Schnack Attack – June
3rd Game
Schnack, Schnack, Schnack. Such a good team. 3-2 record, strong lineup, and a
professional looking pitcher complete with sunglasses and visor. On the other hand, we were raring to
go. Ready to put that last game
behind us. This was going to be a
good fight. This one was for
Aoife.
The B61 Lineup
·
Johanna as
catcher
·
“I was on a Highway to Hellish
Pitching” Jonathan as pitcher
·
Some guy who doesn’t like the
press on first
·
Betsy “Captain in Tenafly” at
second
·
Matt at
shortstop
·
Coach Jamie at
third
·
“That’s my man!” Steve in left
field
·
“I make killer nachos” Capone
in center
·
JJ in center right
field
·
“Smiley” Tamara in right
field
·
“Run It Out Raible” as
DH
·
Lawyer Alex as backup center
right field
·
Snapple Alex #2 as backup
first base
·
Amy “Jets” as backup second
base
·
Alyce “Who wouldn’t wear her
jersey because I wrote it might be bad luck” as backup right
field
The Game
1st inning - Schnack leads off with a strong
start. They get some good hits, but
the B61 defense holds by stopping the lead runner at 3rd, and Capone making
another catch on his knees to end it.
Their pitcher walks Steve to start it off. Raible gets a hit to take Steve to
third. Matt hits a sac fly to bring
Steve home. 1-0. Jamie’s dribbler gets him on base with
Run It Out on third. Betsy goes up
and gets an important hit. She
doesn’t beat the throw at first, but advances Jamie to third and Raible makes a
gutsy run home. The catcher drops
the throw, and his gamble pays off.
It’s another 2 out rally.
3-0 at the end of the first.
2nd Inning - I’m tossing pitches over the
batters’ head, not getting the outside corner, and I can’t get “Highway to Hell”
out of my head. They score 1 and
leave one stranded on third. After
we escape without giving any more runs, Blue gives me some pitching advice –
pitch inside and make them hit to your best gloves. Wink, wink - that’s also where he’ll
call the strikes. He doesn’t like
my pitches on the outside corner.
He also doesn’t call high strikes except when I’m batting.
3rd and 4th Innings - The ump was
right - pitch inside. He calls a
lot more strikes, and Jamie and Matt are able to make some good plays to
first. It’s a tight game with both
teams leaving runners stranded. I
deflect a line drive aimed at my head.
Matt picks it up to make a third out. Jamie hits a solo homerun to give us
some breathing room at 4-1.
A
New Song - Top of the fifth – I’m
feeling the pressure. My pitches
are all over the place. We get one
out with a play to first, but then I fill the bases with walks. As I walk the second batter, I hear
Schnack saying I don’t have any more strikes in my arm. After the third walk, I put my hand up
to Matt. “Don’t worry. I got this.” It was just time for a new song.
“Highway to Hell” was not taking me where I needed to be. Cleared my head and started over. Sac fly to score one run. Men on first and second. A pop fly to first base with Alex trying
for the double play with his foot on the bag. A line drive that almost takes off my
head to score another run and advance the runner to third. Short pop fly with Capone running in at
full speed to make the third out.
They score 2.
4-3.
6th Inning - We continue to hold them as they
leave 2 more ducks on the pond.
We’re back at the start of the batting order. Steve hits a single to left field. “That’s my man!” yells Johanna. Raible hits the gap between second and
third. Base hit! Steve goes to second. Jamie hits a tomahawk blooper that
bounces in front of the pitcher.
The shortstop snags the ball and runs to cover second. Run It Out with some strong base running
runs right into the shortstop. Full
contact softball. Raible falls down
a little stunned, but does the trick.
Shortstop can’t get the throw to first, and Steve runs home. 5-3. In a game like this, that run could be
crucial.
Top
of the Seventh – If we hold them, we win.
Otherwise, we back at bat in the bottom half of our lineup. I learn another valuable lesson. I’m not here to strike the other team
out. I’m here to get the ball into
the field so my team can do what they do.
Let the team hit the ball, and my team will do the
rest.
Pitcher comes to the plate. She’s 3 for 3 so far today. Instead of going towards right field,
she hits to Jamie at third base, quick throw to Alex. One out. Next, a fly ball hit to center right
just short of Lawyer Alex. He runs
in and catches it on the bounce.
Base hit. “If there was ever
a time for you to hit a two run home run, this would be it,” is heard from their
dugout. Third baseman comes up to
bat (Should I mention that they changed their batting lineup or should I let
that go?) Johanna’s man comes
through again as he catches a fly ball to left field. I thought it was going over his head,
but he was just adding to the suspense as he moved back to put it in his
glove. Heart pounding. Singing my song – gotta relax and stay
loose. I’m under control, but I
walk another batter, and the tying runs are on base. Two damn pitches outside that I
love. 2-0. Johanna practically has her glove behind
the batter to get me to pitch inside.
I get it inside, and the
batter pops up and the ball sinks in my glove for the final out. One sigh of relief before Alex tackles
me as the team converges on the mound.
One hour of intense defense softball. One win closer to the playoffs. We’re 4-3.
Coach Jamie’s Base Running
Advice
“If
you’re on first base, and there’s pop fly to deep left field, run to
second. If he catches the ball, you
have plenty of time to get back to first.
If he drops the ball, you’re home.”
Memorable Moments
·
Johanna’s comment when the ump
mistakenly said the score was 5-4 - “I’ll punch the ump if he gives you
4.”
·
Alex backing into a motorcycle
with his crazy driving
·
Anthony catching another ball
on his knees
·
Buying flowers next to
Schnack. “We like to take team
pictures in front of every bar we beat.”
·
Matt tossing to Jamie at third
to catch the leading runner (the pitcher) twice.
·
Our honor procession to each
put a flower on the bar for Aoife and making her cry. Good idea! (The flowers, not the
crying)
·
Jamie’s dribblers to the
pitcher. They all look the same in
the stats, but those were no line drives.
·
Coach switching up the batting
order. We didn’t score a lot of
runs but I don’t think it was because of the order. Opinions?
·
The B61 bus driver showing
support and being excited that there was a team named after his route. The sweet guy came back and gave Tamara
a Brooklyn MTA hat – “The Jackie Gleason Depot.” Can we get a team bus to take us to the
games?
·
Aoife’s HILARIOUS caricature
candles done by Anthony and Sam
Can You
Guess Who Has Which Batting Average (This is up to our last
game)?
|
1 |
Steve |
|
a. |
5 for
6 |
0.833 |
|
2 |
Johanna |
|
b. |
18 for
22 |
0.818 |
|
3 |
Matt |
|
c. |
15 for
20 |
0.750 |
|
4 |
Capone |
|
d. |
9 for
12 |
0.750 |
|
5 |
Vipond |
|
e. |
7 for
10 |
0.700 |
|
6 |
Alyce |
|
f. |
9 for
15 |
0.600 |
|
7 |
Amy |
|
g. |
7 for
12 |
0.583 |
|
8 |
Whippet |
|
h. |
10 for
18 |
0.556 |
|
9 |
Raible |
|
i. |
2 for
4 |
0.500 |
|
10 |
Tamara |
|
j. |
7 for
14 |
0.500 |
|
11 |
Adam |
|
k. |
6 for
13 |
0.462 |
|
12 |
JJ |
|
l. |
6 for
13 |
0.462 |
|
13 |
Lawyer Alex |
|
m. |
3 for
10 |
0.300 |
|
14 |
Snapple Alex |
|
n. |
5 for
17 |
0.294 |
|
15 |
Betsy |
|
o. |
2 for
8 |
0.250 |
|
16 |
Jonathan |
|
p. |
1 for
8 |
0.125 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1-f,2-k,3-c,4-n,5-b,6-e,7-p,8-h,9-d,10-L,11-I,12-j,13-a,14-m,15-O,16-g |
| ||||
Corrections and Updates
·
Raible (note spelling) hit 5-5
in that last game. Definitely MVP
material.
·
Check out www.mysite.verizon.net/vze5b5g6/
to see the writeups online
Most Valuable Player
Every once in a while, you find those people who touch
your heart. How they do it, I’m not
sure. They give you a reassuring
sense that everything is going to be all right. Not alright, but all right. They confirm your belief in
humanity. I only know her one tenth
as well as everyone else, but it is obvious that Aoife is one of those
people. For that, she deserves our
praise, our thanks, our caricature candles, and our flowers. Then again, she’s abandoning us. Don’t go, Mary Poppins.
Aoife’s Goodbye
“I
love you all, and I’ll miss you. I
love you with all my heart. Don’t
tell anyone, but you’re my favorite, Jon.”