethel 4.