FORT BRAGG — It was a tough enough way to end a game, let alone a season.
“That same guy has cost us two games this season,” an intensely unhappy Kelseyville coach Greg Giusti said after the Kelseyville Knights fell 4-3 to the Fort Bragg Timberwolves in the North Central League I North finale for both team teams on Friday in Fort Bragg.
The “guy” Giusti was referring to was the base umpire, who called out Megan Andre, the potential tying run, as she was advancing to second base in the top of the seventh inning. The Knights already had pushed three runs across the plate to cut Fort Bragg”s lead to one and Andre was the runner at first when Skyler Olsen knocked a ball through the right side for an apparent single. The ball took a funny hop on the play and the umpire called out Andre, claiming the ball had struck her.
“The ball hit a rock and took a funny bounce,” Giusti said. “It missed Andre by two feet. The only one who saw it (the ball hit Andre) was that guy. He”s the same umpire who cost us a game in Willits.”
Giusti said he asked the home plate umpire to help out on the play, but the call stood and the game — and Kelseyville”s season — ended.
“The players shook it off better than the coach,” Giusti said. “I”ll have eight months to think about that (call).”
Fort Bragg built a 4-0 lead against losing pitcher Jillian Allen by scoring two runs in each of the fourth and fifth innings. It remained that way until the seventh, when the Knights” bats finally began to come alive.
Kelseyville closes out the 2009 campaign at 4-4 in league and 8-15 overall.
“This has been a very difficult season because of things like today, things we can”t control,” Giusti said.
With all but three starters returning next season, Giusti is confident the Knights can do better in 2010.
Kelseyville will lose starters Andre (shortstop), Jenn Asbury (right field) and Kari Vandraiss (center field) to graduation, shoes that won”t be easy to fill, according to Giusti.
“They”re all four-year players, all dedicated, all captains and all strong leaders,” Giusti said. “They”re also very, very pleasant people to be around and I”m going to miss them.”
Olsen, Asbury, Ashley Mueller, Ashley Johnson, Kyra Rudnick and Ty Van Housen had Kelseyville”s six hits. Rudnick and Andre drove in runs.
