2016 X-Tinct Makes it Four in a Row in Northwest Arkansas 25+ Division

NWA X-Tinct 17, White Sox 5

‘MVP Reed/White Sox Mound Woes Propel X-Tinct’

Submitted by Stephen Boudreaux, Northwest Arkansas league president

The White Sox had taken three of four games from the X-Tinct this season and had broken up what was a more than three-year undefeated run. Hoping to end the hopes of the X-Tinct four-peating for another championship, the White Sox seemed like the team that could do it. However, things just went way wrong to start the game.

White Sox pitcher, Will Tucker, plunked the first two batters and after getting legendary masher, Ryan Paskiewicz to pop out to second, the X-Tinct loaded up the bases and ultimately plated four runs in the first frame which Tucker was pulled in favor of Tanner Daniels. Daniels ended up with nearly the same fate by the second frame giving up two runs and more loaded bases. Nick Wills relieved to try and keep the game within reach. Even though down 10-4 in the third, the White Sox held hopes, but the X-Tinct finally ran Wills off the mound by plating another six runs in the fifth to put the game away for good.

The White Sox never could get anything going offensively off X-Tinct pitcher Nick Reed, despite getting nine hits including Andy Miller’s 2-run home run in the third. The White Sox stranded 10 runners in the five frames. Pitching was the Sox ultimate factor with seven HBP (5 scored) and five walks (3 scored) and timely hits behind them. Offensively for the White Sox, Brad Hughes (2-3, 2R, RBI, BB), Andy Miller (3-3, R, 3RBI, HR), Stephen Boudreaux (1-2), Brent Smith (1-3, 2R, 2B, SB, K), Dakota Brissey (1-2, K) and Gregg Rollins (1-2).

NWA X-Tinct jumped out to an early lead on the NWA White Sox. The NWA White Sox pushed across two runs in both the first and the third, but their offense was overshadowed by a lack of command on the mound. The staff racked up seven hit batsman and two balks across five innings. But command wasn’t to blame for everything, as the full lineup of NWA X-Tinct came with bats of vengeance after seeing three losses against the Sox during the regular season.

As a team, X-Tinct put up 14 hits and 21 quality at bats against the Sox, while 10 of the team’s 15 RBIs were split across a powerhouse of just three players: Jose Cueto, Ryan Paskiewicz, and Casey Benincosa. While X-Tinct limited damage in the field, Nick Reed kept the White Sox offense further in check with six strikeouts and eight runners stranded on base across five innings. In the end, ten runs in the first three innings allowed NWA X-Tinct to put the game away early.