The Game-Winner

Senior Day ceremonies

 

You can't rehearse it.

It's that simple.

It has to be spontaneous and reactionary. It has to be factual and professional. It has to be clear and concise.

How many times do I have to say it isn't about you? Or me? It's about the players, etc.

Greenwich beat Wilton 6-5 today in baseball.

If you had asked me around the fourth inning, I would have told you that it was Wilton's day. They opened a 2-0 lead in the first and lengthened it to 3-0 after two. The Cardinals answered in the third to get it to 3-2 but they had the bases loaded and one out with two shots to tie it.

No dice.

Then Wilton added two in the fourth inning and it was 5-2. 

Big Red also lost their center fielder when he slammed into the outfield fence. It's a spot that, as a broadcaster, you have to describe the play but you still need to be aware of your audience and you don't want to panic them. So you remain calm and describe without oversharing. You can do that on a radio call. 

Wyatt Gibson, the Cardinals center fielder, was down and Michael Bocchino, the right fielder, was waving for the trainer to come out.

These are all facts but the tone of my voice matters in that spot.

Eventually, Gibson walked off on his own and was tended to on the bench. Needless to say, he left the game.

Things calmed down from there but, even as the Cardinals put runners on, the game felt over. Greenwich got a leadoff base hit in the sixth but that got quickly erased on a double play.

The seventh inning began with Wilton up 5-2.

Clutch pitching by Owen Lanzarone of Greenwich over three innings kept Wilton off the board.

But Greenwich led off the final inning with a ground out. One down.

And then?

A double by Lanzarone.

A double by John McHugh, scoring Lanzarone. 5-3.

A double by Nathan Jones, scoring McHugh. 5-4.

Alex Palmer singled and pinch runner Nick D'Andrea scampered home. Tie game.

Wilton changed pitchers and Miles Trager and Michael Bocchino worked out walks. Suddenly the bases were loaded with one out.

The Warriors again went to the bullpen.

Up stepped Cody Baker.

There are players I'll always remember for their walk-off moments. Anthony Volpe springs to mind, of course, but there have been many others.

But as I said, it can't be scripted or rehearsed.

It has to be natural but still composed.

It does go through my mind to be thorough. Reset for the listener -- bases loaded, a 5-5 tie after Greenwich scored three. Probably elimination from the FCIAC playoff race for the loser of the game. And, in this situation, a walk, a base hit, a sacrifice fly, and maybe a wild pitch will win the game.

The Warriors played the infield in, though a double play would have ended the inning. Still, you have to play in. You can't risk it.

Baker had no interest in any of that. He was ending this himself.

First pitch.

Line drive.

Base hit.

Ballgame.

I called it as I saw it. I raised my voice. I didn't scream. I definitely overmodulated on the mixer but not fatally so. I thought the call was fine. Suitable. Decent.

I also called it surrounded by Wilton fans and that's always a dicey spot to be in.

The Warriors fans grumbled away, displeased at myriad calls by the umpires, including a questionable safe call on a stolen base in the seventh.

I don't think it would have mattered. Fate tapped Greenwich on the shoulder and they stepped up.

It would have sounded great on WGCH. At least I think it would have.

But it still sounded OK for the few who tuned in to little old Robcasting Radio.

Was it my best call ever? Probably not. Almost certainly not. But if it pleased some then I'll hold my head high.

That's all we can do.