Last Thursday, I profiled GameChanger and mentioned how we all “know and love” the system. On Tuesday, I was eating those words as the system went down globally just as the Dons took the field to face the Panthers. I jinxed it. Never missing an opportunity, however, I thought jinxes and superstitions would be a perfect article theme. The most famous jinx in baseball was of course the Red Sox selling Babe Ruth to the Yankees. Well known superstitions include fielders avoiding stepping on the foul line when taking the field, nobody talking to pitchers about a no-hitter or perfect game while it is in progress, and Nuke LaLoosh wearing a garter in “Bull Durham.” Less well known examples include 3rd baseman Wade Boggs taking exactly 150 grounders during warm-ups, Padres GM Kevin Towers leaving his suite every time Trevor Hoffman pitched, pitcher Matt Garza going to Popeyes before each start (no Raising Cane’s?), and me not doing laundry before games (for the sake of the team of course).
Perhaps the jinx extended to the game on the field. The Dons offense was quieter than it has been in the last few games, scoring 2 runs on 5 hits and 5 walk against a very tough Panther’s pitching staff. Wyatt Cooper led the team with 2 hits, and David Gonzales, Augie Martinez, and Ben Pecci each had a hit on the day. At the risk of yet another jinx, I thought I would point out that Pecci has now hit safely in 10 consecutive games, and has 18 hits in those games.
Jake Colaco got the start on the mound. He went 4 innings giving up 5 runs on 7 hits and 1 walk. He had a tough first inning, but then settled down after mixing in a heavy dose of sliders. David Gonzales came in next and went 0 innings giving up no hits and 3 walks. Cole Gwaltney inherited a bases-loaded jam with no outs in the 5th inning and did an amazing job not allowing any of the runs to score. He ended up going 3 innings, giving up no runs on 1 hit and 1 walk.
Get to know Coaches: Jim’s favorite MLB stadiums are Petco Park and Fenway, and Dan’s is Dodger Stadium.
The team hopes to end the jinx against Benicia on the road today (Thursday, April 20) at 4pm