The Game with No Name - June 5th Game

Does anyone remember our game against Schnack from last year?   I just reread the writeup, and it was just as intense as this year.  They had the same pitcher, complete with visor and sunglasses, and they brought us the same defensive game.  We eeked out a close victory of 5-3 almost a year ago to the day.   But every inning, there was a chance for either team.

The B61 Lineup, sponsored by Budweiser and Snapple

• “Redbird” Amy as catcher
• “Like a Horse” Jonathan as pitcher
• “Republican” Raible at first base
• “I ? Turning the Play to First” Tamara at second
• Matt Daddy as shortstop
• Coach Jamie at third
• “Hit Me with Your Best Shot” Steve in left field
• “FugetAboutIt” Capone in center field
• Australian Alex in right center
• “Ribbi” Alyce as right field
• “The Mighty Casey” Joaquin as DH
• Wonderful Whipit as backup first base
• Betsy as backup second base
• “Comeback” Kate as backup right field
• Johanna “Beer Can” as backup catcher
• Big Alex as backup center right field

The Game

Once again, we faced a team that only probably two women.  Once again, it was their first game ever with two women.  Once again, we came to the field with 6 women.  I love the Lady Bus Stops.  What’s the point of a co-ed league if the teams are not going to play any women?

Once again, we were the home team so we took the field.  I think we need nicknames for our umpires because we’ve had this guy before.  For now, I’ll call him Ricky Martin because for some insane reason, he reminded me of him.  Would Ricky measure out the distances to the bases?  Probably not, but Ricky might have a better call on the strike zone. 

Schnack started off strong.  A base hit which they advanced to third with some sacrifice flies.  With 2 outs, the batter hit a line drive to center field.  The angle of the ball was hard to read, and it flew over Capone’s head.  Back, back and away.  A home run to drive in the other runner to make it 2-0.  It wouldn’t have been so bad if Jamie hadn’t been yelling at Capone to move back and Capone hadn’t refused because he said not to worry about it.  I would never have mentioned this if it weren’t for that.  Capone is an incredible center fielder and a great player.

We quickly responded.  Old reliable Steve started us off with a base hit.  Capone hit a perfect line drive down the left field line.  Steve scored, and there was a bad throw at third to get Capone.  The ball landed near our dugout behind Johanna’s bike.  Capone took the opportunity and ran home.  An in the park home run with Johanna’s bike getting an RBI!   2-2. 

Both teams went into defense mode.  In the 2^nd inning, we shut them down 1-2-3, and they quickly did the same.  I was finally learning that Blue was calling strikes low and really inside, so we’re doing much better, especially since Schnack is letting pitches go by.  Coach rightly complained to Blue that if Schnack was playing with two women, they should still only put 9 players out on the field.  After much grumbling, they acceded. 

The 3^rd inning was much the same with neither side giving up any runs, but it did have an incredible play.  Schnack had a runner on first when a Schnacki hit a long ball to right field.  Alyce bobbled the ball for a moment, and as I was covering home plate, I heard a Schnacki in the dugout chuckling, “Hey, if they want to pay 3 women, go right ahead.”  Matt, meanwhile, was racing across the field to shallow right.  Alyce rocketed the ball to Matt who proceeded to shoot it out of a cannon right into my glove at home plate.   One one thousand.  Blink.  ‘Wow.  I have the ball in my glove.’  Two one thousand.  I turn towards the runner.  Three one thousand.  Let’s just wait for the runner to make it to home plate.  Four one thousand.  You’re out.  You should have seen the look of surprise on his face.  “Oh, my God.  I’m out?”  Don’t mess with the Ladies, and that was one hell of a throw.

In the 4^th, Andrew was the first base vortex with three great plays in a row – Jamie to Raible, Tamara to Raible, and Jamie to Raible again.  Tamara did a quiet happy dance after turning her play, and I don’t think I have ever seen her smile a bigger smile.  Mikey, I think she likes it.

 It the bottom of the 4^th, Coach landed a solid base hit and pulled in Matt as a pinch runner since Jamie was still wearing a knee brace, a foot brace and a corset to keep everything in place.   Australian Alex followed by hitting a single for which mayhem ensued.  Matt sped around the bases, and the throw went to third.  Matt’s safe.  Meanwhile, A. Alex did a stealthy stutter step, so the third baseman threw to second.  A. Alex’s safe.  Meanwhile, Matt took the opportunity to run home, and the throw went to home.  Matt’s safe again.  Did you follow that?  In any case, Matt scored to make it 3-2.

In the fifth, we rotated our players, including Johanna who we brought up from the Jack Rabbit minors.  She held true to her scouting report by getting a hit at her first at bat, a pop fly over the first baseman’s head.  Oh, what a happy dance she did!  Kate continued the Lady Bus Stops run with another hit out to right field.  Go Lady Bus Stops!  Alas, it wasn’t enough, and Schnack brought us down without a run. 

In the 6^th, they scored two runs with base hits and sacrifice flies.  4-3.  Boy, this is tense.  They hold us in the 6^th, so we go into the 7^th down by one.   Our defense held, and we shut them down.  Now, it was up to our bats.  With one out, I hit a crappy ground ball to second.   I refused to be 0-3 for the day, so I sprinted my heart out and beat the play at first.  Capone, the first base coach, promptly yelled, “That was incredible!   You ran like a HORSE!”  I know he meant it as a compliment.  Did my ass look fat in these shorts?  Betsy hit a sacrifice shot which advanced me to second.  Now, the tying run was on second with two outs, bottom of the seventh, and Kate went up to bat. 

At this point, Coach stepped in and told Blue that he wanted a pinch hitter for Kate.  The other team argued, and at first, Blue wouldn’t listen to us.  Coach pulled out the rule book and told Blue that crazy Jake from the Hit Men allowed us to do it, so it must be legal.  The arguing went on for a while, but Blue finally consented.  It was time for a new hitter –

There was ease in Joaquin's manner as he stepped into his place;
There was pride in Joaquin's bearing and a smile lit Joaquin's face.
And when, responding to the cheers, he lightly doffed his hat,
No stranger in the crowd could doubt 'twas Joaquin at the bat.

Joaquin hit a solid ball out to right center field, and I was halfway to home when I saw the center fielder catch it.  SO close for the second game in a row.

Memorable Moments

·         Australian Alex making another $6.50 off Raible for wearing his hat while getting a hit

·         Capone – “This game is driving me to smoke.”  After which he tells me, “Jon, we live and die by your pitching.  That’s not too much pressure is it?”  What do you think??

·         At the bar, we commented on how well Raible was fielding the ball at first with his new glove.  “You know, Jon, I found that if you throw a lot of money at a problem, it’s fixed.”  Spoken like a true Republican.

·         Kate walking off the field because she thought she was out at third even though she was never tagged.  Good thing Schnack called time out before they noticed!

·         Whipit and I hugging each other as we both raced for a foul ball on the first base line.  I should have dived for the ball

·         My striking out the batter in the 7^th inning.  Two strikes inside, and then, he went down looking.  Yes, the pitch was outside, but close enough.  Who doesn’t swing on 0-2 in softball? 

Player of the Game

This game, we had a tie for MVP.  Matt Daddy got it for the beautiful throw to home to save a run as well as for his heads up base running to score a run.  At the same time, the Lady Bus Stops  get it collectively for playing so well.  Great hitting and fielding as well as always showing up with a lot of heart.  If there was any doubt about it, Alyce cheering, “What the F@ck?!!” from the sidelines sealed the nomination.

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.”

My Soapbox

Jamie deserves the credit for this game.  It’s easy to forget that he has the additional job of managing the team, choosing the lineup, and making the tough calls.  That’s a lot of responsibility to handle in addition to just playing his own game.  Some people want him to remain quiet when we get bad calls, and others want him to stand up for the team.  Switching Joaquin for Kate was a smart move, and we did do it last year in our last game against Smith’s.  Jamie was right, and he deserves credit for sticking up for his call when both Blue and the other team were fighting him about it.  Throughout the discussion, he kept his cool.  It was a smart strategic move, and it almost worked.  Why not use Jamie’s baseball savvy to help win the game?

Web Site

You can see all of the writeups at http://www.czarsolutions.com/softball/