ERIC SCHMOLDT Star-Tribune staff writer | Posted: Thursday, September 4, 2008 12:00 am
The pregame chatter wasn't that out of the ordinary.
Its subject was.
"I've really got to work on my toss," Idaho Falls pitcher Bryan Casey said.
"Yeah, me too," teammate Ivor Hodgson said. "That's half the battle. I keep jamming myself."
But there was little batting or fielding practice involved in the Chukars' pregame routines before their game against the Casper Ghosts on Wednesday night.
The two were merely discussing the intricacies of "Balf."
Hodgson had just finished beating Casey at the game - a combination of baseball and golf - which had them hitting balls to all corners of Mike Lansing Field about 90 minutes before gametime.
"The last week is tough," Hodgson said.
Fans traded in T-shirts for jackets, players traded in batting practice for a game of pepper and Ghosts pitchers Jeff Fischer and Ethan Hollingsworth turned in the baseball for a bright pink and purple Nerf football.
Yes, the dog days of Summer have definitely arrived.
Both officially out of the playoff picture, the Ghosts and Chukars are counting down the days to the end of the Pioneer League season.
And even though it won't officially end until Friday, Fischer's one of many who are all but packed and ready to hit the road.
"Almost (packed)," Fischer said. "I've got all of my clothes packed up."
Though they might be less than eager to admit it, the teams have all but packed it in as well.
Entering Wednesday's contest, the Ghosts hadn't officially scored a run in 25 innings. And they had more errors (5) than hits (4) in back-to-back shutout losses to Idaho Falls to start the series.
Fall-like temperatures and a diminishing importance of games has helped.
The Ghosts were officially knocked out of the playoff race earlier this week.
"Everyone's still pretty focused during the day, it's just after the game that you see (the end) get closer and closer," Casper's Mike Zuanich said. "When we're here, we're focused. It just seems like guys might be getting tired and the weather has something to do with it, too."
It hasn't been an easy second half of the season.
The Ghosts finished just two games out of first place in the first half of the Pioneer League South Division season.
They still had a chance to make the postseason just a few days ago, but instead have insured themselves of the worst record in the division over the second half.
"It's hard," Mike Zuanich said. "We've just got to stay focused these last couple days. Everyone pretty much wants to go home and can see it in their sights but we've just got to keep working hard."
Or at least try to enjoy the final few days of the summer.
Less than five minutes after Wednesday's matchup had ended, Casey and Hodgson were already planning today's "Balf" rematch.
Contact sports reporter Eric Schmoldt at (307) 266-0578 or eric.schmoldt@trib.com.
GHOSTS TRACKER
WEDNESDAY: Idaho Falls 3, Casper 1
EMPTY TANK: There was plenty of pregame pepper and "Balf" at Mike Lansing Field as both the Ghosts and Chukars find themselves out of playoff contention with the season ending Friday.
HE SAID IT: "Everyone's still pretty focused during the day, it's just after the game that you see (the end) get closer and closer." - Casper infielder Mike Zuanich.
UP NEXT: Idaho Falls and Casper meet again tonight before the final game of the season on Friday.