I confess I left my notebook in my backpack when I walked down the steps to slide into the photo well next to the Missouri State dugout. My main reason?
I didn’t want to get cracked in the forehead with a baseball while jotting down notes.
Photographers have told me to watch for spinning baseballs and bats twirling into the well.
Now, I was once hit eight times by a professional wiffle ball pitcher. Even worse, I only managed a couple of foul balls off of him. He still said he’d take me on his team.
Still, I suppose getting hit in the photo well is just a risk of the job, like living with bears growling outside of your plywood shack, or following branding guidelines.
So I must recall: Missouri State took the lead when leadoff hitter Hunter Steinmetz hit a home run. I counted pitches for Arkansas starter Blaine Knight, who threw 48 over two innings. Then I realized Bears starter Dylan Coleman had thrown 50.
Notebook or not, I’m still haunted by the fans: good-hearted farmers and earnest purveyors at the Fayetteville farmers market turned into demons. One cackled at relief pitchers with a terrifying impersonation of a maniacal clown. The others wiggled their fingers and cheered “Wooooo Pig Sooie!” when pleased with their team. It’s “a hog call,” apparently, and it’s trademarked.
Perhaps they can use the same shriek to search for the ball that Bears first baseman Justin Paulsen hit to make it 3-1.
Turns out players also have to think about losing control: Arkansas pitcher Matt Cronin hit Blake Graham in the head. Perhaps feeling a little light-headed himself, Cronin walked Alex Jefferson before leaving the game. The trainer checked Graham, of course. I watched Blake as he walked down the steps, looking for a glazed look.
He stayed in. He’s okay. Maybe I teared up a little.
Then he scored the eventual winning run on a ground out. That’s what you do.
Later Jordan Knutson tossed a wild pitch to give up a run, but the Bears held on 5-4.
If you’re a Bears fan, Knutson and Jake Fromson shut down the Hogs’ hitters. If you prefer Arkansas, your hitters left runners on base again and again.
I’d call it relief either way.
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