Something not associated with short-season baseball has occurred recently.
The teams competing for the Pinckney Division title are situational pitching. The most recent example of the late-season trend came Wednesday when Spikes manager Mark DeJohn used Ryan Hodinka and Ashley Hooks to face one batter each.
With one out in the seventh inning, Hodinka, a left-hander, replaced starter Kyle Sadlowski to face the left-handed hitting Josh Roberts. Hodinka threw six straight curveballs and Roberts waved and missed the final one. Hooks, a right-hander, then entered the game to face the right-handed hitting Cirillo Cumberbatch. Hooks struck out Cumberbatch looking at an inside fastball.
"I knew I was coming in for one guy because (DeJohn) told me that while I was out on the mound," Hodinka said. "I had to stay focus because it was the only job that I was going to get to do."
Don't be surprised to see Hodinka, one of three left-handed relievers on the roster, to receive similar work during the final nine games.
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