Outlaws Impress in Third Day of Spring Training
May 16, 2011 - North American League (NAmL)
Chico Outlaws News Release
CHICO- After practice was rained out Sunday, the Outlaws took the field Monday morning to start their third day of spring training. The day started out just as the others; the player coaches led stretching, followed by fielding drills, and a break for lunch. However, with rain in the forecast, the inter-squad scrimmage started promptly at 12:30.
The game featured two pitchers who were on top of their game from the start. Ryan Screnar, the first to take the mound, fed the Outlaws hitters a steady diet of fastballs through the game's first three innings. Screnar showed off his command by painting the outside of the strike zone with his 2-seamer on numerous occasions. Screnar's work was done after a solid three innings in which he allowed just one run on three hits while recording a strikeout. The second to take the hill was Japanese right-hander Koji Tsukamoto. His submarine arm angle combined with a myriad of off-speed pitches proved to be too much for the Outlaws hitters at times. He consistently had hitters on their heels; attempting to get out of the way of the incoming pitch, only to realize the ball darted back over the plate for a strike. Tsukamoto pitched effectively in his three innings of work; allowing only one earned run on just two hits while striking out two.
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the day was newcomer George Washington. The 23 year-old outfielder missed the first two days of spring training due to traveling conflicts, but finally landed at Sacramento International Sunday morning. In his first at bat of the spring, Washington put his smooth swing on display and smoked a Ryan Screnar pitch into the outfield with a runner on to score the game's first run.
At the top of the next inning, Jake Rife lead off with a triple. The lefty outfielder, just two years removed from a stellar year at Washington University, took a Tsukamoto off-speed pitch to deep center and scored the team's first run just a batter later. Rife was selected by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the 2009 amateur entry draft and boasts a career .301 batting average.
With just about ten total days of spring training, there is no time to lose as one of those days has already been cancelled due to harsh weather conditions. The Outlaws will hope the evening rain will dissipate into the morning and the team can take the field once more to prove to coaches Mike Marshall and James Frisbie that they have what it takes to earn a much coveted roster spot for the 2011 season.
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North American League Stories from May 16, 2011
- Fielders Begin Spring Training - Lake County Fielders
- Bats Alive in Inaugural Grey/Black Game - Calgary Vipers
- Outlaws Impress in Third Day of Spring Training - Chico Outlaws
- Thunder Invite Pair to Spring Training - McAllen Thunder
- Roadrunners Invite Three to Spring Training - Edinburg Roadrunners
- WhiteWings Finalize Spring Training Roster - Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings
- Colts Add Three Pitchers to 2011 Roster - San Angelo Colts
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