Ailing Frisbee finds strength from above
Published 12:00 am Thursday, March 27, 2003
St. Aloysius shortstop Drew Mazzanti, left, forces out Enterprise-Lincoln’s Darren Brady at second base before unsuccessfully trying to complete a double play in the first inning of the Flashes’ 11-1 win on Wednesday. (Melanie Duncan ThortisThe Vicksburg Post)
[3/27/03]Sweat lined Alex Frisbee’s face, as much from his fever as the five innings he had just played. He stepped off the mound, took off his cap and read the bible verse he had written on the bill, the one about finding strength through God.
With one last bit of inspiration, Frisbee went back on the hill, worked his way out of the minor jam he was in, and finished off Enterprise-Lincoln. The flyout to left completed a masterful pitching performance by the St. Aloysius junior, but Frisbee was in no mood to celebrate.
He was ready for bed.
Frisbee, battling aches and a 101-degree temperature, held Enterprise to only three hits while striking out eight in five innings Wednesday as St. Al won, 11-1. Frisbee also went 2-for-3 at the plate, with two doubles and two RBIs.
“I had a 101 (temperature) before I left the house, and I was just praying. I was like God give me strength to get me through this game,'” Frisbee said. “I don’t have any strength right now, and I guess it just came through Him.”
Frisbee got some help from his teammates, too. Jason Brown was 2-for-3 with two doubles and two RBIs, Jordan Muirhead went 3-for-3 with two RBIs, Kyle Richards had a pair of RBI singles, and Chad Cox added an RBI double.
After facing a Raymond pitcher whose fastball tops out near 90 MPH on Tuesday, the Flashes (6-3, 3-1 Division 7-1A) struggled to adjust to Enterprise’s David Russell early on. Russell appeared to be throwing no faster than 70 mph.
Russell survived one trip through the lineup, though. St. Al sent 12 batters to the dish and scored eight runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to blow the game open.
Frisbee and Brown each had two-run doubles during an eight-run fourth as St. Al went ahead 11-0.
“David throws strikes, but we know sooner or later everybody’s going to hit him. We’ve just got to make plays in the field. Chances that we get to get out of innings we’ve got to capitalize on that, and that’s what we’re having problems with,” said Enterprise coach Scott Leggett, whose team dropped to 0-8, and 0-4 in division play.
Frisbee, meanwhile, was mowing down the undermanned Yellowjackets.
After he hit Enterprise right fielder Trey Herrington with a pitch to load the bases in the second inning, Frisbee struck out Darren Brady to end the threat and retired the next nine batters he faced.
Brady walked with two outs in the fifth to end the streak, then scored on Scott Sasser’s bloop single to center to end the shutout.
After a couple of pitches to Justin Kyzar, Frisbee stepped off the mound, looked at his cap, and found the strength to finish as he got Kyzar to fly out to left to end the game.
“I was always looking forward to coming back out. I like being on the mound, and my arm didn’t bother me. I felt good for the game. I’m sure I’ll feel the effects afterward, later,” Frisbee said. “It all came out for the best. I’m going to take me a long bath.”