sturg1dj
06-03-2009, 08:42 PM
http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/121065/
A pitcher’s dream: Throwing a complete game and striking out 18 batters to lead your team to a postseason victory.
A hitter’s dream: With two outs in extra innings, hitting a two-run, walk-off home run.
In Warroad, Minn., on Saturday, the two dreams were one for Warroad High School senior Lars Anderson.
Anderson trudged through 13 innings on the mound, tossing an unthinkable 201 pitches against Thief River Falls. Generally, a pitch count is considered high at about 100 pitches.
Then, when his coach finally told the right-hander that he wouldn’t be pitching the 14th inning, Anderson blasted his second home run of the season in the bottom of the 13th against the defending section champion Prowlers for a 5-3 Warroad win.
“It was the most fun I’ve ever had playing baseball,” said Anderson, whose team advances to the Minnesota Section 8AA semifinals today against Detroit Lakes. “That home run was just icing on the cake. It was to left field, and as soon as I hit it I knew it was gone.”
Lars’ dad, Paul, couldn’t even celebrate.
“I didn’t even pump my fist,” Paul said. “I was just relieved. He really showed courage and determination.”
The most consecutive innings Lars Anderson had thrown previously were nine.
“I just told them a few innings before the 13th that I was feeling fine, so I kept going,” Anderson said. “It was do or die.”
Anderson’s heroics were necessary with Thief River Falls’ left-handed ace Cody Conners matching Anderson pitch for pitch.
Conners threw 11 innings, striking out 21 and racking up 204 pitches.
It was a pitcher’s duel to the extreme.
Lars Anderson was at his best, even at 200 pitches.
When he took the mound in the 13th inning, he struck out the first batter. After hitting the next hitter, Anderson struck out the next two. Of the last five batters he faced, Anderson struck out four.
“It was out of this world,” Paul Anderson said.
So how does an arm feel a couple of days after throwing 13 innings?
“Alright,” Anderson said. “I had some pretty good advice from one of the coaches to ice it for two hours.
“I haven’t thrown any yet. I have practice right now, though, and we’ll see how that goes.”
thought some of you may like this.
not sure the most pitches I ever threw, but with all of the walks I gave up who knows...haha
A pitcher’s dream: Throwing a complete game and striking out 18 batters to lead your team to a postseason victory.
A hitter’s dream: With two outs in extra innings, hitting a two-run, walk-off home run.
In Warroad, Minn., on Saturday, the two dreams were one for Warroad High School senior Lars Anderson.
Anderson trudged through 13 innings on the mound, tossing an unthinkable 201 pitches against Thief River Falls. Generally, a pitch count is considered high at about 100 pitches.
Then, when his coach finally told the right-hander that he wouldn’t be pitching the 14th inning, Anderson blasted his second home run of the season in the bottom of the 13th against the defending section champion Prowlers for a 5-3 Warroad win.
“It was the most fun I’ve ever had playing baseball,” said Anderson, whose team advances to the Minnesota Section 8AA semifinals today against Detroit Lakes. “That home run was just icing on the cake. It was to left field, and as soon as I hit it I knew it was gone.”
Lars’ dad, Paul, couldn’t even celebrate.
“I didn’t even pump my fist,” Paul said. “I was just relieved. He really showed courage and determination.”
The most consecutive innings Lars Anderson had thrown previously were nine.
“I just told them a few innings before the 13th that I was feeling fine, so I kept going,” Anderson said. “It was do or die.”
Anderson’s heroics were necessary with Thief River Falls’ left-handed ace Cody Conners matching Anderson pitch for pitch.
Conners threw 11 innings, striking out 21 and racking up 204 pitches.
It was a pitcher’s duel to the extreme.
Lars Anderson was at his best, even at 200 pitches.
When he took the mound in the 13th inning, he struck out the first batter. After hitting the next hitter, Anderson struck out the next two. Of the last five batters he faced, Anderson struck out four.
“It was out of this world,” Paul Anderson said.
So how does an arm feel a couple of days after throwing 13 innings?
“Alright,” Anderson said. “I had some pretty good advice from one of the coaches to ice it for two hours.
“I haven’t thrown any yet. I have practice right now, though, and we’ll see how that goes.”
thought some of you may like this.
not sure the most pitches I ever threw, but with all of the walks I gave up who knows...haha