AFL Update: Nov. 4, 2023

The Scorpions put the sting on early, scoring three runs in the 1st, and held on to double up the Desert Dogs, 4-2.

With the weekend off for all but DJ Herz (maybe), five Nationals appeared in last night’s game:

• Robert Hassell stayed in left and was the No. 2 batter, going 1-for-4 with a walk and a run scored at the plate and snagging two flyballs in the field.
• Trey Lipscomb shifted back to second base, where he had four putouts and an assist, and had two singles and an RBI in four AB’s as the No. 5 batter in the Scottsdale lineup.
• Holden Powell was the second Scorpions reliever and allowed an inherited runner to score on a wild pitch and a two-out double in the 4th and was lifted after getting the second out of the 5th. He walked two and struck out none.
• Orlando Ribalta stranded Powell’s runner at third base with a strikeout to end the 5th, then got three flyball outs in the 6th.
• Jack Sinclair was dinged for a homer in the 8th and three hits total while getting the last five outs of the game, two by way of the K. He still qualified for the save while raising his Fall ERA to 3.12.

The Scoprions are off until Tuesday afternoon and have only one more regular-season game on Thursday night.

Scottsdale is currently in second place, leading the two teams tied for third-place (Salt River and Peoria) by 1/2 a game, fifth-place Glendale by two games, and last-place Mesa by three games.

Should they finish higher than fourth, the Scorpions will play on Friday night for the right to face the Saguaros, who, despite what’s listed on the website, appear to have clinched the regular-season title with three more wins and three fewer losses than Scottsdale.