DBacks Notes:
OAKLAND, Ca. -- It was overcast. It was brisk. It was windy. It was time to play ball! Saturday morning the NOLL SOLL Juniors season got underway with the Athletics hosting the Diamondbacks at Caldecott field.

The A’s sent their ace (Josh S.) to the bump and he didn’t disappoint. The DBacks were able to load the bases to start the game, but Josh locked it down striking out the next 3 hitters to end the inning unscathed. He would hold the DBacks to just 2 runs over 4 innings while not allowing a hit and striking out 10 would-be base runners. In their half of the 1st inning the A’s went 1-2-3...and the game was on!

The A’s struck first in the bottom of the 2nd. Clean-up hitter, Henry L., led off with a single. After two more singles by Bryan P. and Ishmael E. they took a 2-0 lead. The DBacks answered with 2 unearned runs in the top of the 3rd to knot it at 2-2.

Wasting no time, the feisty A’s came right back to plate 3 in the bottom of the 3rd for a 5-2 lead. The rally was capped by a 2-run double by Henry L. The damage could have been more significant after 3 innings had it not been for the arm of DBack catcher Nate “Bump” M. who threw out runners attempting to steal second base in both the 2nd and 3rd innings to end the rallies.

Scoring resumed in the 5th after both teams went 1-2-3 in the 4th. After several long at-bats, the DBacks had elevated the pitch count for the A’s ace and forced a call to the bullpen. Matt “Sometimes” L. and Cristian “Rerun” H. of the DBacks hit singles and later scored on a double by Bump making the score 4-5 in favor of the hosting A’s.

Not ready to give up their lead, the A’s scored 2 runs of their own in the bottom of the 5th off a fatiguing Rerun. Rerun allowed 7 runs (4 unearned) over 4 1/3 innings of solid pitching. After 5 innings the A’s lead 7-4; it would be their last lead.

Matt “Wizard” G. led off with a scorching line drive single to center. Billy O. followed with a single. Jack “Dash” P. knocked in a run and reached base on a hard hit ball. Billy O. scored on a RBI ground out to the right side of the infield by Casey “Curvy” B. Sometimes and Rerun added RBI singles for a 8-7 DBack lead. The A’s went scoreless in their half of the 6th after Curvy, on in relief of Rerun, struck out the side.

The DBacks added 2 more runs in the top of the 7th off 4 consecutive singles by Wizard, Chris “Hip-Check” S., Billy O. and Dash. The A’s managed to score a run in the bottom of the 7th to make the game 10-8.

Despite the chilly temps it was a warm way to start the season for the DBacks.

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
DBacks	0	0	2	0	2	4	2	10	11	5
A’s	0	2	3	0	2	0	1	8	7	4