ToI game - Scrappers vs Weebles

My wife and I tested out the baseball-game part of Tools of Ignorance last night. We each made up a team of 8 position players and two pitchers - a relief pitcher and a starter. We each had the same number of rookies, veterans, and over-the-hill retreads:

The game was a blast - the Burlington Scrappers (wife) vs the Waltham Weebles (me). My rookie left hander had a rocky top of the first inning! He let up one run, and had runners on second and third, when the Scrapper's first baseman hit a scorching line drive over shortstop - AKA he rolled a double - when my shortstop leapt and snagged the liner - AKA he Challenged the double - to end the inning, though he came up with a Nagging Injury because he pushed it with a Trait, and failed his roll. The Scrappers pitcher was amazing, and my rookie settled down to a less smooth, but no more productive stint. Several excellent plays - i.e. challenges - helped keep the scoring to a mutual goose egg until the bottom of the sixth. My fleet right fielder got on with a single, and stole second - AKA Challenged the catcher's arm - before being doubled home, tying the game at one run each. In the top of the seventh, with a Scrapper at first and one out, the visitors grounded a single past the Weebles first baseman, and the runner tried to advance to third, but was cut down at third on a superb one-hop throw across the diamond by the Weeble's right fielder - the runner Challenged the right fielder's arm, and tied, but failed to beat, the throw, and the challenger always loses the tie - scuttling the rally. In the top of the eighth, the Scrapper's third baseman hit a solo home run to take a slim lead. In the bottom of the ninth, the Weebles got a man on first and third with one out, but failed to score against the Scrappers' veteran closer, and the game was done.

It really mimicked the feel and rhythm of a real game, but I wonder if I need to adjust the batting to make it a bit easier to hit. It could be that the challenges - and there were a *lot* of them, the single up the middle that put a man of first and third in the ninth couldn't be challenged as the Scrappers' second baseman, shortstop, and center fielder were all out of challenges - make things lean a bit much to the defensive side. It could also be that it was just a close game, and the next one might be 7-5. Of course it was a National League game, and the pitcher was batting, so that may be part of it too.

-clash