Baseball Review // KHA 1, Great Falls Gators 5 [10/3/20 @ Litchfield Community Field, Litchfield, CT]

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This was our second time going to the Litchfield Community Field and I must say that I enjoy it because not only do they have proper bathrooms but there is enough space around the field to sit without feeling as if you're too close to other people or in a bad spot.  We sit in the shade of trees but if it felt colder we could move down slightly and be in the sun.   There was, however, something going on in Litchfield on this day which caused a lot of traffic in their downtown.   When we arrived at the game it was maybe 2:05 (with a 2:00 start time) so with the Gators on the field I assumed it was the top of the first.

At the time we were getting out of the car as well, the Gators catcher was down and being looked at by the rest of the team.   I can only assume that he took a bat to some part of his body, maybe knocking the wind out of him.   Between trying to figure out what was going on at home plate and just trying to get my general sense of being set up and ready to go for the game, I did forget to take a picture when I first got there which typically goes not only on Instagram but also in the top of these reviews.

The "KHA" team is made up of primarily players from the Connecticut Twilight League who are on the Bristol Knights (they're the "K"), the New Britain Hurricanes (they're the "H") and the Southington Aftershock (they're the "A")   I know that the New Britain Hurricanes did pretty well this season in the CTL so the way this could be an assembly of all-stars made it quite interesting.   There were also more teams than just these three out there as everyone wore their respective uniforms and there were, in total, at least five different uniforms out there.   It's kind of fun to look at it as an all-star game type of way though and that made it seem more like a competition.

While the Gators used three pitchers throughout this game, it felt like they used them in a different way than the KHA team used their three pitchers.   It felt like Gators have a starter, reliever and closer, but the KHA team just felt like the pitchers were given closer to an equal amount of time to pitch.  It makes it feel like none of them really got the chance to settle in but it's also just nice to give them a chance to pitch if that's what they want to do.

After putting a run up in the bottom of the second inning, the Gators responded by adding two more in the bottom of the third.   Oddly enough, the runner in the first inning who scored was put on base by a walk and the two runs in the bottom of the third were a result of a walk and a HBP with bases loaded.   The Gators were hitting though- putting up a run in the sixth and eighth inning as well.   The KHA team managed to get just one run in the top of the eighth inning but there was never really any threat of the KHA team tying the game as the Gators pitching had it in control.

Following this win, the Gators improve to 3-2 on the season and are only behind the Great Barrington Millers (who have only one loss, which was to the Gators) and the undefeated South Windsor Phillies.  This makes this coming Saturday feel much more important now as the Gators take on the Phillies at noon at Litchfield Community Field.  After that, the KHA team takes on the Millers in what should be a good match up as well.  If you feel particularly lucky, you can even go to Newington High School at 9 am for the River Valley Orioles-Canton Crushers game, which could be over with enough time for you to make it to Litchfield for noon.

With only three weeks left (and make up games) the Phillies are the team to beat as they remain undefeated.   Every team is going to the playoffs but the Phillies and Millers are going with a bye, which makes it seem more like a feeling out process for the teams but you never know what will happen in the playoffs.   The Canton Crushers have yet to win a game in this regular season so maybe they'll go undefeated in the playoffs.   Either way, it's fun to be out in the kind of cold but not really weather this time of year.