Rebel Review: Top Three Wins of the Regular Season from Baseball, Life, and Other Stuff

Rebel Review: Top Three Wins of the Regular Season

November 20, 2009 - Austin Gisriel

With darkness falling earlier and earlier these days, it's time to bring back a little sunshine in the form of some summer recollections. Today's rays appear in the form of the three most important regular season wins for the New Market Rebels this past season:

#3, July 3rd vs. Fauquier--Exactly halfway through the season, the Rebels' record stood at a lackluster 10-12 after an uninspired 4-1 loss to Haymarket the night before. Trailing 5-0 after 5 1/2 innings, the Rebels rallied for 8 runs over the final four frames to defeat the Gators at Rebel Park on Parents' Weekend. Seth Kivett and Zak Messer stroked home runs, while Sanchez Gartman's two-out, bases clearing double in the 7th sealed the victory.

#2, July 16 vs. Luray--Again, the Rebels were coming off a beating at the hands of the Staunton Braves, 16-7, in their previous game on the 13th. Fans were fuming about the way the intervening Mid-Atlantic Classic All-Star game had been managed, feeling that the Rebel players had been snubbed. The Rebels took a 2-0 lead before an out was ever recorded thanks to a Kevin Rufus home run, and when All-Star Kenny Mickens added a three-run shot in the second, the Rebels and their faithful followers were rocking and rolling. New Market went on to win 12-7, putting them a game over .500 and beginning a 6 game winning streak, their longest of the year, and the stretch that put them into the playoffs.

#1, July 31 vs. Harrisonburg--In the midst of a 5 game losing streak that followed the 6 game winning streak, the Rebels were desperate for one more win that would put them into the playoffs. Down 3-2 heading into the bottom of the 9th and with only two games remaining against Front Royal and Luray, two tough opponents, the Rebels faced Drew Granier, the Turks' best hurler. Sanchez Gartman walked, stole second, took third on a grounder to short, and scored on a wild pitch. Never has a rally without a hit been so exciting! Pinch runner Matt Burnside scored the winning run with two out in the 10th when Kevin Rufus lofted what seemed to be a routine pop up behind first base, that fell in for a hit.

Of course, the two most exciting wins of the season would occur several days after the victory over Harrisonburg, when New Market took two from Luray in their home park to advance to the semi-final round of the playoffs.

Until the summer sun shines again, we have our Rebel recollections to keep us warm!

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Used with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission. - From Baseball, Life, and Other Stuff by Austin Gisriel